Although he was running for his life through snow, he made sure to listen to every voice on the comm link. He managed to take cover behind another tree, smirking a bit. "Watch your tone, Talley, our big friend might beat you to it. Copy that Monroe, do not engage the target. We are on its turf, it's protecting itself. Do not kill the hostile until I say otherwise, that includes you, Cassie."

The screech the bird gave could make ears bleed, and when Raymond peered around the corner he soon realized why. An arrow was in its eye, and it was even more mad than before. "Good shot, Doctor. And copy that, ground team get back to the Shuttle--"

The bird focused on Raymond's voice and sent a gust of wind and shot towards the ground,  straight for Ray.

The captain was staring at his fate head on. He was cold, and tired, and beyond scared. But that fear was good. There was a story his mother always told him when he was a boy, hiding from his step dad while he was in a drunken rage. The gods of War and Love, Ares and Aphrodite fell in love, and Aphrodite gave birth to Deimos (fear) and Phobos (Panic). 

[i]"Every time you go to war, Aphrodite, and her children are always there. You fight for the ones you love,because you're afraid of losing what you have. And although war is terrifying, and will never be easy, you will always be a fighter, Ray. It's okay to be afraid baby. You're so much like your father... please don't ever stop fighting."[/i]

Raymond got into a stance, fighting back the wind as the glove on his hand hummed to life. As the beast got closer and closer, Ray thought of his sister, his mom, all the people he lost during his time in the military, all the people he lost while serving as Captain... he thought of butting heads with Talley, and trying to teach Poker to Makobi and everyone else who liked a game of luck, he thought of helping fixing the Monroe with 8-Ball and testing weapons with Kaite and Cassie. He thought about Rae and the way she would give Ray one of her rare yet beautiful smiles.

At the last second Raymond's fist made contact with the tip of the giant beak. A huge bass-y sound erupted, pain shot through Raymond's hand, but the power and force of the glove dazed and bird and sent him sideways, crashing into the trees. Ray flew backwards, the snow breaking his fall. "Ground team, move!" He managed to say as he stumbled up, seeing the bird in a massive mess of trees, snow, and dirt. He trudged through the snow, knowing the ice bird won't stay down forever. They had to leave now!