RP Stories/ Close Encounters of the Briar Kind

The forests were dark and shadowed as the storm clouds rolled overhead, but thankfully the rain hadn't hit this far south. The sky boomed with thunder as a great flash of lightning to the north streaked across the sky, sending a family of rabbits skittering for their warren. Hodenwold's wild and knotted woodlands mingled and grew together with the tangled and thorny Briarvines that snaked across the ground and weighed on the branches of other trees they had claimed as their own - a perfect location for the pack's newest pups to take part in their first hunt.

It had been some time since Sairus had settled his footing, crouched on all fours in the thick grass, waiting for the slightest whisper of movement... He stared into the nearby bush with a grin on his face, this was his mark, a deer, a fairly large one too, this one must have been native to the briar to be such size. Thinking to himself "This is it, we've got this one!", Sairus began to slowly raise his hand, the signal for the rest of the pack to make their move.

Floki was crouching in a bush a few meters from the deer Alpha had spotted. he was upwind. the short sword ready in case the dear bolted towards him. Kyphis waited with a bow at the ready, watching for the signal from Sairus to loose arrows. Rexxar waited patiently arrow ready for the signal, full concentration on the packs target

Ly'caelia noticed the buzz of excitement among the pack, especially the Alpha. She noticed the deer at the same moment as the Alpha, which impressed her beyond belief as his instincts and reflexes were on par or even better than that of elven blood. A flicker of a smile crossed the half elf's usually composed face at the thought of this. Stringing her bow silently and swiftly with the grace of decades of practice she nocked an arrow and aimed her shot to hit the heart of the deer... But this would have been greedy and Ly'caelia respected the pack. She shot an arrow into the tree just half a meter from the majestic animal and nodded, content with her shot. She hoped the creature would not run off but it was a risk one of them had to take.

The beasts head shot up, looking for the source of the whizz-thud that sounded past its shoulder... ears alert and sniffing the air, the deer spotted the arrow embedded in the tree. With a sudden bleat of fear, the deer bolted - fleeing right toward where the pack were lying in wait.

Grasping the net placed at his side, Sairus turned his body with as much momentum as his crouched position would allow, hurling the net towards the terrified deer "Keep it in your sights! we need to make this clean!" he shouted as the net left his grasp. Kyphis lets his arrow fly... and swears under his breath, as the deer veers away from his shot, his arrow missing its mark. This deer is no slower for its large size... Floki dived narrowly avoided being trampled by the deer. "Dia Kute!" he cursed.

Dayro was peering at the deer as it darted in the distance he knew he had to breathe and focus... the deer drew closer and suddenly changed direction and leapt away from him as if it could sense him. The net the Alpha had throw had it stressed and inpredictable but Dayro used this as a bit of time to gather his thoughts



Panicked and frightened by the sudden sounds all around it, the deer ducked its head to avoid the thrown net.. but too slowly - and the net caught in the beast's antlers, too small to bring it down, but enough to slow it down as the tangled net dragged behind the fleeing animal.



Rexxar lowered his bow, mouth open in awe watching his new brothers and sisters running around like headless chooks, thinking to himself "...animals are food, why do they treat food like kin?" Coming from a poor life Rexxar was unused to respecting his kill... this being a whole new experience to him, his attitude changed from focused to fun, a grin spread across his face as he threw his bow down and jumped towards the deer.



Dayro was gripping the tree he stood beside and took a deep breath, his arrows may not be as accurate as they once were, but his feet were just as fast as they were when he was a young man. Dayro took off after the confused animal sprinting over logs and through the thistles. Dayro was only a few seconds late as he was just about to leap to tackle the beast his eyes played their part and he tripped on a dead tree root sending him crashing to the earth.



Floki jumped to his feet. the deer ahead of him. Floki clicked his fingers. summoning a fire ball in each hand. Dayro tripped right next to the deer. Floki smiled and threw the fireballs passed the fleeing deer. he flicked his wrists the balls of fire turned into a wall of fire that cut off that path of the deer's escape.



<p class="MsoNoSpacing">With a bleat a fear, the buck skidded on the leaf strewn ground, barely avoiding the firewall as it bounded sideways back the way it came. Fear in its eyes and its antlers still tangled in Sairus' net, it bolted for a safe opening between the briar tangled trees, making a great leap for freedom over Dayro's prone form...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Standing aside watching the hunt ensue Sairus couldn't help but grin, opting to sit back and watch his pack hunt, Sairus thought "they still have a lot to learn, but they are getting better"...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia gave a curt nod towards the Alpha and took off at a run towards her brothers and the large buck. She raced the creature for a moment as it almost trampled Dayro but she was a split second too late as it landed just inches short of his body. She stopped for a moment to help Dayro to his feet and she was off after the frightened buck. She let fly a rushed half drawn arrow and moments later as she ran she let another more precise shot follow after the other. The arrows tangled in the netting as they lodged themselves into a tree but the first arrow snapped down the shaft. Ly'caelia cursed under her breath but was glad she fired the second as it pulled the animal to a halt. The animal was terrified, it had to be calmed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Tara! Now!" She yelled over her shoulder.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara stepped forward from the shadows slowly, and lifted a gentle hand towards the frightened stag, her other hand gripping a small amber pendant hung from her neck. In a tranquil place in her mind, Tara remembered a lullaby her mother had sung to her, and let that feeling of peace flow through her as she sang; "Cares you know not, Therefore sleep, While over you a watch I'll keep. Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry, And I will sing a lullaby."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis slowed in his tracks as he heard his wife's clear voice singing out, the power of magic behind the words. He had set his bow down after letting the first arrow fly, sure that he would not be able to get a clear shot at the deer now that it was startled, and had been running with sword and shield to intercept it. It had been his intent to knock his sword against the shield and turn the deer back toward the group with the sound, but if Tara wove her magic well he should not need to worry about it escaping.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki heard Tara's soothing song. he smiled. then the sound of a crackling fire behind him caught his attention. as he turned the sight of the tree ablaze. Floki quickly weaving his hands, he muttered a quick spell and pulled the condensation out of the air to wrap the tree in water. letting the water drop the tree was completely black but no trace of an ember. "ah Jira's going to kill me". the strength left his legs, using magic always drains Floki more then he would like

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"HAHA SHOT!!" Rexxar yelled amazed by Ly'caelia's bow skills, Rexxar put his head down red faced and started to move towards the deer slowly and cautiously not to interrupt Tara's lullaby again...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">   The net tangled in its antlers was heavy and tiresome, its muscles aching from the frantic chase... but now the buck stood still as the sound of Tara's peaceful song washed over him. Having faced so much panic and fear, he felt almost grateful for the calmness once more...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">   "Reap what you have sown, but let it be under Moon's guidance" Sairus spoke softly to his pack, bringing his hands outward with a smile.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro dusted of his pants and in a huff started stomping towards the creature. Rexxar was walking towards it but Dayro had not thought for a second he would interrupt the gentle song, all he could think was ending the foolishness - he never was a patient man and hated drawn out events. Seconds later Dayro stood next to the beast as it stared into Tara's eyes and he drew his dagger and with one swift strike he had opened the throat of the Stag It began stumbling trying to keep its wits but it was of no use. Dayro wiped his blade on a rag he has hanging from his belt and turned to the Alpha with his arms wide as if to say ( it's done, and I did it my way ).

