Bane fight

[shelbyrou]

[Ed note: I had to leave about halfway through; everything after the asterisks is gratefully taken from Kaz' log.]

It is currently 16:28 Pacific Time on Sun Mar 11 2012.
Currently the moon is in the waning Gibbous (Galliard) Moon phase (75% full).

The Scarred Forest (North of I-90)
The forest is thinner here than it is south of the highway, though it is still difficult to see for very far. Signs of human habitation break the stretch of woods every few miles; roads, paths, farms, and the occasional out-of-the-way home remind you that civilization is encroaching, though in this area, the battle is not yet decided. Hardwoods mix with towering firs and smaller trees, still concealing some of nature's hidden places from the nearby humans. Streams and small pools are scattered throughout the forest, some large enough to swim in, some small enough to freeze solid for most of the winter.
Fresh stumps dot the woods, and almost all of the trees still standing are disease-scarred around the bases of the trunk, some only superficially marked, some deeply wounded; not a few are dead.
Once hauntingly quiet and sparsely populated with wildlife, these woods have fully come alive again. The scents and sounds and glimpses of animals, birds, insects are now as rich here, among the scarred trees, as they are anywhere.
This region stretches almost 50 miles north from I-90 into the Sun Lakes area, where the disease that scarred the trees appears to have been at its worst.

Obvious exits:
Tiny Cabin Great Oak Grove 23 Hawk's End Southeast Interstate 90 Grotto South

The tension is almost palpable. The waiting, the anticipation, the anger. It's the only source of heat that doesn't get sucked away by the unseasonable cold.

Winter still holds the forest in an a death grip. Breath freezes immediately as it leaves the mouths of those collected. Frost collects on muzzles around mouths and noses, giving crystalline structure to fur and whiskers. The cold stings the eyes, threatens to pull out tears that will only freeze amongst eyelashes if spilled.

The ground feels too hard underfoot, frozen solid much like everything else. Loose rock crunches like ice under the occasional step. Leaves crackle and twigs snap. Overhead, clouds make the sky a steel grey, as cold and foreboding as the rest of the air.

The realm within the woods is quiet, animal activity seems lessened significantly since the bitter chill has set in. Likely the smaller beasts have remained in hibernation, to wait out the time until spring and warmth returns. Off in the distance sap within an old tree cracks, the report shattering the silence with a heart-stopping loudness that echoes beneath the canopy and through the bare-branched trees and piny sentinels that stand vigil.

The wait the Garou have thus far endured is a long one. Testing patience and trying wills. Every rustle of feather that cuts through the crisp air is cause for note, though each time has been a disappointment. No harbingers have come calling, no spies reporting back their findings.

Isaac huffs out a breath and paces a small circle, ears turning this way and that to catch smaller sounds.

Djehuti has, in fact, climbed one of those reporting trees, perching on a quite solid branch in crinos. He remains perched despite the long wait, occasionally shifting a bit.

Sightless-Faith is currently in hispo, and is, contrary to some of the others, very quiet. He sits, chin tilted upward a little, and just breathes in and out slowly and rhythmically.

Thunder's-Heart, despite the long, pensive wait, remains outwardly calm. He louges on his side with his back against a tree in lupus. The crack of the tree twitches his ear, but all in all he seems more focused, more annoyed, in keeping warm. Puffs of breath shoot from his lolling tongue and he breathes.

Shelby clings to a tree perhaps some twenty feet up in the air - not in the same one as Djehuti, but a smaller one that supports her Glabro'd self. The Ragabash scans the forest and surrounding environs, her movements regular rather than jerky, even at the sudden gunshot-snap of the exploding tree.

Mouse is in glabro, which is not helping her temperature one bit, though she's bundled herself in hooded sweatshirt, that torn-and-somewhat-repaired black duster, and gloves. She seems incapable of holding still, often pacing in short, jerking movements near Ky, sometimes leaning against trees, but curling her fingers against her arm over and over again before resuming the pacing. Nearby, two supersoakers seem distinctly out of place. In her hand is her pistol, though the safety is still on. Still, someone pacing with a gun isn't likely to help tensions.

Breaks-the-Circle stands not overly far from his tribal alpha for the moment, shifting uneasily from one foot to the other. There's a small stone in one crinos hand that the Ahroun has been using to sharpen claws against, and a low growl that just hasn't quite silenced since they began this whole business of waiting.

Ears is lurking behind a tree. (She seems to be keeping to the spirit of ambush). There's a wrapped bundle in one be-glabro'd hand, a supersoaker in the other.

Evac arrived in lupus, and has thus far remained that way. Her ears are flipped attentively up, her body low to the ground in a shadowy patch of undergrowth that makes the best use of her darker fur coloration. Or at least, that was the idea. The long wait has taken its toll, and it's becoming plainly apparent that a complete stealth attack won't be the order of the day. She bulks up to hispo, looking a little bit more obvious at the expense of being prepared when the inevitable occurs.

Bridge Builder crouches close to his elder and looks up at her frequently. Each time she moves, he shifts his posture to follow, more focused on her, at the moment, than on the rest.

Wildfire keeps to a tactical vantage point: a low rise with easy view of the surroundings closeby, some trees and shrubbery scattered about him, fragile though the stems may be. He's in crinos, shin thickened and warty, a looming visage about him already. There's a small sharpening stone in his hand that he has been using to work on each of his claws methodically as they wait, but this is just now set aside as, with a touch of concentration, he claws flicker with a glint of silver. He rolls his neck when this occurs, a low grimace seen as he does so.

Ky stands just a little apart from the others, close enough to be seen but far enough to give ruse that he's alone. He's careful not to look back, not to give away where the others are hidden, though he's equally careful to look like he's not standing and waiting, either. He has, of all things, his borrowed and battered DS out, attention roaming though the cub makes every effort of looking like he's playing.

Silence continues to stretch and blanket the area after the gun shot-like snap has faded from hearing levels. The wind presses itself through, shouldering and elbowing past the Garou, tousling hair and tugging at fur before it moves on. Then, very faint at first, cawing breaks the silence. It's too far away to be sure at first if it's the corvid friend, no other sounds accompany or follow.

Thunder's-Heart begins to hear that faint, distant calling, and it betrays an underlying unease in the Shadow Lord alpha that manifests as himself shifting up to a more formidable crinos. More formidable, but still short. He continues to slouch where he is, hunched over, knuckles resting on the ground.

Kaz glances, reflexively, toward Shelby's tree. Not that that will help anything in any way. But that never stopped anyone.

Long-Path grips his trunk, scanning the skies.

