{Creature Hunt} The Death Millipede

[Analisia Moonbright]

Analisia crouched in her position, watching the Millipede and Nate, trying to determine the best time to strike. She noticed that the Millipede reacted to sound. Taking that information in, she decided stealth would be the best way to handle this. Ticking seconds off with her fingers, eyes watching as the Millipede was caught with an arrow.

Now was the time.

Silently standing, Analisia jolted forward, scrambling up the wall with agility despite keeping the lantern in one hand. She now faced the back of the Millipede's head, though it was still above her slightly. Holding her breath to steady herself, Analisia nodded towards Nate, signalling her attack. Right hand sneaking towards the hilt of her dagger, she takes it out and whispers to herself for a moment.

Then she jumps.

Analisia leaps across the space, landing flat against the Millipede's back, her left hand and feet scrambling for a hold as her right hand plunges the dagger as hard as she can into the Millipede's back. Once it catches, she uses it to steady herself and stops scrambling. Lifting the lantern in her right hand, she swings upward and smashes it as hard as she can as close to the Millipede's head. "NATE NOW!"

As she screams, she releases the last remnants of the lantern, grabbing hold of her dagger with both hands and kicks against the Millipede, pushing off and away from it. Attempting to free her prized weapon and escape from the creature's back in the same movement.

[Nate]

Nate held the arrow he'd just lit ablaze against the string and pulled his arm back, prepared to release another into the millepede to keep it's attention on him. He stopped as he glanced past the millepede once more to see Analisia signaling to him. It was barely noticeable through the light that by the flames and the large monstrosity before him, but he managed to make it out just in time to see her jump toward it.

His grip on the bow and the arrow between his fingers tightened as he watched her jump onto it, yet he still held himself from firing. Nate's breath slowed and became steady as he waited for Analisia to smash the lantern over their adversary. He knew that panicking under pressure in this situation could very well mean the death of not only himself, but a companion as well. He calmed himself and watched closely, waiting to see where exactly the oil landed.

As the lantern collided with the millipede's back, preceded by being stabbed, the beast began to thrash about. Nate kept his aim steady and glanced down the arrow shaft. He couldn't see the arrowhead as it was blocked by cloth and flames, but he could trust in his aim. Nate pulled his arm back further and raised the bow, then released the arrow. The wooden shaft flexed against the bow and soared through the air toward the millipede. The arrowhead collided with the hard back of the insect and slid along the backside until it was eventually deflected, but this time the flames collided with the oil. There wasn't enough to cover the entire millipede by a long shot, but that wasn't what mattered. What mattered was that the oil wasn't going to come off, nor would it burn quickly. It'd roast it nice and slow.

The millipede began to thrash about, slamming into the walls around it as it began to burn alive. The large amount of flames that shrouded it had actually illuminated the throne room in a rather nice warm light. Nate only gave the beast a quick glance before his eyes darted over toward where he'd last seen Analisia.

[Analisia Moonbright]

Pushing herself off of the Millipede was proving to be difficult. The dagger held fast, having been driven in by the total of her weight when she initially jumped. While that had worked for the moment, Analisia found that it made things difficult trying to dislodge it.

Then the arrow hit the Millipede, skated past her, and lit the oil. The Millipede thrashed about like mad now. With Analisia still upon it. Starting to panic, Analisia could feel her body begin to shake. With one last heave, putting all her strength into it, Analisia pulled the dagger free.

Having put enough strength into the pull to free her dagger of the Millipede's outer shell, she had pushed herself hard away from the great beast. Leaving her nothing to hold onto or catch herself from falling. And so she fell to the ground, perhaps two feet from the burning monster. Landing with a loud thud, the full length of her back hitting first. She lie there dazed, her body feeling as though it were on fire rather than the beast. However, the stun to her system staved off the Change. Nate was safe from the monster she hid for now. And they seemed to have succeeded, despite her failure to land properly. 

"If only I were a cat, then maybe I would stop landing on my ass so often." She wheezed, the breath having been knocked out of her. She had lost sight of Nate, and she could only hope that he was alright and unharmed.

"Nate... Nate..." she called out, gasping as pain radiated through her ribcage. She clasped an arm around her mid-chest. Grimacing.

