PM to join [The Streets] The Domino Effect

[Fallon]

74th Summer 514 AV

Fallon pressed herself firmly against the wall, kukri drawn and the hood raised. Beside her she felt the brush of Orvin, the low panting of the canine as he peered out of the shadow. Her eyes gave a flicker across to the streaked floor, watching the twisted shapes of turned ground and shed blood. There was a distinct scent of death and decay on the air, the creaking silence of the scene sending her skin prickling. Leaning out from around her corner she spied the slumped form of a dead man, and her eyes drifted on to another in an equal state, the corpse sending a tracing of red across the ground. The grim face poked out from beneath the hood, and it with careful steps that Fallon entered the long abandoned street.

A fight had definitely been here, if it was not for the bodies then it was by the way the remains and refuse had been scattered. Rubble had been kicked over, the shadow of beams and debris smeared with shapes, with the still weapons remaining where they had dropped. No doubt it was the work of the gang violence, the wars that still managed to plague the streets in its madness. Her brow furrowed, a bend down to the ground as she ran her fingers across it. Tacky, sticky residue came out of it, the leather tips revealed that it was still relatively fresh. A sniff, she rubbed the thumb and forefinger together in thought, replaying the moments before she came here within her mind.

She had begun making her approach when she heard the gurgled scream of a man - more correctly a boy now she had the availability of closer inspection - the muffled noises of combat somewhere off in the distance. The second was more begging, pleading almost, and that echoed out in unison with a mighty "No!" before there was little more than silence. Some chimes later, Fallon was closing in on it before finally arriving. Judging by the scene itself though, the killers could not have been gone long. Orvin released a whimper, his nose nudging upon the arm of the older man, before he received the chiding tones.

"Orvin! Leave it!" He froze for a moment, head turning round to face her, his eyes widening slightly as he took her in. Her finger gave a firm point next to her, eyes burning down upon him, "To heel. Come here." The head bobbed and stared at her, hesitating as he decided on what he was going to do. Lips pursed, she pushed the commanding tone again, "Come here. Now." He begun to slide his way over after that, ears falling flat and sulking eyes staring at her. She gave only a snort as he took his position next to her and whined in her ear, "Don't you dare start. I'm doing you a favour."

The gaze lifted and turned about once more, a careful inspection of what was before her. Chains, she took a lean and a peer over at the lad, looking at the worn cuff mark that hugged his wrist. Worn and ruined clothing, a scrabbling almost of his entire body, as if desperately trying to escape. The other was no different. Standing, her head tilted to one side, eyes picking out the shape painted upon the ground - like a letter almost. There was a step back, picking out and turning the shapes into letters, and from letters into words. A macabre act, chilling almost as she craned her neck back to read - only to regret doing so. Her mouth ran dry, her form stiffening as she simply stared upon the painted words;

We're coming for you Wolf.

[Zandelia]

Things were coming to a head quickly now, almost an entire season of thorough searching coupled with serendipity had managed to get her this far. She had almost agonized over involving Fallon directly in her seeking but had eventually ruled it out in favor of a singular search. Any danger was greatly lessened after recent events but there was still danger present. She knew that her partner could handle herself but that did not mean she was about to directly out her at risk unless required - she could do her tracking by herself. It was largely why she was armored, carrying weaponry and pulling her black cloak around her in soft folds as she lingered in a secluded doorway and watched, waiting. She had followed a woman to the building opposite, near to the Slave Markets, and had seen them enter. It was only a matter of time until they would exit.

What are the discussing? Who is the new link after the other was damaged…perhaps beyond repair. Not all of the chain has been destroyed, but a few links. Slavers multiply like maggots in a corpse. A few days and their strength returns with a bitter bile ripping within she thought to herself as she looked around, she saw no one of a threatening nature, just normal people…if there were such things.

She took a few longer moments before slipping out of the doorway and making her way towards the building via a circuitous route, walking a way down the dirt street before crossing to the other side nonchalantly and slipping into a crowd moving back the other way. As the alley alongside the structure loomed she stepped into it smoothly and paced down it with her shoulder close to the rotting wall. She ducked down to slip underneath a window and crouched there for a while, listening intently and focusing all of her power upon boosting her audible range. Nothing. She shook her head in silence and closed her eye, this would require something more than physical ability she was beginning to suspect. It was time to try a theory she had been musing upon for some time. She summoned her Djed and began funneling it, damming the inner rivers in places to encourage its shifting until her eye was filled. She kept it closed as she turned her head to face the wall beside her.

