Death From Above is Never on the Schedule
Setting:
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<----> Camp Willow - North Main Grounds <---->
The shadows cast by the mammoth pillar that is the willow tree continue to gather, leaving scattered amounts of sunlight to land upon the soft soil. Struggling through the surface of the damp soil sprout out random splotches of vivid green moss. Normally during periods of sunlight, without a heavy scent of rain, otters can be seen among the spots of this vegetation. Otherwise the only other evidence of plant life is the numerous natural walls of cattails and reeds, at a consistent sway through the cooling breeze cast up from the river. A small trough that is the footpath extends where most of the otters travel, leaving traces of smooth river stones beneath of when the river once overtook the land.
The seemingly deepest trough extends off the widest one, drifting aside into the largest building in the camp. The only dual story building most of Mossflower is held up by extremely large pillars of wood to hold up such a mammoth creation of otters' sweat and blood. An abundance of commotion can be easily heard out of the slightly opened door. The only truly allowed thick smoke trail comes up from behind the immense building where a faint scent of roasted fish tantalizes your nostrils. Along with the other portion of the grounds before you extend a few dwellings up from the ground.
Characters Involved:
Kizhna, a raven
Ayita, a Camp Willow healer
Liask, a Camp Willow guard
Gaheris, the Skipper's son
Aldak, a Camp Willow trainer
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BLINDED! How DARE they?! They think they can do this to her? Kizhna will bathe in their blood and wear their entrails as a necklace, the FOOLS! The raven crashes through the tree line, blood pouring from her ruined eye sockets as she climbs crazily skyward - and away from the small encampment that blinded her. This was supposed to be an easy meal, too. She screams as she gains altitude, great, black wings bringing her higher and higher. Her sense of direction shocked into nothingness, she careens towards the sounds and the smells of nearby civilization - blinded by arrows and driven mad with rage, she has angled herself towards Camp Willow, where things are, otherwise, business as usual. Ayita has just stepped out to grab some lunch with friends, and makes her way through the grounds, oblivious to the shadow of insanity making its way towards them.
That's ok, Liask is oblivious to everything as usual. The young otter is laying sprawlled out in the willow tree, upside down from a series of tree branches no idea how he got there. Everything after walking into the tavern last night is still a blur. He must have had a good time though to have a head ache so bad.
"UghhhhHhhhhhHh..." he ughs. Lifting his head up slightly then letting it drop back down to swing freeling in the air. It doesn't help the knot in his gut nor the feeling of nausia flowing through him AT ALL.
It was such a peaceful day too, Gaheris had successfully skipped out on training citing important Skipper business that needed his attention. Ok so he wasn't the Skipper yet, that was his mum but details! It was only a matter of time and who wanted to tell the future Skip no? Whistling a happy tune quietly to himself he was on his way to the tavern and just as oblivious to the upcoming trouble. Death from above was not on the schedule for today.
When one of his pupils skips on training, especially with a threadbare excuse like 'Skipper business', when they're not even the Skipper, Aldak gets curious. The old trainer is following behind Gaheris at a reasonable and innocent enough distance, far enough back that he's not 'following' him but close enough that he's definitely following him. A disturbance in the air gives him a moment's pause, however.
Death from above is never on the schedule. But as another scream rents the quiet in two, it appears that it will have to be penciled in. The sound of distant screeching turns the young ottermaid's head, just as she is passing Gaheris with a friendly little nod, and she squints up into the sky - just in time to see the raven burst through the cloud cover. Kizhna howls in fury as she descends towards the Camp and, obviously unable to see where she is going, crashes through the willow tree, first, catching her talons in the branches (where poor, hungover Liask is slacking off), and then hits the ground, spraying dirt and debris around her as she rolls. Further enraged, she scrambles upright, swinging her wings wide and swirling about, screeching and stabbing her beak at whatever may be in range. "FOOOOOOOOLS!" Ayita, who prides herself on her ability to keep a civil tongue in her head, swears loudly as she falls backwards, crawling away from this crazy avian plague which has been thrust upon them.