[Nate]

Nate pulled the string of his bow outward and slung it over his torso. The string tightened over his chest and held the weapon snug against his back, as well as holding the arrows in his quiver from moving. He glanced around the opposite side of the throne room in an attempt to locate Analisia, but it seemed that she had fallen out of his line of sight. Nate started walking toward the opposite end of the room while watching the millipede continue to thrash about. It slammed it's body into the walls and columns in an attempt to douse the fires that had almost entirely consumed it. The room shook with each thrash, and rubble and debris fell from the ceiling.

Then he heard his name being called through a voice that sounded pained. He broke into a short sprint and rounded the corner of one of the columns, to where he had heard the voice originate. “Whoa, shit.” he said as he came to a sliding stop beside Analisia. “Are you alright?” he asked as he dropped himself down to one knee beside her. The millipede continued to thrash about in the background.

“We've gotta get out of here before that thing brings the roof down on us, c'mon.” Nate said as he moved his hands under Analisia to pick her up. Under other circumstances he would have let her stand herself, but he didn't want either of them to be caught under the rubble. If his attempt wasn't met with any resistance, Nate would begin the walk out of the throne room and leave the millepede to perish by the flames that shrouded it.

[Analisia Moonbright]

"I think under the circumstances, I could be worse. But I think I might have broken a rib," She states bluntly. She is still gripping tightly to her dagger. Her voice strained. Analisia attempted to sit up, the daze having finally worn off. But she only grunts and slips back down. "I might need help standing up though."

She talks just as Nate puts his arms under her to pick her up. Usually, she would have putten up a fight in order to stand on her own. Though now didn't seem like the time, so instead she nods to him. Allowing him to carry her. She grimaces again, biting her lip to keep any sound from escaping. Looking up at Nate, she sighs "Sorry to be such a burden. I wasn't expecting to fall so far. Then again, I didn't exactly think past getting the oil as near the Millipede's head as possible to make it easier for you."

She turns her head past his arm, trying to catch sight of the monster. Her gaze being met with bright flames licking a thrashing form. And the sight of the ruins crumbling. "Once things have settled down, we are going to have to return to see if it actually died. Otherwise this will have just been wasted effort." She cradles her dagger to her chest, then sighs while closing her eyes.

[Nate]

After a short walk through a few dark and damp corridors, the light at the end of the ruins became visible. “Don't worry about it. If it wasn't for you, we'd both be dead, probably.” he said. He was well aware of the fact that there was no way he could have done what she had. In his mind, Nate had begun to play over the scenario of him taking the hunt on by his lonesome and meeting his end in some moldy old ruins. He shook the thoughts from his head as they emerged from the ruins, and grimaced as his eyes adjusted to the light. Nate glanced up at the clouded sky and then around the ruins, to find them just as empty as before.

As Analisia mentioned going back in after a while to check if the beast had indeed perished, Nate exhaled. “Yeah, that's a good idea. Hopefully it doesn't bring the place down with it.” he said in response. “Sure does smell like it's dead though...”

After a short while, the thunderous sounds coming from within the ruins died down. Nate listened for a moment after it had fallen quiet, then glanced down to Analisia. “Do you want to wait here while I go check?”

[Analisia Moonbright]

Eyes fluttering open again as Nate spoke, and the end of the ruins approached, Analisia turned her head to look back up at him. Her teeth gritted together. What she had done was stupid, but it was the only thing she could think of in such a short period of time. "I am sure you could have handled it yourself. The idea of the lantern oil was good. In the end, it was your idea that killed the monster. And your arrows." She quirks a small smile. Then looks back at the ruins. "It could have been a lot worse, with a lot more shared injuries between us if you hadn't of thought of it. Have to say though, it made for an interesting adventure."

Analisia grimaces again as the pain spikes momentarily. Yes, that rib was definitely broken, and she would be surprised if there weren't a few bruised ones as well. "You should probably go check, I can stay here. I have to clean off my dagger anyways. I don't want it rusting from the blood. Honestly, it was lucky that it didn't get stuck.... Sorry, I am rambling. You go check, but if it is still alive, run."

She looks up at him, her expression stoic.

[Nate]

Nate slowly brought himself down to one knee as he set Analisia down as gently as he could, clearly intend on keeping from hurting her more than she already was. “Well, either way, I'm glad that you came along.” he said, offering her a warm smile. He felt bad that she was the only one to sustain injuries, but with their roles during the scuffle, it could only be expected. Even with Nate acting as the bait, he still kept the beastly insect at a distance. It was his idea that had her get close to the millepede as well, so he felt responsible.