She focused it with a frown as best as she could and opened her eye, staring directly at the thin wooden wall before her. She could see its aura, flickering and static, quite small and perhaps only an inch. She had done this before at a door, a long time ago. She knew well that the aura of a person dominated that of a thing. She concentrated and widened her perspective ever so slightly, in increments as she marshaled all of her senses into the effort and beads of sweat began to form upon her brow. That was when they rippled in behind the constant field of the wall, as her straining reached its peak point. Three auras flickered, intermittently as if there was interference. Perhaps she just wasn’t skilled enough to see purely through objects yet, that was likely. Yet she saw them phase in and out. Large and definitely human. She breathed deeply and receded her Auristics talents until, slowly, they faded completely and she let out a deep and juddering breath as she wiped her brow with a smile.

I did it! You can see auras through things! Even walls! The possibilities… she told herself with a sense of elation even as a sense of lethargy seeped into her bones - not overly taxing but still tiring.

She had not made much progress but she had been undetected and had managed to determine the numbers of those within whilst remaining so. She could hear only mumbling and muffled noise in terms of their conversation but that was fine by her, she would learn what was required - if there was anything of interest to be found - in due time. It was better to know her odds of success before seeking out te data than progressing in the reverse. It always was she knew, risk assessment was integral to the game. You couldn’t gamble of bluff without knowing the cards that could be possible. She took a few moments to compose herself and then she gambled. She stood up and looked through the closed shutters, a few gaps here and thereto peer through. She tested them delicately for strength, not wanting to buckle them by strong touch. She leant in, satisfied, and pulled a dagger from its sheath at her thigh. She pressed her ear to a slit and attempted the listening.

“You want to attack now? They just wiped out th-”

“I know what they did! But if we don’t react quickly they will be upon us instead of others. That damned spider of a woman doesn’t stop”

“Oh come on, you think she could find our trail? We didn’t even meet up with them, they met people who we hired and then killed after”

“And did we kill the killers”

“You know how hard good killers are to find Lisandra”

“So they have links”

“That’s a bit far to assume don’t you think?’

“No. We threatened her and her little vagik wolf of a partner. She killed her father you know. She took out the damned Nuit too, had his head hung up form a tree. She doesn’t forget and neither does the Red Wolf. They want to carve their own territory. I respect that, but they screw with our affairs”

“Which is why we are…dealing…with the Wolf”

“What do you mean?”

“We have a group in the city, using the cover of the street fighting, to lead her into something even she can’t get out of”

“Trap?”

“No, a dancing show”

“Fine. But what about the spider?”

“Web? Without her wolf she’ll be less dangerous, easier to take down. If we could get her to work with us then we cou-”

“No…she’d never go for it. Not now. Probably never. Hates slavers”

“then we force her to”

“How? You want to try killing her?”

“Of course not…but there are ways”

She tried to keep her anger in check as she continued to listen, events were clearly in motion and ever portion of her wanted to set about putting an end to them but she couldn’t leave…not just yet. She needed any information she could get, to follow them perhaps. There was no room for mistakes if they were trying to trap Fallon. She needed more, she always needed more when concern was involved.

[Fallon]

For a while Fallon simply stared, nostrils flaring as the sense of dread grew and settled within her stomach. Her pulse quickened, fist clenching and unclenching as she tried to gain some bearings of what exactly was going on. She gave a swallow, her eyes turning about the scene for some clue, some snippet of information as to what was before her. Danger was the first alarm that went off, her eyes looking and darting back and forth. She had to focus, gather her thoughts and concentrate on the present. Orvin gave a circle around her, nose pressing to the floor as he began his sniffing once more, ears twitching and prickling. In the meanwhile her teeth chewed at her lips, slowing and calming down the situation within her mind's eye.

There was a threat, an obvious one at that, a warning laced with the full intent that it was set to come for her. They wanted blood, whoever the maker of such a well thought-out sign that was announced to the world. It was a challenge call, she finally concluded as she stilled the turbulent thoughts and focused them down to a point. She had enemies, those who no doubt wanted her disposed of as quickly as possible - she was seen as a threat after all, a problem that had to be dealt with. The slaver circles no doubt saw her as the biggest issue, and she would not deny that factor. Over the past season there had been a lot of sway and fighting with them, disturbing their lines, trashing through their resources and hacking to pieces what could be called as theirs. And if there was any one group that she had continuously battled against, it was the Amber Wave.

