Safira had just sheathed her sword to help the woodland elf with tying up their stalker, her Crimson Rite fading as soon as the weapon left her grip, the electric crackle of the lightning dying down, when all of a sudden the purpose of the whistle she'd heard became apparent. A dozen or so men emerged from the brush and surrounded them in no time at all. [i]Gods be damned![/i] Safira gritted her teeth in irritation. She should have stayed in the bloody tree. Instead of the peaceful walk to the nearest town or village, she'd met with this rag-tag crew of travelers, a giant panther had caught a brigand stalking them. And now it appeared his friends had come to play. [i]Very well![/i] She thought with grimness. [i]I hope you know the price for such games.[/i]

	The blood huntress quickly crouched down to help the elf woman with tying up the thug still held down by the giant black cat. He twisted and trashed about. Or at least he tried to. But between Safira, the elf and the panther, they managed to tie the the brigand good and well.

	Meanwhile combat had erupted around them between the newcomers and their own little rag-tag group. Safira sensed the fin guy taking position behind them as if to dissuade the other brigands from approaching. That still left their front unprotected and the hoodlums took fool advantage of that. Two came at them with some crass remark they probably thought was original. Before either she, or her elf companion could react to protect themselves, the hoodlums attacked, wounding the other woman and somehow missing Safira. The huntress sprang to her full height, intending to use her imposing figure to stave off the thugs' enthusiasm, when a piercing pain lodged itself in her right thigh. It caused her to grunt in pain and drop to a knee in reaction to a crossbow bolt embedding itself in her leg.

	"Curses!" Safira muttered. She bowled her hands in fists, gritted her teeth and stood up slowly. Her right leg protested when she put equal weight on it, but she ignored it. Her training kicking in without fail when in peril. Her blood ran hot and cold. She slowly drew her scimitar, the wound in her leg momentarily preventing her from reactivating her Crimson Rite. She stared down the brigand that had tried to cut her with his blade. As she faced off with him she found herself not alone in this match-up. A bear had joined the fight!

	As it did not appear to be a wild bear based on its behavior, she could only guess it was either a companion of one of her fellow travelers, like the black panther that appeared to travel with the elf, or it was one of those people capable of Wild Shape. As a blood huntress she was required to know about many forms of magic and rituals. Wild Shape was among them. She wondered if this was the case, who was it that employed that technique, but had no time to look about their little battle field to check. [i]Well, whoever it is, looks like they mean to help, flanking the thug like that.[/i] She thought, fresh determination infusing her lifeblood.

	She looked at the hoodlum again and grinned.

[hider=Mechanics]Dex check of [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/4847]18[/url] for tying the brigand.
With advantage the same - [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/4848]18[/url].[/hider]