He pulled the bow over his head and released the clasp that kept the quiver upright. He set both of them beside Analisia and rolled his head over his shoulders. “You don't have to tell me twice. If you need me, yell.” Nate said as he started off toward the ruins that he had only just departed from. He turned his head back toward Analisia and glanced over her once. “...And if you hear me yell, you can assume it isn't dead.” he said, offering her a rather nervous laugh. He waved to her and traversed the corridors back to the throne room, the sword on his side drawn from its scabbard. He held it tightly in his right hand upon entering the throne room.

The scene was unsettling, certainly not something a random passerby would want to see. The throne room had been properly trashed, many of the columns reduced to rubble and the ceiling partially collapsed. The millepede was black in colour and burnt to a crisp, looking as if it was ready to fall to ash at any second. He approached the millepede's head and glanced down at it, then brought his sword up and grasped the hilt tightly. He plunged the blade through the millepede's head once, then placed his foot upon it's head and pulled his blade free. If for nothing else than peace of mind, he felt better knowing it was dead for sure. Nate wiped the edge of his blade off on his trousers and slid it back into the scabbard, then left the ruins again. Hopefully he wouldn't be given a reason to return.

“Alright, it's dead!” he shouted as he climbed out of the rubble of a ruin and approached the location where he had last seen Analisia.

[Analisia Moonbright]

Analisia was set down gently upon the grass. She forced herself to stay sitting, despite the discomfort. Nate;s tenderness was appreciated, though she didn't understand it. Trying not to breathe too heavily, she took her dagger and began wiping it upon the grass. Cleaning it as best as she could without taking out her supplies from her pack. That was going to be impossible for the moment. For a moment, she looks down at the bow and quiver next to her, she didn't know how to use them, but she figured if it was necessary she could use it as a bludgeon. She quirked a smile at the thought. Then started looking at her dagger, inspecting it for cleanliness.

There wasn't much more she could do at the moment while Nate was away. Sighing softly, she strained her ears to hear any sign that Nate had either found the beast dead or alive. It was all that she could focus on. Finally she heard Nate call out. Then heaved her shoulders in relief, only to have the pain flare back in her chest with a vengeance. "Ah..." She gasps softly, and brings an arm around to put pressure on her ribs. Using her other hand to sheathe her dagger, she looked up, waiting for Nate to arrive.

"So, is there someone we tell to let them know the thing is dead? Or do we just go along our merry way and be glad the deed is done? Either was is fine with me, but I will eventually need your help in bandaging up. Unless you can get me to some medicine man or another first." She thought about it some more. "And then I suppose we decide what either of us is doing next. Now that our little adventure is over."

[Nate]

Nate stopped beside Analisia and rested a hand on the anchored point of his blade's scabbard. He stretched his arms out as she spoke and plopped down onto his rear with a thud. It felt good to be able to rest, especially after everything they had been through in the past hour. While she spoke, Nate unfastened the belts that kept his pauldrons attached and let them call onto the ground.

“Well, I heard that there was a guild in the city that was arranging for other things like this to be hunted. I think it was called the uh... Hunter's Circle?” he said, shrugging off the idea that he might have been incorrect with the name. “I don't know anything about them offering a reward, but I guess it'd be good to let them know it's dead. Hopefully they don't call on us for another.” Nate chuckled at the idea of enduring another hunt of that calibre.

“If you're up for the ride back, I can take you to the city's infirmary. They could fix you up there better than I could. We can tell the guild while we're there too. We'll just have to take it slow.”

[Analisia Moonbright]

"Good to know that someone was organizing this sort of hunt. Otherwise there could have been a lot of wasted lives. I am betting on the fact that they have enough people who want to search whatever else they have organized down. But I have had my fill of monstrous creatures for now, at least until I heal up properly."She chuckles, then stills and hisses. Looking over at where Nate sits, she shrugs ever so slightly. "I guess riding might be better than walking. And the sooner we get back, the sooner I can get bandaged up. So, riding would be nice."

She goes to stand up, managing it very slowly. Grunting once she gets to her full height. "But first we have to get back to where your horse is at. And that means walking." She smirks slightly. It was going to be a long walk.