But they had been dealt with, left crippled and beyond repair - correct? She was beginning to have her doubts that this was truly the case. Had a chain be left unbroken? Had a sole survivor escaped into the chaos and gathered allies, or was this a new threat altogether? Lips were wetted, a low crouch down as she pulled off the gloves. The lykata gave a throb, the pale digits flexing and feeling the air as she focused herself. Clearing her throat she grabbed the canine's attention once more, "Orvin, stay. Stay." Her finger made a quick point around them and then pointed to the ground, hoping silently that he understood what she was trying to get him to do, "Guard. Okay? Guard."

A deep inhale, she placed both palms down onto the cold floor and focused. An exhale, the push away of the stench of decay, the lingering of death upon her senses. Another breath in, the slow and steady focus of finding a level in which to work upon. Bit by bit she allowed the mind to sink, a gentle push away here and a rise up of consciousness. Her skin gave a tingle, finger tips quivering above the surface as she traced and willed the answers to rise up. Slamming footsteps was what she first 'heard', loud and definite as they struck in a steady rhythm, running almost in every forced thud down. Her head turned, eyes coming down into a narrow as she tried to delve deeper, her form becoming animated as she entered an almost lulled state. Hands felt it out, it heard the beating, the screaming again and again, the trickling of blood. She could see the scrabbling, the hoods staring down, the glint of silvered steel as then nothing but darkness. Words, whispers, a plan - a trap? Eyes, watching, waiting, always there waiting to prowl capture-

It was the low, menacing growl that escaped from Orvin that snatched her attention back. Fur had bushed up, his muzzle pulling back to bear his fangs. Her gaze snatched up, eyes blinking as she saw the shape of one standing there at the mouth of the alleyway, blade drawn and the hand pointing down upon her. Shadows moved, the long shape of another standing up from the high point on the roof. The click, the sharp turn to catch a look of another upon her left. If it eliminated any doubt on it being a trap, then this certainly did the job. Her hand grasped onto one of the tulwars, a partial draw as she heard the low words they were whispering and their intent was clear, "Who's afraid of the big, bad Wolf?"

The blade barely made its way out. Orvin gave a lunge at the nearest, a loud ripping howl escaping from his form, the ring of steel as the keen edge was drawn. Barely a swing, a snapping snarl as she felt the net close in around her - she could take them, she had to if she wanted to live. Her vision catching the glimmer of a rope as it passed on by her eyes, barely a turn of the head back to the unknown forth, as she felt the firm jerk of it back across her throat.

[Zandelia]

“Gods, leave the spider for now. It’s almost as if you’re scared of her. She is just a woman”

“A woman capable of literally wrapping us up until we’re dead. Spider…petching venomous”

“Widow”

“Shut up! Back to Bitzer. How many did you send to deal with her?”

“Enough to get it done”

“You do know she can kill well right?”

“Yes for the love of al-”

“How many?”

“Eight, sent eight. More than enough for a surprise trap and too many by our count. We’re losing agents, bleeding them like a stuck pig”

“And just as much squealing you dolts”

“Look, I’ve had just about enough of your tongue woman. don’t come here preaching how you can do better when you’re the one who’s lost the most. That hunting down went right well didn’t it now?”

“Yeah, really well right. I mean it’s not as if you lost all but three of your people is it?”

“Shut up”

“And you know what, those three are there at this trap too. Might find you gots no one afterwards. I’d be more careful of your words if I were you”

“Stow it! I…I mean…petch it all this is one giant mess that’s what it is”

“You play with daggers you’re bound to get cut. Soon be over and then we can rebuild. Always more scum willing to muscle for a decent cut”

“So five then? Just bodies?”

“Nah, ropes mostly. Couple real brute there. Not really armed though. Want her alive. They’ll catch her unprepared. Might kill a few but damned difficult to fight when you got hemp flying around you”

“Good…good. Then what?”

“Well that’s easy. We takes her somewhere secure and then the fun begins. Got a bartering chip then and Web will come to the table. She likes her people, she looks after them I hear”

“Petching soft woman right?”

“The point is…she will bargain”

“Sure?”

