by Doc 42 » Sun Jan 23, 2011 12:25 am
Several heavy boots thumped through the jungle. The shadow slunk closer.
"hold fast!"
the lead figure's arm shot up, the rest stopped in their tracks.
A few insects buzzed close by. A high pitched cough sounded from behind.
"Shut up DoorKnock"
"Sorry sir, it's these damned trees"
Durka Spoon touched the puddle of blood and rubbed his fingers together. Badai blood tended to get very sticky when exposed to air, this blood hardly stuck at all. They were close.
The shadow swept it's gaze across the studded leather armoured figures: 8 of them, spears, javelins and crossbows.
"It's close, everyone fan out, watch your buddies"
The badai hunting party spread out carefully. Everyone had another badai watching their back, and were charged with watching some one else's. The screech of a gigantic bird over head, made them crouch. Durka gazed up into the towering trees, watching the few patches of speckled light shining through the canopy, trying to spot the bird. Nothing.
He began moving forward, arm shooting out instinctively to grab an insect, killing it with the blow. Filthy blood suckers. He watched where it had coming from, spotting a cloud of other blood suckers buzzing about. He narrowed his eyes, moving forward, jumping onto a tree root. He grimaced. The insects were covering a horrific mess of blood, entrails and limbs: other wise known as Thunkity Bunk, or what was left of him at least. He stepped forward, trying to shoo the insects, when a scream pierced the air. He shot around, seeing a spray of blood and the sound of fabric and bone being slashed apart.
He ran back, leaping over the root and rolling onto one knee on the other side, drawing his axe. A bolt whistled through the air, thunking into a tree, right where the beast had been moments before. The huge cat like monster landed 2 meters away, is long rope like tail flowing through the air behind it. The pitch black beast's lips peeled back in a snarl. DingDong charged forward, trying to ram his spear into it's chest. The cat batted him away easily, it's huge paw crushing into his side and catapulting him into a tree with a sickening crunch. Durka Spoon ran forward, shouting loudly and raising his axe. He jumped over Betlot's body, 3 long channels slashed through her chest waist and head, one of them erasing her nose completely. The cat crouched, it's huge long tail curling up behind it as it got ready to pounce. Suddenly a bolt whistled over Durka's shoulder, thwacking into it's shoulder. It grunted and flinched in pain, the bolt having rammed right through it's thickhide. The timing was perfect. Durka closed the last half meter and slid to the ground, swinging his axe right through it's shin. As much of an advantage as the cat's size gave it, it had underestimated the force a Bada could summon into their arms. The steel blade sliced right through it's leg, severing the limb. It howled out in pain, collapsing in a tangle of fur and claws. Durka raised his buckler, the creatures leg hammering into it and shattering it, sending splinters scouring across his face. He fell to the ground, his arm aching. DoorKnock ran forward with his pike and tried to stab it into the cat's chest. Durka screamed out for him to stop. Doorknock paused, giving him a confused glance, just before one of the cat's paws swung into his back, claws puncturing into his flesh and dragging him backwards. The beast pulled him close to it's chest, clutching him with all of it's remaining paws before hatefully biting down. Durka could only watch as the cat rolled over, so it's back was facing him, Doorknock disappearing in a trail of blood over it's side, a loud crunch following. Two more bolts whistled into it. It contorted in pain, rolling onto it's feet, standing awkwardly, blood matting it's fur. A bloody shape was seen being thrown away as it stood up. Durka got to his feet and raised his axe. The creature's head darted around, amber eyes fixed on him. From outside it's view, Doughnut charged forward, lancing his spear right into it's chest, piercing through it's hide and into the cat's lung. It screamed out, falling back towards Durka, who quickly brought his axe down on the side of it's head, smashing through it's cheek bone and lodging in it's face. It contorted, shaking violently as Doughnut repeatedly stabbed his spear into it's chest.
At long last, the monster fell still, dust still settling on the leafy floor. Trap approached them her crossbow still raised. "It's gone boss" Durka sighed, pulling his axe out of it's head and turning to her. Her face was covered in blood, drops collected at the end of the brown hair sticking out from under her cap. He paused and asked "Hell... are you ok?" She looked confused for a moment before following his gaze and putting a hand to her cheek. Then she realised, and shook her head, pointing towards Betlot's eviscerated body. The spray of blood had been so violent as to soak Trap, who was almost 80 cm away. Durka nodded, glancing around
"Dingdong?"
Drikidik replied "He's breathing, shoulder's dislocated and he's still unconscious but he should be ok"
Durka nodded, surveying the bloody carnage around them. "Go get Bunk, Betlot and Doorknock... Doughnut, rope the Lyze"
The team nodded and moved about, collecting the dead, Doughnut stabbing hooks into the cat's limbs, preping it to be dragged back to camp.
Jungle duty was one of the most dangerous details around, but it had to be done. Lyze were only one of the many dangerous creatures preying on the camp.

"
**** off TT"-Doc 42
Trophy art by CompyScavangerSlow Posters Club