[Nate]

Nate grasped his quiver and wrapped the belt through the belts of his pauldrons. He picked up his bow and threw it over his shoulder, and the combination of his quiver and pauldrons followed. After he'd gathered what he left he stood and moved to Analisia's side, and offered to help take the weight off her injured side.

“I'd say you wouldn't believe some of the things I'd heard they already hunted, but after hunting that thing in the ruins... Well, I'd believe anything really. Last thing I heard about was some sorta lion made from stone.” he said, his tone sounding rather amused at the idea. He didn't doubt it's existence in the slightest, nor did he doubt the other rumours he'd heard. They all seemed a bit closer to reality after their hunt.

“Let me know if you need a break. Tarian's just across the way there.”

[Analisia Moonbright]

"I don't doubt the existence of monsters, never really did," she says softly. She accepts his offer of help, leaning on him slightly to give some relief to her broken rib. She wasn't looking forward to checking on her other ribs. For once, she was looking forward to sleeping in a bed at an inn.

"I can handle it, just have to adjust a bit. This isn't the worse injury I have had, but it still takes a little bit getting used to it. Thank you for your assistance," she starts walking forward next to him, one arm still hugging her chest, the other placed around his shoulder. Her braid hanging over her shoulder, opposite to him. "Gotta say, that was a really good shot that you made back there. You are really good with that bow of yours."

[Nate]

After a while of walking and helping to keep the weight off of Analisia's injured side, they reached the location that Tarian had been left at. His reins were still tied to the fence post, and he was still grazing, just as they left had him. “I guess I just found it harder to believe that there were things like that out there, least 'til now anyways. A giant bug sounds a lot more... real... than a lion made from stone. Guess it's all the same.” he said, shrugging the shoulder that carried his bow. “It was my idea that got you hurt in the first place, so helping you walk is the least I can do."

Nate stopped in front of the horse as she complimented his archery skills. He exhaled, then smiled to her. “Yeah... I got lucky. Not sure I could do it twice though, I was scared out of my mind. You jumping around and getting on the thing though? That was impressive.” he said as he released his aid from Analisia to untie Tarian's reins. Once they were free, he turned back to her with the reins still in his hand. “It'll hurt getting up, probably. I'll try to take the weight off your side as you get on.” he said, offering his hand out again to help her. “You can sit up at the front of the saddle too, it's less bumpy there.”

[Analisia Moonbright]

When they reached Tarian, Analisia rolled her eyes. Riding wasn't as difficult as she thought it was going to be at first, but it still wasn't easy. She walked slowly to the fence post and leaned against it. The initial throbbing pain had subsided, but she was in for a long recovery. Watching Nate as he untied Tarian and walked him over. Analisia blushes at the compliment, unsure of how to react to it. "It was stupid more than impressive. And honestly, I was more afraid than I let on. Almost lost my head a few times, especially when I couldn't get free of the beast at first. But you looked so calm, and I really didn't want to have to run away."

She eyes Tarian as Nate brought him closer. Then moved to take Nate's hand, grabbing onto the saddle with her other. Hissing, she pulled herself up slowly, focusing her effort into the side that wasn't injured. As she swung up onto Tarian, the pain in her side swelled and she went weak. Holding onto Nate's hand as hard as she could to keep on the horse, her eyesight swimming momentarily.

"Alright, I think I have it now," she says after a few moments. She let's go of his hand to grab the saddle pommel with both hands. She looks down at him and nods curtly, her face taunt.

[Nate]

After helping Analisia onto the saddle and retrieving his hand, which was sore from being gripped tightly, he pulled the bow off his shoulders and placed it in the saddle. His quiver followed after and locked into place, and then his sword and the rest of his armour that would make the ride uncomfortable as well. He placed his left foot onto the left stirrup of the saddle and threw his right leg over the back of the horse while vaulting over. He landed behind Analisia on the saddle with a soft thud, doing his best to not disturb her.

“I really looked calm, huh? That was a trick my father taught me a long time ago, when he was showing me how to use a sword. He told me that it was fine to be afraid, as long as you didn't show it to your opponent. When I learned about hunting I was taught something similar too, so it's been fried into my memory by now.” he said as he gave the reins a gentle tug and Tarian started off in the right direction. The statement brought another smile to his face, seemingly happy with himself. There were quite a few things Nate was proud of, but retaining the knowledge and experience passed onto him by his father was at the top of the list.