“No, but then nothing is ever certain. Either way we get one of them so consider yourself grateful”

The conversation lulled then into a series of bickering and squabbling amongst the trio as to where they should take up their activities after dealing with their current targets. She took some comfort in the fact that they had no idea between their traded insults that she was there and listening. For now she was undetected though for how long was debatable. She had gained further information but still it was not enough. Numbers and equipment was one thing, a useful thing, but she had no location. She couldn’t just run into the city in a random direction. She would be searching for days and by then it would be too late. She still needed more and it looked as if she wasn’t about to get what she required. She grinned darkly at that, listening to their petty little schemes. They thought they were thinking big but really hey were no better than thuggish cutthroats. They had no idea who they were dealing with.

But they will, oh they will. I will destroy them for this, take their heads and make an example to all those who would try to hunt us. They have no idea… she told herself, a solid promise.

Already her mind was dissecting them, pulling apart the most obvious of their weaknesses -disunity. They were a marriage of convenience in every sense of the word. They clearly loathed each other but operated as a group because it was profitable. The woman, Lisandra, she was the easiest target by all accounts - all but powerless by their own admissions. She would be first, to serve as the banner by which they would know their ending. Three men, maybe less, and herself. She was practically asking to have her throat slit. She smiled at that once more, it was a pleasing image and this time se had no qualms about vengeance. It was sometimes necessary, her father had taught her that, for all of his insanity. Fists clenched and tightened over the hilts of her daggers, on Revy’s and the other her father’s.

“I told you alright, it's down near Stumble. Been sniffing around there of late, likes the danger I spose. Hired to work there,who petching cares? But when they grab her they’ll come tell us and we will go there together and see how wild this dog is. Right?”

“Right”

“Right”

Agreed she gave her own mental assent as the required information was given and she stepped away from the window carefully, bending down low now.

If she played things right she could possibly even gain the body of this monster…after disposing of the heads. First, however, a rescue was in order. If indeed it was even required. She hoped silently that Fallon was still able to kill as well as ever.

[Fallon]

The rope jerked back, pressing and tight across her. The left hand rose, the tulwar clattering against the floor as she grasped upon it in reflex. Air halved and quartered, teeth gritting and grinding as she tried to fight back. Somewhere beyond she could hear the cheering hoots of predetermined success. Eyes blinked, fingers barely wriggling in to hold it back as she gave a slash with the other tulwar. Behind her she could hear Orvin barking loudly, an entire snapping snarl as he lunged at one of the attackers. Her head wheeled back, a crack into the jaw of the one who had grabbed her with the rope - letting it slack slightly. Air rushed in, a full firm pull of the material from her throat and a loud, laboured cough. There was barely time to fight back before a crack took her across the jaw line and sent her stumbling.

Stars blinked in her vision, the rumblings of a roar clawing its way up her throat between the labours of breathing. Around her the enemy closed in, pincered, encircling and ensnaring. Heckles rose, the beating breath and adrenal pushing her onwards with ease. A left strike with the tulwar, a step as her foot gave the discarded blade a tap and the hungry eyes and grabbing hands made their way inwards. It was a trap, nothing more, nothing less. She heard the whimpered yelp of Orvin, and her gaze snapped around to the noise angry and furious. The snarl escaped, a lurch turning into a leap forward in the direction of her companion. The blade was keen, her entire weight behind it as she barged into the one who dared to get in her way - no room for mercy.

Eyes watched the canine be kicked away by a brute and slump to the floor, whimpering as he came in with the bludgeon once more. A wild hack downwards, there was a scream as the blade met flesh and was ripped free. The brute was left clinging to his arm, and the shout was issued down to the wolf, "Orvin! Beat it! Run!"

There was no time to see if he obeyed it or not before the beating club came swinging round. The inside of her knee throbbed, bending and falling to it, the tulwar ripping round. There was a clatter as it was battered away with ease, the shooting forward towards the head with a bludgeoning instrument. Her entire form gave a jerk, letting it swoosh on past as she leaned back and away once more. Eyes gave a burn, her teeth bared as she tried to push herself up once more - the forceful step up. The wrist twisted, the free hand clenching tightly into a fist that swung out to strike. It met only air, and another blow came round to her gut.

Rope whipped and wound round her blade arm - pulling and constraining against it. The arm pulled and resisted against it, the free hand looking to grasp and pull against it. A wheeze escaped, chest tightening, eyes burning as she glared up and tried to force that inner rage and animal to rise. She snapped and looked to bite, an entire lunge forwards as she saw the hemp pull and slide past her vision once more. Across the torso, it slid back as she managed to brace both feet firmly onto the ground.