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">In a look of shock Sairus sighed heavily. "Make this right Dayro, you know this isn't how we do things" he grunted.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro flicked his head back as if he was a child and drove his blade into the bucks chest ending its writhing and finally it lay still on the grass.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis was surprised by Dayro's actions - although this was his first time hunting with the wolves, he had not expected this sort of behaviour. Still, when Sairus called for Dayro to make things right, it confirmed for him that this was not the normal way for such a hunt to end.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sairus now visibly irritated shouted "We will discuss this back at cam-" before he could finish, Sairus started feeling a pulling sensation in his chest, as if something was calling to him, "wait, there's more here..." Sairus started walking in the direction of the briar without any further banter.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia was disturbed by Dayro's nonchalant demeanour as she walked her way over to the warm corpse. She stroked the face of the magnificent creature and sighed at the sight of the blood. She levelled her head with that of the beast and whispered, "My brother, the time for your spirit to leave this vessel is now. We shall not let your death be in vain, we will use your fur as you have and your bones will be fashioned into weapons to represent your strength. May the ancestors guide you and the moon watch over you. Sleep well, child." The elf kissed the forehead of the beast and walked to where the Alpha was disappearing into the trees.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Where was he going?

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Rexxar moved towards the deer glancing at Dayro with a grin. He reached down and grabbed the beast from its front legs heaving it up and over his shoulder "OOOOOOFFFF" he grunted as the weight of the beast was more than he expected, Rexxar turned and started to follow "can someone grab my bow?" Pointing at it in the grass...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara, now revived from her stunned silence (the irreverence of Dayro's manner had shocked her quite a bit) turned on her toes, scooped up Rexxar's bow, and followed Ly'caelia and the Alpha in hot pursuit.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis sees Rexxar trying to shoulder the Buck himself, and hurries over to help him. "If we lash it to a pole we can carry it between the two of us, no point breaking your back."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"HA! This is nothing!" Rexxar grunted, clearly struggling with the weight on his shoulder, with each step he become slower and slower until finally getting to the top of a short incline he stopped gently putting the deer on the ground In front of him, staring at the beast drenched in blood " Ok Kyphis, we try it your way" he said, accepting the fact the weight had bested him.Kyphis smiled and shook his head as he watched Rexxar struggle with the Buck. The deer was huge, it had to weigh as much as the both of them combined, maybe more. Using his hatchet, he cut a long, stout branch from a nearby tree, and tied the buck's feet to the pole. Once that was done, he hefted one end - and was not surprised by the incredible weight - and waited for Rexxar to recover from his exertions so he could lift the other end, and they could then follow along with everyone else.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki was not as shocked as the others seemed to be. He had become accustom to barbaric deaths. He jogged the short distance between himself and Sairus. Floki slowed to match Sairus's stride. but he could see that Sairus was not willing to talk. Sairus' pace quickened as he stared directly in front, getting scratches and marks from the brambles clashing against his face, seemingly entranced by something.<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki match Sairus's quickened pace. "Sairus what's wrong?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">   Ly'caelia quickened her stride to keep up with Sairus and Floki. She nocked an arrow for good measure and looked over her shoulder to see Tara with a bow in hand. The elf knew that Tara felt the same chill and sunken stomach as she had when Dayro relentlessly slit the throat of the deer and their eyes met for a brief moment.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"There is something here... Something I need to find." Sairus said without even looking at Floki.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki was unnerved by Sairus's sudden determination. "What do you need to find?" Floki asked confused.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I don't know" Sairus said ignoring the briarvines beginning to tangle his feet, tearing them away as he walked. It was getting darker and more thorny the further they travelled.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia put her hand on Sairus' shoulder, hoping he'd be more inclined to listen. "Alpha, I know you feel an urge but you need to respect your body and slow down. We can help you find this." Sairus kept walking, shrugging off Ly'caelia's hand as if it were just another branch or vine.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro was still dirty and dusty but he took off after the Alpha. Confused about the situation but determined to assist in any way he could. As Dayro jogged ahead, Kyphis could hear the rest of the pack growing further and further away from Rexxar and himself as they struggled along with the weight of the Buck. "Looks like we are going to have to run to keep up" he said to Rexxar, his shoulders already sore where the pole was rubbing against it. "Can't risk falling away from the pack this deep in the Briar."

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The landscape changed drastically as they walked deeper into the Briar... The trees native to the northern reaches of Hodenwold were few and far between, replaced with the sprawling tangles of Briarvines, no longer thin creepers like the kind that grew near camp, but vines as thick as man's arm, studded with claw-like thorns. The thick vines twisted and coiled around the landscape like well fed pythons... and it looked like the vines would only get bigger the deeper into the Briar they went...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki took three long fast strides and wheeled around to face Sairus. "You can't brush past me like a briarvine, Sairus." He said, his concern evident in his voice. "What's going on?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I need to find something" Sairus said as he looked down to his sword, "this is too important to get sidetracked over" he finished as he swept around Floki, his eyes more piercing and strong than ever.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki was taken aback. He had not seen Sairus like this before. The threat of Sairus glancing at his blade did not go unnoticed. Floki gave a concerned look to Ly'caelia and Dayro. "We should move." He and Dayro backtracked and found Kyphis and Rexxar struggling with the deer... "Let's help out the pups, Dayro. Grab a cross bar." he said gesturing Kyphis and Rexxar.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Watch your manners, Floki, Kyphis is no pup!" Tara panted, as she strove to keep up with Ly'caelia and the Alpha. "Don't forget those of us who have taken the Pact!"

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki smiled an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry if I have offended anyone, Tara. It was not intended for any disrespect"

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro rolled past Floki and punched him in the arm. "You always have your foot in your mouth, don't you, my friend?" Dayro hoisted the cross bar onto his shoulders to give Rexxar a break and began marching after the Alpha. Floki took the bar from Kyphis. "Ey, you're not wrong my friend."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Rexxar gladly took a spell from carrying the deer catching his breath and rubbing his back, wiping the blood smeared on his face and ear he stayed with Dayro and Floki clearly in no hurry.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Wondering about the tenseness of his wife, he gladly gave the heavy pole over to Floki, then ran to catch up with her, and the rest of the pack, who where several minutes deeper into the Briar already.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The storm was far behind them now, but the sky grew no lighter, as the afternoon sun cast stark shadows on the tangled briarvines, contrast making each thorn stand out like arrowheads, sharp and dangerous. The thorns that grew near camp, the small ones, would only be a threat to the uninitiated and the pups who had not yet taken the Pact, but these... these giant thorns could do damage to even the hardiest of Briarwolves... The vines grew steadily more gnarled and twisted, diverting their path more than once as the pack trekked further, following in Sairus's wake. Surely he couldn't be too far ahead - for they could hear the sound of steel hacking through vines...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia pulled out her short sword and muttered a quick prayer to the ancestors that these vines would not blunt the blade too badly. She swung at a few that Sairus had not bothered to clear and she worried for his wellbeing as these vines had the potential to cut deep if care was not taken. Through an opening in the vines she spotted the Alpha a way off, hacking and moving at an alarming rate. As Ly'caelia ducked under a low hanging vine she felt a searing pain in her left arm as a thorn bit into her skin. The wound was not terrible but it bothered her enough - At least it wasn't her drawing arm...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">But soon the sure footed elf began to fumble and her vision blurred. Ly'caelia was not familiar with magic and poisons and in her 81 years had never experienced anything akin to this. The pain was coursing up her arm and into her neck as her veins took on a dark colour and her mouth tasted of metal. She tried to shout but only a whisper escaped, "Floki.. Tara?"

