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A Ranger's Matter(RogueWolf, Open)

Started by Elector Count of WAAAGH!, May 26, 2017, 08:02:33 AM

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Elector Count of WAAAGH!


(Credit to Giphy)

The Adela forests was in a state of tranquility one fine morning. The sun was shining, the wild life was roaming about, and the winds fanned the tree tops causing them to swish back and forth.

In the middle of all of this was a dwarf, Josef Grinsbeard. A ranger of sorts, he had his trusty crossbow on his shoulder as he moved through the forest, the early moring breeze tickling his beard.

It was another fine day for Josef, he was traveling to the nearest city but decided to take the scenic route.

You never know what you can spot on the scenic route...

RogueWolf

Dan'l loved the woods or loved them when in his wolf form.  There was something to be said for the wildness and beauty of nature, even more to be said for not being around a sea of people when people were terrified of wolves.  Rabbits, rodents, and the scent of birds filled Dan'l nostrils and he relished these scents to often it was the unwashed bodies of fellow travelers that dominated his olfactory scence.  A slight snarl escaped from the wolf as he caught scent of something on the wind.  So much for being alone and one with nature.  There was somebody else out here in the woods and it smelled like a dwarf.  Dan'l took the time to try and hone in on the other smells as well.  There was the ever present sweat of course but there was more than that.  The odors of grass and dirt mixed with the scents of wood and metal.  Disdain for the figure instantly vanished and was replaced with a mixture of awe and respect.  If this person was what Dan'l thought it was....

It took almost no time to change from wolf into Dan'l's dwarven form.  Thankfully his clothing changed along with him so he wouldn't be forced to approach a stranger entirely naked.  With the wolf's enhanced scence of smell still with him momentarily he began following his nose towards what he believed would be a dwarf ranger.  Or at the least a dwarven archer.  Both of which were oddities but he could learn from either...and how he did love learning.

(((ooc sorry it took so long)))

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

Suddenly the dwarf stopped.

Scratching his beard for a second, he looked to be thinking...before he whipped around, crossbow off his shoulder, and aimed in front of him.

"Show yourself! Ya drakk!" The dwarf said in a loud, gruff voice. "I don't approcate it when some grobi sneaks up on me. If ya lookin' fer a fight then fight, don't fight me like a coward!"

RogueWolf

Dan'l chuckled for a moment wondering just how to deal with the comment thrown his way.  He was known to be a bit of an ass and he decided to show that side of him if only for a moment.  Using skills honed over decades of training he began to work his "magic".

From just behind the dwarf an elf whispered, "I'm here, I'm really here behind you." From twenty yards to the right an orc roared, "Come get me dwarf!" From directly in front of the ranger a female dwarf called out, "Is that any way to talk to a lady?"

From one hundred yards away Dan'l fought back laughter as he changed his voice each time.  He understood of course that it was best to know who, or what, was in the woods with you.  However, you didn't have to call somebody a draak did you?  He made sure his footsteps would be heard as he continued on his way.  Also making sure that no weapons were visable.  He wanted the dwarf to know while he might be an ass, he wasn't an enemy. 

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

Josef may have been one of the friendliest dwarves from his hold, but that didn't mean he didn't have an iron will.

THis wasn't much but tricks by some Zaki Grobi Josef thought Or worse, an elgi? Wasn't the first time they tried to trick him.

Josef kept his crossbow ready, though he heard the voices he heard no indication of any movement...until he heard footsteps.

He turned himself and his crossbow to the sound. "Yeah last chance grobi! Else i'mma put a bolt right between ya doks!"

RogueWolf

"You do and you'll deprive yourself of my company for the forseeable future.  While you may want that, I alas do not.  Or if you prefer... Ye ken take that bow an shov it straight up yer arse.  What more do you need to see or here to deduce I'm not your enemy.  If I were I'd be wearing your guts for garters already.  Now then threats aside it's a pleasure to meet another dwarf, strange as it is out here in the wild."

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

"Oh, so you must be one of them wut dawi I've heard of." Said the dwarf ranger, not phased by the threats, instead chuckling. "Clearly shows, a true dawi knows his weapons."

He made movement with his crossbow as if he was indicating what it was. "This is no bow, we dawi of the Dron Zorn don't use bows; bows are for weaklings and elves, not that there is a difference, but this piece of fine dawi craftsmanship is called a crossbow"

"And I won't be too cocky if I was you, beardling." The dwarf's stance was at the ready, but he was relaxed. "I've fist fought spawns of chaos larger then you and I've beaten many of their kind. You don't scary me laddie, you only make me laugh at how adorable you like."

The dwarf was still chuckling, as he lowered his crossbow just a bit. "But I suppose you don't know any better, your only a beardling after all!  I remeber the days when I was a beardling meself. Ha! I was just as cocky."