Shoulders hunched in, the pull of the bound arm once more that she tried to grasp upon once more upon it. Fingers knotted, a full firm jerk against the holder as it ripped free of their grasp and whipped round wildly between the legs. A step towards them, a full lunge and then the sharp tug backwards once more. Eyes spun to see the advance once more, and hacked blindly at the rope and holder that presently restrained her. The other rope was taken up again, for every slash, for every hack and snarl, it tightened and held. Another lashed on around the other arm, a pulling and splitting as the trap closed in around her. Movement was no longer an option as the blade was twisted free from her grasp, barely a lunge at them before she was pulled back. The mind screamed trap, obvious as it was. The wolf among the hunters, caught without the pack and left to fight for herself. Her stance solidified, her form throbbing as she felt another rope slip and slide around her resisting limbs. A snapping snarl, there was only one thing left to do now.

Fallon howled.

[Zandelia]

It was all a blur as she whisked herself off into the night, not caring anymore if she were spotted. They would all meet upon the field of battle eventually, that much was now inevitable and if she had her way they’d find a knife in their backs before they knew they were under attack. That was for the future, however, for the present her mind was captivated with one thought – rescue. The rotting wooden walls of the majority of the makeup of Suberth flew by, barely able to catch glimpses of the moss around each crusty ancient window with the speed at which she pumped her legs. She knew the streets, cut through short cuts where at all possible but each second already felt like it was existing upon borrowed time. Skidding down and alleyway here, slamming into a wall there through momentum before pushing herself off of it.

Then came the howl. She slid to a stop, heels digging slight grooves in even the packed earth of the street at the friction, the noise of a wolf in despair. Trapped. She tilted her head, heard another but more animal one, ran down and alleyway and almost tripped over the damned thing. She had to jump to avoid it, teeth snapping and snarling at her until she whirled around and pointed at him, clicked her fingers out of frustration as she tried to hear where the fight was coming from, where the trap lay. The echoes were too heavy, the air too easily carrying sound through the alleys and distorting their position for her. She sighed, vexed and knew she was running out of time. Gaze slipped down as fists clenched, looked at Orvin with his muzzle curled and fur bristled in rage.

Wait…Orvin she told herself, he was angry but not at her, waiting almost.

“Where?” she asked, there was no response and she tutted, looking at him further. She clapped her hands…nothing. She swept her arm out and pointed from where he had come and he began to dash off.

“There’s a good boy…” she stated darkly as she ran after him, in hot pursuit.

It was not far, clearly the ambush had begun but only started to reach its zenith after a period of fighting, or perhaps it had taken them longer to find Fallon. Either way it was a fine piece of good fortune that she wasn’t accustomed to of late. She had no chance to hide and slink about as was her custom, Orvin was already growling and snapping his jaw viciously as he all but barrelled into the fray. She didn’t even have time to count how many there were, just seeing the shadows of some as the ropes were noted and given priority status instantly. She ran in, dagger out and stamped on the back of the knee of one of the rope holders. Her first foray into the fight was her plunging the blade between collarbone and shoulder – a killing move but a novice strike considering the surprise. He fell and the rope went slack – she was not sure where it had been holding her.

“It’s the Spider!”

“Don’t just shout it, grab the hussy!”

“No time to negotiate then gentlemen? Pity, I like seeing people like you squirm” she shouted as she pulled her tonfa out and assumed an attacking initiative.

The rope loosing had bought some time, time to see they were in a rough circle surrounding Fallon, there were more ropes but on the other side and thus out of her reach for now. Orvin was running amok, snapping at the legs of another as the smell of blood in the air clearly roused him further. She charged, tonfa whirling, at the closest two – neither held a rope but one had a crossbow they were frantically trying to get loaded. She hissed and her gaze narrowed as she darted under the blade of the first, batting it away, and the other tonfa came around to slap the crossbow about to be levelled to the side. She flipped the tonfa in her hand so the handle formed a hook and caught it around the arms and yanked it down towards the floor and out of the would be archer’s grip.

“Fight…fair” she growled as she spun to block another blow with her right tonfa, angling it away from her body, and brought the left hook-like one around to use it to push his arm away further. She pivoted and her next strike hooked around his neck as she stepped around him, heard the bolt hit him hard and fast, and came around to face the crossbowman again.