It's raining otters! Or at least it seems to be after the raven crashes through the willow tree sending poor Liask spiralling through the air towards the young Skipper in training and his would be trainer. He has no idea if he lands on soft dirt or a soft beast, only that he continues to roll and slide face first through the dirt, coming to a stop with his tail end thrown over his head.
Suffice to say, he is sober now, especially when he manages to lift his head out of the ground and find himself staring almost eye to eye with the raven.
Yes, very sober indeed...
Gaheris returns Ayita's nod with one of his own, his happy whistled tune coming to a sudden sour end though as Kizhna's howl breaks the peaceful atmosphere. He turns quickly to look, suddenly very alert. He too has a few choice swear words to share at the bird collides with the tree and suddenly Liask is falling out of it. Gaheris, against what is probably common sense and self-preservation, quickly runs towards the scene, purposely putting himself in Liask's way and ending up in a heap on the ground himself when a not particularly light otter lands on him. He softened the landing but ow that hurt. Winded he lets Liask roll off, even helps with a little shove until he realizes a second later Liask is right next to the bird. That raven looks angry, that's probably not a good idea. With a wheeze as he's not caught his breath back again yet Gaheris scrambles after Liask, going to grab for the otter's clothing and aiming to pull him back again.
While everyone else is falling and rolling and panicking and scrambling away, Aldak has been calming walking forward at a quick pace until he stands just out of the raven's reach, leaning on his staff. The old otter's eyes are sad as he stares the avian down, the blood streaming down its elongated head from its empty sockets. "You have lost your way, Winged One," he calls out, his voice firm and wise. "These beasts are no fools, and we have no quarrel with you. Turn your wrath aside and leave this place."
The raven either does not hear Aldak, or simply does not care to be placated. She stabs her beak into the ground - a blow that could have ended much worse for Liask had he not been dragged back - and is stuck there a moment. Ayita surges forward to try and help Gaheris pull the guard back, but instead has to throw herself to the ground as a mighty wing sweeps overhead. Finally, the bird yanks her beak free free and turns her sightless eyes towards the soft-tempered trainer. "All shall perish!" She screams, her voice taught with angered sobs, her mind twisted and broken by rage and pain. Thick-clawed talons gouge into the earth as she flaps, attempting to swing herself back up into the sky, but she is burdened by her fall and ailment, and is unable to get the purchase and lift she needs. Instead, she crashes through some barrels and takes a swing for Aldak.
A muffled yelp escapes Liask's muzzle as the beak crashes into the ground inches from his face. He scrambles back onto his feet choosing this moment to put as much distance between himself and the bird.
"Don't just stand thar kid, git yerself into some covar!" He says to gaheris, then seeing how the soothing words of the old otter fail miserably shouts for the older otter to, "GET DOWN!"
Gaheris grimaces as the bird starts attacking the ground and quickly starts scrambling the other way again to get some distance on the raven again before he finally finds his way back on to his feet and can recatch his breath "Don't think it's listenin' Aldak!" He grimaces again when the bird moves again, trying to take off and he quickly ducks to avoid the wing "Suggestions welcome Aldak!" He doesn't seem to worry about the trainer getting hurt but does raise his voice to yell "Guards!" hoping some might hear him and provide a little back up.
Aldak this, Aldak that. These young folks think they run the place until something /really/ hits the fan. The old otter is more-nimble than he looks, and as the raven comes crashing through the barrels to thrust a sharp, snapping beak at him, he dances to the side and whacks out with his staff, practiced and precise. "Begone from this place!" he shouts, the note of warning still lingering in his voice as he backpedals away from the infuriated flails of the bird's head, beak, and talons.
Ayita isn't a guard - she's useless in a fight - but she's there! "Please be careful!" The healer squeaks, uselessly, scrabbling away from the raven on all fours. Kizhna, on the other hand, is not approaching this with any semblance of dignity or restraint. She is thwacked back by the older otter's staff, which sharply redirects her to snap back at Gaheris once again. She rushes forward, flailing at the voices with wild abandon. A wing swings at Aldak, another swoops towards Liask, and Ayita finds herself pinned, roughly, beneath one of the bird's feet, talons dug into the ground around her. Great.
