Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine's response to Ahnasha moving was to edge closer to the front of the group, just to stay nearby. Rhazii had begun to cry again after Ahnasha walked away, but mostly Sabine didn't want to be alone.

The battle raged on around Kaleeth, filling the air with blood, anger, and fear. A couple of defenders had transformed in order to clear up those that had made it past their lines and weren't having too much trouble while they weren't overwhelmed, but establishing the formation again was proving difficult.

When Kaleeth neared to Vera, it appeared at first as though she was trying to fight, defensively, hiding behind her shield. The orders she was still giving out included prompting the two defenders to transform, but she had others to direct. It was distracting her. Suddenly, though, her assailant was taken by overconfidence in her meek offence and opened himself up to attack. Vera stepped back suddenly during his next swing and cut him under the wrist where his armour was missing. The sword fell to the ground amongst the swordsman's pained yell, and Vera was quick to place another cut under his arm, then drew her sword back and ran him through the neck with a final, deft thrust.

Vera's multitasking took the attention of Kaleeth's attacker, who decided to try and take Vera unawares while her sword was impaled through his colleague's neck.

Meesei's arrival at the chamber with the gate was a frantic one that stank of terror. The shattered gate was surrounded by a number of armoured mercenaries, arrows sticking out from gaps in their armour or steam still rising from their burned bodies. Those surviving were lying to one side, though the guards and healers that were caring for them were being attacked by Lorag, Harriet, and Fendros. A few wounded hunters tried to edge up from their beds or crawl away, but Harriet was tearing them to pieces. One runner that was trying to get to the battle lines to warn of intruders was quickly run down by Fendros and ravaged.

The biggest threats now were a meagre few bowmen drawing arrows from the walkway above the gate. At first, they seemed to have a cool confidence, but at seeing Meesei and the flood of wild ferocity behind her, their eyes collectively widened and they hastily loosed shots in her direction.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine gave quick nods to Ahnasha's initial questions, but did not have any time to elaborate even if she wanted to. Kaleeth's display had surprised her just as much as it had Ahnasha. Despite Kaleeth's desire to help Sabine called out after her, "Kaleeth, wait!" But she was too far gone by then. Sabine's worry reached the point where she began to tighten in the face and shed a tear. However, Ahnasha's assurance that she would stay with her was enough to mollify her to a point. She hoped Kaleeth would not be killed.

Sabine followed along with the others after they opened the door to the uninhabited parts of the ruin. A few soldiers with torches in one hand and weapons in the other lead the way carefully. Many of the traps near to the door had been disarmed or destroyed, but that guarantee would wane as they explored further.

Kaleeth eventually found a sight devoid of any morale when she reached the defenders. Their numbers were considerably fewer than they had started. What were left of them were formed up by the corridor to a barricaded door. Casualties, some still shouting in pain or shivering with their silver wounds, were being treated behind the lines. The one sound that seemed to make everyone flinch periodically were the loud punches against the barred door. It rattled a little more each time.

Vera smelled Kaleeth's presence before she could be spotted herself and quickly strode over to Kaleeth. "You're Kaleeth, the werecrocodile from the champion's pack, yes?" Vera didn't wait for an answer she already knew, "If you're here to fight, fall in and stay in formation. Do not transform without my orders, understand?" Vera's firm tone was appropriate to the situation, but that didn't make it any less of a contrast with her regular behaviour.

Another thud sounded on the door, this time with a resounding split. The wooden bar across the door had shed splinters and was bent to breaking point. Now the barricades were being pushed out of the way and the attackers would come through any second.

The alarm gave enough time for the formation to brace itself before the barricades gave way. The hunters' assault began anew. This time, the first to come through was another mage. This one was not as heavily armoured as the previous one, but he was considerably powerful. His first move was to send a glowing orange bolt of fire toward the defensive line. Those on the receiving end raised their shields, but the spell exploded on impact, causing those closest to go flying. The formation was disrupted. A few enemies got through before the formation could recover, starting an unpredictable melee as they went for those unprepared or wounded.