Evac tenses, but otherwise does not move from where she lingers, her claws beginning to uneasily clench at the permafrost below.

Mouse stops pacing, though her fingers continue to twitch. She looks around, though she doesn't seem to be looking at anything as much as through them.

Breaks-the-Circle twists his ears at the break of the silence, that growl rising ever so slightly and then quieting as much as it has. Eventually, the rock that the Shadow Lord holds is dropped, cast silently off to the side as he waits.

Bridge Builder's ears flatten against his skull when Mouse stops pacing and he moves directly to her side.

Shelby straightens as best she can, up there on that branch. If she had ears that did more than sit decoratively on the side of her head, they'd probably be pricked. Rather than break silence she merely points toward a tiny dot, a black speck in the sky.

Sightless-Faith doesn't move; he hears the caw, but he doesn't budge. Not even an ear twitch. Breathe in, breathe out.

Isaac licks his nose and his tongue swipes along the side of his muzzle. He looks in the direction of the sound, tensing.

Wildfire only tilts an ear at the sound, his fingers now flexing reflexively as he deals with a certain gift. Once the Fang motions towards the sky, however, he does glance that way.

Ky tenses visibly and it's all he can do not to look back for Shelby or Kaz or anyone. His tongue slips out, dabbing nervously at his lips as his eyes flick skyward. A shaking breath is pulled in and slowly pushed out in sequence.

That cawing that the group heard is closer now, several times in succession as the bird becomes more clearly visible. Then again, though it's almost a random assortment of corvid sounds.

Kaz says quietly, via the mind, -Crow comes, obviously. Ky, Nik, Shelby, Mouse, Kavi; we wait for the Hunter. This will be fucking annoying. Owen, Isaac, Riley, Keir, Long-Path, Andrei, you know what you're doin'. Slam 'em. That part oughta be fun.- She has, of course, said similar things before; this seems to be by way of reminder.

Mouse flicks the safety off her gun. Click.

In answer to the cawing, howls ring out, filling the air with the songs of hunting. One, two, three, four voices all related and all seeming to come from different directions at once. They can't be seen yet, but their message is unmistakable: They're coming.

Long-Path grips his tree tighter. Bark crumbles.

Thunder's-Heart stands, resolute. He takes a few steps forward, in Ky's direction. Then, all at once, he disappears.

Isaac's haunches gather beneath him, ready to spring forward.

Shelby waits a moment longer, fixing the oncoming corvid's path, before making her way down the tree. She stops again about ten feet up - easily out of the casual observer's notice, or an observer more intent on a certain Shadow Lord cub. -I hear you, Kaz-rhya. Let's all remember to keep an eye on Ky, too. Wouldn't do to lose sight of him in looking for something else.-

Mouse adds, fiercely, -I'll watch him. Tell him to run to me when it comes.-

Breaks-the-Circle drops abruptly to Hispo and turns in the direction of one of the howls, tense and ready for whatever comes.

It's the mind voice, of all things, that breaks Sightless-Faith out of his quiet meditation. His ears turn forward and he bows his head a little. And waits.

Wildfire speaks out over Kaz' gift. -Necessity makes strange bedfellos. Tonight, we are one. Think nothing else. Do that, and this night is ours.- He then glances towards the one's he's to be working with. -Listen well. Fight as one. Show them what a real pack means.- (Inspiration)

Evac's lips curl into a soundless snarl, teeth baring. She abandons her lower form factor in order to prepare herself to burst into motion the instant the opportunity presents itself. She gives an unappreciative flick of her ears at all the mindspeech. Her lupine body language is speaking for itself. Can't hear myself think! Focus!

Ky squeezes his eyes shut for just a second when those howls cry out, pulling in another breath, more shallow than the first. It's exhaled quickly enough for a second to follow it. He almost betrays himself, almost turns to find one of the Garou while listening to them talk within his head. Almost. Instead, he looks ahead, toward the howling while his game is held forgotten.

Out of the dusky brush the hounds appear. Eyes glowing green showing first before their shadowy gray hides appear. They come come from three directions, south, east, and a little between, three massive bodies like hispo-sized mastiffs with heavy paws and huge jaws. They approach fast, would be running on clear and level ground, spurred on by something besides the trail leading to the cub.

Isaac lunges forward as soon as the first of the hounds appears, his own claws tearing earth as he rushes foward. His silvery coat takes on a more brilliant appearance, seeming to glow from somewhere within.

The fourth hound that appears is from the north, and glowing green eyes can be sighted circling around the group and headed straight for the boy.

Sightless-Faith rises, smooth and quick. He shifts up to his birthform, and the crinos flares his nostrils, ears turning this way and that before locking on one of the approaching. No sound is made, but the ahroun starts toward the approaching hounds.

Breaks-the-Circle charges towards the second of the hounds, full speed to meet it, and stop it, launching himself for the hound with teeth and claws as he gets close enough.

Thunder's-Heart does not yet break his invisibility, and in face angles his gaze on the rapidly approaching fourth hound.

Kaz eyes that fourth hound with disfavor. Carefully, she puts her soaker and fetish down, and melts into crinos, and sidles from tree to tree to get closer to Ky.

Ky scrambles backward when the first hound breaks out of the covering to reach the relative safety of a tree by the time the fourth has appeared. He doesn't climb up immediately, though he no longer worries about giving away anyone else's position, looking around hurriedly for some form of direction.

Wildfire barks orders over the mind-net. -High and low! Trip them up and rip their hides off! Then attack the exposed flesh! When they fall, do not linger by the corpse!- He scopes about the place after that, spies the one in the north by itself and makes a break for it.

In his tree (some distance from Ky, to the east), Djehuti readies himself. But he doesn't move, until Andrei starts out, at which point he sacrifices his sole and minor advantage and leaps from the tree, rolling on the hard ground to come up running (at a surprisingly fast pace) after the Ahroun, aiming to hit high where Andrei is not. Or vice versa.

Mouse's upper lip peels away from her teeth. She raises her gun, but Kaz's movements seem to cause her to shift her plan. She moves as well, shadowing the Galliard, while keeping both her gun and her eyes trained on that fourth hound. While Kaz goes to one side, she moves toward the other.

Bridge Builder sticks close to Mouse, even still, but he gives a glance to the bait-cub even as he moves.

By whatever luck holds, Shelby's in the tree Ky's chosen as his defense. -Up here,- she calls (to him, but to everyone else as well) and reaches down a hand. Chancing that the sound will be lost in the sudden flare of combat, she adds a short, sharp whistle to catch the boy's attention.

