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| Waiting for a friend; Taiaka and WillWill | |
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| Topic Started: Thu Oct 1, 2009 10:08 pm (462 Views) | |
| Will Fisher | Thu Oct 1, 2009 10:08 pm Post #1 |
 
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Will was in a corner of the small bar. It was warm in the barroom for the hearth was large and burning bright. He was clad in a long cotton robe. He had come in under the guise of a weary traveler, who had been beaten by thugs, and had his cloths taken. He even had bruises, albeit from falling out of a tree while sleeping, but still. His head was cold, and felt odd without his hat on. The robe was soft on his skin. He ate another spoonful of the flavorful chicken soup. Then a bite of soft bread coated in creamy butter. He leaned back in the chair and took a long look around the barroom. The floor was made of dark, polished wood, the walls of gray stone. The counter was small but had the same style as most other bars. The bartender was a woman named Katie. She ran the entire bar by herself, and was a very kind woman. She was also one of the best cooks in the area. And the local barn was not bad either, he could play well enough and went by the name of James. James was sitting across from Will, jabbering away about this and that while pouring a strong clear liquor into two small glasses. He picked up the small glass and threw back the liquid. He tasted plum, then felt his throat catch fire. This was Slivovitz, a harsh liquor made from only plums in the fall and peaches in summer. It was one of his favorites. "So, Will; what brings you to these parts?" "Oh, just on my way to the refugee camps, I am looking for someone I used to know a long time ago." The man looked at the table and shook his head and raised his glass in the air. He had lost someone in Taras, his finance. Will said out loud "For Anne" he threw back the drink and patted the man on the back. James smiled at the man and picked up his lute, and began to strum a tune. It was an old sea shanty, Will's specialty. He sang along and their voices filled the bar. |
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| Taiaka | Wed Oct 7, 2009 4:27 pm Post #2 |
 
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Taiaka was the consummate scavenger and the ruins of Taras had been his playground since before his escapade to Cascadia. While he did not know the city from an aerial perspective as well as he knew it from the ground, he could still navigate over its sorrowful locale with soaring ease. It was well past midnight when Taiaka sloppily landed near a small, burnt out clearing and fixed his appearance into that of a man’s. He walked the last few miles with a campy smile glued to his face and a newly found spring in his step. Yet, he moved quickly through the night, pausing every now and again to look up and make sure the stars were still tossed in the heavens like quartz crystals. And they were! And they whispered the same redundant, cryptic ramblings Taiaka remembered fondly. The trick is getting them to shut up. With Will’s spear in his hand and a clunky knot of belongings slung over his chest, he spied the Rickety Stool exactly where he remembered it to be. Even though it was late in the night, the bar gave off a sharp glow; rowdy, joyful voices lingered like pleasant scent in the air and Taiaka took a deep breath. He prayed Will would still be waiting for him, though his journey had taken longer than expected. He would recant the tale to his friend at another time: there were more important matters that weighed on his mind, such as drowning. He entered the tavern behind a large man in a Kelly green jerkin and stared wildly into the gathered crowd. Sweet mead and roasting pork tried their best to draw the shifter’s attention from scanning the faces of the patrons for his friend, but he ignored the temptation for the time being. He paced around in the wake of other men (tough mercenaries and skinny mages with puckered faces and loose tongues), standing bare-chested and smelling of the night. Shouldering his way to the bar, Taiaka asked the keep about a bald man with a beard and a penchant for sea shanties. He was pointed towards the back corner and the sound of a lute being played. “Will!” Taiaka yipped, spotting his friend, grinning brightly. Striding over, he clapped the man on the back and pointedly handed him his spear, glad to be rid of the cumbersome weapon. “Tell me good news! How was your flight, my friend?” |
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| Will Fisher | Fri Oct 9, 2009 10:02 pm Post #3 |
