24th of Ashan, 719.
The day felt cold, and wet. Ashan's warmth was rising but it'd yet to rid the world of Cylus' memory, and so he pulled his coat a little tighter as he checked his canvas backpack for all the essentials one last time. Food and rations for them all, water in his waterskin and a couple handfuls of coins should they get caught short anywhere. His sword, bow and storm quiver, all strapped around his waist and back. "We'll likely be out for a few trials at least," he muttered over his shoulder to Greyhide, who sat patiently next to the tent. "We'll travel light, take just the tools we need and enough rations to eat on the journey, but we'll need to do some hunting and foraging along the way to keep our stomachs full. Sniff out anything good and go for it. Same for the others." Feeling a silent affirmation, he slung the pack and tested its weight. "This time, don't let Squeak out of your sight, okay?"
Greyhide huffed in quiet acknowledgement and immediately moved to Nir's side as they started walking. "He's old enough to know his own mistakes, and pay for them." As if speaking of the little pup had summoned him, Squeak suddenly emerged from the undergrowth of the nearby forest and pelted towards them, the little wolf's tongue hanging comically from the side of his muzzle as he tore through dewy grass almost as tall as he was. As Nir knelt down to give the energetic little lump of fur a good scratching between the ears his two caretakers for the morning, Cold and Myrth, emerged silently afterwards. One tall, lanky and pale, the other smaller, languid and ruddy.
"Yes, he is, but you're also old enough to know that regardless of his age, it is your responsibility to look after him." Squeak rolled over onto his side, eager for some tummy rubs, but was left wanting and whined when Nir stood up again and gave a final stroke down Greyhide's head. "Look after him, teach him to be better... and remember what you were like, as a pup." Greyhide snorted again, but Nir could sense the faint tilt of a hidden smile in the wolf's mind, so he left it at that. "Remember to keep him at a distance today, as well. It's important that he sees what we do, but I think we'll wait until he develops a little more muscle until he actually gets to join in."
Vabina and Traveller, unlike the wolves, had chosen to remain nearby, curled up next to their own smoldering fire and speckled with dew and icicles in their fur and over their wings. Traveller rose groggily after a sharp whistle and shot Nir what could only be a grumpy glare, giving his heavy wings a few solid flaps before leaping into the air with a rush of cold wind that scattered the ashes of the campfire over the ground. Vabina needed no such prompting; she rose with a languid stretch the moment she felt his approach, shaking her short mane. "Speaking of which," the wolf added, "you never did get around to telling us what this plan of yours is."
A few good strokes down the Zephyrus' short mane eased her slowly into motion, dropping down far enough that he could climb up onto her back. "Those Thundermaws." They'd come across a whole pack of them not long ago, and they'd been stuck in his mind. "Beastly things, but intelligent. Working in a pack, coordinating attacks... you saw what they could do. They're efficient killers. Especially for their size." They'd not only worked as a pack, but worked in individual teams as part of a greater whole with near-perfect synchronisation. These things had a greater understanding of tactics than soldiers. "It's worth exploring them a little more. Behaviour. Physiology." The more they could understand the little monsters, the better chance they'd have of taking them down in the future, or driving them out, in case they lingered a little too close to one of the outer towns, like last time. "I heard there's been a sighting of one. Just one. Somewhere near Caervalle, not too far from here... and I think this gives us a perfect opportunity to do just that."
Caervalle was just near the other side of Lake Lovalus, less than a day's ride by horse. Vabina sprinted across the land with a bit of a slow gait at first, still clearly struggling through the frost to build up momentum, but she quickly built up steam until she was thundering over it, practically shaking the trees. It wasn't just her weight, it was the momentum she carried herself with. Flat paws landed hard and threw up chunks of land as she went, the well-worn path disappeared under them frequently but it didn't matter to her in the slightest; fallen trees, steep inclines, dangerous terrain she swept through without breaking her stride, and whatever she couldn't go over or around, she went straight through. Say what you wanted, if she had wings, Traveller wouldn't be able to keep up with her. The raw power she exerted was something to be feared, out of combat as much as in it. Perhaps that was why she had such a prehistoric saddle with no means of control. Hell, perhaps that was Malice's problem too. Some beasts simply held too much strength for that kind of control. Didn't mean there weren't other ways to direct them, though. Vabina, like Traveller, worked better through vocal commands; best of all through the commands Karliah had once ingrained in her. "Haste," he told her, and his grip on her saddle tightened as the Zephyrus suddenly powered forward with an extra burst of speed.
Perhaps they shouldn't have been so loud.
The Thundermaw snarled moments before it pounced at Vabina mid-stride, appearing from a small cluster of nearby bushes. Its indigo body blended into the shadows and the bright fur of its mane passed for oddly-shaped wildflowers in peripheral vision. The split seconds of warning weren't enough for Nir'wei to react, but Vabina spun on instinct, tearing her claws into the dirt to draw herself into a stop that nearly sent Nir'wei flying over her head, and threw off the Thundermaw's aim - it had angled itself for where it believed Vabina would be, and instead it landed just before them - in line with the crackling energy that shot from the Zephyrus' horn in the next moment and earned a pained screech from the creature as it was thrown back under the sheer force, but seemed to flip itself mid-air to land uneasily back on its feet. A feline heritage? Now definitely wasn't the time for study, unfortunately.
