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Corvus nodded. She’d turned a fox into red gelatin practically. He’d caught a couple of glances but didn’t really feel like inspecting the full scope of Siobhan’s magic. “I’ve got a rag or handkerchief packed, I think. Go wash up.” He suggested before moving back towards Pablo who had finished patrolling for now and had settled down between the edges of the forest and the flock. As Corvus approached, he attempted to give the head a wide berth, but Pablo still managed to whip his head lightly into his gut. Corvus managed not to stumble but Pablo looked like he was about to headbutt him again. He knew what this was about. He wanted the goods. Now. If he could get them out himself he wouldn’t be bothering Corvus, but he had no other choice. Pablo snorted, pumping up the ‘I’m threatening you’ vibe before Corvus caved.

“Ok already. I didn’t forget.” He said as he dug through the pack attached to his ride. Two green apples fell to the ground as well as a plaid, rough looking rag. Probably a sweat rad. It smelled like flowers though, so he assumed it was washed. He held one apple up to Pablo who crunched into it excitedly and then he left the other at the horse’s feet. Corvus then balled up the rag and ambled closer to toss it at her. “Here. Keep it in case you squash more predator skulls.” He called. Corvus then joined some of the other sheep at the riverbank, though he refrained from reaching out to pet one in fear that they might be grumpy. He didn’t want to get bitten twice by a prey animal in front of cousin. Once was bad enough. Instead he sat himself by the water and began looking through the stones that had been washed up by the river. He could see something shiny in the mud further out, but he was too lazy to roll up his jeans and take off his boots for this. It didn’t deter him from enjoying the nice breeze and the nearly crystalline running water.

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Corvus shrugged at the question. “Dunno, probably what they wash it in. Maybe out here they dry flowers to use in their laundry.” He returned. He hadn’t even packed the bag. It was essentially what the rancher usually gave to his other ranch hands. That’s how he’d gotten the flannel, though it hadn’t gotten much use just yet. The sun was still bright out, though not as high in the sky as before, but it was still warm out.

He plucked a couple of rocks out of the dirt and dipped them into the water to wash them off. Occasionally he’d take a look back to check on the horses and the sheep commonwealth they were guarding. The rocks weren’t anything of note, just tumbled pieces of rock he found interesting. They didn’t match the dirt or the color of the rocks immediately visible. The river had probably brought them from somewhere else. Cool. It wasn’t sea glass, or gold but it kept him distracted enough.

The growl startled him and or a moment he thought a dog was about to pick a fight with his horse or even Siobhan. Corvus perked, looking back at the congregation. Most seemed unaware, less bunched up than before when they had been scared, but a couple let out a few tentative baas as if to alert their caretakers that they had totally just gotten some harsh vibes and their mellow jams were trashed now. “Yeah, but I don’t see anything from here.” He returned as he got tired off craning his neck and instead just stood up. Pablo had already stood up, unsure of what to do just yet. He wouldn’t make the first move here. He did however let out a loud whinny in response to the scary sound. “You think it’s friends of that fox you whipped?” he added after a moment. There was another growl, but it didn’t sound like it was coming from the same place as before. Maybe it was the fact that they had spent enough time here or that the sheep were no longer willing to be eyed at from the shadow, but the flock seemed to garner an nervous energy as they waited for movement, not quite startled into moving on their own.

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“I’d agree with that assumption.” Corvus replied as he watched three, undead looking motherfuckers roll out of the bush like the Transformers. How could something that big move that quietly? Especially in the wooded underbrush. The forest floor had to be covered with dead branches and stuff. He grimaced at the smell and wondered if they had been attracted by the blood spray Siobhan had made a bit earlier. That or they were just smart and had been sitting around waiting for the sheep to show up all day.

“Uh, sure? And don’t call me a loser.” Corvus snapped back without any bite, too focused on the fact that he had three pairs of hungry eyes on him. He called Phillippe, the giant bird materializing a shadow circling overhead slowly. The brief blocking of the sun didn’t seem to really affect the wolves though. One, maybe, maybe he felt comfortable with dealing with on his own. But three? He also didn’t appreciate how his cousin didn’t seem to be in all that of a hurry to help him either. Great.

He reached into his pockets as the wolves closed in and pulled out a small bottle with a black liquid inside. Keeping his eyes on the wolves. He dumped the ink into his hand and it spread quickly, forming what he assumed were runes he couldn’t understand and markings that ran up his face and down his arms. It felt a little cool to the touch but other than that nothing of note. He hadn’t had a chance to test the thing out so hopefully it did its job and bought him some time. Corvus pocketed the bottle, the stink now in full force from the proximity. He took a couple of tentative steps back towards the river in an attempt to get the wolves to at least veer of ( and bring the fight to his cousin ).