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara rushed to Ly'caelia's side, having been quite close at the time. "Ly'caelia! You need to try and fight the poison - I'll do what I can, but the Touch of the Briar is beyond my skills to heal". She turned behind her, to where she knew the boys would be appearing soon, and gave a loud, frightened howl, suspecting that while the Alpha was in this state, Floki would be the only one able and willing to help. "I can treat the symptoms, but you'll have to wait for Floki's magic." Tara had enough time to prepare a herbal treatment for the gash, and to wrap the wound, while singing a song of courage and strength, to keep her patient conscious.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"In the days of battle yonder, In times of mud and rain, Bear and Deer would ponder, Why the others did fear pain, For theirs was strength and courage, And on days so dreary blue, When in the Great Ancestors' praise, Such strength will come to you"

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">... Deeper in the Briar, Sairus was nearing his destination, he could hear what was going on behind him, he wanted to stop and check on his family, but something was drawing him in, the blade of his sword he had brought hunting was now notched and barely a weapon, thinking to himself "I should have come more prepared... Two swords and an axe, the vines here are like steel" visibly annoyed at himself he kept trudging forth into the inclines of the briar, now slowing down, searching his surroundings...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Hearing the howl, Kyphis paused for a moment - that was Tara's voice! He drew his sword and, using his shield to help push any vines out of the way, raced after his wife. Kyphis charged down the path hacked into the Briar, skidding to a stop as he came upon Tara tending to Ly'caelia. "What happened?" he asked, weapon at the ready and eyes darting around the thick undergrowth, ready to defend them if they came under attack.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Ly'caelia's been gouged by one of the vines- I need you to run and fetch Floki, and by the ancestors be quick, she hasn't got long"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Understanding the seriousness of the situation, Kyphis nods and races back along the hacked out path.<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki sees Kyphis running back towards him, a dire scenes of emergency floods Floki. "What happened? Is Tara alright?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"It's Ly'caelia - she slashed her arm open on the briar thorns!" Kyphis stammered out, breathless from his constant running. "You need to get to her fast, she is already fading." Out of energy, Kyphis could do no more than keep up with Dayro and Rexxar with the buck until he had his breath back.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki handed the pole to Rexxar. He found a good balance between caution and speed, and in a few minutes he reached Tara and Ly'caelia. "Damn it, what happened?" noticing the sizeable cut on Ly'caelia's arm. Floki turns and traces his way back the steps to the thorn. "Tara do you have a bottle?" Floki asked urgently

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara fumbled around in her satchel, and tossed him a nearly empty bottle of Jira's mulled wine. "Will this do?" If not, I have a full skin of water..."

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">   "Perfect". Going to his own water skin he tipped out the mulled wine, and rinsed the bottle with water. Taking his shortsword at his hip, Floki slashed the offending thorn, a slow trickle of sap bleeding out from the plant. Taking a drop from the thorn Floki brought it to his lips - the taste was foul, worse than the vines near the den, but although it poisoned Ly, Floki was no pup - since his initiation the poison of the Briarvines was no longer a threat. He squeezed a few drops of sap into the bottle and returned to Tara And Ly'caelia. "Tara I need Ly'caelia's blood, can you assist me?"

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara turned to Ly'caelia, lying prone and weak, thanked her for being so strong and ensured her the worst of it would be over soon, while gently piercing her patient's finger with her dagger, pressing the fresh wound into the opening of a spare vial, which she then passed up to Floki. "Sorry for all the pain you've had to bear, but it was necessary to keep you awake and present, lest you fall to the other side"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia felt a warmth in her chest whilst she heard Tara's soft voice as if it were in the distance. The darkness of her veins had stopped spreading at her neck but had not yet faded. "Thank...you..." she struggled.

Floki took the vial and examined it closely. "This blood may suffice. Tara, can you run back to Rexxar for some Dowd Root, I think he was chewing on some earlier?" Floki recites his healing chant over and over, flooding as much magic as he can spare into Ly'caelia. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara sprinted off down the track towards Rexxar, Dayro and Kyphis. Finally arriving, and out of breath, she sees the men still lugging the great buck around, as if there was no urgency. "Why are you still carrying that poor thing?! We can pick it up on our way back, surely - Rexxar, do you have any Dowd Root? Floki desperately needs it to heal Ly'caelia!" Dayro and Rexxar prop the branch that the buck is hitched to between two forked trees and in a flash Dayro had started running. Only stopping for a brief moment to check on Ly'caelia. Dayro reached the Alpha and was lucky enough to arrive at his heel unscathed.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">   Alerted by the urgency of Tara's arrival Rexxar gave a nod pulling some half chewed dowd root from his pouch "I better get moving" as he passed the still slobbery root into Tara's hand, Rexxar took off after Dayro ducking and weaving through the vines at one point almost coat hanging himself but managing to duck right at the last second. Finally he arrived full of adrenaline panting like a boar behind Dayro and the Alpha.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">... A bit confused as to why Rexxar didn't take the Dowd Root with him, Tara exchanged a puzzled look with her husband...<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis shakes his head. "Must be all the excitement. I'll take it, I've had more time to rest than you. Catch up as soon as you can though, Floki may need your help to stabilize Ly'caelia". Taking the chewed root, he hurries up the path as fast as his depleted energy will allow. Tara grabbed a moment to breathe, clasped her amber pendant, whispered "Faelan, grant me endurance" and trotted off after Kyphis.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki grunts. He is a lot more drained then he would like. The fire, then the water and now healing had left him with little reserve. Floki sees Kyphis and Tara. "The root?" He gasps hand outstretched. Kyphis holds out the root for Floki, then kneels on the ground beside Ly'caelia. "How is she holding up? Any improvement yet?"

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki goes to work quickly, "she... bad. no ....provement" he gasps totally drained. He takes the root and mashes it in a small stone bowl he had in his pouch, before adding a few drops of Ly'caelia's blood. "need... more... blood... Ta...ra... Ky...phis... both. only.... drops...."

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Exhausted, Tara does as she's bidden, grabs her dagger, slices her fingertip, and shakes it into the mortar. Kyphis takes the dagger from his wife, and cuts the end of his index finger, then squeezes three drops of blood into the mortar before passing it back to Floki's shaking hands...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki grinds the paste together " Ancestors....here my .... plea. bind by... magic. this .... remedy ... heal... your pup..." a blue light shines from Floki's hands and eyes as the blood paste turns a faint purple. Floki puts the bowl down in time to collapse in silent agony. Writhing in pain, Floki yells "rub... paste..... wound... Ly" then slips into unconsciousness.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia gasps as a heat courses through her veins and she thrashes in pain, holding her arm. Moments of agony pass and Ly'caelia's breath begins to settle, the darkness fading from her veins and her vision slowly returning. "I.. am sorry. That was foolish of me..." she whispers as her strength slowly begins to return.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis is glad to see a swift response from Ly'caelia, as he rubs the paste into her wound. "Here, drink water. It will help you recover" he says, offering his water flask to her.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">...deep in the briar Sairus had been searching in an unknown area. as Sairus was glancing around the dips and uneven ground he felt a pulse of energy pulling him towards a small unassuming gully, without hesitation Sairus started slowly manoeuvring around the steep and rough hill, his leather armour now barely wearable catching on the rocks and thorns as he slid down....

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">...Rexxar moved swiftly through the thorns, still fuelled on adrenaline, catching a glimpse of Dayro's back every so often assured him he was still going in the right direction to find the Alpha....