Vabina charged heedlessly for another attack but the smaller creature proved itself more nimble despite its squat legs, using its lower center of gravity to make tighter turns as it zipped to the side, back around, and lashed its tail around one of her forelegs, throwing off her landing and sending her crashing sideways. He couldn't afford to land under her - much larger and heavier than a horse, he'd be crippled if he got trapped under her full weight - so he swung his legs up behind himself, so that when she landed, he could let the momentum throw him sideways and roll clear, winded and bruised but at least avoiding broken bones. He could still hear the scuffles of fighting, likely the Thundermaw trying to take advantage of her prone position, but by the time he'd regained enough of his senses to stumble back to his feet, Vabina had long since done the same and engaged into a furious battle of tooth and claw with the vicious thing.
Ambush, forgotten. Range, out of the question. Pulling his sword and holding it steady in both hands, he aimed the tip at the snarling Thundermaw the moment it locked all four eyes on him. Vabina naturally took her position behind, front body crouched low and ready to spring.
A long, uncomfortable stillness settled over them. Did the creature sense his unease, was it only cautious because it knew Vabina was likely waiting for just the right moment to snap its back? Or did it recognise the shape of a sword somehow - aware of its deadly potential? It hissed, drawing back its lips to show off neat arrays of short, sharp teeth, and he bared his fangs in kind, drawing up a low growl.
That seemed to be the cue. Alarmingly, there was no crouch, no twitch, no hint of what came next - it seemed to break into a full sprint from standing completely still with no in-between, and it was only through the pose he'd already struck that he was able to twist the sword down in time to catch it between the teeth as it went straight for his right leg.
Blue blood dripped from the open wound sliced through the side of its maw, but it was clear that he'd done nothing but briefly daze the thing. Shaking itself and splattering the floor with iron-scented droplets fizzing with acidic saliva, it crouched low for another attack, looked up, and with sudden horror Nir'wei realised that he wouldn't be able to block the next attack. It was going to go straight for his neck, he could see it already; its back arched like a cat spotting a juicy-looking sparrow, and the club-like tail lashed around behind it almost in excitement.
The day felt cold, and wet. Ashan's warmth was rising but it'd yet to rid the world of Cylus' memory, and so he pulled his coat a little tighter as he checked his canvas backpack for all the essentials one last time. Food and rations for them all, water in his waterskin and a couple handfuls of coins should they get caught short anywhere. His sword, bow and storm quiver, all strapped around his waist and back. "We'll likely be out for a few trials at least," he muttered over his shoulder to Greyhide, who sat patiently next to the tent. "We'll travel light, take just the tools we need and enough rations to eat on the journey, but we'll need to do some hunting and foraging along the way to keep our stomachs full. Sniff out anything good and go for it. Same for the others." Feeling a silent affirmation, he slung the pack and tested its weight. "This time, don't let Squeak out of your sight, okay?"
Greyhide huffed in quiet acknowledgement and immediately moved to Nir's side as they started walking. "He's old enough to know his own mistakes, and pay for them." As if speaking of the little pup had summoned him, Squeak suddenly emerged from the undergrowth of the nearby forest and pelted towards them, the little wolf's tongue hanging comically from the side of his muzzle as he tore through dewy grass almost as tall as he was. As Nir knelt down to give the energetic little lump of fur a good scratching between the ears his two caretakers for the morning, Cold and Myrth, emerged silently afterwards. One tall, lanky and pale, the other smaller, languid and ruddy.
"Yes, he is, but you're also old enough to know that regardless of his age, it is your responsibility to look after him." Squeak rolled over onto his side, eager for some tummy rubs, but was left wanting and whined when Nir stood up again and gave a final stroke down Greyhide's head. "Look after him, teach him to be better... and remember what you were like, as a pup." Greyhide snorted again, but Nir could sense the faint tilt of a hidden smile in the wolf's mind, so he left it at that. "Remember to keep him at a distance today, as well. It's important that he sees what we do, but I think we'll wait until he develops a little more muscle until he actually gets to join in."
Vabina and Traveller, unlike the wolves, had chosen to remain nearby, curled up next to their own smoldering fire and speckled with dew and icicles in their fur and over their wings. Traveller rose groggily after a sharp whistle and shot Nir what could only be a grumpy glare, giving his heavy wings a few solid flaps before leaping into the air with a rush of cold wind that scattered the ashes of the campfire over the ground. Vabina needed no such prompting; she rose with a languid stretch the moment she felt his approach, shaking her short mane. "Speaking of which," the wolf added, "you never did get around to telling us what this plan of yours is."