Corvus then began to try to steady his breathing, while Phillippe drops a couple of feet closer to coach his witch. The wolves tensed, one of them dropping down to pounce on him and Corvus took a huge breath willing the mana to spill force before more or less blowing out a thin stream of flames towards the wolves’ open mouth while backing up so he wouldn’t get pinned under a huge, man eating wolf. Flames licked the snout of one of them and it let out a whine as it shook its head, but the other seemed undeterred and lunged forward. Corvus chucked the few rocks he had in his pocket at it in an attempt to make it keep its distance. It snapped its jaws at him, displeased by the assault. “Hey, so are you done stretching now? I could use a little help!” he called out as the wolf he’d thrown rocks at snarled at him. Good. Good.

techniques: call of the dragon
scrolls:
items used: temporary ink runeward

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“It’s not a clever nickname.” Corvus replied as wolves growled at him for his disrespect. He backed up further towards the river as he spoke. He needed them closer to the water’s edge, and definitely closer to Siobhan too. Phillippe continued circling waiting for the right moment to dive bomb like a shrieking missile. The sky seemed to darken slightly as his cousin finished casting her magic and within moments he felt a sort of energy drink-like boost to his muscles. He felt…fit. And he was the very opposite definition of fit. It hurt when people poked him too hard, unfit. Nice. “Thank you!” he piped up quickly, jumping back as another wolf lunged at him, jaws snapping. The boost was cool and all, but it still didn’t make him feel like he was prepared to fight. At the very least, it did help him feel like he wouldn’t die. “Hey, does this prevent bones form breaking?” he asked her. He didn’t feel anymore spry or heavy than he usually did. Maybe it was just his muscles being boosted.

A Siobhan launched into action Corvus tensed. She just ran up and punched a giant wolf in the face??? He couldn’t say that was out of character, but now that he was witnessing it, the move was pretty ballsy. “Right, bop ‘em in the nose. Gotcha!” the witch yelled out as if Siobhan had relayed a plan. As the one of the wolves went for Siobhan the other two were stuck on him. Cool, divide and conquer. Hopefully. Phillipe dive bombs the undead to Corvus’ right, screeching loudly before letting out a stream of flames to get the wolf’s attention. As it yelped and turned the bird raked his claws against the side of its head before swooping away and going back to circling. Corvus meanwhile steeled what was left of his nerve and dashed forward at the other wolf who’d been momentarily distracted by the flapping noises.

He reeled back his fist and smashed his fist forward on the nose. The wolf whined but didn’t back off, simply shaking its head probably in confusion. “I’m uh, I’m not good at punching I guess??” he said to himself as the wolf bite his arm, engulfing his entire fist into its slimy maw. “AAAAAH!” the witch immediately screamed, half pain, half terror that the wolf mouth was so big. As it dragged him closer to itself, Corvus stepped forward to shove his thumb into hits massive eyeball. He squished violently moving around his thumb until the damn thing let him go. Without attempting another attack, he moved back again. “Next time I’m taking the tongue with me, smart ass!” he yelled trying to push over his fear with anger.

techniques: call of the dragon
scrolls:
items used: temporary ink runeward

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The ink was probably doing its job. The wolf seemed to hack as if it had tasted something unpleasant. He supposed that was part of the runeward he’d gotten. Good. He grimaced as he took stock of his arm, a very clear, very red line of puncture marks running across where the teeth had crunched into him before he’d retrieved his arm. The howls from the first wolf made him look over as his cousin just about finished showing off the same spell, but better. At least the wolf was hurting. Were they going to kill these or make them run off?

Distracted by his relative he doesn’t dodge the other two wolves on him. One swatted at him to the side and he easily lost his footing but tried to tumble into it. It’s not graceful, but he popped back on his feet with ease. Before the wolf can leap on him Phillippe slammed down on the wolf, using his weight to pin the wolf under it. The monster tried to scramble, but Phillippe is ready and simply lifts a claw foot that clutches the wolf’s skull and smashes it on the ground leaving the wolf hurt, and dazed. “Thanks. Thanks thanks thanks.” Corvus yelled going around the temporarily incapacitated wolf to intercept the other one that was coming for his familiar. He and the wolf ran towards each other, both pissed.