A swordsman attempted to assail Vera, causing her to pause to defend herself. A steel-clad mercenary with a shield and a spear ran forth and thrust its silver point at Kaleeth's middle.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Vera kept interaction brief when she spotted Ahnasha. She gestured with her shield arm further into the ruin, "Ahnasha! Get back to others and tell them to begin moving back through the ruin. They have to hide or find another way out! Go! Run!" And with that, Vera went back to keeping the lines in order.

Behind Ahnasha, a small group of particularly large werewolves were transforming into their beast forms. They leaped clean over the shield wall as soon as Ahnasha began moving and began to wreak havoc. Unfortunately, they were taking many hits and wouldn't last long. Although, the withdrawal was all but complete.

As the withdrawal was taking place, the corridor became increasingly claustrophobic. It wasn't until a chamber in which Ahnasha could run ahead of the rear group forming up that she could take advantage of her speed.

A resounding thud echoed behind Ahnasha as the fortified door was closed and swiftly barricaded. It seemed to cause a sudden haunting quiet as everyone began to catch their breaths. Ahnasha will have had time to reach the non-combatants by the time the echoing peals of the ram impacting the door began to ring out through the halls.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

No need to take anything out. I'll let you know when the warband reaches the enemy.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Now that the walkway was lost, the battle was becoming more desperate for the defenders. Allied mages entered the fray just in time to provide support for the front line, slowing the enemy advance.

Ahnasha and Caldris found raised positions from which they could fire, but the angle they provided was not ideal. The shots they could place were few and far between. Even so, a few more clay pots came their way and they were able to shoot most of them out of the air. Any pots they couldn't hit seemed to halt in the air inexplicably before falling on the attackers, but searching around would prove that Darahil's magic was the source of the objects stopping. The oil this spread on the attackers was ignited by friendly spellfire and quickly prompted the attackers to cease using them.

The fight was virtually ground to a halt on either side for several frantic minutes. For a while it seemed like the defenders would be able to push back, but the skill and resolve of the attackers was continuing to prove superior. Before long, Vera gave the order to start withdrawing back to a corridor that could be sealed with another fortified door. The attackers would have free reign of much of the ruin, for what that would be worth, but they wouldn't be able to flank the defenders, and the door would give them time to recover.

Amongst the chaos, one young Nord warrior ran up to Ahnasha and nudged her on the shoulder to get her attention. "Vera needs you! Get over to her!"

Vera was shouting orders from a short way behind the frontline with a sword drawn. She was desperately trying to coordinate the withdrawal without causing a rout.

Outside in the snow and daylight, the surging roil of transformed lycans that made up the warband were continuing to close in. At this stage they had discovered and were following the tracks that the enemy soldiers had made. They were close enough now that they could see a tall, thin plume of smoke rising from roughly where the entrance to the clan home was. This prompted Fendros to start closing the distance with Harriet in the rush to get to his family's aid. He hoped fiercely that he wouldn't be too late.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The moments that Caldris, Ahnasha, and the nearby archers had was enough to fell many of the charging attackers. For those moments it seemed like the defences would hold. The defending lines were striking the enemy down on the end of spear, sword, and claw alike. That was until a small clay pot flew narrowly over Ahnasha's head and into the lines of her allies ahead. The pot broke readily on a shield and splashed flaming liquid all over the nearby area. It wasn't the only one. More broke along the walkway or flew across to the defending lines, engulfing enough defenders to make the lines flinch and ebb with screams. While Ahnasha wasn't looking, the enemy must have brought in tools to assist the assault and pushed further up to the walkway.

While the previous situation might have been enough to break the assault if enough time was given, the lack of discipline and training in the defending lines faltered with the fire. The assault notably pushed the defenders back. Soon, the mercenaries would have enough room to cut off the walkway from the rest of the defence, so the archers and mages remaining began to swiftly find their way down. Caldris was no exception, patting Ahnasha's shoulder to get her attention. "We've done all we can without getting trapped! Come along!" Caldris didn't wait. She took a running leap off the walkway and broke her fall with a deft roll. Before another blink she was back with the other archers and searching for a position to fire from.

A short distance back, Vera was shouting orders to keep the formation and maintain resolve, but with the extra space, the skill that the mercenaries possessed began to sway the battle. The wounded defenders were being carried further back, but replacing them were more replenished mages. Their magic might be later than needed now, but they were not too late to help.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Each strike against the gate by the ram sent a wave of flinches across the defending force. Those that had been ordered up to press their body weight against the gate were barely keeping it held shut.