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">While Ly'caelia sipped the water to recover, Kyphis washed the wound with wine. "This is going to sting" he warned her. That out of the way, he wiped the wound with a clean cloth, and then began bandaging it up firmly. "We will need to re-dress it once we get back to camp, but this should suffice for now. It's a shame you're only a Pup - the ancestors magic from your cut will cause strong interference should we try to heal it directly with our magic."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia thanked Kyphis and smiled towards Tara. "Is Floki going to be okay?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara turned to where Floki lay - she thought he looked so peaceful in his rest, that it would be a shame to wake him. "He'll be fine. Casting takes a lot out of him, but he's a strong lad." With that, she knelt over him, and sang healing songs, so when he wakes, he'd be much better for wear.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki's eyes snapped open mid song. The agony had reduced to a mild dull throb. He sat up "I'm good" he glanced at Ly'caelia. "Oh good, your all right." Floki could feel his strength returning as Tara continued to sing. "That's quite enough, Tara, I'll take it from here." He grabbed an overhead tree to help steady himself as he rose "and thank you". As he glanced Ly'caelia over to check for any side effects he asked "Are you three in any shape to move? Alpha must be further away..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis looked at both Ly'caelia and Floki, still regaining their strength. "We really should rest up and heal fully - who knows what we shall encounter this deep in the Briar, and we owe it to the rest of the pack to be in top shape." <span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Aye, I could do with a quick rest, I've run back and forth so many times its a surprise I'm not dizzy!" said Tara, laughing in spite of her exhaustion.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki went to argue... but he thought better of it. "There is wisdom in your words." Floki slumped against a tree, crossed his legs and closed his eyes "Let me know when your're all ready." Floki took deep breaths, pushing through the pain... He had to be strong - He was a fang! Fangs don't let their Pups and Claws down, no matter how tired they really were.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I am feeling better after every moment, I'm more than well enough to catch the Alpha but I am happy to wait for all of you to rest though." Ly'caelia took note of how exhausted everyone looked and couldn't help but feel guilty.<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara lavished at the lengthy break from running hither and thither. After a while, she felt it might be time to move on. "Are you good to go, Kyphis?" She thought to herself 'who knows what mischief the others have gotten themselves into by now...'

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis brushed the dirt from his pants as he stood up. "I'm recovered enough to get moving again. And we don't want to get separated from the others this deep in the Briar - who knows what they, or we, could run into."<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki's eyes shot open. he lurched to his feet on uneasy legs. "Let's go, before it gets any darker. We need to catch up"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">... A raspy broken howl rang out in the distance, sending a flock of briarchickens racing away from the sound....

<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Seeing the huge birds in the distance, Kyphis realized there was no way they were getting the buck back - the birds would rip it apart well before they could reach it. "We need to hurry to the rest of the pack. I don't know what made that howl, but anything that can scare away a flock of briarchickens is serious business". Ly'caelia jumped to her feet, now even more wary of the vines and thorns that surrounded them. She sheathed her short sword and removed her elven longbow from her back. She inspected the small opening that the rest of the pack had made and began at a walk to ensure everyone was ready. Floki smiled. He started off behind Ly'caelia, turning to Kyphis and Tara behind him - "Are you guys coming?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">   "As they used to say in Altmark: "Onwaaaaarrrrrrrrds!"" Tara chuckled as she gave out the old rallying call.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis brought up the rear, sword drawn and shield raised, on the lookout for any other predators that might be around.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">...Dayro crept closer to the Alpha but kept a short distance as magic was still a foreign concept to him. Dayro was unsure what had taken hold of the Alpha but was still concerned. Rexxar caught up and stood with Dayro. "I have little to no clue what is going on but I am feeling like our steel will soon play a part brother" turning to Rexxar with a look of worry but a hint of a grin. Rexxar smiled at Dayro whilst pulling his claymore from the sheath on his back, "You look worried? Worry not, brother I have your back, haha!" as he slapped Dayro on the back.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia started at a jog, as fast as this treacherous environment would allow. The elf hoped the howl was that of one of her brothers. Floki lead his kin through the clearing that his Alpha had made. They started to gain ground... The path was nearly straight, only changing course to go around boulders or thick briar growth and always turning back on course quickly. Even so, it took them a good ten minutes to catch sight of Dayro, Rexxar, and Sairus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis jogged up to Sairus, and stopped beside him. The path had been sloping downwards, and they had had to skid down some of the trickier parts. The path ended in a flat clearing, but ahead, the land dropped away into a steep valley, thick briarvines obscuring any view of the floor. With small ledges and narrow crevasses that held little to no briar growth, they might be able to get down safely without climbing gear - but they would certainly not be able to get out again easily. "What are we doing here, Alpha? What drew you here?" Kyphis asked Sairus, seeing the worryingly intense look on his face. He felt it best not to mention that the buck was likely lost to them - this mood Sairus was in made Kyphis anxious.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Responding to Kyphis with a sigh and then yelling "it's here! I know it is!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sairus had been searching rubble for some time now, peeling a large stone off the rest of the rubble his eyes lit up when he had finally found what he was after, a crude time worn stone, sharp and plain, yet somehow different from the other rocks, it had the sheen of darkened steel, but was weightless as if it didn't belong. Sairus bent down onto one knee to pick it up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">At first surprised by the joy in Sairus' voice, then annoyed, Kyphis punched Sairus in the face.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Hard.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"A ROCK?!? You dragged us out here, for a rock? What the hell is wrong with you? Ly'caelia nearly died back there!" Appalled and infuriated, Kyphis turned his back on Sairus and walked back to his wife. "He's supposed to be the Alpha - he's supposed to make sure we are safe, and he didn't even stop to help Ly'caelia" he muttered to himself.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Unflinched by Kyphis' fist Sairus reached out for the stone...Abruptly the pulling sense was gone, but it felt as if something had been released in his mind, his mind began to stir, as if he was angry.. no.. excited? Happy? No, but still angry...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">But before he could set his mind at ease, Sairus felt something else. Clutching his sword and turning back to the pack, his eyes no longer piercing and cold but enraged and burning with ferocity. Sairus lifted his blade to block and roared "GET BACK!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Suddenly something pounced into the clearing, slamming Sairus hard into the rubble. The thing swung its massive thorny arm, and the Alpha was bashed aside, flung into the air as if he were a ragdoll.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The thing roared before rounding on the pack - now face to face they saw what this thing was... Half human and half plant... Pale, gaunt flesh spiked with thorns, its eyes were dead but the vines were alive - forming a giant tangled thorny arm where the human limb had withered. Ancient rusted armour hung off its human leg, while the other was encased in thorned briarvines, thicker and stronger than steel. More briarvines grew from its shoulders, its back, writhing and coiling like whips... Human form reclaimed by the briar, made stronger and more powerful, unrelenting in its defence of its home. Sairus slammed high into the towering wall of thorns surrounding the clearing and plummeted back to earth, his leather armour shredded by the blade-like thorns on the way down before landing with a sickening crunch... and did not move.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki's rage broke through. Every feeling he suppressed towards his Alpha, now directed at this shell. "Pups get back!!" he roared. With shortswords in hand Floki charged. Ice in his eyes and steel in his hands. Floki stabbed at the head of the creature before the pack. Floki's blade bit into the creature, slicing a furrow across the pallid flesh, but no blood flowed. Thick sap filled the wound and hardened swiftly, but the backhand the thing delivered to Floki's chest was harder. Floki's breath left his lungs as he slammed into a tree. A sharp pain shot up from his leg. A small needle like thorn was protruding from the front of his thigh.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia was back before Floki even shouted. She fully drew her bow and loosed a hard hitting arrow. Not wanting to waste arrows, she waited to see the response. Tara paused, waiting to see the effect of Ly'caelia's arrow, and began preparing a fireball just in case<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The arrow buried itself in one of the living vines and kept going, falling and digging into the ground, pinning the beast down like a leash... but the creature cared not, and wrenched itself from the ground, the broken arrow still embedded in the ropey vine - a new thorn added to its arsenal.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara aimed and let fly her fireball, in the hopes it would have more of an effect on the beast