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Will covertly pulled his pants on, followed by his shirt and coat. He threw the robe into the corner. He tied his bundle of belongings onto the end of the spear and rested that in the corner as well. "Well took you long enough Tai." he grinned and slid Tai a small glass. It was filled with the same clear, plum liquor from before. Will threw back a shot of his own, and blinked, hard. He coughed lightly, and took a spoonful of soup. He waved over one of the serving girls, and asked for the special. She came back a few minutes later with a large bowl of chicken soup, bread, bacon, and a cup of slightly curdled goats milk. Will saw a slight rustle in his old robe. He chuckled. He had forgotten his new friend in there. He closed his hand around the small furry figure. It was Jacob, his new pet. Will had been helping Katie with the chores. As he was sweeping he saw that one dust clump had little black eyes. He picked it up and set it on the table. Will then picked him up and set him on his left shoulder. Past that point they had become inseparable. "Taiaka, I would like you to meet my new friend; Jacob." He opened his hand and revealed his brown fuzzy friend. He sat on the table and stared intently at Tai. Will pulled out a small piece of candy. Jacob's body turned toward Will as soon as the candy left his pocket. Will tossed the piece in the air. Jacob waited until the blue ball was close enough and leaped up. The ball disappeared into the small ball of fur. "I love doing that.So, what took you song long my friend?" his expression took on a slightly paler tone "Did they find you?" he looked his friend over for bruises or cuts. He mentally slapped himself for acting like a mother hen. He threw back yet another shot and stroked Jacob, the little furry body slightly vibrating. He looked intently at the man, awaiting his answer. |
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| Taiaka | Sat Oct 10, 2009 3:44 pm Post #4 |
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“Nice to meet you, Jacob,” Taiaka quipped as he sat across from Will. He didn’t know if the little fluff ball could understand him, but he thought it would be prudent to make an attempt at a good first impression. The dark man, smiling, quickly reached for the tiny glass of sickeningly sweet schnapps and downed it in a single gulp. He ran a hand down his greasy features, smothering the burn in his throat and eyes; finding the cup of warm goat’s milk, he snagged a piece of bacon and dipped it into the curdled goo. “Naw, I’m fine.” He chewed carelessly as he spoke, his won eyes reenergized and the air about him relaxed. “I just got a little sidetracked is all.” Taiaka grabbed another piece of bacon and dropped his eyes from Will, “I honestly don’t know if we’re still being tracked. We’ll find out sooner or later, yah?” He nodded fleetingly, “I saw their faces though- gives us an advantage. I suggest keeping a low profile though.” Taiaka placed both of his hands on the top of the table and picked at his molars with his tongue, quiet and still as if his entire body was suddenly carved from obsidian. He looked down at Jacob and made a trite sucking noise at the critter. It just seemed to glare at him and vibrate. Taiaka shrugged and offered a meaty chuckle to Will. “I don’t think your friend likes me much.” He flicked his finger at the fur ball, “Sure is cute though. Bet you can charm a lot of ladies with this little guy.” Taiaka swore Jacob glared at him harder, but it could have been his imagination. He took a gulp of milk and wiped away the residue from the stubble on his upper lip. “You familiar with Taras, Will?” Taiaka’s voice sounded scratchy, “Or what’s left of it rather.” The bar wench appeared at their table and began shuttling away empty goblets and plates. |
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| Will Fisher | Sun Oct 11, 2009 11:15 pm Post #5 |
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"I've only been here once before. It was for a few weeks, but it was mostly the docks and wharfs." he said with a shrug. It had been a long time since he had been here. There were a few reasons; debts to pay, drunk sailors who wanted fights, the women...but, he forgot about these and stayed inland; much to his dismay. He took a shot of the schnapps and sighed. "Quite a few memories here, most not so pleasant." he thought back to the times when he had just been released from prison, how he had made his way to Taras, and had been taken out to the Moonsea. He sighed again, and grabbed a piece of bread off his plate as it was being taken away. The woman shot him a cruel glance, to which he responded by sticking his tongue out and crossing his eyes; a very childish expression. He giggled to himself. He was getting slightly tipsy, he had been drinking for quite a while, and this liquor was strong. He coughed and took another shot. "So, do you know much of Taras?" |