A shadow disgorges itself not far from the base of the tree, perhaps no different than the rest of the shadows, perhaps just another shadow until out of it and with startling speed at the sound of Shelby's whistle, a figure comes from the shadow to wrap a strong arm around the boy's shoulders and throat, pulling him steps backwards and away from the tree that he's chosen. There's a glint of something at approximately hand-level, silver perhaps.

By chance, Isaac slams into the hound he's lunged at. Though far from bowling the beast over, the Fang Philodox seems to tangle in with something iron strong. The dog knocks him aside with a powerful blow, a growl following as a hackle risen canid stalks toward him. Andrei and Djehuti each manage to pin one beneath the pair of them. The snarling, snapping thing twists and writhes beneath the two, its teeth scraping over legs and fur in fury as it wriggles itself free enough to lunge and sink teeth into the Strider's arm. Owen meets the third hound head on. The dog lunges at the last moment, claws scoring against the Get's hide.

Mouse abandons absolutely all preparation and plans. She bursts instantly into crinos, the gun vanishing from her hand, and hurls herself at the shadowy thing, silver glinting either not noticed or not regarded. Her intent is to tear into it, sure, but more to tear the boy away from it.

Even as his elder moves, Kavi lunges forward, too. His jaws aim for the shoulder of the arm that holds the silver, claws reaching out for the head and hand at the same time.

Ky reaches up to grab Shelby's wrist, his fingers just managing to brush her's when he's snatched and bodily pulled away from the tree. He grasps at the arm around his shoulders and throat, mouth twisting into a toothy but silent snarl. The cub shifts into Crinos as well, unaware of the silver himself.

Thunder's-Heart emits a thought over mental speech, suddenly now visible as he squares off to protect Ky's route of escape, facing the fourth hound. ~The last hound can be taken with fire, Kaz-rhya. Cannot speak for the rest.~ He squares off against the fourth hound, unable to see the shadowy kidnapper snatching the cub behind him as he focuses instead on the canine, diving low and using his small stature to an advantage as he strikes to knock the beast's feet out from beneath it.

Kaz's fur sticks up in alarm and she lunges back for the fetish, flicking off the covering in one not-at-all-smooth movement. ~Thank you!~ she howls (audibly) in response to Nik, and brandishes the fetish in the general direction of the shadowed hunter.

Isaac rolls to his feet again and tears at the beast that knocked him aside, hispo jaws trying to latch onto the creature's throat.

Sightless-Faith pulls up short, having been headed for the one that the two are already on; ears swivel, and the ahroun makes a decision; letting noises and scent guide him, he goes on over to help Isaac.

Evac holds her ground for longer than is strictly necessary, hanging back to assess the battlefield to decide where she'll best be of use instead of just charging blindly off. That hasn't gone so well for her the last few times. So she waits, ready to dart off in any direction the situation calls for. Watching Isaac being slapped aside by the creature he's thrown himself at seems to be a motivating factor. She snaps out of her hiding spot, powerful frame tearing up the flat ground, manuevering to come in from the creature's flank and snap at its hind legs.

-/Goovno/,- swears Shelby as the cub is snatched from her. -Incoming,- she adds belatedly, and throws herself out of the tree. Except she doesn't just drop to the ground but hangs in the middle of the air a few feet below the branch, just as if she'd come to the end of her tether like Tom Cruise in _Mission Impossible_. While the others throw themselves at the man holding Ky she takes the nominally stealthier approach of shifting slowing into Crinos rather than using Rage.

It's perhaps lucky that Djehuti has no time to notice Ky. Instead, he and Andrei are embroiled with the creature; Djehuti goes for its underside as it wriggles, bashing into it and tearing at its hopefully vulnerable underbelly with supernatural speed, letting Andrei go more for the throat area. Since, after all, the Shadow Lord has claws free right near there. (He seems to hope bashing into it will destabilize its jaws, which is a faint hope, all things considered.)

Wildfire manages to get cut-off by a hound on his way north. Well, so much for planning. And so much for hound number 3. wildfire almost literally explodes in action on the thing's face.

The Shadow Lord Ahroun pulls his claws across the beast that is pinned, twisting once to avoid the hound's defenses. Andrei shifts in a flash to Crinos after that, and claws flash once more to try to gut the thing from chest to throat.

The hunter pulls Ky further backwards and down despite the cub's shift into crinos. The light from Kaz's fetish reaches, illuminating that area of the clearing despite the looming shadows and giving them a brief glance at their enemy, though he does his best to stay out of the lit area, and the silver dagger flashes a lancing, searing line of pain down and across Kavi's shoulder and chest before the hunter manages to pull free. During that time as well, the hunter engages in cub tug-of-war with Mouse, not quite relinquishing his grip on the boy. A fighting stance taken by the shadowy figure for a moment before the silver flashes again, stabbing forward at the Galliard (Kavi).

Nik's attempt at tripping the hound up succeed somewhat when the fourth dog lunges suddenly. Kavi is intercepted by the fourth hound, knocking the Walker Galliard into the Walker Elder and away from the hunter and cub. Though it could have been worse, the Shadow Lord Elder's efforts just manage to keep gnashing teeth from Kavi's throat.

Isaac catches an ear and part of the hound's face once he's upright again. It's neck twists, head craning around to return the favor in kind. It's jaws pinch together, crushing like an industrial vice with Isaac's cheek in the middle. Distracted as it is with the Gnawer Ahroun, Riley is able to get in and grab hold of the hound's leg.

Djehuti's claws rip and tear into flesh, scoring along ribs and legs while the hound's head gives a nasty shake. Teeth rip into the Strider's arm, rending flesh and muscle alike. Andrei's claws cut along the thing's throat and chest, blood spattering the Ahroun, though the shaking makes it difficult for any solid strike to land.

Owen finds his attacks clipping through fur but seeming to do little damage until a claw manages to hook into an eye. There's a catch, what feels of bone, before the Get pulls it free with a sickening crunch. The third hound snarls its fury, likewise trying to get a bite or a claw in edgewise. It manages to catch Owen's claw in a mouth once it's broken free.

The Stargazer Ahroun gets greeted by the dog whirling around, Riley and Isaac both getting dragged along as the hound fends off Keir's blows with heavy, strong paws that catch the metis on shoulder and sometimes on muzzle and push him aside.

True Arrow twists, heels digging into the ground. Fingers curl to dig claws into the hunter's arm while he tries to find something to catch within his teeth.