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Tara, you may have to be careful with fire." Ly'caelia ripped a part of her skirt and wrapped it below the arrowhead. "I'll try to shoot the face if you flame my arrow."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Frozen in his tracks at the sudden onslaught, Kyphis could only stare at the monster "It's like... some sort of Host to the Briar. A Briarhost..." Snapping out of his revere, Kyphis drew his sword and raised his shield to block any blows raining down from above, keeping the Briarhost's body in sight.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro glanced at Rexxar and nodded as if to say "ha I was right" he leapt the log he was crouched behind and lunged at the beasts right leg hoping a well placed strike may remove it's limb and cause it to tip to one side. Seeing Dayro charge in, Kyphis ran to match his stride, aiming to keep the shield up to protect the both of them from the retaliation of the Briarhost.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Fire caught what little dry twigs had caught in its vines, but the Host's skin only blackened and charred - the few blisters that formed filled with the blood sap that would only cause more grief if it spilled. The Briarhost saw the Alpha's attack dog and the shield bearer lunge right - and deftly pounced left, dodging both and skidding in the rubble sending rocks flying in all directions

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Damn! Fire doesn't do much damage at all - save your arrows, Ly' - we may need them to construct a trap"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Host roared in fury as it struck out with its vine twisted arm, swinging and aiming for the skittering wolf hiding behind the shield, wanting to crush him into the earth for what he'd done.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A blood curdling scream came from where Tara stood. "No! No no no!" she repeated, and she blindly charged toward the Briarhost, axe in hand, ready to kill.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki heard Tara's scream, and then it broke - the little wall inside his mind that housed all his rage, all his fear, every last little scrap of darkness. Floki started to laugh. This wasn't the corrupted laugh of a mad man but a hatred fuelled laugh of pure unrelenting vengeance. He forced himself off the tree and lurched towards the Briarhost. He held his hand to stop the silly girl from getting herself killed, while projecting an air of malice. "Come on, you prick!" Floki taunted the Host

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Hearing Tara's scream and knowing it could only mean one thing, Kyphis threw the shield up and towards the Briarhost, then put himself into a hard roll to the side to get out of its path. Dayro would have to fend for himself. The great vined arm slammed into the ground where Kyphis was mere moments ago.. and mere moments later the shield struck the Briarhost square in the chest - the beast recoiled at the force of the desperate throw - but not for long.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The scream that filled its ears was replaced by furious cursing - the noisy angry one wanted attention, but nothing could stop the Host from getting what it wanted. But first it needed these little wolves out of its way... The Briarhost wheeled around, its great thorned arm outstretched, knocking back anything that got caught in the circle.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia readied her bow, knowing it was nearly useless but she was ready to pin any of the vines if they thrashed towards her brothers or sister.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro thought to himself if steel and flame do nothing to the creature what could. Then a crazy thought hit him. He remembers the stone that the Alpha had held was sharp and did not look right. Magic was not Dayro's specialty or interest but the look of the object made him think that this may be something to try. So he picked himself up and ran for the rock ready to scoop it up and drive it deep into the monsters back

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki stepped face to face with the host, seeing Dayro behind the Host, he charged, grabbing the thing around the chest, Floki threw every ounce of magic into his muscles to hold.<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Briarhost stared at the thing holding on with all his strength... The angry one was brave... but very stupid. The Host flexed it's vined muscles, making the thorns stand up, shredding through the half-dwarf's flimsy fur clothing and into his skin.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki let go, tiny cuts and not so tiny ones opened up across his chest. But that didn't stop him - he brought all the magic he had rushing throughout his body to one hand, every ounce of rage, every protective instinct condensed into one single jolted push towards the centre of the host. Surprisingly, the Briarhost somehow knew when was the time for attack and when was for defence - It lifted it's vined arm like a shield, and took the brunt of Floki's magic attack against the hundreds of thorned vines that flooded its body with its own defensive magic.<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara, having seen Kyphis alive and well, and seeing the sheer destructive force of the Briarhost, decided to retreat and revive the Alpha. They deathly needed reinforcement, and Sairus was their only hope. She made for the steep incline where Sairus' body lay motionless and contorted, and began to climb - she hoped she hadn't left it too late.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Rexxar now in battle mode let out an almighty howl 'AAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOEEEEE' swinging his sword wildly trying to divert the hosts attention from Dayro, as Floki released his magic on its chest Rexxar takes a called shot to its neck hoping for the best.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro collected the item and kicked off a boulder to his left and jumped to the beasts back as Floki's actions drew its attention. Dayro drove the stone in its spine and closed his eyes hoping that it would in some way effect the host.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia took a shot at the creature's face. She did not have the skills in melee that the others did but she was more than capable of distracting the thing from tearing Floki to pieces. She let her arrow fly with a thud in the things face.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The wild flailing one was a nuisance! So much noise and swinging steel - he had to be dealt with! And the elf girl with the flying thorns - her next! The Briarhost turned to strike the feral wolf down... but that was all the Alpha's attack dog needed. The stone bit into the host's back, and it unleashed an inhuman screech so loud it could wake the dead...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Now covered in cuts and bruises, a shambling mess of black and blue, bleeding from his chest in several places, the Alpha emerged from the nearby hedge of thorns, limping on his right leg, grasping his right shoulder, what looked to be Sairus, seemed far from it, holding his body in a way that befit an animal, breathing heavily at the wounds he had succumbed to, the Alpha started making heavy steps towards the ensuing fight. Crunching his knee back into place in the process. Despite his armour being all but destroyed the sword and axe he had held at his hip were still intact. The Alpha pushed his shoulder back in place "Crack!" the sound of tendons and bone realigning in his shoulder made him shudder...and grin...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The screeching faded to a groan of agony as the host's vines reached up backwards like long snakelike arms and dug the stone from its back... The attack dog returned it - albeit painfully - but the host had what it wanted.. Its treasure was safe...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Hearing the rumbling of the bushes and worried that another Briarhost might be about to join the fight, Kyphis was watching as Sairus emerged from the Brambles. At least... he thought it was Sairus... those injuries, and the way it moved...A worrying thought occurred to Kyphis, and he whipped his head back around to stare at the Host. Could it... infect them?

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"By the Ancestors, is that you Sairus? How are you able to move?" worried he would not get a response, but hoping he was wrong, Kyphis prayed Sairus would respond and put his fear to rest.<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The grin on the Alpha's face quickly turned into a scowl as the Alpha spotted what Dayro had just done... pushing forward with his right fist into Kyphis face thinking "Good, it still works." the Alpha started sprinting towards the abomination. Now able to move all limbs again, the Alpha grasped his sword in his right hand, and his axe in his left, and started sprinting towards the fight roaring with bestial vigour. "NO! IT'S MINE!" shoving Dayro out of the way with the shoulder he had just set back in place. It was clear that this was no longer Sairus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis would have been more annoyed by the fist in his face from a friend in the middle of a fight, but he was too relieved to see that Sairus still was a friend to feel anything but relief. And pain. Pretty sure his eye would swell shut in a few minutes. Hopefully the fight would be over by then.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki dropped to his knees then slumped to the ground. He had no strength left. He was bleeding heavily from his chest and leg, his vision starts to go black, "Every damn time" he mutters before passing out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">With all Rexxar's strength he hacked into the hosts neck, the host flailing his left arm across too sweep Rexxar off his feet, a quick jump from Rexxar dodging the large trunk like arm sent the host of balance just long enough for Rexxar to get another slash in on its torso. now noticing Sairus was now back in and raring to go he took a step back ready for the host too react

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara was shocked. She thought Sairus had been knocked unconscious, and if nothing else surely even he couldn't have recovered from such a brutal battering. His movements were bestial, almost alien. This was not right. Not at all. She looked back to Floki, saw he was out for the count, and that everyone else on the field looked worse for wear. Tara panicked - what could she do? She was easily the weakest melee fighter in the Briar, her specialty was healing... So heal she must! But where could she start?