Unfortunately for Liask, he is a guard. He chose the profession six months ago when he first came into the village. It looked like an easy job, not too physical to be labor, not too droll to be secular. In times of peace it was a rather easy job and combined with his lack of self-control around mead was a contributing factor to why he wasn't the scrawny little twerp he was six months ago.
But now...now when there is actual danger?
Liask screams like a little girl, leaving the skippers child to his own fate as he dives under the wing...and fails. The otter takes the wing in the chest, bowling him over, head over tail once again.
Gaheris doesn't expect much from the guards in another part of the camp, Liask he might expect more from but no time for that! He flinches and narrowly side steps the bird's snap before springing back, going to try and grab the bird around the neck and force his weight on her to try and push the raven's head to the ground. Ayita might not be a guard but she is a healer, they might yet need one of those.
The wing that comes at Aldak is ducked as the old otter tucks himself low to the earth, scrabbling forward on all fours towards Ayita, his staff smacking out as he moves into a crouch to try to free her. Where are the guards? Someone is going to have to shoot this bird after all.
Well, one guard was just knocked flying, but Kizhna is not having a good time of things: even though she successfully connects with one of her assailants, she has no way to know that two more are about to grapple a hold of her. Something smacks her against the ribs, cracking painfully against the thin, avian bones; another beast has just wrapped himself around her neck, and she swings about to try and loose both of them, which releases the one otter she had a decent chance of killing. Ayita struggles beneath the talons, her paws grasping for purchase but there really is nothing she can do until the otter's combined offensive allows her to slip loose - though one of those claws nicks a nice little slash across one of her thighs as she escapes. Nothing to be done! The raven has size on Gaheris, so she is not brought to the ground, but the hold on her neck is a dangerous thing. She screeches, stumbling backwards and away from the two attacking males. Unfortunately for her, the rousing call from their Skip-to-be (combined with the general and inescapably noisy chaos) brings several spear-toting guards to the scene.
Minus Liask who is sent head over heels into a broken barrel from the avian's wings. He starts to rise but only succeeds in rolling onto his back. The guards have arrived? About time. Good, THEY can handle this crazy bird who's blinded appearance is going to forever haunt his dreams, or perhaps, night mares. "You guys got this? Good. I'm just...going to...take a quick..." He slumps into a half conscious half unconcious state bleeding from where the broken barrel hit his head.
Bad idea or not Gaheris stays clinging to the bird's neck and being a very good distraction. The beak at least probably can't reach much of him but the talons are a real concern and he's trying very hard to avoid them "Come on! Bring it down before someone gets hurt!" He yells at the approaching guards just as one of the talons catches his tail leaving a nice scratch.
In the stumble backwards, a trio of birdie talons rake across the raggedy old otter's raggedy old tunic, ripping his sleeve half-off and leaving a few scores across Aldak's chest and arm, and knocking his staff away. The weathered trainer backs away himself, mustering a fighting stance though unarmed. He glances aside to one of the guards, who returns the look and tosses the old boy a javelin. "Aim for the body, but mind Gaheris," he shouts, abandoning his usual metaphors in the current crisis.
Not even a metaphor? This /is/ serious. Ayita rushes free of the conflict, letting out a shout of fear as one of the approaching guards manages to grab hold of her arm and drag her out of harm's way. Well, as out of harm's way one /can/ be in this situation. Kizhna can tell that there are more beasts present now, but she is not used to living without her vision, and has no strategy passed her crazed, blind rampaging. Her claws find purchase along Aldak, but then she stumbles backwards as an arrow sinks into her side. The raven swings herself in the direction it came from - words have been lost in her madness and are replaced by great, sorrowful cries, thick with her untamable rage. She manages to catch one of the guards, but her balance is thrown off by the otter still clinging to her neck, and the momentum carries her forward onto the ground. It pins the unfortunate guard beneath her as she flails, struggling to regain her footing beneath Gaheris.
More swear words from Gaheris as the bird twists and turns to get the others "Any time guys!" he yells at the guards again as they finally join the fight. He's totally not panicking and completely in charge of the situation of course, anyone who marks his skills on any of this afterwards stands a good chance of getting hit. It's like a very bad rodeo with Gaheris half on the bird at times, half hanging off at others, which means the bird falling is both good and bad, good as he wants the raven down, bad because he's now half trapped underneath it with just his top half still free. He nearly loses his grip when the bird falls but stubbornly grips on, tightening his hold with one arm so with the other he starts to repeatedly punch at the bird's head, a growl slowly growing in his throat.