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| Taiaka | Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:29 pm Post #6 |
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He shook his head no and stared into his lap as if he just got caught in a lie. One he had yet to speak: “Not too much I’m afraid. I can tell you shapes and colors mostly.” Looking up, he grinned the same kind of grin a person usually gains after stubbing his toe. But he shrugged it away and let his eyes wander over Will’s flushed face. His friend seemed to be deeper in his cups than he first though, but Taiaka didn’t mind. Men do what men do best. And for a sailing man, whose watery grave is probably being carved (as we speak) by pretty little sea nymphs, drinking is an art form. Leaning forward in his seat, the dark man removed his cup of milk and withdrew it, and himself, deeper into the comfortable recesses of his padded chair. He was tired and it showed; his features felt tight and his eyes felt sandier than a camel’s backside. Sleep was such a wonderful thought that he didn’t even want to finish his drink. Yet, he did, and ordered another one shortly after. “What’s there to know about the ruins anyway?” Taiaka carried on the thought as if he was more interested in justifying why he should not speak on it. “Depressing is what it is.” And filled with death and people who will pay you to dance in that death, picking corpses' pockets. He tore his gaze from Will and watched the door, his fingers absently tracing the delicate pattern on his cup’s handle. There were three men playing a game of darts near the bar’s privy, but most of the patrons had migrated over to bother the man with the lute and sultry singing voice. “Will, how come you didn’t tell me you were a shifter?” Taiaka said as he watched the serving wench drop off another shot for his friend. He smiled up at her but she sucked her teeth back. He returned his attention back to Will. “You knew I was. What difference could it have made?” Another shrug, “I’m not mad or nuttin’, just, I dunno, nevermind. Your secrets are your secrets, and mine are mine.” He gave his friend ambiguous narrowing of his eyes, almost playful. |
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| Will Fisher | Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:37 pm Post #7 |
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Will thought back to his small village, how he had been teased, mocked, beaten. All because of his talent. "It was just an old...habit...I guess. I used to get hurt because of what I could do, so I stopped to tell people, and show them. My father did the same. It just became second nature to not tell people. I really am sorry, Tai, I just, yeah..." he sipped at his shot. He watched as Jacob crawled, then fell, off his shoulder, and made his way across the table toward the dark man. He slowed his already sluggish shuffle as he neared. He hopped close to the man's hand, and shoved the front part of his body into the man's thumb, and started to purr. Will chuckled. Jacob always seemed to bring a lighter side to even the most dark situations. Will had had enough liquor for one evening, so he ordered a pot of coffee. The woman gave him a quizzical look, shook her head and brought it back. He poured a cup and sipped it. It was mediocre, not the best, but not the worst. He pulled out his long pipe and lit up. The air was filled with the slight smell of apples. "So, how about this weather, huh?" |
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| Taiaka | Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:10 pm Post #8 |
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He let Jacob rub against his finger, glad for the little critter’s timing: It gave Taiaka an excuse to not look Will in the eye. The little fur-fur had more courage than a full grown man. He was quiet even after the puckered bar-lass slammed a pot of coffee on their table and stomped off. She was too much and Taiaka had to chuckle, deeply and honestly. After Will’s nervous quip about the weather, a casual smile hooked his lips and pulled them up. “I have some advice, if you’ll hear me, yah?” The dark man’s voice was as somber as summer rain, and nearly as softly spoken. “You are a man, you’ve eaten your fair share of nails and spat in the face of your fair share of demons. I know this. You’ve told me.” Taiaka took his finger away from Jacob and tapped the bridge of his