Just a Flesh Wound

[Draconian]

@hades

Taich had been running for what felt like days. By all rights she should be tired. Beat. Exhausted. Her legs should hurt and her lungs should hurt but... The bow. The snarky bow kept those from her. She'd been chasing a tid-bit of information, mentions of a large beast in the woods and she'd caught sight of it once or twice, fueled by rage and the whispered poison from the bow, Taich pursued.

It was now that she was kneeling on the ground, careful of the twigs and bits on the forest floor. Bow ready to be drawn back. To her, it was shadows. Sure Tristan kept the hunger and the exhaustion at bay, but he couldn't keep it away forever, as much as Taich wished he could.  Sometimes it would be days before she slept, but when she did she was out. Only when it was safe. Only around other people.

Taich didn't like being alone with the bow.

A brief movement in the distance and she carefully grabbed one of those twigs, holding it carefully between her fingers. From the string, black oil swirled around it and it turned into what looked like an obsidian arrow. A trick, Tristan told her, it wouldn't be the arrow forever. Long enough to pierce flesh. Long enough to do it's job.

"I see it."

Tristan whispered, the sight of the bow switching between a fanged mouth and a large eye between a blink and lips closing.

"I don't," she replied, keeping sight carefully in the distance. "Wait," Another tug to give the arrow more power and she exhaled.

"There."

and the arrow flew and by the time Taich realized it wasn't the beast she was seeking, it was too late and she could only watch in horror while Tristan gave a hearty laugh.

[hades]

@Draconian

It wasn't as cold today, so much so that the mountain air felt warm on his shoulders. The day was nice and Caleb had planned to enjoy it to the best of his ability. The villages were kind in the mountains, not as hard pressed on the passage of strangers and even stranger mounts. Maybe he'd stay here a little longer, take a rest and learn a few more spells. It was a promising idea that he never could commit too.

"Shhh." He whispered as his mount, Gryphon, stopped in place and scratched its claws against the hard soil beneath them. It chirped and shook its head, rattling the bridle. The noise resounded against the trees, reminding Caleb of the eerie quiet. Gryph chirped again, this time backing a few steps. It sat against a boulder, forcing Caleb between the two.

"That's not very nice." He moaned. He released the reigns and crawled out from behind the beast. Guess they were stopping for a few moments then. He smiled weakly as he scratched the beak of his mount before stepping away to stretch his arms and legs.

"What do you think, Gryph, should we stay here or keep going?"

He hunched over and his form elongated and altered until a wolf stood in his place. He paced a few times, he just wanted to stretch after all. He didn't mean to stay in the form long. In fact he was standing and changing back in a matter of moments. At least until an arrow pierced his arm. In reaction he fell to the ground with a flurry of pain.

So much for a nice day.

"Gryph, c'mere!" He managed to shout as he lay on the ground. He grabbed hold of the beast's neck to hoist himself up, wincing in pain. He'd have to figure out a plan fast.

[Draconian]

"Tristan!" Taich yelled at the bow, glaring at it before she threw it to the ground with a quiet grunt. Asshole. Such an asshole! For a creature that was little more than a parasitic bow he sure knew how to make a nuisanse of himself. The cry she'd heard was strange and she rushed towards the creature she'd shot, alarmed further when she'd heard a voice.

Hair whipping behind her while she ran, eyes wide. Did she hit someone?

Rounding the trees, she saw what she'd hit and stared.

The creature being leaned on had her stare, confused and alarmed, thinking she'd shot the horse-like-bird-thing but then she saw the arrow and Taich went pale.

"I'm sorry," She rushed out, reaching forward with her hands, though she stopped short at the last minute, "I ... I thought I saw something, I thought it was something else, I'm so sorry." Taich cast a brief glance over her shoulder, frowning at the obsidian bow perched against the tree she was closest too.

Tristan always found a way back. Always.

"Please. Let me help," Again she reached forward.