As it leaps forward and opened its jaws ready to snap him like a twig, Phillippe snapped his neck towards it, glaring at it and flapping his wings. Suddenly a miniature burning hail storm materialized above the wolf dropping what looked like flaming pieces of coal on the wolf. Firestorm is a more concentrated attack but Corvus figured he’d lead it close enough to the river so the fire wouldn’t spread that fire at this point. The coal singe what’s left of the wolf’s pelt and acts like a black and red salt that gets thrown into its wounds. The Wolf stopped, dropped, and rolled while Corvus pushed on ignoring the lingering patches of flame on the ground. Punching hadn’t worked, he’s try stomping on it. The witch jumped as the wolf rubbed its face into the dirt and slammed both feet on the skull, trying to pull off something similar to Philippe. The move lands but he doesn’t except the jolt that runs through as he helps the skull hit the ground. It shakes him a little and he stumbles off as Philippe once again takes flight before a wolf can corner him. “I’ve got ‘em on the ropes! I think?? What about you?” he shouted turning to his cousin with a broad grin despite the panting induced by adrenaline and terror.


techniques: call of the dragon, firestorm
scrolls:
items used: temporary ink runeward

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The wolf Phillippe had stomped down was starting to get back up, though slowly as it was probably still dazed form having a giant bird claw attempt to crush and bludgeon its head into soup. The one Corvus had stomped on was still solidly in the ground, for now. It looked like it was still breathing. Corvus put distance between himself and the others, skirting the water’s edge carefully. “Y-You broke it? So, it’s dead right?” he asked and looking past her at the burning body of the wolf. Ok, that looked pretty dead.

The second wolf got up and growled at Siobhan as she was the nearest target. It looked over at Corvus and then at Philippe, who was busy circling the flock of sheep now that he had done most of the heavy lifting for his witch. The third wolf seemed to come to, now that its friend was snapping and snarling at a human. It set itself on Corvus once more and the boy merely looked up at the sky hoping Philippe would swoop down once more and smash it once and for all. Though the shadow loomed, he didn’t come down just yet. He may or may not have also called Corvus ‘lazy’ for not finishing up. “Thanks Phillippe.” He grumbled as the other wolf bounded for him.

Corvus tensed up once more not ready to have his arm eaten again. So, instead he waited for the wolf to snap at him before ducking to the and leaving it momentarily confused. He then quickly ran behind the wolf and pulled back his foot to kick the wolf squarely on the ass. It went about as well as he would’ve expected. He still felt stronger from the spell, and he felt pretty confident in his kicking ability. The wolf however was not happy at all, yelping loudly before turning on him to bare his fangs once more. “Siobhan, how’d you kill yours?!” he asked, panicking as he force a small Call of Dragon from his mouth to keep the wolf at bay.


techniques: call of the dragon, firestorm
scrolls:
items used: temporary ink runeward

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Corvus huffed at his cousin, who so easily ended the life of another Thing while he still struggled to kill the wolves himself. Even if they had, you know, almost eaten his arm off. Godamnit, he was going to me like fucking maddox rothscus ✨ wasn’t he? Practically. Yeah, sure, a shittier version probably. At least that cousin had something up his proverbial, magical sleeve, what did he have but a couple of fireworks and some items people had slipped him just cause they liked him. Phillippe growled in his head, getting annoyed as Corvus spiraled into another self-imposed distraction. ‘Now is NOT the time.’ His familiar warned right as Siobhan created yet ANOTHER cloud of red mist.

He tried not to let his jaw drop before the wolf he was still dealing with have him another snarl before barreling towards him. Tired, singed, and humiliated, it came for the witch taking a punch to the side before grabbing Corvus by the other arm and trying REALLY hard to dislocate his shoulder. The wolf picked up the boy and shook him around like a rag doll. Corvus screamed once more attempting to stick to the ground while Phillippe flew in erratic patterns above them as he screeched in pain as well.

Just as the wolf tossed Corvus into the creek, Phillippe slammed down on the wolf, snapping its spine with a loud crack and opening his beak to release an angry burst of flames. The jaeger then lifted a clawed foot to slam it down on the wolf’s jaw before digging in and deftly ripping it out. “Corvus.” The bird growled stalking over and looming over him. “I cannot fly if your arms are ripped out.” He stated before hopping into the water to rinse off the blood from his claws. Corvus sat up, one arm bloodied, the other arm shaking and tender and numb from…something. But he could move his fingers and while it was weak, he could lift his arm above his head. He turned to Siobhan and gave her a weak thumbs up. “I uh, I think we got the last one. For now.” He felt hungry. And incredibly thirsty. Phillippe had tapped into the reserve off their small, shared mana pool. He’d gotten angry at him. Ugh. He made a move to get up, but then decided he’d be fine just sitting in the water for now. He was already soaking anyway. “Don’t do that again.” Phillippe warned before vanishing into the astral plane, or wherever the hell he went when he got saucy with Corvus. Like a scolded child he huffed before yelling at Siobhan. “Can we eat?”


techniques: call of the dragon, firestorm
scrolls:
items used: temporary ink runeward