The fragmented pack fights on. Djehuti snarls, as teeth rip into his arm. Since the hound's throat is right there, he flashes the claws of his free paw at the front of its throat, once, twice. Andrei growls in concert with him, snapping to close jaws and tear at the back of the hound's throat and claw the beast's flank even as he keeps it pinned beneath him. Meanwhile, over at the Silver Fang/Walker/Stargazer tilt, the dance begins; taking the blows that shove him aside, Sightless-Faith turns into the hound, surprisingly quick on his feet. A tap here, rage is burned, and then claws fly, though it's all methodical rather than wild. Isaac snarls and growls at the pain, but he only twists around to attempt to grab hold with his teeth one more time. Riley is not content to simply remain latched on to the hindquarters of the hound as it hauls her about. Fueled by rage, she shifts up to Crinos with the creature still in her jaws, and tries to snag the creatures underbelly in wickedly sharp claws... and yanks. And Wildfire is a double-blur, shrinking briefly into lupus and sliding, then returning to crinos, all to get his hand free and reappear and now stand at the beast's blind side. He then simply pushes at the beast.

Bright Eyes remains silent a moment longer, until she reaches Crinos. She lifts her voice in an echo of Dragonfly's unnerving howl while her body succumbs to gravity's pull, straight down upon the hunter while (hopefully) avoiding the tug-of-war cub. First-Strike hisses a word at the Hunter that seems to have no meaning beyond an expression of seething hatred. She scrambles up and attempts to get an arm firmly around Ky and yank, while pushing out the palm of her other hand toward the thing's face and calling on one of her favorite gifts. Kaz keeps holding the fetish, as if under the impression that if she drops it, it will go out. But as she sidles toward the hunter, she frowns viciously at the hound. Thunder's-Heart wrestles with the fourth hound, attempting to keep it harried and off its feet while he rips at its underbelly. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Ky being taken, and he howls over mindspeak. -~GET HIM!~- Seeing Kaz concentrating on the hound he fights, he focuses hard to activate one more gift. Bridge Builder howls with pain as the knife slices across his chest, and the fire in his eyes grows all the brighter. Knocked to the ground, he rolls and twists, claws from all four limbs shoving and gouging at the creature on top of him, as the Glass Walker galliard attempts to get out from under it.

The hunter pauses half a beat, thrashes to throw Shelby backwards and off of him, still not relinquishing his grip on the cub. The cub feels the burning of silver against his throat for a long moment before the hunter finally lets go. There is a grating rattle of rocks on nails on a chalkboard when fire singes what might, if he were clearer and easier to see, be his face, a howl of uncanny pain followed by laughter nonetheless. "Silly fools." Then, the shadowy figure turns to meet Kaz when she's close enough, a steady kick and several fists all in a row before the glint of silver appears, dangerous and threatening in the hunter's hand even though the hunter doesn't seem to be moving quite as fluidly as it once did. "You will all die, like this."

Djehuti and Andrei's hound continues the battle, valiantly. Dje's arm is released when his claw finds, not its throat but its muzzle, tearing a deep gouge from jaw to nose for its effort. It's breathing becomes more labored, rattling and gurgling when Andrei's jaws close around the side of its neck. Instead of catching its intended mark of the Strider's own throat, its teeth scrape along his chest before sinking into Andrei's shoulder.

Isaac takes hold of the hound's shoulder just as it seems to trip and stumble over its own feet. It lands heavily on its side, thankfully not crushing Isaac but entangling Riley in its legs. It doesn't stop the Walker Ragabash from finding the soft belly flesh, warmth meeting her claws and seeping toward the ground. Keir's claws also dig along the hound's side, opening up fur and muscle to show ribs.

Owen's briefly entrapped amongst legs, though his paw comes free in the process. The hound lands a paw along the Get's flank and nearly has him pinned when he returns to crinos just a beat later. It sets the hound's balance off, setting up for the push which knocks it down entirely. Teeth snap at Owen, scraping along his feet.

The fourth hound seems temporarily put off by the dragonfly's howl. Nik pulls its attention back onto him when he goes in to start carving up its belly. Red wet meets his claws along the beast's back and sides. Kavi's claws find softer flesh and tear into the dog's belly and chest as he gets himself part way out. Part way before the hound's teeth latch onto his hip and starts to shake savagely. Thrice it's head jerks side to side before it suddenly explodes. Everyone touching it, within a foot of it, is thrown outward from the explosion.

Bright Eyes, thrown like a wet towel, grunts as she hits the ground but manages to keep howling even as she scrambles to all fours. While the Hunter is distracted by Kaz, True Arrow, and First Strike in front she relaunches herself at his back, claws slicing at the back of his legs. Kaz is almost knocked off her feet by the hound's explosion, but she steadies herself, and the hunter's taunting captures her attention. ~Did I mention you're an asshole? And that we ain't the ones dying?~ she asks him, conversationally, as she glares at him and advances slowly, claws flexing. The fetish in one hand continues to burn brightly. First-Strike keeps her arm clamped around Ky even when she's flung forward onto her nose. The cub may find this considerably uncomfortable. There's a faint groan from the Theurge as she tries to push herself back up with her free hand, and she hisses again. *Fucking denied.* Wheeze. *Fuck your mother's grass in the yellow spring, asshole.* Thunder's-Heart can fly. At least briefly. Loud cracks and twigs snapping indicate just where in the lower branches of a nearby tree the Shadow Lord ends up, and he clings to a branch for a moment before perching upon it, wobbling. He shakes his head hard, attempting to focus his eyes on Ky's captor. Bridge Builder growls as he struggles to his feet, but even that low sound is one of the rage that burns at the sight of the knife. Even unsteady as he is, the galliard lunges at the hunter, at the arm holding that silver weapon.

Breaks-the-Circle lets out a much louder snarl that turns into a howl of pain even without letting go of the hound's shoulder. If anything, the injury seems to invigorate the Ahroun in his efforts, swift and powerful strikes to rend the flesh of the hound beneath him. Djehuti growls and lashes at the creature's belly in concert with Andrei, its muzzle engaged as it is with Andrei's shoulder. The three on the other hound struggle; tangled as she is in the creature's legs, Evac doesn't have the option of changing targets, nor would she with her claws full of belly flesh. Feeling the heat of blood staining down her wrists, she changes the direction of her claw's rake, putting all of her force into a single clawed punch right up through the soft, exposed wound. She's no longer aiming to wound, but to eviscerate. Sightless-Faith, without once breaking touch from the creature, plants a knee heavily on the creature's neck, aiming to pin both head and neck down to prevent it from rising, all his weight on it while snarling out an encouragement to those fighting with him. And Isaac rolls with the hound as it falls, and immediately digs in again with claws and teeth. Off on his own, Wildfire flexes, growling loudly at the beast. ~Stay!~ he commands before turning around to face the hunter itself from across the clearing, again bearing his strength in a flash of hatred. ~And you! Shut you bitch mouth!~

True Arrow howls when silver cuts a white hot line across his throat, the sound is cut off when he's hauled along with Mouse, tumbling and rolling until he plants painfully with the Walker Theurge. He's quicker to get himself to his feet, turning to follow in Kavi's footsteps and throw himself, tooth and claw, at the hunter in general. -So sick of being hunted and chased and attacked and chased and hunted,- is an ongoing tirade in the cub's mind, like a buzz just beyond hearing.

