Tuesday, May 01, 2012

A desperate struggle.

[phew] This got a bit confusing to write - apologies if it's just as confusing to read. But - nothing but action.

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Aylix, Crow, Gregory and Grundown had somehow managed not to be knocked out of position as they engaged with the giant bipedal wolves. Each of the wolves wore scraps of furs and leather over the fur of its hide and though attacked with a vicious ferocity showed a cunning that went beyond that of an animal darting in and out in, slashing with an accuracy that would have been deadly if it wasn't for the weapon skill of the four men. In the middle of the group, Eliana was unleashing arrow after arrow into the surrounding orcs, thinning out their ranks as they circled around, trying to get close to attack along with their wolf pets. Each time they tried though, the wolves would snarl at them killing their masters minions indescriminatly as they got too close to their prey.
Addy watched on almost helplessly, clutching her mace tightly in both hands, looking for a chance to help as the melee swirled around her. The orcish warboss roared into the night, stamping its feet as it watched the carnage ensue, not bothered about his fellow orcs, more bothered about the wolves tearing apart the humans and dwarf.
"I've had enough of you!" Eliana snarled, levelling her bow at the boss and letting fly with two arrows in quick succession. Her anger quickly turned to disblief as the arrows flew true only for the first to bounce off the creatures armour and the second to break as it hit the creatures brow.
"Ahaahha! Take more dan weedy arrers t'kill me pointy!" it mocked. Eliana, finally out of arrows cast her bow down and drew her shortswords.
Grundown let out a snarl of rage as the wolf he was facing finally pushed past the dwarves defences and clawed his hammer arm. He dropped the weapon, falling backwards as the wolf pounced on top of him. Grundown was forced into the dirt, keeping the wolf from ripping at his head with its teeth by holding it back with the top of the head of his axe. "Git this garicktar off of me!" he roared, straining against it. Leaping forward, Eliana sank both swords into the fur of its back to no dicernable effect while Addy swung her mace hard, connecting with the side of its head and knocking it off the dwarf. The beast hit the ground and roared at Addy, who backed off as far as she could without walking into Crow who was having his shield slowly shredded by the wolf creature he was fighting.
With a snarl Grundowns wolf made as if to leap on to the Tralda, only to stop in midair as Grundown dragged it back by the tail with his injured arm.
It kicked out with powerful hind legs, connecting with the dwarfs chest and sending him flying backwards, colliding with the elf and sending them both sprawling onto the floor.
The beast, sprang from the ground at Addy. She screamed and was saved at the last second by Crow turning and pounding it in the side of the head with his mace. The creature was knocked aside, but the distraction cost the Kharachian, and his the remnants of his shield was cast aside before the wolf raked his chest with its claws, cutting through his armour like it was nothing. The Kharachian staggered backwards, tripping over Addy and hitting the ground on him. He had strength enough to raise his mace defensively, wedgeing the haft into the wolf creatures mouth as it slashed at him hungry for the smell of blood in the air.
"Shepherd!" Gregory shouted desperately, seeing Crow fall from the corner of his eye. Forcing back the wolf he was fighting with a wild swing of his greatsword he stepped backwards, kicking the creature hard in the flank to send it flying from his brother. Adjusting his footing, he thrust forward with his sword as the wolf he had been fighting dove for him again, it dodged and tore into the Crowan's stomach with one claw, raking him down the back with the other. Gregory staggered forward, losing his footing, forcing him to leaning on his sword for balance as he drove it point down into the dirt.
"Shit!" Aylix, marred as the rest were with nicks and bruises, blocked a claw blow with the haft of his hammer, drove his hammer head first into the gut of the wolf he was battling, following it up by cracking it round the snout. The wolf spun away with a whimper of pain as Aylix reversed his grip and spun over the top of Greg's head to catch the wolf the Crowan had been battling in the back of the skull. It sprawled away to regroup as the Grundown's original foe dived for Aylix. Raising his left arm instinctively, the wolfs teeth ground against the metal of the mercenaries bracers and he cried out in pain as the metal was forced into his skin.
Grundown and Eliana had made it back to their feet, and were about to engage the wolves again when the orcs - seeing their chance to attack - closed the distance with them and suddenly the elf and dwarf were back to back fending off the greenskins.
Gregory stood shakily, stabbing down into the back of the wolf on top of Aylix and it howled, lashing out and almost sending the weapon from the Crowan's grip.
Gregory met the mercenaries eyes briefly and gave the slightest shake of his head as he took a step backwards, raising his sword into the air. "CROWA! Aid me i..."
Howls filled the air from the trees around them and suddenly Gregory was knocked into the dirt, the words dying on his lips as a wolf barrelled past him - forcing the one from Aylix and carrying it away from the captain. Around them there was similar scenes as more wolves, each with a pendant of a fang around their necks burst from the treeline, engaging with the wolves that had assaulted the party. Suddenly free of the wolves, they slowly picked themselves up, only to have to defend themselves instantly as the boss orc through itself forward.
"If my pets can't do it! I will" it bellowed, bringing down both cleavers. Aylix and Gregory each blocked one of the massive blades, giving Crow and Addy time to stand. Crow delivered a heavy boot to its gut, sending it staggering backwards as the captain and the Crowan pushed its weapons away. Suddenly Eliana was in front of it, delivering a fierce flurry of slashes with her blades before it could react and by the time she span away it was marred with cuts and its armour was shreads. It staggered briefly before surging forward for Aylix who blocked its clumsy strike easily, spinning away on the outside and catching it hard in the back of the spine. With a roar of rage and pain it arched its back as Addy drove her mace into its gut with all the strength she had. It doubled over in pain long enough for Crow to catch it on the chin with an under arm swing of his mace. There was a loud crack as it's jaw broke as it snapped upright again followed by a gurgling choke as Gregory ran his sword through its chest.
It croaked, sinking to its knees as Grundown stepped before it. "Grobi filth." he snarled, spitting in the greenskins face before striking with his axe. The orcs head hit the bushes at the side of the road some meters away as it went soaring off in an arc.
A roar of triumph had the companions turn in alarm, only to see most of the werewolves chasing down the greenskins - the four wolf beasts they had been fighting dead and torn to shreads around the path. The were alone with one werewolf, who gave them a knowing wolfish grin before bounding into the treeline. Seconds later, High Father Aston stepped from the bushes, looking slightly battle worn but grinning from ear to ear.
"You know how to gather a scrap together." he barked, a satisfied look on his face.

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