“Once we get onto the main path the ride will smooth out. Shouldn't be too long now.”

[Analisia Moonbright]

Sitting as close to the pommel as she could get, she gets a tight grip on it. She managed to stay still enough that Nate getting onto the horse didn't jostle her much. She leaned forward to allow him to adjust himself to get comfortable.

"Well then your father was a wise man,"she says gently. Analisia reminisced about the only father she knew. Wondering if he would have taught her something like that. For the most part, he taught her the ins and outs of the pack, and how to properly hunt like a wolf. And how to handle pain, not that she had retained that one so very well. As Tarian walked forward, she hissed softly, then went quiet. "So long as we are moving forward, I have a goal to focus on. That will help keep my mind off of it. It will probably take us longer to get back though, going at this rate."

She thought about it for a moment. Trying to remember what the moon looked like the night before. It shouldn't be too full. But if it took them two or three days to get back, then she only had a few days to heal before she would have to leave the city and find somewhere safe to hide herself away.

[Nate]

Nate guided the horse onto the main path and their journey back to Avaleur began. With the reins held in his left hand, his right rested on the back of the saddle and his eyes kept a steady glance over Analisia's shoulder.

“He knew a thing or two about fighting. He was a knight after all, he wouldn't of made it very far if he didn't know his way around a sword.” Nate said. He exhaled a long breath as his eyes stayed entirely focused on the beaten road in front of them, his grip on the reins kept Tarian riding onward at a steady pace. He glanced over at Analisia as she hissed, then fell silent, but his gaze lingered on for on longer than a moment before it returned to looking ahead.

“Yeah, it'll take some time. Any faster and you'll be in a lot of pain though, probably. Tarian's not the uh... smoothest... of rides.” he said. Nate found himself chuckling at the thought, and Tarian exhaled through his muzzle and shook his head head back and forth once in response. “You know I didn't mean it like that, buddy.” Nate said as he gave the horse a pat on the side.

“So, you mentioned back at the tavern that you traveled around a bit, right? Ever done something like this before?”

(We can skip ahead to the infirmary in the next few posts if you'd like.)

[Analisia Moonbright]

"A knight? Well that is interesting," At the very least it explained how Nate knew to control his fear. Analisia kept her eyes sweeping across the path. It was easier now that they were back onto the main path. She felt a lot more secure sitting here in front, with Nate behind her, than she had holding onto Nate's back. She flinched a little when Tarian shook his head, she didn't quite understand the bond between horse and man.

"Like this exactly? No, I have been hunting before. Sometimes exotic creatures, but I usually do my best to avoid life threatening trips. If I had known more about the Millipede, I probably wouldn't have joined you for this one. Interesting adventure or not," she turns her head slightly to peek at Nate over her shoulder. "I tend to panic when it comes down to the wire. And I black out. I hate blacking out, so I try to keep to myself, away from anything that present a clear threat to my life. Unlike you, my father never managed to teach my to control my panic, or my temper. Try as he might."

Wincing as she turns back around to face forward. It was only the honest truth, but she didn't want to admit that she herself turned into a monster. "My father was a great hunter, and an elder among our people. And his son was looking to grow up in much the same manner." What she didn't say was how much she missed them.

((It's up to you. we can have them speak more on the way to the infirmary. Or just skip ahead. I don't mind either way.))

[Nate]

Nate's gaze had laid ahead of them on the road until he saw Analisia move and glance over her shoulder at him. He rubbed the back of his neck as she spoke and only after she was finished did he present a response. “I can't say I blame you, really. There's no reason for any sane person to want to actively pursue their own death. Although... I'm happy that you did come.”

Nate rested his right hand on the back of the saddle and shifted his weight to lean on the hand, his left still clutching the reins. “Different people live in different ways, I guess. Maybe I'm just too stupid to realize the danger I put myself in half the time.” he said, chuckling at the comment made at his own expense. “At least he tried though, right?”

He watched her wince as she turned back around, and his gaze returned to the front of them. He was ever vigilant in the foreign lands that he'd only been on for less than a week. Nate was unsure of what he should be expecting as they traveled down the roads. It would certainly be difficult to defend himself on horseback with an injured passenger. “His son, huh? So you have a brother?”

(How about we skip ahead after a few more posts to keep it moving forward? I can make the new thread this time.)