"If not now," the hunter rasps as he charges forward towards Kaz, away from Shelby's attack, though he now stumbles with his steps, "you all will still die. They're his, until the end of time! And he comes for them!" The sound of the voice is harsher than before, and it echoes through the shadows that are left even in the light of the fetish that Kaz carries. The hunter brandishes the dagger at Kaz, but forward momentum carries the shadowed figure to perhaps unintentionally bury that silver dagger below Kavi's ribs when Kavi intercepts, before the flash of fire envelops its face and there is another grating scream. The cub rends pieces of what certainly seems to be solid flesh despite the shadowy appearance, and the hunter struggles to keep hold of that silver dagger now, before it slips out of his grip and bounces out of the way.

As claws find marks cutting through flesh and tearing into muscle, second explosion rocks the forest. This sending Andrei and Djehuti and bits of hound flying and leaving a small crater where their fight had been. The grass is burned in a small circle, charred remains left behind where the hound had lain briefly.

Keir's knee finds an open mouth waiting for it, teeth clamping down on the joint. Its superior strength is outmatched for better leverage, though, and while it has hold of the blind Ahroun's knee it can't lift its head above the ground. Riley's claws find the juicy, squishy innards of the hound, ripping through intestines and things unidentifiable as it kicks to free itself. One leg catches her and knocks her free, though it sends her tumbling a few feet away. Isaac tears into the beast's throat and shoulder, finishing the job as it gives a final kick before going entirely, dead still. It's final breath wheezes out, nasally.

The hound facing Owen doesn't reciprocate right away. He backs away a step, head lowering though a menacing growl rolls up.

Dagger and galliard fall as one, only separating as they land. A gasping sound comes from Bridge Builder, a howl cut off more by the lack of air than by the mouthful of blood and flesh that falls from his teeth as he hits the ground. A moment of stillness. Of nothing. A beat too long. And then the howl comes, sheer and wild, as the Glass Walker lurches upright once more.

Bright Eyes squints into the brilliant light of Kaz' fetish but continues driving forward, claws continuing to gash at the Hunter's back. Her teeth rend and tear as well, biting and snapping at his head. ~OK. That is it, you puerile, miserable excuse for a mythical fear out of legend!~ Kaz actually drops Val's fetish as she abandons all pretense of intelligent offense and slams into the hunter, claws fully bared, slashing and cutting in a speedy symphony of aggression and relieved Rage. First-Strike shoves upward and lunges at the fallen dagger. She spares enough attention to snatch it up by the handle, and to not direct it at any of her more melee-prominent allies, but that's all. *Yes, give him this when he joins you in oblivion!* She leaps after Kaz, stabbing with the knife at any open area the Hunter presents, eyes fairly burning. *This.* Thunder's-Heart hangs out in the tree as he watches.

True Arrow backs away from the hunter as Shelby, Kaz, and Mouse seem to have it well in hand. It's Kavi his attention turns to, ears twisted forward when the Galliard remains on the ground, then laying back almost flat when he rises again, howling. He doesn't move toward the Glass Walker, but waits, panting and poised to run or ...do something.

*********** *********** *********** ***********

The Strider is thrown to the ground with the explosion, and he shakes his head to clear it, trying as hard as he can to rise to his feet -- but he stumbles to the ground once, then twice. Breaks-the-Circle is thrown aside by the explosion from the hound as well, and the slight mental narration that the Ahroun lets loose is a stream of cursing in every language he knows as he fails to get to his feet despite trying. When the hound finally ceases moving, Isaac turns to the next, charging across the way to attack once more. That done, the blind Stargazer also rises, shifts down to hispo, and heads for the scents and sounds coming from Owen's battle; he goes at the last remaining hound with grim ferocity. This is in keeping with Wildfire's urgings, as he watches the hunter for a second more before turning around to face the last dog with a withering stare. ~Bad day to be you.~ -Tear this shit to the four winds! Don't let them run!- is plainly spoken as he then hurls himself at the hound once more, intent on coming at its blind side to land some serious blows, but more to create an opening for his fellow Garou. And, despite looking like her face, shoulders and chest have been smacked by a sledgehammer, Evac rolls fluidly up to her feet without so much as a batted eyelash. She seems unimpeded by her injuries as she leaps into the air at the fourth hound's face, aiming to drive her claws into the thing's eyes.

The Theurge manages to stab the hunter several times, momentarily pinned and pieces ripped from him by Kaz's claws and Bright Eye's attacks, but then with a lurch of renewed strength of its own, the shadowy figure wrests the dagger away from First-Strike, digging the blade to slice palm and forearm as he pulls it free, pulls himself free and outside of the area that has been lit by the fetish this whole time, disappearing for a long moment into shadow, and the gravelly--if now also pained--laughter echoes for the Garou to hear in every direction. Then silence, and then the laughter echoes in another direction as the hunter rematerialises, stepping out from a shadow several feet behind the cub, moving forward in a blur of darkness. Once again, that silver dagger meets the ragabash cub's neck, scant inches from where it had first been. But perhaps more painfully even than that is where the Hunter gets a bloodied, wet grasp on crinos fur.

The final hound, its attention on Owen, doesn't see the oncoming attacks until the Garou are already upon him. Riley's claws don't sink in until they've found home in its eyes, and once they do it's all she can do to hold on. The hound's head gives a sudden ferocious shake, threatening to dislodge the Walker Ragabash from her precarious seat. Keir's efforts manage to knock the hound off balance, and soon off its feet, giving opening required for Isaac to come in and start tearing away at its belly. Red hot wetness meets Isaac's claws, as do paws and claws of the hound itself, pushing and batting and trying to find its way free.

Owen comes in a beat behind Keir and Isaac, lending his own attacks. The hound is rendered unable to rise again, though it's certainly not yet dead. It continues to flail and heave, trying to gain an upper hand and sink teeth into any one of the Garou around it.

