[quote]It screamed and unlodged it's arm from the poleaxe that was holding it, knocking him back. The monster swung and smashed the poleaxe holding it's other arm and then did the same to the ones holding it's legs. As Drystan began to get back up, the creature took a deep breath in, clenched what was left of it's claws and charged.[/quote] 

Anastasia and her hunters grunted with effort keeping the beast down as one last surge of rage fueled it's brief recovery. Clara cried out as her poleaxe was broken and the massive arm swung and knocked her away, sending her bouncing and rolling across the beach with a few audible cracks. 

They scattered quickly, unhooking their weapons before more damage could be done and escaping the creature's charge, Anastasia sprinting to Clara's groaning form as the other hunters circled around the creature and hacked at it's back as it sought to tear up the Captain. 

Anastasia knew Clara was probably fine, but her maternal instincts possessed her all the same and she knelt by her side, hoisting her up against her knee as she listened to new cracks, the sounds of painful bone regeneration, Clara hissing with the movement. 

"Shit, Mom, I'm fine. Argh, let me go, that asshole broke my weapon!" She begun to get up and Anastasia held her back in place with an iron grip, a faint smile, and a hard pinch. "Clara, hun, what did we -talk- about earlier?"

"Ow! Um... uh.. Boss, can I go shove my broken pole up the fish's ass?"

Anastasia sighed softly and looked back at the battle, smirking as the blood soaked Captain strangled the fish and dealt the final blow. "Too late". "Cyka blyat!" Antasia gave her another painful pinch to the side then heaved her to her feet "Language, now go and help the others clean up, tell them they can have a drink."

Clara muttered to herself as she rejoined her fellow hunters, picking up the broken pieces of her poleaxe along the way.

Anastasia sighed, taking out a 'water' flask and carfully sipping from it, quickly wiping away any droplets. 

[quote]
He took a few short steps towards the shore before remember their ship had gone down. "Well damn..." He stood thoughtfully for a moment before turning to the others. "That thing is sure to have a nest around here somewhere. We need to find it and destroy any offspring that may be left"[/quote]

Anastasia wiped at her face and released another tired sigh, approaching the Captain, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Fear not my Captain, we still have our rowing boats and I'm sure the sellswords can pull their weight in that field of labor well. The docks are not far.

I'll have my hunters scout and finish the job after a brief rest."

[quote]
"Did you say nest?"

Abigail dropped from a tree, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. She grinned a little. She looked fairly sheepish, standing in front of the myriad of blood-soaked, battleworn hunters in her little tunic, trousers and knitted socks[/quote]

Anastasia turned quickly as her senses picked up the faint movement of the girl dropping from her tree, watching the strange female approach and nervously offer a trade of intel for safe passage. 

She frowned, examining her closely, then briskly approaching her, calling out, "Of course we would not harm you. We are royally sanctioned hunters, any and all citizens of the crown are under our protection... assuming of course you are a citizen..."

She stopped right in front of her, quickly leaning down and prodding at her face, staring at her with intense eyes, sniffing, even pushing up her lips to examine her teeth, assuming she allowed. Finishing her examination, she slipped off her silver poleaxe and held the edge close to her, watching her reaction.

"Abigail, was it? How did you get on this island? Who are you an apprentice of? Where is he?"