[h3] Please Can We Keep Him Mom? [/h3] Ang, Mat, Medusa, Saen. Mat was not having a very good day. While he had started off quite well with murdering a witch and getting closer to the murderer, the rest of the events hadn't gone so well. First the mountain bear lion thingy almost tearing him apart, then the witches arriving (and gotten that damned snake crab on his neck), and now he was arriving at a castle where their coven was located. All in all, a very sour turn of events. The hunter stumbled again as he hit a rock that he had missed seeing, but supported his weight with his spear before he fell to the ground. Giving a slight cough Mat continued walking and looked past the end of the forest where he could see the castle emerging into view. [color=ed1c24]“Nice place,”[/color] he commented, giving a low whistle and smiling at Ang. [color=ed1c24]“I'm sure it's just as warm as your heart.”[/color] "Hmph." The snort came from Saen's lips. She wanted to peer inside the hunter's head, but was afraid of what she might find. Dead and dying witches, slain without having committed any harm to their fellow humans. So she simply put her hand on his back and marched him forward. Ang gave the boy a look that would make the head nun at a Catholic school pround. "Let's just drop you off and be done with you," she said, grabbing the back of the Mat's shirt and dragging him to the front of the castle. She pushed open the door and called in . "Medusa M'love are you home? I bare...news..." Medusa smiled as she heard Ang's voice echoing through the halls. Closing a dusty tome she drew herself to her feet. [color=ed1c24]"Ang, dear? What ha-"[/color] Her sentance came to an abrupt halt as she turned the corner to see Ang and Saen, with a... hunter in tow. [color=ed1c24]"Saen, lovely to see you as always."[/color] She nodded to the serpentine witch before eying up the prize they'd brought her. [color=ed1c24]"Ang, darling, you shouldn't have."[/color] She smirked. "No, she should have." Saen reared up on her coils. "This hunter was badly injured by one of Angharad's beasts. She owes him her ministrations until he is restored to health. What is more, I personally promised him safe passage until such time as his wounds were better. I refuse to have you force me to go back on my words, Mistress Bloodrose." Mat stared over at the new witch, figuring that it was their leader. At that moment he had a very strong desire to hurl his spear straight at her heart, but the only thing that stopped him was the crab snake wrapped around his neck. Her eyes already seemed to brand him as a pretty object, yet the snake witch argued that Mat was to stay unharmed. [color=ed1c24][I]Dissension within the coven? Interesting… [/i][/color] he thought as he listened into the conversation while supporting himself with his spear. "I think he should have moved out of Oz's way," said Angharad, glaring at Saen out of the corner of her eye. "Seems like a much easier solution than to 'take care of him' and frankly, I think he is simply lucky I chose not to use him for parts," She finally let go of the boy and chose to wrap her arms around Medusa instead. "M'love, Saen is correct, she did offer him safe passage. And he can be safe here," she then paused. "Forever, if he pleases you that much, he has...after all, now seen the castle," Medusa smirked as the urge to laugh nearly overwhelmed her. Ang was pretty good at surprising laughs out of her, the woman was delighfully insane. Perhaps that's why Medusa found herself fascinated by her. [color=ed1c24]"We'll figure out something I'm sure. If nothing else Saen can remove all memory of our abode and we can have a servant leave him in the woods."[/color] She turned to the man. [color=ed1c24]"First though I'd like to hear the story of how all this came to be, it seems like it might make for an interesting diversion from an otherwise busy schedule."[/color] Mat looked over at the lead witch, giving a slow nod. [color=ed1c24]“Unfortunate circumstances lead to this negative outcome. I was doing my normal hunter duties, hunting a witch that was ever so elusive. Never found her unfortunately, but I suppose you're glad that I didn't,”[/color] he explained, not even looking at her anymore and instead viewing the surroundings. Any chance of escape or alerting the other hunters would be a godsend. "Really?" Saen idly wrapped a coil around the hunter's ankle, suddenly worried. In her experience, if someone told you two different stories, it was almost certain that neither was true.Had they been found out? "I remember you sssaying something about visiting an old friend. Which is it, dear Hunter? And don't bother lying; if I catch even the slightest hint of an untruth, I will tear the secrets from your mind myself." Mat realized that he made a rather large mistake when he heard the snake witch speak. [color=ed1c24]"Well shit,"[/color] he muttered to himself, then turned to the snake witch. [color=ed1c24]"Ah ah ah, excuse me I said acquaintance, not friend. Certainly not friend. Just a witch I've been tracking that's taken me a while to find,"[/color] he said, telling the truth but purposely being vague. [color=ed1c24]"Like I said, had some assistance from others to find this place."[/color] "Tell use then, little lost hunter," said Ang. "Who is this person of which you are looking for? I assume you know the name," She then turned and whispered into Medusa's ear. "My love, I grow tired of this creature. Let us be done with this quickly so I can show you how much I adore you," She nipped the witches ear, clearly having lost interest in Mat. Heat rushed to Medusa's face as she barely prevented herself from blushing. Ang was certainly crazy, did that make her crazy too? Never mind that, other things at hand. [color=ed1c24]"Indeed little hunter."[/color] The hunter felt backed into a corner from all the questions. [color=ed1c24][i]Stupid, stupid. You forgot your own bloody story,[/i][/color] he thought, angry with himself. He could see Ang already forgetting about him, focusing on the lead witch. [color=ed1c24][i]Well, I suppose now before anything.[/i] "Spoon feeding information has never been my liking, but I don't really like how this conversation is going."