Blind rage rules the Glass Walker galliard. No more thought than to rend the object of his hatred, and he rushes toward that goal, toward the Shadowed Hunter, nothing but claws and teeth and the scream of fury.

Thunder's-Heart drops from the trees, practically unnoticed for the past few moments, his feet light as the Ragabash's black fur melts him into the darkness almost as well as the Hunter hides. He draws one of his bowie knives and attempts to come up behind the Hunter in a manner not entirely different from the way the man's been sneaking up on Ky. Upon seeing his comrades attacking from multiple directions, the Shadow Lord decides instead to keep his distance, electing to chuck that knife at the exposed back Hunter to distract, if anything. Kaz howls when the hunter disappears, and then howls, differently, when he reappears. In triumph, despite his grip on the cub. Sensing something probably happening from Mouse's end of town, she goes low on the hunter, trying womanfully to hamstring him, claws flashing. First-Strike snaps down into glabro, fueled by cold Rage. Her gun appears in her badly burned and sliced hand, and she uses the other one to steady her aim before she fires at the Hunter's head. She laughs at him when she pulls the trigger, a rough sound that is not remotely comforting, especially as she keeps laughing. Shelby starts up that strange grating howl again, a ululating that drives at the edge of attention.

Sightless-Faith doesn't waste time; momentum is carried as the hound falls and the ahroun goes to bury fangs in the hound's throat. Isaac, also, doesn't give a moment's pause, but continues to tear into the creature, ripping at the tender flesh he's found. Djehuti and Andrei also try to find purchase, helping to tear into it as best they can. Evac doesn't wait for the hound to thrash her off into nowhere. She plants her foot in its face and kicks herself away from the creature, leaving it to face its final moments blind. She can count. With all the hounds accounted for, she snaps back into homid, yanks her gun free from her coat and trains it on the final standing target - the hunter. Riley takes a breath, holds it, and starts to line up her shot, blood dribbling down from her battered nose. Wildfire sees that his hound is about down for the count and so again steps away from it, once more leering towards the hunter across the way. Every muscle, every fiber, goes taught as he once growls out a threat. ~I do not think it's cold enough yet! End him!~

True Arrow stiffens when the hand tangles within the fur on his shoulder, a growl curling off into a whine when hot silver sinks into his throat a second time. His head tips back just a little, a clawed hand raising to snatch the hunter's knife holding hand by the wrist and stay it from any further carvings.

The hunter waits not even half a moment longer of holding his hand--which burns just as much as the silver does--to the cub's shoulder before just roughly shoving the cub aside to face the Glass Walker, though in haste or lack of care, the cub ends up with the silver dagger within easy reach as well, a glyph to match one that had been on his arm larger in burned red flesh on his shoulder.

The shadowy figure matches Kavi's claws and teeth with punches and kicks and dodging brawling moves that still the frenzying Galliard in a heap on the ground, and for a long moment the figure just the barest fraction of a silent moment, until Mouse's shots ring out in the forest, the shadowy figure beginning to crumple, and a shot from Riley following soon thereafter. And those shots knock the hunter to the ground in a gravelly scream of pain that then fades to silence. In death, it is easy to see that the hunter may once have been a man, and nothing further moves in the woods near the Garou.

First-Strike drops her gun--she'll get it later--and dashes toward Kavi as fast as she can. Her unburned hand reaches out, and she calls on her gift the instant she so much as touches his fur.

Through punches and kicks, fists and claws and teeth, the hound fights until the last. Whether from the Garou themselves, or some other force, the instant the hunter's life ends, the hound gives a final spasm and life escapes it as well.

Thunder's-Heart stands straight as he sees the Hunter go down, emitting a harsh sigh. He moves to go figure out wherever his knife must have landed, and his presence soon fades from the area.

Kaz, meanwhile, carefully cuts its throat with a knife, as she shifts down to glabro to get her own. And then she looks around. "Sheeyit," she mutters to Ky, and then sighs. Once Mouse is done with Kavi, she says to the theurge, "Guess we should check the other side, huh?" She's bleeding a touch from her ears and a few other cuts, but not very much.

After making sure the hound is dead, the blind ahroun stands, limping a little on a mangled knee. He stands tall, ears going forward, and then they relax. He drops to lupus and heads over toward Kaz and Mouse and all, relaying that the hounds are dead. His head swings, his nose busy and his ears flicking. In this form, those eyeless sockets are a bit unnerving.

True Arrow forgets about the knife as flesh is further burned, clasping a hand to his shoulder as he stumbles along with the force of the hunter's push. On hands and knees he crawls, putting some distance between himself and the others. He edges himself up against the trunk of a tree, turning around to sit with this back to it, to watch the others, hand still pressing against his shoulder.

A sharp gasp escapes Bridge Builder's throat when Mouse's gift touches him, the first sound he makes after falling beneath the Hunter's blows. His eyes open more slowly, and he blinks once, attempting to focus on Mouse's face.

Long-Path, as he emerges from the scrum around the final hound, is panting. Melting into hispo, he pads over somewhat near (but not invasively near) Ky, and flops, waiting for further events.

Mouse keeps her hands on Bridge Builder--his chest now, one of them quite bloody and burned--and stares at him, as if she weren't quite seeing him. She doesn't answer Kaz, but she does rock a little in place on her knees, back and forth, expression utterly tense. A giggle escapes between clenched teeth, and then another.

The cliath Shadow Lord shifts to his birth form when things have quieted for a moment, and although there is worry in his gaze for his nephew, it is to the fallen silver knife that the Andrei goes, moving to pick it up and peer at it with evident distaste once it is in his hands. "And figure out what the hell to do with this," he says.

Wildfire takes nine steps forward even as the hunter dies. Yet as he takes that last step he, too, topples over to the ground and lays there.

Isaac gives a rough shake once the last of the hounds is clearly dead, then lifts his head to look over the rest of the scene.

Riley gives a satisfied little snort as she watches her bullet smack through the intended target. She calmly pockets the weapon, less one bullet, and inelegantly raises a hand to her mouth to let the wash of bloodied drool spill into her palm. She hunches over and allows herself a moment to let it run onto the ground, having grown sick of swallowing it for the last few minutes. "Oh yeah," She mutters, "That's hot."

~Mouse-rhya?~ Bridge Builder rumbles softly, worry or fear and pain still touching his voice. Already the galliard starts to push up from where he fell.

Kaz regards Mouse for a moment, then says, "Right!" briskly, and looks around for Wildfire. At which point, Owen thuds to the ground. "...Nevermind." She glances around more carefully, and then says, "OK people! Those who ain't half dead or whatever else. Umbra. Because these spirits that are materialized on this side, they often go back there once they die here. Riley, Isaac, Andrei, Dj-- Derek. Anyone else up for it? Keir, can you go to the otherside?"