own nose. He then placed one hand in his lap and the other he used to prop up his chin, his elbow on the table sitting in a stain of grease. “Dun’t be sorry, and dun’t you dare find shame in your shifting skin, yah?” He said this matter-of-factly, folksy. “I may have shown my yellow-belly more than once in my life, turned the other cheek so the phrase goes, but I’ll pluck every star from the sky one by one before I run from my own skin. My father’s skin as well. And I remember his face every time I look in the mirror.” Taiaka remembered the mirror in his room at the Broken String and how he didn’t even share a parting glance at his reflection. He wet his lips and finally looked Will in the eye, his head thoughtfully canted slightly to the side. “Remember the face of yours, Will. Especially now.” As if pulled by a string, Taiaka exploded back into his chair and crossed his lanky arms behind his head, stretching. His eyes were pale and far away. “Don’t hold the thought though, let your dreams sort it out, yah? There’s nothing wrong with Mr. Will Fisher, and nothing wrong with Mr. Taiaka Vin’Kai.” His spine popped when he sat up straight in his seat. “Morning will be here too soon and I have to hope ‘dat this place still got a few vacancies.” He dropped his voice to a whisper, “I dun’t think I could weasel a free room out of the barmaid here. She’s no Tabitha.” Winking at Will, Taiaka stood, adjusted his bandolier of belongings and placed a few silvers on the table. “I’ll be at the docks at dawn, meet me then if your hangover allows you to. If not, I’ll be there all morning, sniffing around if you know what I mean.” He grinned, “You know the sea better than me, yah? You’ll have to be the one that does all the talking.” Rapping his knuckles against the table as if to say goodnight, Taiaka wandered away from Will’s table. He wound his way through the Rickety Stool, disappeared behind the swooning crowd and began haggling with the owner, asking about a room. |
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| Will Fisher | Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:59 am Post #9 |
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Will stayed at the table for a while after Tai began to talk to the innkeeper. He drank a few more cups of coffee, leaned back in his chair, and tucked Jacob into his shirt pocket. He grabbed his spear, and walked up the creaky splintering stairs. He walked into his room, and leaned his spear in the corner. He locked the door, and sat down on his bed. It was stuffed with straw, and the blankets were scratchy. He pulled of his shirt and shoes and curled up into a small ball. He felt a small ball of fur press into his back. Will woke up long before dawn. He washed himself in the small tin tub with lye soap and cold water. Jacob was still asleep. Will got dressed and shoved the furry creature in his coat pocket. He grabbed his spear, with his bundle of belongings on top, and made his way out of his room. He stopped at the bar, grabbed a bottle of plum schnapps, a few loaves of flat bread, and a small bundle of jerky from the kitchen; leaving several silver. He shoved the food in his hammock and made his way out of the building. The sun had not yet risen as he got to the docks of Taras. There was a gray light flooding the area. He saw several brothels' lights still on. He walked into a small tavern. The Salty Whale. sounded interesting. He strolled in and saw an old, dark man standing behind the bar. He had tan skin, and old shapeless hat, thick gray beard and eyes as dark as night. "Allen? Allen Maelstrom? Is that bloody you?" he walked up to the bar. The man's eyes lit up. "Will Fisher, how have you been?" the man's voice was deep and rough, it had screamed through many a storm. "I've been fine, you?" "Oh, been worse. Grace passed away." the man's eyes grew paler. "She was a fine woman, she will be remembered. How is your daughter?" "She is quite grown up now, Carla is. 15." "15?! I feel like an old man!" "Then you must know how I feel." "So, I know we just reunited but-" "Ah, first, we drink. Then, we talk of favors." the man pulled out a dark blue bottle of rum. He poured two cups of the liquid. Will smiled, it was always good to see an old friend, especially one this close, and one who had a ship. |
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| Taiaka | Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:58 pm Post #10 |
