[center]Free Billy[/center]

[u]Quartz[/u]

Quartz eyed the large beast in its approach.

As he suspected, the creature was a larger and much meaner version of their little one back on the beach. From the starfish crown about its neck to its fishy tail tip, the only difference was the horde of parasites latched upon it's back and the very song's source. Knowing this fact satisfied Quartz, mentally grateful he had left -despite the hasty flight- their idle critter back in Eowyn's care. If the beast had managed to get by him, the knight would be the last and final defense against the beast reclaiming her young before they could save the crowd. He didn't once dwell on the guilt of leaving her in a rather terrible situation, nor the fact she was left to figure out, because he assumed she was clever enough to improvise. 

Another driving factor Quartz didn't want the young reclaim was because of two possible outcomes: either they would leave together or both mother and child would enjoy a banquet. Including not just the placid beach goers and frustrating protesters, but also the entranced holders, Arlette and Nathair. Later was the most troublesome risk and result. 

Despite the demonstration's purpose and Nathair's claims he had read too many horror stories, Quartz was convinced the later was likeliest. Maybe it was a understanding of a wild sorts or what a harsh master hunger, fear and instinct were. Maybe personally he expected no less from the beast then what he would've done in such situation, his reasoning was numerous after all. So many notions swarm within his head until Quartz's memory skimmed back to Nathair's reaction. It wasn't a stretch to say the spirit wasn't use to being ignored by his holder in that manner, the slight tightening in the serpent's long belly at his recollection reminded he about that fact. 

Distracted heavily between concerns if someone was looking after Nathair and the fast approaching beast, Quartz hadn't realize Eowyn's current action. Merely the black and red blur from the corner of his eye as she darted towards the beach edge. Something he easily ignored in his foolishness. His coils tensed, winds whipped about his fangs, and feathery wings raised to throw himself into the air when the beast was coming into range. 

The wait was tormenting. Each time the beast gained more ground, Quartz had to resist taking to the skies. Finally the moment arrived and his lithe figure jerked into the air, his wings shot outwards and caught the salty winds. His feathers quivered from the air. The spirit launched forward, little time wasted, as the wind about his fangs struck the creature's flesh. Blubber was thick and rubbery against his fangs, the slicing increased by the whipping winds in his mouth. He had just struck when Eowyn and Sleipnir's melded voice broke through the combat.

“Surtr's Wake!” 

Quartz, mentally, cursed in nahuatl with great color. In order to use his fangs, the spirit had to be in a fixed, closer range position to the beast. So while his fangs ripped away the small creatures on the beast's back, their humanoid figures fling away like wet kelp, the side of his muzzle was treated to an unpleasant sensation. Boiling water.

Spray from the gush erupted under the beast's underside and splashed upon him, enough to catch him on the underside of his muzzle at the close range. His feathers and scales offered little protection against the scalding hot attack. His mind was numbed to everything but pain, ignorant he had even bellowed into the heavens themselves when contact was made. Quickly, Quartz's wings pulled himself backwards and tried to clear the fish's location.

He retreated back onto the shore line where the unblemished part of his body coiled onshore. His face promptly submerged into the semi-swallow depths. Salt seeped into the reddish burn on his jaw's underside, the ache increased into a hot sting then at its peak grew duller. Slowly his head rose from the tide enough to talk and eye Eowyn's figure nearby. The spirit's voice was surprisingly calm but firm, fatherly scolding almost, at Eowyn's fused form.

"My dear... A little warning would've been called for and saved me some injury." His head feathers flattened against his skull to show his slight irritation at the nasty surprise. 

However after a few moments, his mind drifted to the task he had left her to attend to earlier and curiosity swelled. Had she already completed it? Quartz hesitated to confirm it. Namely because the sense of doubt deep inside and instead, casually mentioned his thoughts. "I suppose you figured a way to keep the fish alive then? Otherwise, when mama finds her little one's dead, things will likely get much worse. Anger and revenge tends to make some beasts stronger."

Any farther conversation was cut off when one of the crowd, a woman, had managed to make her way towards the large fish. With amazing speed the human was snatched up then flipped over onto the beast's hitch hikers. In moments, their green hands reached and tore the unfortunate victim into bloody pieces. Her flesh vanished without even the chance of a scream from its source. Quartz stiffened at the scene, disturbed by the speed and bizarre display. Instinctively his eyes shifted to the crowd. Among the numerous heads and bodies, he spotted Nathair who at this point was likely followed by Arlette in his wake. Slowly the holder's feet plunged into the sea, his pant legs darkened and weighted by collected water drenching them. Nathair stumbled for a moment. Water splashed as he kept his balance, his path unaltered by the terrain change. Ignorant of the prior soul's miserable fate, Nathair continued his way towards the fish driven by the humanoids' tempting song, the animal itself still attempted to rise once more upon its belly. It would only be a matter of minutes before a starfish arm reached for the knight. 

Quartz tried once to detour his holder with a shout, his feathers ruffled when it was as effective as the last time. "Nathair! Get away from the water! Right now!" 

"Where in the heavens is Remia?!?" Quartz hissed to no one in particular. His eye caught the sluggish movements and jerked upwards to spot Eowyn's earlier task slowly dying in the sun. Inwardly he groaned, his eyes snapped shut for a moment to turn his conflict inwards. Maybe the girl wasn't as clever as he had hoped, Quartz mentally admitted in disappointment. Now he had a choice to make. It was either Nathair and Arlette or the fish. His instinct wanted to damn the consequences and save the two holders but... 

"Alright. I'll deal with the fish then since you're so determined to fight the larger one. I thought I was the only cold blooded one here..." Quartz mumbled the later softer before he continued. "Can you keep the fish occupied? I might be able to drag the smaller one towards the swallows and keep it there by creating a pen with my coils. It shouldn't be too hard after I'm at my full size." 

At least he believed, his size change resumed once again bring him to at least over half his full size. He was pretty sure he looked like a slight smaller. distance cousin to the monster by now when it came to girth. Sadly, his shedding hadn't been able to mend his jawline and it showed when he fought the desire to winch while asking his question. 

"Is that reasonable?" 

Mentally he spoke with Mime, hinting for the doppelgänger to be on standby incase Remia didn't reach the pair in time. 'Mime, I've spotted Nathair and possible Arlette. Both are closing in on the fish's position. I don't see Remia nearby and I don't think I have to tell you what happens when a knight's holder dies, do I? I'm going to try to lure the larger fish away using the protesters' little beast but it won't stop our holders from following it. Please tell me you'll be able to stop them...'