Isaac's ears pull forward as he focuses on Kaz's voice.

True Arrow looks at Djehuti when he approaches, and his ears splay just as he looks away again. He looks at Kaz when she starts speaking, not responding, but watching her with some measure of interest.

Mouse's giggles fade into a sound that can best be described as a keen, though it's still broken, now and then, by another giggle. It takes a while, but she finally strangles out a, "Me," and attempts to stand as well, unsteadily, eyes feverish. "Eat it."

Sightless-Faith affirms yes to Kaz, and then shifts up to homid. He's lacking the cloth over his eyes, which displays the two 'X's that have been tattooed over the empty sockets. Weird. He fishes out a small wrapped mirror that has some decorations on it; it certainly looks like more than just a mirror.

Long-Path says, ~I am ready.~ Though he doesn't get up yet.

Bridge Builder pushes up to his feet as his elder rises, and though he seems no more stable on his feet than she, his intention is perfectly clear.

Riley lets out a scraping little clear of her throat, then spits a disgusting glob of bloody gunk onto the ground beside her, wiping the corner of her mouth with a sleeve. After pausing to give her teeth an expertimental wiggle to ensure that everything's healing in right, she gives a firm nod of her head. "Umbra, my favorite. You got it, chief. No loose ends."

Kaz turns to just look at Mouse, burned and wounded as she is. "Really." She jerks a thumb toward Ky. "Do me a favor, take care of him? I mean. Seriously. He needs the help."

Andrei rips off a piece of his shirt and uses it to cover the dagger, setting it down and aside, before he casts a glance first at the cub, then over to the two Glass Walkers, and then finally walks over to Kaz, murmuring something quietly and obviously only for her hearing, when she's finished.

Long-Path puffs his fur up a bit in mild protest of Kaz's tone, but a secretive glance at the fairly wounded cub deflates him a bit.

Keir turns toward Mouse, then, and the Stargazer's shoulders drop a little. "Mouse," he says quietly, head tilted a little. That one word is loaded with a lot: question, concern, mostly.

Mouse inhales raggedly, limbs trembling. "Eat him," she hisses. "Eat him and plant his ghost bones in his eyes on the corpse ground because that is..." Breathe. "I am angry."

Kaz nods at Andrei, then limps over to look at Mouse, from a foot or so away. "I'm real aware've that. Is your anger so strong that you yourself should die, while there are people to heal both physically and spiritually? I'll take yes for an answer. I just have to ask."

Bridge Builder draws in a breath and lets it out in a huff. He sends a glance toward Mouse, but the rest of his attention is focused on Kaz, then.

After a moment more of quiet conversation, Andrei nods once, and steps back when Kaz walks away. "/Da/, I will," he asserts, though the Shadow Lord seems at the very least winded at the moment, and he looks over at the Glass Walker Theurge again. "Mouse-rhya," he questions, Russian accenting words but then fading into silence when Kaz speaks further.

True Arrow looks between his uncle and Kaz, for a long moment watching the two of them before it expands to watch Mouse and Kavi as well. For a long moment. Then his head bows, eyes closing while his head sinks backward to rest against the trunk of the tree.

Keir starts to say something, and then goes quiet; the furrow of his brows suggest something unsaid, and the Stargazer shifts his weight off of his injured leg, just waiting.

Riley clears her throat a final time then yanks a little mirror from her coat pocket, running her fingers over it and frowning at the little red streaks that puts onto it. "We're wasting time talking, and we'll waste a lot more yet if we try to fix everyone on this side before we cross. Kaz," The ragabash tersely mutters, "Call it."

Mouse stabs a finger at Kaz, but rather than answering, she limps over toward where she dropped her gun, and picks it up with great care. "Eat him," she says, when she turns back, but she's holstering her gun. "Only because I'm healing solo up there and I can't. Only--" She looks impatient. "Burning gets in the way. I can fight. Stupid empty brute lives long enough to be dragon guts, don't you think I can't. If you die like Kavi I will stab out your eyes, looking at me like that."

Kaz says mildly, "Not planning on it." Indeed, she may be one of the least wounded. "OK, people, let's saddle up."

A ripple of Umbral wind swirls about you, and the Gauntlet parts.

Umbra: Scarred Forest (North of I-90)
The trees of this forest reach up to vault the Umbral sky like cathedral pillars, still and graceful, heart-achingly beautiful in any season, under any moon, regardless of the scars that mar almost every trunk. Every shadow is velvet, every color is a jewel.

The southern border of this scarred land is the Umbral representation of the highway - a bright, straight scar across a world of nuances and curves, along which runs a strange traffic. Near that edge, the signs of the disease-blight are not so bad, and the trees have mostly lived with only surface defacement. The farther north one goes, the deeper are the gouges wrapped around the trunks, the higher the number of dead and dying trees, until one reaches the northern border of the woods - the basin around the wide Lakes of the Sun, and here decay has set its oily rainbow signature on all sides; on small moons the husks of the dead trees provide shelter for petty spirits of corruption.

Past the highway to the south, the bawn flourishes, thicker and more lush than the northern woods.

Obvious exits:
Grotto Great Oak Grove South

Keir reaches over by pressing the mirror between his hands, focusing on it for a brief amount of time alongside a muttered phrase in some asian language, and then one on the other side he quietly puts it away with little show (and a small amount of reverance, as well).

Ears apparently brought a mirror with. (She shares it.) She's got the fetish with her again, as she materializes in crinos; she was in the shadow of a tree, in the Realm, perhaps to help with cover on the Umbral side. Hopefully.

Long-Path is limping a touch as he gets up, noses Ky before leaving, and then reaches over; he remains in hispo, ears splayed warily, alert to anything and everything.

At least all the chatting and stalling gave Riley's body time enough to shrug off the damage it sustained from those supernatural hound's especially tenacious kicking. Aside from bloodstained clothing, she looks none the worse for wear as she materializes, staring down into that pocket mirror with a hardened expression. She wastes no time in homid, though. At least, no more than is required for her to mouth two choice words about the locale. She then snaps up to Crinos, frowning tersely about.

Isaac snuffles at the ground, at the air, and then closes the distance betwen himself and Kaz.

The direction of the bane that was once the hunter is readily apparent, a large, formless shadow lurking not overly far from the Garou that begins, rustling Umbral leaves as it goes, towards the Garou with alarming speed, shaping into a twisted figure that approaches them.

