Nature's Course

[Miles]

Only the faintest glimpse of a silhouette was enough to let him know that something was wrong. There it was again, moving along the exposed curve of a hill, slowly, stealthily; now it stopped! Cold eyes reflected what faint light managed to trickle down through the heavy canopy, and now he knew, instinctually what to do.

Dirt flew into the heavy air as the owlbear’s claws rent the ground, propelling the one ton beast forward with alarming alacrity. As the distance to his target closed, the owlbear saw more clearly what he faced. The shine of polished wood framed a lithe, elven body; a quarterstaff in the right hand, and something else hidden in the palm of the left. Confident that his bulk would plow the small intruder into the ground, the enraged owlbear raised his speed, committing to the charge.

When the distance between the two combatants narrowed to a body length, the elf dropped to a crouch and rolled to the side, coming to his feet next to and slightly behind the beast. As he finished his roll, he flung the pine needles hidden in his left hand into the flank and neck of the owlbear. Skidding to a halt, hissing in pain from the empoisoned needles, the owlbear faced off with his opponent.

The elf stood again, impassive, quarterstaff gripped lightly in two hands. Quick as a viper’s strike, the owlbear rushed, swiping at the offending elf with claws like daggers. The attack was met with a jarring block from the staff, followed by a sliding jab at the beast’s midsection. The elf and owlbear continued this dance for a short while, until the quarterstaff was too slow to come up, and the creature’s claws found home on the elf’s upper arm. Only the elf’s wooden armor saved him from grievous harm, transferring the force of the attack into a glancing blow that threw him from his feet and numbed his left arm. Seeing his opponent stretched out on the ground with nowhere to go, the owlbear paused, savoring the ecstasy of the moment, before he in turn was hit by a driving blow.

Claws, rending and ripping struggled for purchase on the owlbear’s thick skin, while a powerful jaw clamped onto the beast’s well muscled neck. Afforded a brief distraction, the elf discarded his staff, drawing a fine dagger from its thigh sheath. Just as the owlbear threw its new attacker, a rather large shaggy creature, from its back, the elf struck with his dagger, opening a wide gash from ribs to hip. Roaring in pain, the owlbear leaned in the direction of the attack, grasping too late for the elusive elf, and earning itself a new wound in the process.

Again, the shaggy animal and its sharp teeth intervened, leaping onto the owlbear’s back. Thus encumbered, the owlbear went into a fury, swinging madly in the direction of his attackers. Like lightning, the elf’s long dagger flashed; once, twice, thrice. Face frozen into an expression of disbelief, the owlbear’s last vision was of the elf’s features, twisted into a grimace as he cleanly administered the final blow.

The elf’s powerful animal ally detached itself from the owlbear’s back as it fell, landing on all fours and revealing itself as a large, well muscled wolf, aged enough to sport the bony and armored spine that, along with its great size, marked it as a dire animal. The elf’s face softened as he knelt to check the wolf’s body for injuries, long delicate fingers directing healing magic to close the wounds. After standing and retrieving his staff, he wiped the killing dagger clean on the owlbear’s hide and slid it back into its sheath.

Still for a long moment, the elf finally spoke in the tongue of the Tel’Quessir, his clear voice breaking the hush of the wood.

“May nature take heed of my actions and follow my course, for the people cannot lose this great forest to the enemies that are to come”

The forest, disturbed only for a short while from its brooding silence, watched with interest as the elf and his companion blended back into the trees, continuing their incessant patrol.

[Squamatus]

Excellent.










pger

[Mizbiz]

Great job, Miles.