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro's blood was boiling and his mind blurred with anger as his friend and leader had just disrespected him, Whitebulls are proud if nothing else. But seeing the Alpha act in such a way led him to believe the strange goings on we're not over. Dayro collected himself and stood up once again dusty and covered in muck. "Tara see to Floki and ensure he is not trampled" he shouted pointing at Floki still as ever, "Rexxar use this rope I need you to loop around its ankles a hitch the end to a tree." He barked at Rexxar with an urgency. He then looked at Kyphis also standing up after the Alpha had planted a fist in his now swollen eye. Dayro was again impatient and ran after Sairus. "This one is not yours brother - I did the damage, I get the head." Assuming Sairus was going to take the honour of ending the creature.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Spitting out a large glob of blood, the Alpha mustered the strength of both of his arms into a savage downward swing towards the shoulders of the beast.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Rexxar sheathed his sword on to his back and took the rope from Dayro, he tied a loop in the rope then took off circling around the host whilst dropping the rope on the ground, once reaching back to where he started he feed the end through the loop and legged it towards the closest tree, with a loud scream "OI!' caught the hosts attention then heaved with all his might pulling the hosts ankles together and quickly tying off the rope around the tree next to him. Hearing Dayro's instructions, and seeing Rexxar's action, Kyphis ran to help haul on the rope.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Holding its precious stone in the still human arm, the Briarhost barely noticed the rope slung around its legs - but the roar from the enraged Alpha broke it's reverie. The host ducked away from the swing, and returned one of its own, the thorny arm flying to strike the stone-thief like before. The Alpha ducked under the swing, feeling his ribs move as he got down, ignoring the pain he lifted his sword up to the more human looking arm before standing up again thrusting the blade out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro flanked the creature now stumbled and confused and kept to the monsters back once more and took his axe to the arm of the beast in hopes to separate the stone from its grip. But Dayro needn't have bothered - Alpha's blade struck true on the Host's arm and the stone went flying free of its grip - along with its whole arm. The creature screeched equally for pain of its severed arm and for losing its treasure again - this stone thief would feel all the pain it dealt!

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Alpha quickly realizing what Dayro had done, lifted his axe in his opposite arm in hopes to block the blade, while simultaneously bringing his sword down to slash at the thinner leg of the creature.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Seeing that the rope was tangling the beast's human leg, Kyphis hauled with all his strength on the rope, trying to trip it. It felt like he was trying to tear down a wall.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It may have lost its arm, but the Host's eyes were still sharp enough after thousands of years... It lashed upward with its thorny arm, and with a great crack like a whip, struck the swordsman's arm, slicing through skin and muscle with the razor sharp thorns. The Alpha stumbled back, his right arm now all but useless, the ferociousness in his eyes now showing through what looked to be pure rage, within a second a roar of pain shot out as the Alpha twisted his body and flicked the blade out of his now useless arm sending it hurtling towards the beast.<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro still clung to its back as it sway left to right violently. Dayro clambered up to its head and thrust his dagger towards the eyes hoping to blind it enough so they could finally take it down.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The flying blade sliced clean through a dozen briarvines, each one dropping to the ground with a thud, and gouging into the attack dog's arm as it sailed past.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Half entranced by the epic battle, Tara's innate sense of imminent danger told her that she ought to get out of the way, so she lifted Floki's unconscious body up to her shoulder, and like a human crutch, hobbled them both out of the way to a safer position, and started mending his wounds.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Understanding Dayro's idea of trying to blind the creature, Ly'caelia took a shot at the other eye. She enjoyed the thrill of shooting a small target. The elf was not as reckless as her fellow wolves but she had not taken a hit and was still quick on her feet. She threw her bow out of reach of the beast and she ran for the stone. As she thanked the gods she ran up behind the thrashing creature. "How to destroy a stone?" She questioned herself. She pulled out her half sword and apologized that it would be rendered useless and swung as hard as she could at the stone. It may just enrage the beast but it was worth a try.<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The arrow sailed within a hair's breadth of the Briarhost's face, its sunken eyes watched its path as it flew and buried into the ground near the stone... The STONE! The Host pounced forward, determined to have its treasure, but was yanked to a halt mid-leap - the feral wolf's rope held strong and brought the host crashing back to earth. It took barely a second for the Briarhost to recover from the fall, but just enough to see the elf wolf with fire in her eyes and steel in her hands... And the stone as her target! The host threw its thorny arm forward, reaching for the stone with a desperate screech...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"NO! I NEED THAT!" Alpha raced over, leaping clear of the Host's thorned arm and skidding in the dirt as he snatched up the stone with his good arm from under Ly'caelia's blade. The fight forgotten, Alpha exploded at the half elf "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Rexxar immediately noticing the host was about to possibly destroy the Alpha into a million pieces, ran at the Alpha hoping to hip and shoulder his now almost corpse like body out of the way from the host...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis heaved on the rope, relieved to see it finally come crashing down. But as he heaved on it, the rope went slack in his grip, and he fell over with the effort he had put into it. Rising, what he saw horrified him - Sairus had abandoned any efforts against the Briarhost, and was struggling with Ly'caelia for the stone, but worse, the Host was about to bring its arm crashing round into them both!

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"SAIRUS! LOOK OUT!" he bellowed, as loud as he could muster.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Looking down at the strange shard the Alpha shoved Ly'caelia and Rexxar aside into the dirt and let out a roar "Don't call me that!" Ignoring what was about to happen.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Finally free of the rope, the Briarhost bounded forward like an animal, and with a roar charged straight for the Alpha, wanting nothing more than to crush him like a bug between its good shoulder and a solid tree... The Alpha realizing he had no weapon glanced up and put his arm over his face, stone in hand, to brace the impact. This was gunna hurt.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">At least he had shoved Ly and Rex out of harm's way.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Not having time to feel upset about trying to destroy the stone, the elf saw the creature charging towards Sairus. "ALPHA!" Ly'caelia screamed, she slid her blunt short sword across the ground toward him. She got up and ran as fast as she could towards her bow, knowing she wouldn't reach it before the host attempted to crush the Alpha.<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Its strange how time slows down when so much happens at once - The Briarhost saw the sword skitter across the ground, the feral wolf sprinting forward, stone-thief's arm block his face - but then time sped up again, and the Host collided with Alpha, ramming the two of them into the side of the clearing. If the Briarhost had any reservations about hurting itself - it certainly didn't show. The thorny mass stampeded forward and slammed into the rocky wall of the gully at full speed, the only thing between the host and solid rock was the Alpha.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Rubble from higher up rained down upon them, Briarhost and Alpha both... but the Host didn't even notice. The stone-thief lay broken, again, he was no longer a threat... but the three wolves behind still fought. They'd have to be dealt with next. The Briarhost whirled around with a roar, throwing rubble and dust into the air as it spun to face the three.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro yanked the blade from his arm with a laugh as the only real damage he took so far was from his own kin. Again determined as ever Dayro stood tall and ran to Rexxar's side. Rexxar picked himself up of the ground reached behind him to find his sword had flown out of its sheath, he then pulled his axe from his belt ready looking over at Dayro with a spent angry look on his face "Let's finish this!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis joined the two hunters, his sword ready to defend his fallen Alpha and protect his pack mates. "Let's wreck this thing!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Having seen the terrible collision between the host and the Alpha, and seeing now that the others were distracting the beast, Tara fled to the bank of the gully where Sairus lay, once again in a mangled heap, and tried to ascertain his condition- "Sairus, are you alright?" she asked, knowing that if she moved him now without knowing if he'd broken his spine, she might do more harm than good...<span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis saw his wife rushing to the Alpha side, and knew she would try to heal him, or failing that get him out of danger. Trusting his packmates to be at his side, Kyphis let out a roar and charged in. He would fight his hardest to ensure the Briarhost stayed focused on them, and give his wife time to tend to Sairus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Blood runs down Dayro's arm like a crimson waterfall dripping to the earth. "Right Rexxar this is the end. If I don't make it tell Floki magic is for elves." and with that he ran towards the host right beside Kyphis silent and focused

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Pffft the end - you'll be telling Floki yourself I'm sure of it! Rexxar said with a smirk, 'aaaaaaawweeeeeeeoeooooooo' then letting out a powerfully battle cry to lift the morale of the pack. Rexxar moved forward axe ready focus on one thing the perfect moment to strike at the hosts neck again...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Briarhost flexed its vined muscles and swung its thorned arm at the one so fond of warcries. The vines lashed out like a whip, and sped towards the feral wolf's weapon arm... Still covered in rubble and dust, the Alpha lay wheezing for breath - that last impact had cracked 4 ribs, and the weight of the debris on his back wasn't helping. Blood flowed freely from his mangled arm into the dirt, and no doubt more was bleeding internally. It seemed that the last stores of adrenaline was the only thing keeping his heart going..