~Well, fuck,~ Kaz says, and makes sure of the fetish (which is sparkling as bright as ever) before moving over next to Isaac, claws flexing.

Djehuti exhales, and pads closer to Riley, bulking up into Crinos as he does so.

Isaac hunches, bunching again, and once more ready to spring. His fur still glows, though not so bright as the fetish itself.

Keir snaps up to his birthform, stance widening a little as he bristles; he can't see, but he can sense, and the tension coming off the others is palpable.

Evac stands firmly rooted to the ground, making no indication that she intends to move. What little patience she had coming in to this has been exhausted. She all but hisses, ~Good. Didn't feel like chasing it.~

The bane slows as it enters the light, seeming to shed small pieces of shadow simply from the presence of so much brightness. It slows enough not to launch directly at any of them, straightening up into a shape that looks to be a twisted mockery of man, and rasps breath out nails on a chalkboard, a sound reminiscent of the voice it had in the realm.

Ears drops the fetish (which remains lit, despite her professions before), and makes a 'come on' gesture. That may involve different fingers than usually relevant.

Djehuti doesn't make gestures or protestations, he merely flashes into movement and heads for the thing's nether regions. Had it hamstrings, he'd be aiming for them. As it is, his claws are out, and he is using them.

Isaac glances again to Kaz when the fetish drops, and he almost lunges, then. But he holds on, waiting, as the metis calls to the spirit.

Sightless-Faith doesn't make any gestures; instead, he braces himself, easily getting a bearing on the creature, nostrils flaring.

Evac doesn't lunge right in as the thing takes shape. Instead, she lunges into motion and sprints to the thing's right side. Not an attack - a move for positioning. If it wants to face them, it had better believe it's not going to take them all head-on.

The figure meets Djehuti's claws but matches with hard blows to the Strider's head, seemingly less than entirely fazed as it drops seemingly dead to the ground, and springs right back up again. Snake-like in movements, actually, as it turns to engage the Philodox again from a different direction.

The figure meets Djehuti's claws but matches with hard blows to the Strider's head, seemingly less than entirely fazed as it drops seemingly dead to the ground, and springs right back up again. It's at that point where one arm is consumed by a flash of flame that seems to eat from the outside in, and the bane rips off the arm at an elbow with a coarse, grating scream, tossing the shadow of a limb--and the remaining fire--aside. It remains moving, though, almost snake-like now, as it turns to engage the Philodox again from a different direction.

Nothing phased, Djehuti -- who apparently doesn't relish being beaten about the head and ears -- grabs its former arm and starts slamming at the bane with the end which is still on fire.

Isaac doesn't wait any longer, but rushes forward with a snarl and a flash of claws and teeth.

Kaz carols a joyful, wordless shout, and simply roars into being, slamming into the creature with the speed of very clear Rage, claws to the forefront.

Whelp, there's that. The Stargazer snaps into action, then, less rarr and brute force and more fluidity, but definitely a lot of claws.

Evac catches the erratic motions of the bane out of the corner of her eye and cuts back towards it from the disturbing, shadowy creature's flank, claws bared. That's an awful lot of fur and claws heading towards this malicious spirit, oh yes.

The thing writhes and twists and turns, catching fire and doing its utmost best to put itself out again even as it continues to slam kicks and blows into whichever Garou happens to be nearest it. One lands on Djehuti, a decent kick lands in Isaac's ribs even as he tears at the shadowy flesh, and another blow glances right between Kaz and Keir, the bane beginning to almost stumble forward instead of moving smoothly.

Ears snarls, ~Not. His! The cub is his own!~ as she tries her best to bowl the bane over. This is a doomed effort, so good thing she's also clawing at it.

The blow that goes by the Stargazer is reacted instantly upon; he moves to grab to restrain that arm and twist it hard at the same time.

Isaac huffs out a breath at the impact, but doesn't let it slow him. His teeth snatch again and again at the shadowy substance.

Long-Path, in contrast to Keir, rolls with the blow, and then is back up on his feet, crushing the flaming former arm into the creature again.

Evac lunges at the thing from behind, seeking to bury her claws deep in the back of the writhing morass of hatred. Her voiced sentiments are less noble than Ears'. ~Fuck you!~

Keir ends up with the arm, pulled fully off of the creature's body with a sickening wrenching sound. This time the bane of shadow catches fire so much that it's almost certainly down for the count, though that doesn't stop it from now trying to attack--seemingly growing a new limb at one point--whichever underbelly it can get to without getting flayed by claws. Still, with Riley pinning it, it is not long before Isaac and Kaz make short work of the matter, and the figure stills down to twitching.

Ears snarls, ~No. Gone,~ and claws its twitching remains.

Long-Path, who's still moving at higher speed than usual, brandishes his brand one more time, thwacks the bane, and then carefully starts putting fires out.

Latched on to the bane's back like an overgrown hood ornament, Riley's claws hook and shred at everything they can reach. It's not long before the thing is still under their combined efforts. With so many opponents, and caught so soon after its corporeal death, the thing really didn't stand a chance. Riley has to scatter to not catch on fire as the flames start leaping up the thing's back. She grimly backs off, frowning as she slides back into homid form to watch the thing sizzle. "No loose ends," She repeats.

Isaac starts drawing gnosis from the thing as soon as it's down, grim determination in his posture, and a bit of distaste.

Sightless-Faith lets the arm fall, and, once it is dead, begins, with Isaac, the grim duty of making sure it won't cause more harm. Gnosis harvesting, yes.

Ears joins Isaac in his reclamation, also a bit unhappy about the idea. But doing it anyway. Once that's done, she scans around, mutters, ~Gonna check something,~ and melts into glabro. Finding string in her pocket and a stone on the ground, she starts chanting a name, quietly. Soon, the string pulls to the south and east. "Well, fuck," she mutters, and sighs. "OK, we got us a Dancer to ... be wary of. Or deal with. Or something. We'll figure it out later. F'now, let's blow this popsicle stand."

Riley doesn't need to be asked twice. She flips open her little mirror and disappears from view.

Long-Path finishes his fire-prevention efforts, and melts into hispo. He splays his ears at Kaz. ~Joy,~ he murmurs.

All of that done, the metis Stargazer finally relinquishes that pent-up rage in one brief (but rather vehement), "Son of a bitch." Fume, fume. And then, just like that, it's over and gone, and he takes in a deep breath and lets it out very slow, but bobs his head, shifting down into homid. "Yeah. Let's get outta here."

"Appreciated fighting with you," Kaz tells him. "You're fun to watch." Then she joins him in the progress over.