[Plot] Monster Hunter Rise

[Fel]

Will hold here, Tamsk relayed dutifully to Thornsk. She glanced to the side briefly, keeping her attention mostly on the tunnelsnake, which lashed out at her again as the others closed in. She roared, trying to bite at it as it backed up again. Mawsk on this side too.

The green was limping, unable to put much weight on her hind leg, but that was so excuse for backing down. Besides, she had Tam for backup. She knew her handler could use that spear—she'd practiced. One never knew what might be needed to defend the Weyr. Case in point: an enormous tunnelsnake, apparently.

Her focus slipped a bit, and she missed the moment of the arrow hitting the tunnelsnake. That was... odd. She could smell the ichor, some her own, some belonging to something that wasn't a wher. Different sort of smell. The tunnelsnake darted toward Mawsk. It was time to defend her fellow when. Tamsk started forward, jaws wide.

Her other back leg gave out in a sudden limp weakness and she fell heavily. What... How...?

Tam had felt, vaguely, the slight fuzzing to Tamsk's senses. She had to force the green's panic out of her mind as she fell. She stepped forward with her spear, trying to stay out of Mawkin's way. The two whers clearly needed protecting, and Tam had more reach than the creature did. Barely. Of course, whether a spear—even one meant for hunting large game—would be enough if it decided to look her way... well, she had to hope it didn't.

"Come on," she muttered under her breath, waiting on the others circling.

[Dragon]

Goranask circled with the rest, teeth bared. He and Vesk were the largest whers here, but Vella was Captain of the Weyr Guard and so Giana and Goranask would follow, fighting with spear and tooth and claw to defend the Weyr and kill the beast that had dared attack eggs.

Then Tamsk fell, and Goranask shifted his position to try to partially shelter the green with his bulk. Danger from snake. Careful, careful. They needed to kill the thing, and do so quickly.

[FirebrandPhlox]

The tunnelsnake lashed at Mawsk, biting down on the wher's leg. Mawsk hissed, rearing back and wrenching herself free from the reptile's jaws. The bite stung, as hot and angry as the wher felt in that moment. She landed back on all fours, but quickly lifted the forepaw that had been attacked. The pain was too much to support her weight on the leg, but not enough to keep her from fighting, from fulfilling her duty to the weyr.

Mawkin steadied herself from atop her wher. She could feel the burning pain Mawsk was experiencing, this did not feel like an average wound. She couldn't fret over that now though. The sooner they dispatched the tunnelsnake, the sooner the wounds could be treated. Mawkin let loose another arrow at the tunnelsnake, frustration rising within her as the other hunters lagged behind the action.

"We need to fight it, now! She yelled at the hunting party as she pulled another arrow from her quiver. Even if no one else would attack, she would keep firing at the tunnelsnake until it was confirmed dead. This was exactly why she didn't like working as a team. Too much waiting to coordinate, not enough action.

[Windra]

The tunnelsnake was lashing out and Mawsk became a second victim. Radask lurched before Radagast gave him a forceful slap on the back. Don't! he hissed. We're a rescue team, not a combat one! This thing has venom!

The old man had little more than a dagger Radask had his fangs, of course ... Basic life support training between the two of them and not much else but a knowledge of the land's lay. They would not be useful without making themselves moving targets. Plus, the creature was in the brush. Covered. Concealed. Leaping in would be a fool's game!

They in danger! Need help! But ... Radask couldn't argue. He understood. He was a faithful, loyal companion. And he listened. But the itch to do something was strong. They had to think fast. Distraction. Mawkin has bow. Get snek's attention.

Sounds good, old friend. How, though? Fire? No, the jungle would be ablaze or it would be far too damp to ignite without smoldering. Of course, this was a jungle ... ! And there were trees! Including the one sitting on the edge of the undergrowth. Radagast looked up. Were there - ? YES! Fruit - some of those odd, curved yellow ones that grew in bunches. Strike the tree as hard as you can!

