Roc Mission Collab
His horse reared and bucked, the hooves nearly stomped his head twice, while Eural struggled with the mare. Her eyes rolled, her muzzle filled with saliva in her frenzied desire to escape that he was sure she would tear his arms right off alongside the reins. The damn beast was not gentle about her protest. He cursed under his breath until finally he managed to settle her down and coax the horse into a gentler mood, her nostrils flared the fear most the others felt. Immediately he heard the reins holding the draft horse in place snap followed by the smallest bolting back to the College and Samson dart into the forest, Annabeth and Aramir on his tail.
“Damn it,” he blurted without consideration then eyed the source of the animal’s uneasiness. Several yards away was the Roc. Damn thing was huge, her attention distracted by the poor soul who hadn’t been warned about the danger and now was her latest meal.
He felt the horse tremble a bit, his body tensed to see her about to rip out of his grasp. “No, sshhhhh, easy gal.”
It hadn’t been very long when Samson came busting back into camp, his hooves nearly ready to trample the small snow elf who seemed rather fixed on being chased rather than simply duck. Inwardly Eural groaned at the scene while he listened to the impressive cursing and shouts, the lungs on that elf, until finally she had the sense to dart to the side allowing the horse to race past. Liam had managed during the time to jump onto the wagon and attempt to mount the animal by leaping on the stallion’s back. In slow motion the fox slammed down onto the back, making both him and Eural (to a lighter degree) flinch in pain. Samson bucked, worsening the tenderness, yet slowly settled thanks to the combination of Liam’s grab of his mane and tiring. When the horse came to a stop, Liam had dismounted, cradling his loin and huffing in pain. Not that Eural could blame the fox. He knew the pain and even found it amusing that it wasn’t his stupidity this time, his lips twisted into an amused grin at the sight. Though he did feel a slight empathy, he didn’t voice it.
Eural didn’t have long to pity Liam when his ears caught the sound of creaking and stressed wood that catered toward them. His eyes spotted the wagon veering out of control at Aramir. For a sickening thought, he thought it would crush the young student until a blur seemed to flash from his vision’s corner: Annabeth. She was the last person he expected to react in a smart way if he was honest, his thoughts figured she was more a farmer like girl who happened to strap on a sword and pretending to know something about combat. His eyes watched while her body shot out from where Samson had come from and right at the wagon. At first, he believed she was going to get herself killed.
Her body shoved into the side causing its axel to snap, proof of its old age, which grinded the cart to a halt. Its back half dug into the ground draining its speed until it came to a halt. Eural was colored impressed though he half expected it to have hurt. Her body paused long enough to take a breather as her face looked rather soured by the chaos and ill organization by the others. She trotted up to Samson, thanking Liam, still nursing his groin, and then lead the large animal to the wagon again. The beast seemed to take to her fairly easily allowing her to place him while Eural caught her words.
“The roc is on the move. I think it's time to pick a plan of action before another disaster strikes."
Eural had realized he was staring, his head shook a bit to erase the daze, while he broke the spell. It didn’t stop him from looking at her, his body pulled closer while she loaded the weapon, her position now up on the wagon. “Yeah, that’s your department, not mine. I’m only the guide and Roc expert though I have to say that was mighty impressive. Wasn’t it miss L?”
He was referring to Auriel since he hadn't gotten her name and decided to use the L on her bow for reference.
Annabeth looked at Eural and the others. She wanted to berate them for their uselessness, but the more she thought about it, she couldn't really fault them. They were all unprepared for what had happened, and the best they could have done was likely what just transpired. They had Samson now, and aside from Liam's masculinity, most of them were unhurt. At least, so long as the roc doesn't show too much interest in them. If they did... Annabeth was going to have to make this shot count.
"Then we need to keep moving. We're exposed out here, and the roc will make easy pickings out of us if we don't have a plan of action against it. Everyone, gather your belongings! Sir Eural, see if you can harness your mare with Samson. We'll need to move quickly if we want to outrun that Roc. Colette, check that wagon if you can. It belonged to a merchant I think, and it might still have some supplies we can make use of. Auriel, help Liam onto the wagon. Let's go!"
Colette nodded and went towards it being very cautious about it and looked inside it blinking "Hey I see a skull in here..." She said with a shudder. Some unwanted memories were coming into mind as she saw it before she shook her head and put the memories behind her again. She took it out looking at the skull with curiosity, her black hair framing her face like it usually did.
Looking over at Colette Annabeth narrowed her eyes at the skull in her hand. She had remembered seeing that skeleton from before. "No way.... Colette, bring that over here would you please?"
"Don't start with that Sir crap...It makes it me sound as old as my father," Eural uttered as he tugged the mare's reins. She snorted for a moment, her hunches tensed and appeared ready to struggle until her nose caught Samson's scent then she seemed eager to be next to the male stallion. Eural almost rolled his eyes but stopped himself, relieved he didn't have to struggle with her anymore then needed. His hands moved quickly. The belt loosen his saddle, not needed for the hitch and harness from the wagon, then tossed it with the rest of his stuff careless within a pile. He patted the mare's flanks gently when he finished and mildly chuckled when he spotted the male horse, Samson, reaching his nose toward Eural's horse.
"Damn charmer." He muttered, his eyes twisted about when he heard Annabeth motion for the skull found within the wagon. Damn mages, why did they seem to obsessed with a skull?