She smiled and he threw his weapon down and took off into the night screaming at the top of his lungs. There was a pool of wetness where he had been standing. Pulling a throwing dagger from her shoulder, momentarily shifting both tonfa to her left hand, she threw it after the nicely placed target practisce. It was clumsy, unbalanced and simply seemed to hurl through the air to hit him in the back. She doubted it sank in, probably hit hilt first, but it was at least satisfying. She turned to see which way the battle was going.

[Fallon]

Another jerk of the rope, another pull as the lengths worked their way round to trap and to ensnare. Succeeding for the most part, there was a violent enough pull to force her to drop a blade with a clatter. The jeers shouted, the struggling, the heat, the objection as the burns of the rope laced its way across her form. Eyes lifted, wide as the grip of terror clung onto her and left her turning and looking for a way out. Rage for allowing herself to be caught, paired up with a violent explosion over the choice of fight or flight - pure instinct commanded her. Her pulse rose, the adrenal existing within pushing her onwards and over the edge. The snarling of the wolf, the jaws of Orvin as he closed back in - fur bristled, his eyes wide as he locked his jaws around the tender flesh of his target.

Teeth ripped, a screech as the rope slacked and somewhere within the low light she caught the shape of another, the shouts of alarm and panic slicing all too clearly through the air. Eyes wide, a snarl slid up through her throat as she felt the rope upon her left arm slacken. The arm slipped out, holding the tulwar still as she brought it hacking down through the rope. It frayed, another hack as the panic of alarm spread through the bodies. The curse of the spider and the howling of the wolves continued onwards. Blood commanded them, and thus she answered to it.

A final hack and the fraying rope snapped and the tension was lost. It slipped down, the freed arm now looking to grasp upon the one that was wrestled across her torso, pulling and holding her in place. Lacing, constricting, she caught the point to some other source of binding, the panicked point from one of the others, "Shoot her! Hit the bitch! She's gonna kill us all!"

Another man ran off screaming, the clattering of something as she continued to try and move - picking out what shapes were there and aiming at her. Which seemed to be everything and everyone at present. A whistle of a dart, she gave a violent jerk to feel no blow upon her. Another man however gave out a scream, whilst another cursed, but there was no respite brought - the rope was jerked again and her heels were forced to dig into the ground. She continued to grip attempting to pull and wriggle, the grabbing and extending hands looking to pull her down. Another hack of the blade, there was a twisting pivot, the lengths wrapping round as she blindly hacked at them. A firm pulling tug her free hand grasped one. Fingers curled round, eyes burning as she grit her teeth and yanked - the left tulwar skewering forward.

Blood lust begun to consume, shoulder barging as she freed herself from her bindings for now and passed the blade onto her stronger and more fluid hand. It was the left that slapped at the kukri now, fingers curling round as she brought it juddering out - keened and edged, it was time to see what mischief she could do with it in hand. Two blades, full fighting capabilities. She could hear the canine bite into another, the eyes burning as he snarled and pushed onwards. A curling, she slashed into another, the tip slipping in whilst the kukri edge hacked down. A roar escaped as she pushed them off, letting the dead weight slump to the ground her new target selected with a burn of the eyes. A step forward, teeth bared the taste of copper and iron - metallic - in her mouth as she moved.
Somewhere she heard the hissing shout of Zandelia, her eyes every sweeping and moving. Looking and searching as she continued to carve onwards. Find, grab, protect - something flared out in her mind as she tried to move. Enclosing, ensnaring breaths quickened another hack down into the flesh of a shoulder, knee raised as she barged her way through and ever forward.

A strike, thudding and ripping through. Leather was pierced, an entire jerk back as a misstep was given. There was a roar in response, pain gone for the moment but quickly building up. Fast, a fire as the dagger was pulled back through the armour and keened, ready to pierce again. The kukri arched down, the adrenal pushing her forward - fight, kill, survive. She gave a shout, gripping and consuming as she sucked in the air and bellowed it forth, "Petching, BACK OFF!"

[Zandelia]

There was the roar, something she had come to expect from Fallon in times of combat and duress. It didn't bother her, she found it strangely comforting after a fashion – it meant she was still alive and very much fighting. If anything a silence would have concerned her far more than the roar. Casting her gaze about she noted that the majority of the assailants had been dealt with if the math of their 'glorious' leaders was to be trusted. With no support forthcoming and the element of surprise a dangerous blow had been deflected and was about to be rammed back into their faces with as much force as she could muster. No one threatened Fallon and escaped, not on her watch at least. Five had fallen or run, that left three and only one was truly within her range. She pulled the other dagger and took as long as she dared to weigh it and judge the distance to her target. She was no expert and time was not on her side but she was going to use all of her weapons.