On the outer side of the gate, many mercenaries were falling, but most were carried back into cover in the further reaches of the cavern. More filed in to replace them. Now that a shield wall had been established, a greater proportion of archers and crossbows made up the following waves. Each new archer put pressure on the defenders on the walkway, some even found their mark and forced manpower to be diverted to carrying the wounded down to be healed.

Unfortunately, sharp eyes would notice that the defenders were not the only ones with access to quick healing magic. Familiar figures were beginning to join the enemy, free of their previous wounds. Any shots that didn't kill were being remedied out of sight.

Ahnasha's attempt to communicate her intentions was not picked up by many over the sounds of other orders and movements, but around three other nearby defenders understood and readied their aim at the area behind the gate. One of the defenders was Caldris, who remarked to Ahnasha, "We've far too many arrows! Shooting from there takes too long!" She dragged a full quiver from the outer wall of the walkway for both of them to use. Caldris had a certain madness in her eyes that belied her cold demeanour outside of battle, "This will make it less fighting and more fishing! Ha ha!"

Far off to one side, Darahil and Vera were descending the walls to assist the force on the floor. While climbing down, Vera spotted the archers forming above the gate and shouted, "You up there! Don't remain too long! We cannot hold the gate for long!"

Caldris gave only a quick nod.

The next strike against the gate came with a resounding snap. The wooden barricades were compromised now. "Form up! Form up!" Vera shouted, "Stand fast!" The few blocking the gate backed off. They would not be strong enough to hold the gate now, and even if they were, the gate would soon break apart and leave them vulnerable.

Another thud. The gate caved partially in, but it still stood. Another thud. The gates were struck permanently inwards and the defenders could see the mercenaries beyond. One final thud turned out to be more of a scrape as the gates physically surrendered. One snapped off its hinge and fell to its side, the other hung lazily open. The defending formation put their spears forward and met the oncoming warcry as armoured attackers streamed in. A few threw silver knives or spears which did little except scratch the front line, though one lycan was taken by surprise and took a spear to the chest.

Caldris and the other archers began shooting as soon as they saw the attackers' necks. Caldris was killing at a frightening pace, striking one and having a new arrow readied in the same second. The other archers were slower and less prepared; most of their arrows glanced off helmets or pauldrons, but a few fell to their efforts.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Oh man, three? That'll be a marathon. Good luck with them.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha was not a moment too late with her shot at the crossbowman. He had been so focussed on his target that he didn't notice he was being targeted himself until Ahnasha had already shot. He tried to dodge away, but the arrow struck through his light armour and punctured his chest. He fell backwards and loosed his bolt uselessly up at the stone ceiling.

Ahnasha's shot gave Darahil the moment he needed. He was determined enough that he almost didn't notice his entire body taking on a transparent, glass-like appearance from the chameleon spell until his own spell was unleashed. His hands slowly made a flowing gesture until he gathered all of the spell's power between them both, then pushed the power forward with his arms outstretched. The power flew straight out in a crackling, sustained beam of pure energy.

The lightning beam struck the enemy mage, who had seen the spell charging and desperately tried to produce a powerful ward. The spell was so powerful that the mage was pushed back a step by its force. Her ward lasted a mere moment before shattering audibly, sending her flying backward and onto the ground. Her body shuddered, but her core was burned so suddenly that she barely got the chance to scream. Darahil stopped the spell then. His shimmering outline fell to one knee as he caught his breath and took cover again. The enemy mage had a scorch mark in the middle of her cuirass that bordered a hole to a smoking hole where her heart should have been. Darahil would need time to recover, but he had eliminated the biggest threat yet.

The trade-off for using all of their magical resources for the moment was that now the archers bore the full weight of delaying the ram. Many mercenaries were wounded, but there were enough that they were able to assemble a team and start striking the gate again. In the futile minutes that followed, Vera saw that there would be no stopping them breaking the gate. She turned to face the defending side and pointed out to all the defenders in reserve. "Form up! Prepare to repel them!"

The defenders lined up in formation. Those that were strong enough to transform did so and waited with flat ears for the oncoming assault.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Hey. Things have improved. I've not got too much do to over the next few days. How about you?