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Seeing the Briarhost pick Rexxar as its target, Kyphis did his best to carefully judge the beasts swipe, and drove himself into a skid along the ground, sword gripped tightly above him. While he doubted he could do much damage to the beast - its limbs were briarvines, after all - if he could slow its attack down that might buy Rexxar enough time to get past its defences. Kyphis said a swift prayer to the Lizard, hoping that he had judged his slide well and would pass under the Briarhost's attack, striking the vines with his sword.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia, now with her bow in hand stood alone since Tara and Kyphis had been distracted. The Alpha looked beyond recognition, causing her stomach to turn and a terrible rage to build up inside her. She was still useless in melee but she was a fast archer and let fly two arrows within seconds of each other, towards the back of the hosts head and the centre of its back. The elf had seen enough of her kin being beaten.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Host was so focussed on its attack on the feral wolf that it didn't notice the dark haired wolf skid in the dirt underneath it's reach.. but it noticed the sword as it sliced through several vines as if they were only weeds. An ear-splitting screech rent the air and the Host doubled over in pain at the loss of more vines - holding still long enough for the second arrow to bury itself in the still fresh wound left behind where the stone once lay embedded in the creature's back.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">For a moment Kyphis was surprised to see his sword sheer through the vines so smoothly. While sharp, it was only plain iron, not even steel. Then, clarity fell upon him. His conviction came from the Lizard, the ancestor he followed most closely. The Lizard was known to discern which path to choose from many, to reflect before acting yet strike with clear intent. He may not have known it fully before, but he knew it now - his ancestor was with him in this fight. Invigorated, Kyphis stood, raised his sword, and rejoined the fight against this beast of the briar.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Swiftly, while the host screamed in agony from Kyphis' well placed strike, Rexxar took this opportunity to focus all his strength into another called shot to the neck. Dayro sprung into action and with a powerful swing he took aim at the monsters neck also in hopes he and Rexxar could cleave it off.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The vines the Host had lost to the blade blessed by Lizard were thick, but not as tough as the ones guarding the Host's torso. The two axes buried deep into the shoulder of the creature, the sharp edges cutting through and drawing thick sap from the wound ... but the sap hardened must faster than blood would clot, and try as they might, the two axes stuck fast, their wood and iron now returned, to become part of the Briar once more... If the Host was a conscious enemy, it might have laughed.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara bent nervously over the Alpha - he had not responded, and she was sure she couldn't move him safely out of the conflict. Scared, but resolved, she knelt beside Sairus, clutched forcefully on her amber token, asked Faelan the She-fox to show compassion and spare the wolf from the cloying embrace of death, and began to sing: "Deep in the Briar, in the thorns of ancient days, Lay once a poor soul, a king among the strays, Crippled and rent, his body now broken, Where once he lead warriors, his words so little spoken, Bring him back to us, his followers and kin, His life is not yet spent, there's a battle yet to win, I beg thee, wolf and fox and deer, and moon so big and bright, bring back to us the Alpha, please make him be alright!" She hoped with all her heart this would work...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The elf heard the soothing voice of Tara, calling upon the ancestors. Ly'caelia had not prayed for her shots since the hunt, "I pray to the Moon and Her Stars to end this violence upon the pack with a mere arrow of a pup." She said this with the rage still in her voice and drew her bow until her arm could draw no more. "Moon, let this arrow fly true." She let her string go with a sigh at the weight leaving her arm.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki's eyes flickered open. As he lay on his back, exhausted, he could see a hand full of stars glittered in the sky between the gaps in the clouds... he blinked.. or thought he did, because the starts had changed... what once was a random scattering, now shone clearly in the shape of a spider...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Your Alpha needs you. I will not help you fight, but I will grant you the strength to help your pack." the stars sung, "You are unbalanced... but I like your pack, and you need help." Floki felt renewed, at least partially. He rolled to his side to see his Alpha crumpled and broken, with Tara over him trying. He stated to crawl but the pain was too great. "Someone, help me to the Alpha." gasped Floki.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The arrow sailed through the air under the starlight, the steel tip almost aglow as it flew towards the Host...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Suddenly the Host's remaining arm swung upwards for a mighty swing against the two weapon-less wolves and batted the arrow out of the air, sending the arrow flying off to the side away from the fight... And buried itself in the Alpha's thigh.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">That next gasp for breath felt like fire in his lungs, but Sairus was alive. Just. He barely saw Tara beyond blurry eyes, but he heard her song... She was trying so hard.. he groaned as he turned his head and saw the scene... Dayro and Rexxar without weapons, but still in the fight, Kyphis defending his brothers, Floki injured but still fighting to crawl all the same, Ly firing arrow after arrow without pause... Sairus wished Jira was there to see how brave they all were...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">After shedding an anxious tear, Tara heard the flit of an arrow, followed in quick succession by a thunk, a shlick, and a gasp for air. Sairus had been woken, not by Tara's mending, but by a wayward arrow to the thigh. What a sense of humour the Ancestors had, she thought briefly to herself in a moment of relief. "Sairus! You're alive! A little worse for wear, but first, we need to do something about that arrow..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A thought sprang to mind - FLOKI! Sairus looked to Tara, and softly spoke "Tara, never mind the arrow...... I need you to do something for me... Floki, I need you to keep him alive...check his bags....there is a bag that Jira gave to him, I need you to burn it, and inhale the fumes... the pack is depending on you..." Sairus turned his head back to look at the ensuing fight... Sairus began to stand up, breaking the arrow off in his thigh and managing to stand up on his good leg, he started limping towards the abomination... unarmed.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis heard the Alpha's voice again, and although it was too soft to make out the words over the distance he knew that they had been successful. Still, the fight was not over, and the Briarhost was still in front of him. Neither Dayro nor Rexxar had a weapon in hand, and Floki was out of this fight. Sairus couldn't be counted on either, he had only just regained consciousness. Right now, only Ly'caelia and he had weapons to wield. The Briarvines were strong, but Kyphis had watched and learned. The dead flesh was its weak point - the loss of its arm, and their ability to trip it up by tangling the corpse leg had shown him this. With conviction, Kyphis put his life in the hands of the Lizard, and sprung after the beast, intent on hacking off its fleshy leg.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Urgently, Tara scuttled over to where Floki was crawling.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Floki! Are you okay? Sairus is up, and he said you have something in your bag, from Jira - he wants me to burn it and breathe it in... Do you have it?" Floki hadn't a clue what Tara had said, but he felt compulsion to get to his Alpha. his eyes unfocused he tried to push past Tara

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Unarmed and now frustrated Rexxar caught something out of the corner of his eye, The hosts lifeless arm - now wielding his enemy's deceased arm swinging it wildly above his head he yelled " OI YA BIG LUG, OVER HERE!" As he moved slowly backwards hoping to drag the hosts attention towards him again