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There were no rooms at the inn, but this suited Taiaka just fine. He didn’t feel like sleeping in the bed’s of man anyway. In fact, he didn’t feel like sleeping at all anymore. He wondered if he had been too hard on Will and knew he was not in any position to hand out advice; he hoped the younger man did not think he was perched on a soap-box, warbling about his own pride. Or maybe Will would be too drink to recall anything more than Taiaka’s dark smile. Either way, he had no desire to remain at the Rickety Stool regretting his choice of words. Once the owner of the soaked inn gave Taiaka an I’m so sorry shrug, the shifter walked down to the docks and stood in council with the stars, smoking. His gods said very little, which he appreciated, and the night seemed to collapse onto itself. Taras Bay was a quiet, black mirror in a frothy frame of soft moonlight. Taiaka could hear strained voices on the wind, carried from the gambling halls and brothels, muffled by the gentle lapping of brine. He was alone but for the pelicans with their hooked bills tucked under their brown wings, and as sober as a judge, standing on the rickety docks with his arse on a coil of discarded rope. Feeling still for the first time in a while, Taiaka allowed himself a moment to clear his mind of the acidic fears and doubts that had been eating away at his very core. He was a small dark speck on the face of a world that would usher in forever without him; it was the embrace of a lonely place, but one where all the corners were clearly defined. When he had finished his cigarette, he dropped the butt into the splashing waves beneath him. It was low tide, he could tell from the smell, and he dropped quickly from the dock like a stone, landing in the tidal pools and soft sand below with a grunt. He spent a few minutes to collecting knobby drift wood further up the beach, and another few minutes building a ring of stones, before lighting a small fire. He plucked fat mussels from the posts of the dock before the tides came roaring back and boiled them in a tin cup as he sat on the sand watching the calm sea. After eating, Taiaka fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, the stuffed vole on his chest standing watch. His fire was nothing more than pale embers by the time he woke and the sun was a blazing sliver of pink in the eastern sky. Slowly, Taiaka washed his face in the bay water and watched the pelicans stretch and preen on the dock above. He emptied his bladder, gathered his belongings (which were dreadfully covered in sand since he used his shawl as a pillow) and staggered stiffly up the beach. The morning brought fair-faced sailors and venders from their beds and the usual noises and scents. Somewhere a dog was barking, a rooster gave a crow, and the sound of barrels scraping against splintering wood split the calm. Taiaka, rolling a smoke as he walked, dreadlocks wild and wooly, wound his way up from the docks after pausing to solicit a light from a passerby. He took a long drag as he looked out at the great moored beasts; spindle backed dragons whose wings were made of canvas and whose bodies were poured pitch and reed. The ships toddled on the rolling waves, pitching and yawing as if nodded in approval of their purpose and station. Taiaka wondered which one he and Will would call home for however long it took to reach 3034. He finished his smoke leaning against a sturdy railing that overlooked the beachhead, waiting for his friend to slither out of bed. |
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| Will Fisher | Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:42 pm Post #11 |
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"Shall we venture to the roof?" said the floppy hatted man. The man reached up above the wall of bottles and pulled down a small hatch, which in turn let down a small ladder. They climbed and were brought atop the flat roof of the bar. They were overlooking the beach, Will gazed out over the wide expanse of blue. He felt himself fly out over the water, through the salty spray, swim in its cool heavy depths. He heard a murmur to his left, he was thrown back onto the roof. "You all right?" said Allen. "Oh, just fine...just fine." he lifted the glass of rum to his lips and drank. He searched the horizon, but no matter how hard he looked, he could not regain this feeling. "So, you said you wanted to talk about something." said Allen, in a brogue much the same as Will's. "Well, a friend of mine....we were looking to spend some time out in the Moonsea. And, seeinge as I don't have even a meager rowboat-" The floppy hatted man grinned, "And you were hoping that I would sail you two out." Will smiled back, "How ever did you know?" he feigned surprise. "Well, you know my ship. She's old, but strong." "She'll be just fine. You have a crew." "Same one as always, minus Edmund" "What happened to Edmund?" said Will worriedly. "Found himself a girl. Had six kids. Haven't seen him since." "Ah, well, it is still perfect." with that they both rose up, walked down the ladder, and walked out of the pub down toward the docks. |