Let's see if this time goes any differently she told herself as her jaw set and her forearm came back.

It snapped forwards as if throwing a stone at the man as hard as she damned well could. It span in the air, at least on target this time through either chance or skill. Probably a bit of both perhaps. She stepped forwards as she threw, putting more power into it as she pulled the tonfa back into her right hand as quickly as she could and seeking to follow the flying knife. She heard the shout as it sank it, into his thigh – a poor throw going too low to kill but it had disabled him at least. She burst forwards as she recoiled and his weapon fell to the ground. His comrades heads snapped around and noted they were now another man short. She ignored them for now, the heat of the battle leaving no room for anything other than the killing. Tonfa lashed out to cruelly smack into the sunken knife and tear it out in a spray of blood. She barrelled into him with her other forearm, tonfa lining it as she smacked it into the side of his jaw.

“Stay down” she growled to him, probably unnecessary but the point was made just in case he wasn't about to bleed out. The severity of his wound was not noticeable under such swift conditions.

She turned and truly saw, for the first time, that Fallon was injured. There was a series of spat oath as she started the charge once again, this time towards the two other men who had apparently decided that dying was better than living – a fool's mistake. No ranged weaponry remained and that was a minor miracle, a crossbow to her chest would surely ruin her evening. As it was they began to backtrack, stepping into defensive guards with grim masks of determination. She would have admired that had they not attacked her own. She was amongst them with little hesitation, tonfa swirling and turning the two blades as they darted towards her. One slipped through and bit into her upper arm, she grimaced and hissed as she stepped sideways and back – they were decent bladesman. She turned them around, putting them between herself and Fallon with a series of circling moves, tactically sound but still merely a delaying motion as she sought out their weaknesses.

Darting in again they covered themselves admirably as she opted for blocking the blades solidly over turning them this time to see if they would still hold an advantage. One tonfa slipped through a guard and knocked a wrist, the weapon fell but the girl's partner covered her with a lunging assault. She turned her body and felt it slice across her armour it would leave a mark but she was unarmed that time. She threw her left tonfa at the one picking up his weapon, a hatchet-like throw to delay him. As she puleld her hand back she grabbed the wrist of the one still holding their weapon and grinned.

“”No where to dance now” she snapped her head forwards and their foreheads clashed, both dropping their weapons with the sudden impact.

She took her chance in her daze and dove at the girl, this would end with nails, fists and teeth now. There were no choices when those she cared at were at risk, nothing to hold back for. Kill, or be killed.

[Fallon]

Fallon gave a stagger, foot slamming down as she tried to maintain her balance against the approaching battle that was coming for her. Her hand clapped over her injury, adrenal pushing her onwards and over riding the pain for the moment. Orvin was animated, jaws snapping as the gurgling cry of his prey falling away to nothing. Quick steps, she felt her way around the situation a dip of one shoulder as her new target was granted to her. Zandelia charged her way in, her hissing spits as she battered them back and away. Circling, snarling, Fallon held the kukri before her point weaving and teasing back and forth, he low growl as Orvin moved in. Fur bristled, chops red as he released a snarl, and nipped upon the ankles.

It was in a flash of movement, an internal lurch as she watched Zandelia pounced. Tooth claw and nail, there was a resounding clunk as the thrown tonfa struck upon the other. It was from there that Fallon made her own move, the baying howl of wolves escaping into the night. Fallon was upon him in a flash, hand peeling away and planting itself onto the pommel of the kukri. That momentary stun, that fraction of a tick that could give the advantage in a fight - it was gladly used and exploited. With her teeth bared, she gave a kick round into him, a splutter as he looked up with her in fury. In response there was only the sapped warmth, cold and without mercy as she hacked once more with her trusted blade.

Once, twice, thrice, there was barely a clatter as he tried to fight her back and off. Weight and the pressing push came from her left hand onto the hilt, a full force of weight as she pushed through the opening of his attack and thrust the blade into him. It juddered as it met flesh, her entire form hunching on over him as she near enough pressed her full weight into him. Blood flowed and mingled, the strain down from her side as he gave a dying gurgle. It was far from a versed move, lacking grace and filled only with the survivalists mentality. She gave a slump, gripping the blade tightly now as she begun to wiggle it out and forth, noticing that her breaths were laboured as she did. Her gaze gave a flicker, a lick of lips as she continued to haul herself upwards and looked to Zandelia.