More swear words from Gaheris as the bird twists and turns to get the others "Any time guys!" he yells at the guards again as they finally join the fight. He's totally not panicking and completely in charge of the situation of course, anyone who marks his skills on any of this afterwards stands a good chance of getting hit. It's like a very bad rodeo with Gaheris half on the bird at times, half hanging off at others, which means the bird falling is both good and bad, good as he wants the raven down, bad because he's now half trapped underneath it with just his top half still free. He nearly loses his grip when the bird falls but stubbornly grips on, tightening his hold with one arm so with the other he starts to repeatedly punch at the bird's head, a growl slowly growing in his throat.
"Well, come on then!" Aldak launches his javelin at the bird, and the guards follow his lead, winging projectiles in towards the angry avian. The old boar's still got it, and his javelin thuds into the 'shoulder' of the raven's torso where the wing meets the body, and others, both arrows and javelins, follow quickly after.
Ayita cowers behind the guards, now that they're launching their defense of the Camp. Kizhna is thrown aside by the sudden onslaught, both of the torrent of weaponry and the otter still doggedly clinging to and punching her head. Somewhere within the madness, she becomes aware of her fear, and tries to escape, but her wings, ruined by the pieces of wood sticking out of them, are useless; the joints shattered. Bones broken. She manages to struggle upright and is driven back several feet, screaming - now a sound of unsurmountable terror, but it is cut off as one of her lungs collapses beneath the point of a javelin. Hissing hoarsely. This is death, and there is no escape. At least the inevitability of it clears her head, so she is able to crash to the ground, bleeding and dying - but sane. "Please...." She croaks, chest rising and falling as she struggles to catch a jagged gasp of air that cannot come.
Gaheris keeps punching, his growl getting louder as he punches faster. He never normally gets angry but now he was really pissed off and then the bird spoke and his fist hesitated. The growl stopped and he panted, catching his breath as his ears going back but he doesn't tell the guards to stop.
Ayita steps forward, tentatively, but thing seem safer now, so she rushes forward to the guard who went down beneath the bird, already casting anxious glances between Gaheris, Aldak, and the unconscious Liask. This is going to be a busy night for her, isn't it? The raven has all but stopped moving; raw, empty eye sockets stare, uselessly, dead ahead. "Please." She repeats, her voice a frail gasp - thankfully, the guards continue their onslaught, and an arrow takes her through the heart with a final squeak. Her talons slowly unfurl, and then Kiznah lies still as the blood soaks into the dirt around her. "Um..." The ottermaid begins, straightening. "If I could get some help getting these two to the infirm and... You lot should head there as well." She blinks, her gaze locking back on the raven. She is still steeped in shock.
There's a long pause while Gaheris is still on edge until he's really convinced the bird is dead and he finally pushes the raven's head away until he can squeeze back out from underneath the thing. A few minor cuts, a lot of bruises but Gaheris seems mostly alright. He nods after Ayita's words and gestures at the guards "Get them to the infirmary and then bury the bird somewhere outside the camp. Try to keep the dibbuns away" He stretches a little, flinching at little in pain.
Residents crowd along the edges of the conflict, gazing in awe at the destruction a single, blind, crazy bird inflicted. Keeping the dibbuns away will be difficult. Ayita steps back as the wounded are scooped up, and rolls her sleeves up past her elbows as she falls in step behind them - her place is back at the infirmary, now. But she pauses, turning about to consider the two males who wrestled the raven off of her. "You two - I don't care if y'the Skipper's son or th'bloomin king of the river, if I don't see both of you in tha' infirmary by the end of th'night I will come after you myself." She levels two fingers, threateningly, between Aldak and Gaheris, and then brings them to her eyes before pointing back at them again. She may be smaller than them, soft spoken, and unassuming - but that glare means /business/. He that shirks his health care checkup shall invoke the wrath of hell itself - and her name is Ayita Shae.
If you're interested in joining Camp Willow, please page Hallow or Ayita!
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