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| Taiaka | Tue Oct 20, 2009 7:44 pm Post #12 |
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Taiaka was given a tiny blue flower to wear in his hair by a tiny little girl. She was a priestess of some dead god and she did not speak to the dark man; she simply held out her hand and gave it to him before being shuttled off between what Taiaka could only assume to be her parents. He watched her disappear, handing out wilting flowers to anyone that would look at her. Taiaka felt infinitely less special when he saw that she did not discriminate and promptly ate his flower, chewing slowly and swallowing it like an ornery goat. The day was still early and he watched the gulls swoop and dive at the frothy brine like wounded paper gliders, in between looking out for Will. Everyone moved with purpose, passing by the dark man at the study railing, nodding their capped heads or hiking up their skirts. The children smiled at him but he did not smile back. Two cigarettes later and the sun burned hot on his bare shoulders. It singed away the low morning mists and dappled Taras Bay like so many quartz crystals strewn upon a billowing sapphire cloak. As the sun continued the climb, Taiaka’s belly grumbled and growled. It took him no time at all to find a rickety kiosk that sold fried squid. He bought two skewers wrapped in brown paper (a dollop of ginger and ink sauce on each); ate one and fed the second to his pelican friends. Returning to his railing, overlooking the docks, Taiaka began to feel impatient and stood silently licking the grease from his fingers like a finicky cat. Soon enough, Taiaka saw Will emerge from a pub (surprise, surprise) with a man in an odd hat in tow. He smiled in spite of himself and dropped backwards over the railing in a suicidal dive. Landing in the soft sand, ignoring the white hot pain in his knees, Taiaka scurried up the beach and came around to the main stretch of dock to intercept his friend. He took four steps on the manicured wooden planks before he heard a strange whistling sound. Two more steps and two more strange whistling sounds; this time, one buzzed close enough to his cheek to draw blood. Plunk plunk Two crossbow bolts buried themselves into the dock at his feet. “Will!” Taiaka’s yell sounded like a bark. He ran towards his friend but his eyes were sturdily set over Will’s shoulder. There, perched at the same railing he just descended from, were the two men from Cascadia. Taiaka could clearly see their faces, yet he was more concerned about the heavy crossbows they were aiming down at him and Will. Taiaka grabbed his friend by the arm and pulled him down behind a stack of rum barrels. Then, the panic came. Men shouted and women shrieked. Children dived into the shadows and armored guards drew their swords. Taiaka, with his face close enough to Will’s for the man to smell the squid on his breath, shook all over with anger and began to growl. Two more bolts slammed into the barrels they were using for cover. Taiaka wiped the blood from his cheek with his thumb and sneered, “Looks like they found us.” Obviously. His sneer faded and his nostrils flared. “We gotta get. Out. Of. Here. Before they pin us down.” His chuckled was surprisingly out of character, “Our ship is leaving, yah?” The entirety of the dock shook from a stampede of terrified sailors and citizens. Taiaka could only hope the jingle and stomp of footsteps did not belong to the Cascadian mercs. |
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| Will Fisher | Tue Oct 20, 2009 11:23 pm Post #13 |
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"Yes we are leaving, now." he peered around the side of a barrel, he saw Allen walking along, head down, with a crowd going toward the wharfs further down the road. He looked to where he had just been standing, moments before. There stood a small grouping of crossbow bolts. He looked up and saw two men raise a heavy crossbow each. He swung his head back behind the barrel to hear two solid thwacks of bolts being lodged into wood. He stole a sidelong glance, the crowd was getting thicker. He took a few breaths, grabbed Taiaka by his arm, and ran in a crouch, into the depths of the crowd. They maneuvered through the crowd, heading toward an alley. They snuck in almost entirely unnoticed, save a bolt that lodged itself in the cobblestone behind the two men. Will let go of Taiaka, stuffed his bundle of belongings under his coat, shifted his lantern into his left hand, spear in right, and began walking down the alleyway. Will walked with a purpose, heading in the general direction of the further wharfs. He turned the corner, and saw a blockade of men in studded leather armor, holding swords and bucklers. Will cursed and turned back around the corner, hopefully before they noticed. "Tai," he said barely above a whisper, "Mercs, very angry looking Mercs." |