Still, his curiosity grew causing him to draw closer to the girls with his thumbs hooked within his belt. "Something like that don't belong in a merchant wagon...unless he's a killer. Though if he was, then it doesn't matter now."
"Do you mind?" Was the first thing that happened when the skull was picked up, more importantly the actual jaw bones moved and the sound seemed to resonate from the skull itself. Though to be honest he was more interested in his flight, and the subsequent reunion between himself and gravity which through a serious of unfortunate events ended up with him in what was left of a wagon. Only to be picked up and then man handled.
This was not what he had been expected on the day he finally left the confines off his coffin though to be perfectly honest he had never actually expected that day to ever come. "Now if you wouldn't mind can you get your grubby fingers off me..." Then he came to the realization. "No, no don't. Would you kindly return me to my body? I'm not quite sure where I left it but I don't know if you noticed but I'm not quite as attached to it as I used to be."
Annabeth looked at the talking skull. Was this something akin to Uicle's golems, or the work of necromancy? Whatever this skull was however, it may be important. "We'll do our best to return you to your body, but last I seen, that roc scattered your parts. None of us are safe so long as that beast lives. But once it's dealt with, I'm sure we can put you back in your place. For now get comfortable."
Annabeth tied a rope around the skull's head and kept it attached to her belt. Everyone were more or less ready to go, and not a moment too soon. "Eural, get the horses into the forest please. It's obvious that we can't take on that roc head on, and we don't have the equipment to face it in an ambush. Still, if we can clip it's wings we can take back Rurik's caravan without having to worry about it flying down at us."
"Alright," He said then turned toward the horse, leaving the rest of the group to their own device. His head darted to Auriel and gave a smirk, his voice rang loud and clear for her to hear him. Eural had noted she was rather quiet which struck him as odd. "Auriel, come over and help me with the horses will ya?"
"This is, completely undignified." He swung back and forth slightly on the rope, which was not only undignified but uncomfortable. He looked at the others in the group, then remembered he had no muscles or facial tissue that could effectively be catelouged as a sad look to try and garner sympathy in order to be treated with some level of dignity. Then he noticed something over head, as the shadow played on his face. "Wait! Whats that!?"
He looked up as a small bird flew over head, singing to its compatriots. "Quick! Someone shoot it! Are you just going to let it insult us like that?"
Minutes had passed since the last time Liam had breathed normally. And now, after the dizzy haze that was the ballpain whining he made, he could make out a few things. For once, he noticed the woman who pushed aside the cart. She was... Stunning, so to say. So Liam stood up, winced a little and straightened himself. There wasn't a moment to lose, he thought to himself, before he walked towards Annabeth. A small limp ever so noticeable in his gait.
"Hey, h- Wait, is that a freaking skull?" He asked, laughing a short laugh, "And it speaks?"
Aramir's day was only getting worse. First she was chased by a horse. Then the Roc was only suddenly close enough to fly over and kill them all, and then she was nearly killed by a wagon (after being saved, she breathlessly thanked Annabeth, still trying to regain her breathing). Now, to top it all off, there was a talking skull who could apparently understand birds. Frankly, she was more than happy to let Annabeth take the leadership position and just follow orders. It made life as simple as it could get when one was trying to fight a giant bird of death. Collecting what arrows she could and picking up her bow, Aramir walked past the trio, heading towards the forest, pausing briefly to make a comment. "It seems no different than the many golems in the College. Only he can understand birds, and was for some reason in a wagon. Also can we get out of the sight of the very angry, very large, bird before it gets curious?" She smiled nervously, holding up her bow. "I can shoot at it, but that might just make things worse for us."
With the group more or less situated, Annabeth looked over towards Eural. He and Auriel were getting the horses, but taking a bit of time with it. Annabeth didn't want to rush them, but they didn't have the luxury of time. She left her post at the balista and helped Eural move his horse in with Samson, strapped the harness on, and got back onto the wagon. "Alright everyone, we're heading into the forest. Sure as hell safer than out in the open, at least when dealing with the roc. However the forest isn't without it's dangers either. But I'm sure I don't need to explain that to all of you, so let's hurry."
Once everyone got on the wagon moved towards the forest. There was no sign of the roc near by, thankfully, and they entered the forest without much problems. They did have to go in rather deeply to find a good clearing for them that had a thick canopy above them but also a flat enough area to serve as a decent camp spot.
Here the roc won't be able to get a clear line of sight on them, but unless someone sat in the trees neither would the college students. Annabeth looked around the forest and made notes that this place seemed largely untouched by the forest creatures. She wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. Regardless Annabeth once again took command.
"Alright, let's set up camp here. We'll need to figure out a way to get that roc down from the skies if we want to have any chance of recovering the wagon without it getting in our way. I was thinking perhaps if we could gather enough fibers to make a long, sturdy rope, and get us some more balista bolts, we could make it into a sort of bolas or something we could fire from the balista and clip it's wings that way. Of course we'll only have one shot and I seem to be the only one who knows how to operate this thing. So at some point, someone is going to need to attract the roc close enough for me to fire at it. But before we do that, let's gather the materials. Liam, come with me and we'll try to fine whatever sort of plants and vines we could use to make into a strong rope at least fifty feet in length. Aramir and Auriel, could you two see if you could make some more bolts for the balista? Not only something we could attach the rope to, but also just in case we need to shot the damn thing down the old fashion way. Eural and Colette, stay here at the camp."