[/color] With that Mat twirled his spear and hurled it at Ang, then unsheathed his dagger and stabbed up towards the crab snake that was wrapped already his neck. Medusa's eyes widened at the hunter's sudden movement. The air cracked as a word of power slipped from her mouth, coverting ambient energies into potential, and potential into action. The dagger clattered to the floor as its owner was flung fifteen feet into the air, crumpling against the stone wall of the large entry room. [color=ed1c24]"None of that! After Saen went through all the trouble of ensuring your life! Hunters will never learn will they?"[/color] Meanwhile, Saen reached out an arm, and a wave of telekinetic force shoved the flying spear aside from Angharad by half a hair. "You fool! For all your hatred of witches, you clearly have no idea of our ways. We hold hospitality as a sacred covenant... a covenant you have just violated. We will have our answers now, and if we do not like what we hear, you shall not leave this room alive!" Saen grabbed Mat roughly by the head and began searching through his thoughts. She could have been subtle enough that he wouldn't know she was doing it, but right now, she simply didn't care, nor could he do anything more than slow her down. After a few seconds, she had the information she was looking for. "He was speaking the truth, if not all of it. He seeks a witch named Phagora, who killed his father." Ang let out a blood curdling scream as she watched another one of the children fall to the floor. She raced across the floor and picked the creature up,cradling the creature in her arms. Her breath slowly became more rhythmic as she glanced up at Mat, nothing but hate in her eyes. "Saen, unless you wish to be joined to that....creature forever....I suggest you move away from him," She stood, the dead snakecrab hanging from one hand, walking closer to Mat, ready to make him wish he'd never been born. Mat didn't like the option he chose, but he figured that was obvious. The very least he had wanted accomplished was Ang getting skewered but even that fantasy was wiped away when he realized Saen had telekinetic powers as well. [color=ed1c24][i]Damn fool, should've waited longer,[/i][/color] he thought sadly. While he had little doubt Saen would keep her promise and the others would've supported it, he figured at least one would care little in the end. Besides, killing Ang would've been really satisfying. The hunter looked down at the floor where his dagger was, wanting to hold it in his hand and slice his own neck before they could try anything. [color=ed1c24][i]No use now, now you just try to survive without Ang getting to you.[/i][/color] He yelled out as he felt Saen going through his memories, looking for the information they wanted. [color=ed1c24]"Phagora, that's her fucking name, and it took me until just a few days ago to find it."[/color] Mat could see Ang approaching him now, obviously angry. [color=ed1c24][i]OK Mat, actually come up with a good plan right now before she turns you into a raving mad manbearpig. Now now now now now.[/i][/color] Suddenly Mat had a semi-idea that was probably terrible. [color=ed1c24]"Lovely Ang, you want to turn me into one of your children? Such a good idea, I always wanted a mother! I'll be such a good son, especially with my track record of killing two siblings already!"[/color] Medusa watch the scene in mild amusement, only pausing to wince when she realized how much the death of... the snakecrab had hurt Ang. She was fond of her creations, Medusa... less so, but she was fond of their creator. Funny how things like that work. She thought about intervening, but as far as she was concerned the boy had consigned his fate. Her eyes widened as a thought struck her. [color=ed1c24]"Hunter... Join me against a rival witch, and you live. Don't and die. No bargaining, that's what's on the table."[/color] "Are... are you sure about this, Medusa? We offered him safe passage, and he struck at us nonetheless." A chill crept into Saen's voice. "By all rights, the penalty for that is death, and a slow, agonizing one at that. Are you going soft on us, Mistress?" [color=ed1c24]"Hardly."[/color] Medusa chuckled. [color=ed1c24]"You know as well as I do Lorelai will rip him to shreds in seconds, I just want to offer him the chance to try. It could be fun after all."[/color] Ang shot around and glared at Medusa and for a moment looked as though she was ready to strike her lover down on the spot for the even the thought of taking away her prey. After a moment passed, Ang relaxed her face and gave Medusa a smile. "M'Love, if it is hunters you crave, I'll fetch you more. Better ones, even, there is a least one girl I know of who will please you. Just let me destroy this one and I will bring you a thousand," Mat looked at all three of the witches as they discussed among themselves about what to do, slightly disappointed that a fight didn't erupt between them. If he could reach his dagger, Mat would've probably just slit his own throat right then and there. [color=ed1c24]"Bastards,"[/color] he muttered as they kept talking with each other. Neither offer Medusa gave him sounded good. Either he just die or he die while trying to murder a witch that pissed off some other witch. [color=ed1c24]"Bloody fucking lovely."[/color] When there was a pause in their discussion Mat called out, [color=ed1c24]"So I pledge service to you, go off and try to murder some other bloody witch, then die in agony in a matter of seconds? Sure, sounds great, here's my response."[/color] Mat, though upside in the air, held up his middle finger towards her. [color=ed1c24]"I pissed you off, I didn't get my revenge, and I tried to murder your sex partner or whatever she is to you. I'd slit my own throat if I could actually reach it but I can't, so please do it for me!"[/color] Medusa shook her head, disappointed by the hunter's unwillingness to compromise, and more than a little surprised by the stark-raving madness he'd displayed. Turning to Ang she shrugged. [color=ed1c24]"Do what thou wilt love, but if I see that look in your eye again we'll have troubles dear."[/color] With that she turned to leave the hunter and witches to their, most likely lethal, devices.