Thornsk! Let's get snek attention so others attack with bow! Maybe they could bite the creature's tail or something, or find another way to hold it's eyes. Radask hauled onto his hindquarters while his handler held on tight - thrusting hard first with his forepaws and then, when it gave no quarter, clambering down to slam his whole body weight against the offending flora, willing the fruit to fall down hard on the creature. Strike when snek turns! Radask hollered, trying hard to split his attention between his attempt and the attacking beast. He had to leap out of the way if it went after them!

[nineofswords]

Thornsk slowed down just long enough for Rosethorn to slip off her back and then picked the pace up once more, her three-legged gait not slowing her down in the slightest. Rosethorn ran straight for the downed green. She was no healer, but she knew her first aid, and growing up on a farm meant she'd seen snake bites. She pulled off one of her leather straps and started to tighten it around the green's leg above the bite. "This ain't gonna feel nice, but it'll stop the poison spreading further." She hoped, anyway. Hoped she wasn't too late. Next would be figuring out how the forsk she was supposed to elevate this damn leg.

Thornsk's attention, meanwhile, was entirely on the tunnelsnake. Why distract when can kill? the garnet asked at Radask's shouted plan. She didn't break stride as she bodily launched herself at the tunnelsnake, claws and teeth aimed for as many of its vital points as she could feasibly reach. At least she'd had the sense to position the snake between herself and Mawkin so the human could get a cleaner shot.

[Dragon]

Another wher bitten. Giana winced at that; hopefully, the poison would be something that the Healers could deal with once they made it back to the Weyr.

There was no more time to spare for thought on that now. They had to take down this monster that had invaded the Weyr and attacked eggs on the sands. The Weyr could not allow this creature to live.

Gi hefted her spear, ignoring Mawkin's overeagerness. She intended for herself and Goranask to get out of this in one piece, which meant attacking carefully, in a team, not by lashing out on one's own.

Careful, careful, Goranask admonished, a slight grumble in his voice at the antics of the younger whers. Must kill snake, not be killed.

At least Radagast and Radask were thinking. The attempt to distract the snake was possibly useful. Goranask snarled at the beast, watching for a point of attack. Distract so can kill, he responded to Thornsk, lunging at the tunnelsnake while carefully trying to avoid its jaws.

[Fel]

Tamsk snarled at Rosethorn as she pulled the strap tight, trying to pull her leg away but unable to. This was a waste of time. Whatever happened to her would happen. No, she growled, showing her teeth. Deal snake first. First rule first aid: safe scene. Then rest.

People were always bad at following that rule. They wanted to help, which was laudable, but at the same time they put themselves and others in danger by ignoring the environment they were in to do it. A tunnelsnake wouldn't care if someone was administering first aid if their back was turned and they seemed like an opportune target.

Tam glanced up at the tree Radask was busy attacking instead of the tunnelsnake and tried not to roll her eyes. Really, he thought falling fruit would be more distracting than being attacked by a wher? When Thornsk attacked she did so too, moving forward and stabbing at the tunnelsnake with her spear.

[Windra]

If the others wanted to be blockheads about getting right into the thick of it, let them be! But Radagast was far from the sort who'd be willing to turn his back on comrades even if they disagreed. Radask lunged once - twice - five. When six slams scratched against the blue's flesh, a resounding CRACK! tore through the area. The whine of strain. If the fruits wouldn't fall, the tree would! And both would provide an ample distraction. At least the latter had the chance of crushing the blasted serpent!

"Lay it on me about how foolish my tactics are after we get back alive!" he hollered. There was no time to relay how difficult this battle was. The others wanted to fight. The tunnelsnake had the cover of bushes and getting too close meant that it would sink its fangs into them next. Their foe was larger than usual, but the creatures were no doubt nimble even in their oversized form. What's worse, how much more potent was the venom? Surely this tunnelsnake did not survive on small vermin. Radagast was willing to bet it hunted spotties out here in the wild!

Meaning whers were fair game!