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tara didn't have time to mess around - the Alpha was counting on her. She slapped Floki to try and focus his attention. "Floki! Bag. Jira. Thing to burn. Give."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The slap rattled something into place, the bag, in Floki's bag... Jira's bag? No that wasn't right... the bag Jira gave Floki, that was it. he reached into his bag and grabbed Jira's bag. this was all too confusing for Floki. he lit the very edge of the bag and dropped it next to Tara's knee, a little too close.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Was this the thing Sairus was talking about? There really wasn't enough time to question - Tara picked up the pouch, brought it up to her face, and breathed deep of the smoke, trying not to choke.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">If the Briarhost wanted anything more than it's stone, it was its arm back. With alarming speed, the Host ran straight at Rexxar and grabbed the feral wolf in a grip tighter than a iron, the briarvines writhing and tightening around his chest like pythons crushing its prey. Its dead eyes stared as the wolf struggled, and with almost serene grace it used another vine to pluck it's severed arm from Rexxar's grip and reattach it to where it belonged.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Suddenly Tara's head rocked back and her eyes flashed green - exactly the same colour as Jira's. The Briarwitch looked through Tara's eyes and saw the carnage - she saw Ly'caelia almost out of arrows, Sairus battered and bloody, stumbling towards the fight, Kyphis darting forward, sword flashing in the starlight, Dayro ducking and weaving around, and Rexxar held in the clutches of... ... Of a beast she couldn't even believe was real...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The tight grip of the host pushed on Rexxar's ribs and chest getting tighter and tighter the more he struggled, with the last of his energy he hocked up the biggest dirtiest loogy and spat strait in the host face with a massive grin from ear to ear.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Defiant to the last, this one. The host had its lost arm back, but now this feral wolf needed to die for that insult. The Briarhost slammed the feral wolf to the ground and pounced upon him, pressing all its weight on the little wolf's chest...

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sairus seeing what was about to happen, quickened his pace, despite the pain of his still cracked ribs and bleeding hip, "it's only a flicker... this can't work, but I have to try!" he thought to himself as he outstretched his hand, touching the Briarhost's face. Sairus, now holding back tears of exhaustion and shame, looked away, fearful that he had let his pack down when they needed him most.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">What? The stone-thief was alive? Still? The Host would have to deal with him la-

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!" The Host flailed backwards, away from Rexxar and Sairus, its face now ablaze with blue fire, in its ears, what's left of its human hair - the vines whipped into a frenzy, but even they were burned by the ancestral flames Sairus wielded. Even as the host screamed in pain, the flames burned its mouth and into its eyes, scorching and burning... the host held its face in its newly returned hand, trying to smother the blaze, but the frenzied whipping thorns danced and sliced clean through the dead flesh, the hand dropping to the ground... Still ablaze, the Briarhost fled into the trees, screeching and burning with a light as bright as stars in the sky.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sairus wailed in agony as his hand burned, his face lit up in shock as he crumpled to the ground, "Thank the Oathmother" he sighed under his breath as he slowly went limp, a mere flicker was all he had, but the undying flames were still burning. "Row could this be?" he thought as he lay on the ground, closing his eyes he had flashes of Romulus, now broken through the veil of his mind. "That's why it burned me! That's why the flames aren't working!" he thought as he starting drifting into slumber again, the cut on his arm still bleeding.. "THE SHARD!" his eyes snapped open.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyphis barely stopped himself careening into the blazing beast, the heat felt like it was ripping at his very soul. But more than that, it also felt like it was... giving him strength? No, clarity. He had to drag Rexxar to safety. Moving swiftly, he circled the flailing Briarhost, and after ensuring he was still conscious began helping Rexxar over to Tara.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Rexxar proudly tried to get on his feet, trying not let his pack see he was hurt, but he succumbed to the pain dropping to one knee and clutching at his guts but Kyphis was there to help him up and walk him over to the healer

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Jira longed to help her family, but the spell allowed her no control of Tara's limbs - she could only watch from hundreds of miles away, powerless to assist from where she was on the other side of Hodenwold. As Rexxar and Kyphis approached, the pouch of ashes fell from Tara's hands, spilling onto the ground, and the green of Jira's eyes faded away as the spell ended.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dayro sat alone watching his family stagger and crawl around like babies. "I left home for this?" He muttered as he fell to his back and stared up at the sky. "Finally peace and quiet"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Lycaelia was down to her last few arrows, so she sighed with relief as the creature fled. Everyone looked a wreck, but the elf thanked the moon for her guidance and that she let no more harm befall the elf and that she had not lost any of her siblings. She spotted Dayro looking far too comfortable with his head in the stars. She walked over and sat next to him, as befitted her heritage she sat silently, admireing the stars as well. Whatever that things was she'd be happy to never see anything like it again. <span style="color:rgb(145,151,163);">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Rexxar made his way to log near Tara reaching into his pouch to fill his pipe - a much needed puff of smoke bellowed from his nose as he exhaled with relief coming over his body, he rubbed the dirt and blood from his eyes and face thinking about the events that had just unfolded. Dayro rolled to his hip and tore a section of his bull tabard off to make a makeshift bandage. As he looked at his brothers and sisters Dayro knew that his efforts and tactics played a part in bringing the beast down and now his first thought was to ensure the others had survived.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Floki collapsed he was still exhausted, he rolled to his side, then his back. His eyes unseeing, so he closed them. He sighed and dropped into a deep sleep.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Catching his breath, Sairus turned over to get on his elbow and knees, before lifting himself off the ground, coughing up blood as he put pressure on his body to lift, his left hand now unusable just like his entire right arm... "I have to find out what that shard is." He started hobbling in the direction of the rubble that he awoke from.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia, having just got comfortable noticed the Alpha looking extremely dishevelled but on pursuit of something. She pulled herself up and started towards the Alpha and once beside him, offered herself for him to lean on. "Sairus?" Putting his arm over Ly'caelia's shoulder, Sairus began shambling much faster towards his quarry... He could see the stone glint as his vision flickered in and out, like a torch in heavy wind, he began wondering if some intelligent force had lead him to the stone to begin with. The elf woman could hardly support Sairus as he was practically a dead weight. She hoped they were nearing his destination as she was running on her reserved energy.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dismounting his arm from Ly'caelia's shoulder Sairus reached down into the small pile of rocks trying to shift them aside so he could find the shard, the pain close to unbearable from his burned hand... And then he spotted it, he glared at it, looking almost as if he was trying to see something in it. His vision flickered for a second, his concentration had worked, the world around the shard grew black as pitch, but the shard held a glow, a glow as radiant as the moon itself, but only for a second, his vision snapped back... Sairus now understanding the connection the beast held to the shard.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Ly'caelia, please pick this up, but don't let me touch it... We need to take this back to camp... We have to show Jira" Sairus said with a concerned look.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Ly'caelia shot a concerned look at Sairus but didn't question him. Placing her bow on the ground, she pulled her quiver off her back and pulled out her dismal 4 arrows. She picked up the shard and placed it in the quiver and returned the arrows. Ly'caelia swung her quiver over her back and furrowed her brow, she hated magic, especially anything she suspected to be dark.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sairus pulled his strength together to shout: "Pack! I have much to explain, but we need to get back to camp as quickly as we can! I need to meet with the Dreamwalker before we can discuss these goings on, I will need rest" letting out a pant and a huff as his lungs were all but spent on the fight.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sairus glanced at Rexxar with a sigh of relief, knowing he had not been too late. feeling the guilt weighing heavily on him, Sairus nodded to Ly'caelia to let him walk, he began limping with determination towards camp.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The screeches of the Briarhost were distant now, the noise fading away as the beast fled deeper into the forest of thorns... thankfully in the direction furthest from the Briarwolves' camp. Night had truly fallen, but after such a massive ordeal, there was a little glimmer of hope - the storm clouds had dissipated, and the Full Moon rose above the towering Briarvines, shining brightly in the east, lighting the path back home.