A few good strokes down the Zephyrus' short mane eased her slowly into motion, dropping down far enough that he could climb up onto her back. "Those Thundermaws." They'd come across a whole pack of them not long ago, and they'd been stuck in his mind. "Beastly things, but intelligent. Working in a pack, coordinating attacks... you saw what they could do. They're efficient killers. Especially for their size." They'd not only worked as a pack, but worked in individual teams as part of a greater whole with near-perfect synchronisation. These things had a greater understanding of tactics than soldiers. "It's worth exploring them a little more. Behaviour. Physiology." The more they could understand the little monsters, the better chance they'd have of taking them down in the future, or driving them out, in case they lingered a little too close to one of the outer towns, like last time. "I heard there's been a sighting of one. Just one. Somewhere near Caervalle, not too far from here... and I think this gives us a perfect opportunity to do just that."
Caervalle was just near the other side of Lake Lovalus, less than a day's ride by horse. Vabina sprinted across the land with a bit of a slow gait at first, still clearly struggling through the frost to build up momentum, but she quickly built up steam until she was thundering over it, practically shaking the trees. It wasn't just her weight, it was the momentum she carried herself with. Flat paws landed hard and threw up chunks of land as she went, the well-worn path disappeared under them frequently but it didn't matter to her in the slightest; fallen trees, steep inclines, dangerous terrain she swept through without breaking her stride, and whatever she couldn't go over or around, she went straight through. Say what you wanted, if she had wings, Traveller wouldn't be able to keep up with her. The raw power she exerted was something to be feared, out of combat as much as in it. Perhaps that was why she had such a prehistoric saddle with no means of control. Hell, perhaps that was Malice's problem too. Some beasts simply held too much strength for that kind of control. Didn't mean there weren't other ways to direct them, though. Vabina, like Traveller, worked better through vocal commands; best of all through the commands Karliah had once ingrained in her. "Haste," he told her, and his grip on her saddle tightened as the Zephyrus suddenly powered forward with an extra burst of speed.
Perhaps they shouldn't have been so loud.
The Thundermaw snarled moments before it pounced at Vabina mid-stride, appearing from a small cluster of nearby bushes. Its indigo body blended into the shadows and the bright fur of its mane passed for oddly-shaped wildflowers in peripheral vision. The split seconds of warning weren't enough for Nir'wei to react, but Vabina spun on instinct, tearing her claws into the dirt to draw herself into a stop that nearly sent Nir'wei flying over her head, and threw off the Thundermaw's aim - it had angled itself for where it believed Vabina would be, and instead it landed just before them - in line with the crackling energy that shot from the Zephyrus' horn in the next moment and earned a pained screech from the creature as it was thrown back under the sheer force, but seemed to flip itself mid-air to land uneasily back on its feet. A feline heritage? Now definitely wasn't the time for study, unfortunately.
Vabina charged heedlessly for another attack but the smaller creature proved itself more nimble despite its squat legs, using its lower center of gravity to make tighter turns as it zipped to the side, back around, and lashed its tail around one of her forelegs, throwing off her landing and sending her crashing sideways. He couldn't afford to land under her - much larger and heavier than a horse, he'd be crippled if he got trapped under her full weight - so he swung his legs up behind himself, so that when she landed, he could let the momentum throw him sideways and roll clear, winded and bruised but at least avoiding broken bones. He could still hear the scuffles of fighting, likely the Thundermaw trying to take advantage of her prone position, but by the time he'd regained enough of his senses to stumble back to his feet, Vabina had long since done the same and engaged into a furious battle of tooth and claw with the vicious thing.
Ambush, forgotten. Range, out of the question. Pulling his sword and holding it steady in both hands, he aimed the tip at the snarling Thundermaw the moment it locked all four eyes on him. Vabina naturally took her position behind, front body crouched low and ready to spring.
A long, uncomfortable stillness settled over them. Did the creature sense his unease, was it only cautious because it knew Vabina was likely waiting for just the right moment to snap its back? Or did it recognise the shape of a sword somehow - aware of its deadly potential? It hissed, drawing back its lips to show off neat arrays of short, sharp teeth, and he bared his fangs in kind, drawing up a low growl.
That seemed to be the cue. Alarmingly, there was no crouch, no twitch, no hint of what came next - it seemed to break into a full sprint from standing completely still with no in-between, and it was only through the pose he'd already struck that he was able to twist the sword down in time to catch it between the teeth as it went straight for his right leg.
Blue blood dripped from the open wound sliced through the side of its maw, but it was clear that he'd done nothing but briefly daze the thing. Shaking itself and splattering the floor with iron-scented droplets fizzing with acidic saliva, it crouched low for another attack, looked up, and with sudden horror Nir'wei realised that he wouldn't be able to block the next attack. It was going to go straight for his neck, he could see it already; its back arched like a cat spotting a juicy-looking sparrow, and the club-like tail lashed around behind it almost in excitement.