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| Taiaka | Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:55 pm Post #14 |
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Taiaka pressed his back against the wall of the alley and nodded at Will. “In that case, I hope that spear of yours isn’t just for show.” He did not smile, but his eyes looked as if he desperately wanted to. His fingers loosened the knot on his shawl, yet he did not completely untie it; the tight yellow bundle hung down to the middle of his thigh before Taiaka swung it around to his rear, peeling himself from the wall. “Cover me.” He bolted around the corner without warning, head down, legs eating up the distance between himself and the mercs. There were five that he could discern and their faces looked confused as the dark man came barreling down the narrow alleyway. “There! There they are!...What the-” Taiaka shifted in mid-stride, going from the two legs of a man to four very sturdy legs of a bear. The ambling mass of black fur nearly filled the narrow alleyway and the mercs’ dumbstruck expressions caused Taiaka to roar with rage. He charged them, swords and all, without hesitation. A plate sized paw shot out, angry dark claws swiping at the merc closet to him while the other’s backpedaled and yipped with fear. Only their captain stood his ground. Taiaka flung the first merc to the damp cobblestone with a meaty thud and an arterial spray of red. He did not move again. With one down and three others routed (yet not quite out of sight or mind), the bear zeroed in on their brave captain shouting, “Will, on you!” before colliding with the blade wielding merc. The charge was brutal and sloppy and Taiaka slammed into the captain, tumbling head over paws. The captain was no slouch; he kicked at the bear’s muzzle hard enough to draw blood and slashed at the beast’s flanks with his sword. Taiaka, animalistic on many different levels at that point, did not notice the white hot sting of steel and instead focused on clamping his teeth down on the captain’s right arm. The man cried out, which startled his men enough to advance, and thrashed beneath Taiaka’s bulk. The captain’s arm was shredded in the bear’s powerful jaws; sinew and cartilage snapping, strips of muscle and founts of blood filling Taiaka’s maw. With a final tensing of his shoulders, the bear tossed the captain aside, stood on his hind legs, and bellowed at the other three advancing mercenaries. “Kill them! Kill them you fools!” Shouted their wounded captain who lay clutching his mangled arm to his chest. |
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| Will Fisher | Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:37 am Post #15 |
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As soon as Will heard Tai's command, he rounded the corner, spear in throwing position. He took aim at one of the guards and threw his spear. It sailed through the air with a fain whistling sound, and planted itself firmly in the neck of the man. He did not miss a step, and kept running at another man, at the last moment he jumped into the air, feet directed at the man's chest. His feet hit solidly, and the man fell on his back, Will felt ribs give way under his foot. Will fell forward a few feet, directly into the swinging fist of a guard, who was equipped with steel gauntlets. Will was thrown back against the wall, he touched his jaw; where he was struck. His lip, and most of his mouth, was bleeding, but his jaw was not broken. He ran over to the guard, while swinging his fist back for a punch. He planted it firmly into the man's jaw, sending a thin spray of blood and saliva into the air. The man fell to the ground with a thud. He walked over to where his spear lay embedded in the neck of the dead merc, and pulled it out with a sickening squelch. He heard an ominous clanking in the distance, and a padding of hard boots. He sent a stream of swear words into the air, and walked over to a ladder. He climbed up and saw another group of mercs marching down the alley, swords and shields drawn, and the occasional heavy crossbow. He hopped back down, "Tai!" he yelled at the bear, "We need to go!" |
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1:27 AM Sep 8