His chuckling subsided as he nodded his head, now grinning. "I suppose cockyness has its place; still be in the karak, instead of out in the beautiful surface."

RogueWolf

"Beardling? You're probably right but that's why I approached you.  Who better to learn from than from somebody older and presumably wiser than yourself.  You've years of experience that I would gladly learn from old  timer.  To compensate for the annoyance I can offer you little more than my company though.  That and possibly a yarn or two dozen I've acquired over my few years.  I might be young and a bit rash but I have traveled and picked up all manner of strange tales.  A few you may find interesting enough to tolerate my presence."


Elector Count of WAAAGH!

"I suppose traveling with nothing but elgi could be boring." said the dwarf ranger. "It's rare I see dwarves in these lands...might be a welcoming change... very well, beardling, you may join me for a bit."

The dwarf heft the butt of his crossbow onto his shoulder with one hand pointing the arrow upwards.

"The name's Josef, Josef Grimsbread, but you I prefer Josef Grinsbeard." the dwarf smiled. "Come now, I am heading to the next city, it's a few days travel. You may yet to learn a thing or two from your elder."

As Josef said that, he once more held the crossbow with two hands and began moving on the same path as he did.

RogueWolf

Dan'l sniffed the breeze and tried not to laugh at the other dwarf, Joseph, being so cautious.  Nothing up ahead, nothing at all.  The thought exited his mind just as another thought burst forth, there was NEVER nothing to smell in a forest.  Something had driven away  the creatures that called the forest home.  How far they had gone was something he hadn't decided just yet.  While his hearing was excellent he depended on it far less than sense of smell in wolf form.  Since his change even that had begun deteriorating.  He paused for a moment straining his ears for the sounds of the forest and found quiet.  Not the tranquil quiet one finds along a river bank or even deep in the woods.  This quiet was an eerie, unsettling quiet.  An unnatural quiet.  Or one brought on by a large predator perhaps. 

The hair on the back of his neck stood upright and Dan'l made a point of drawing a throwing knife in each hand.  They weren't much as far as wepons went but they were what he had, and used.  Being a thief out in the wild... It came with a few downsides.  Then again if it came to it he could always see if the werewolf came out.  It tended to do so when his life was in actual danger.  Dan'l hoped that wouldn't be the case.

"Joseph, there's something here.  Can you hear or see it?"

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

"I hope your not talking about yourself." the dwarf said, only turning his head slightly to the side as he said that, though after a few more paces he stopped and looked back at Dan'l. "Only thing I see is you, and I hear...nothing?"

The dwarf then began glancing around, suspicion on his face, gripping his crossbow tighter. "I don't suppose everything's been scared away by your musk?"

RogueWolf

"My aroma hasn't scared anything off I'm afraid.  I fear that it, and your, might attract something instead.  It's far too..."

Dan'l broke off mid sentence as at the outer ranges of his hearing he could just make out heavy footfalls.  The fact that he could hear them at all causing shivers to race up and down his spine.  Whatever was coming wasn't just big, it was very big.  Whatever it was was getting closer as well.

"We've got company and it's big.  I really hope you know how to use that.  If not we're in trouble" Dan'l said while motioning towards the crossbow. 

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

"Me? Me!?' The dwarf exclaimed. "I had been in this thingaz for days without a problem! It was only until you showed up did it become this quiet! And you have some nerve, beardling! Not just accusing your elder! But ya accusing him of not being able to use his weapon?! For shame! Does your family know that yo..."

The dwarf drowned on with his yelling, but it seemed that his yelling was attracting said big thing. Though, it would appear that he was concerned more with yelling at the beardling, shaking his fist at him in the process.

RogueWolf

Dan'l waited until the other dwarf's eyes were averted before rolling his eyes.  The ranger was like many, many, so many others he had come accross.  All manner of people in love with the sound of their own voices.  Arrogant, opinionated, and to a point worthless.  He shook his head in wonderment that of all the folk to meet out in the woods it would be this one.  Then again Joseph's worth was about to get tested from whatever it was that was coming for them.

Dan'l watched as trees were pushed aside as if they were little more than stalks of grass and an immense figure began blocking out his view of the sun.  Dark scales covered the entirety of the lizardlike beast scales so dark they could have been blue, purple, or black.  The scales may have at one time held a shine but time had taken its toll and the scales no longer held any luster.  The muted colors did little to diminish from the awe inspiring power and majesty of the incredible ecreature though.

Dan'l felt a tremor in both of his hands as he stared up at the oncoming dragon hoping Joseph would have some idea of how to cope with a creature like the one coming for them.

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

"...and further more, ya wazzock! I've seen more battles then ya have in years! Years!" The dwarf shouted at Dan'l, until it felt something breathing from above.