Forms writhed and scrabbled, her right still gripping onto the kukri as she slid away. There was a slide away from the body, the muffling of the struggle slowly growing fainter as she steadied her footing. For a moment her head gave a swim, her hand clapping over her side as she gathered her bearings. A suck in, the application of pressure as she felt the injury complain at her. A curse hissed out, "Petching hai." Between grit teethed she moved, looking about in the gloom as the air turned into one of decay and death, "Web? Shyke. You done yet?"

The kukri slipped back into its sheath, a stoop as she reclaimed the tulwars and shakily slipped them back and away. The mind gave another shift, the adrenal sapping away and leaving her feeling not quite right. Skin trembled, and she brought herself leaning back into the wall. Should could hear Orvin sniffing at one of the bodies, his fur slowly lowering down to simply flat once more. The trill existed in the back of her throat once more, her grip tight as she fought to maintain some focus. Where they alone now, had the danger lifted for now? She roughly exhaled, shoulders slumping as she simply looked once more, "Death. Stupid. So much..." Fallon shook her head, feeling the wet nose of Orvin tickle her hanging fingers. She gave him a tap back, "Need to... I think... Let's just get out of here. Shyking... petch."

It took a bit of effort to push herself off once more, a dark look from beneath her brow. She needed light really, it would allow her to see the damage and make a decision on the nature of it. Was it just painful? It certainly seemed that way with the fact she had yet to hit the floor - the flow was slow too, with the leather thick and hardened. Had the armour protected her? "Preferably somewhere with light. Come on... we'll hunt later."

[Zandelia]

There was no finesse in the scuffle, it was raw power and brutality, as much of it that could be mustered. They hit the floor and Zandelia rolled across her foe, bodies impacting and driving breath from them both. Groggy and sprawled she recovered as quickly as she could and with a roar threw herself at them again, rolling and coming apart, and again until they were locked together. Fists bunched and lashed out from both sides, hitting jaw and rib and shoulder. Knees rammed into each other. They both gripped each other by the throat. Equal in strength but not in the intent to survive it proved.

She snapped her head forwards and teeth snipped into flesh, biting down as hard as she could and the scream of pain filling her ears as the blood filled her mouth. She rolled over, she was on top now and spat out whatever chunk of the other it was. She straddled the other and pinned the shoulders to the ground with her knees, transferred bodyweight holding the head in place so that the knuckles could hammer down. Several times more than necessary it proved, the cheeks shattering and teeth snapping as the blood flowed from her fists with the excessive wounds there from the impacts. She only just realized she was shouting with each hit as she came out of the adrenaline and sighed, slumping sideways. She supported herself with an out-stretched hand, senses dulled for now.

The words came and her breath drew in, head swept around and found her alive – Fallon was alive. Relief and happiness, if mixed with pain and anger, filled her a little then as she pushed herself up and set about picking u her own weapons. She took the crossbow with them, it looked almost ready to fall apart but, she reflected as she grabbed a few stray bolts from the dirt, it was a decent enough weapon to ward off pursuit at a distance. She didn’t know how to use the damned thing but their enemies didn’t know that. She wound back the string and slipped a blot in, she thought she was doing it right – it lined up at least.

Hopefully I won’t have to use it anyway, just a….bluff she groaned internally as the pain began t blossom in various places now.

“Damned if that didn’t get close, closer than I like I tell you that. Come on…come on,” she grunted as she took Fallon’s weight, “put your arm around me, something you like doing at least. Let’s get you to safety. Tavern maybe, maybe. Just…not here. Can’t be arsed looting them. Got us a…crossbow. Give the petcher’s some pause for thought. If comes to it I’ll rip my cloak up and use that on you, better it dies than you my dear” she continued as she began to lead them both out of the side alleys and back towards the main streets of Sunberth.

It was more overt but certainly safer, not a safety but they would see anyone coming and they would be seen with weaponry intact and still alive – if put at bay by the assault. She would look forwards to cutting the heads off of the trio’s shoulders but that would have to be put paid for now, life and recuperation was more important. She chuckled to herself as she went.

“Want to know who you petched off this time? I followed them, knew you were in trouble because they let it slip. Stupid bastards. Gods this hurts! Come on my Keep, let’s get something to numb the pain eh? You direct, I’ll get us there”