"What is it ya...eh?" THe dwarf began with yelling until he realized what he was looking at, as he slowly looked up. Took him a few seconds to gather his response. "Meh, I've seen bigger."

Then the dwarf took off sprinting, disappearing into the foliage, as the monster roared at where Josef was.

RogueWolf

Dan'l stood frozen in fear watching the dragon approach until the creature unleashed a massive roar.  From what felt like down in the depths of his feet he felt an answering roar whell up before being unleashed.  Part roar and part animalistic howl of rage it tore loose from his body even as his body began the transformation from dwarf to werewolf.

The throwing knives dropped from his hands as his hands enlarged and fingertips sprouted three inch long razor sharp claws.  Fur burst out all over his body and Dan'l could feel the pain of bones growing and reshaping as his body grew two feet taller, his face elongated and became more canine, and muscle mass grew all over the new body.  Werewolf and dragon stared at each other for a long moment before the dragon drew in a large breath of air and exhaled a noxious green cloud.

Dan'l didn't think, didn't hesitate, but did react.  The werewolf form was quick, very quick.  It rushed forward underneath the stream of gass coming forth from the dragon's mouth.  Going toe to toe with a creature as large as the dragon was suicidal to say the least but the werewolf didn't care.  It began to tear first into one of the dragon's feet and then into the back of one of the dragon's knees.

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

A nearby tree began to sway voiently, but it's foliage blocked the direct view, making it seem like there was somthing crawling on the inside. A few moments later, the violent swaying stopped.

Suddenly a crossbow bolt flew out of the tree's foliage, finding it's mark into the dragon's left eye.

The dragon recoiled backwards, howling in pain by the doubl attacks.


RogueWolf

The dragon's recoil from Joseph's attack almost had disatrous results for Dan'l as he was almost squashed by one of the dragon's legs.  His quick reflexes saved him from that unfortunate demise.  A few more swipes into the back of the dragon's knee and the werewolf decided to change legs.  It moved to the other front leg seeing more and more weight was being put on the leg in front of it it howled triumphantly before tearing into the back of the knee with tooth and claw.

A shower of scales flew from behind the dragon's leg as first the scales and then the skin behind them was sawed through.  Flesh and then muscle and sinew gave way the dragon roaring in equal parts pain and frustration at the loss of an eye, the loss of both of it's legs, and the inability to do anything about it.  Knowing it had nothing to lose it attempted to squish the bug that had caused it so much pain. 

Dan'l was barely able to roll out from underneath the dragon before it came crashing to the ground.  A split second later the dragon's mouth grazed the top of his head as it attempted to remove his head from his body.  "Down but not out" Dan'l growled out loud before leaping onto the side of the beast and heading for the dragon's neck.  The dragon could feel the werewolf's weight on its back and must have known it was going for a killing blow.  Over and over again the dragon flexed its body undulating it in a variety of unatural movents attempting to throw the little bastard free.  Each time Dan'l lashed out with his claws and managed to hold on.

Elector Count of WAAAGH!

Another crossbow bolt flew out of the trees, piercing the scales and impaling itself into the dragon.

THe dragon roared again, but it was only met by another arrow to the other eye. The dragon was now blinded, but it was not done. It began to rolling by his sides, trying to crush the bug like a steamroller and get away from the shower of bolts.

RogueWolf

Whipped back and forth by the force of the dragon trying to be rid of him Dan'l through his weight around riding the dragon as if it were a stallion in need of breaking.  A particularly violent thrust from the dragon sent him flying forward and he was just able to grasp the bottom of the dragon's jaw with one hand to avoid falling to the ground.  With his free hand he reached up and sank claws into the other side of the giant lizard's jaw.  Dan'l jumped from this perch up higher his claws sinking into the dragon's snout and then with his free hand the werewolf grabbed hold of one of the fired bolts. 

The dragon roared and thrashed with each hit it had taken each movement threatening to shake the pest loose.  It could smell and feel the werewolf as it hung from its jaws even made a few snaps at it to no avail.  It tried to drag the side of its face along the ground to rid it of the parasite but that didn't work either.  A momentary freedom from the creature's weight gave the dragon a momentary relieve but it didn't last.  Claws sank into its snout causing the dragon to inhale another breath.  There was nowhere for the insolent werewolf to go now.  It was as dead as the dragon was blind.

The werewolf's hand gripped the bolt and thrust foward with all of its might.  The bolt went past the dragon's eyesockets and deep, deep into the cranial cavity.  Blood and brains oozed out from around the shaft as the dragon finally fell to the ground dead.  As it did Dan'l let go of the bolt and fell to the ground.  His body began changing back to dwarven form before it even hit the ground.  When it hit it hit with a dull thud.  His crumpled body lay still but breathing beside the mamoth dragon.