RP:Bird or Bull

Summary: Meri convinces Magik and Futsuka to join her on a hunt as an admissions test for both the Ranger's Guild and the Adventurer's Guild. They are hunting a benu, to fill a request for a blacksmith named Nikola.

Treehouse D’Chath

Meri is aware that at some point they will be expecting a guest, she was literally standing right next to Magik when that map was sent off and these plans were made. With so many plans for hunting on the agenda, the one place that we’re not going to find Meri is at Magik’s poolside bar. As much as Meri likes her whiskey, she knows better than to dull her senses when they could set off for one of these hunts on a whim. Today Meri can be found in the common room, standing in front of the mantle that holds all of the pictures of Magik’s family. The blonde is studying them in silence while trying to figure out if she could place any of their faces. This is done while Meri takes an unlit cigarette from behind her ear and moves it to her lips. She doesn’t attempt to light it up yet, as she is in the habit of at least stepping outside...but Meri’s next stop is the main entrance of Magik’s place.

Magik can be found at the head of the dining room table. He appears to be finishing up putting some new heads on a few arrows. Next to the arrows is a thin leather piece of cloth with a different assortment of knives and daggers, probably for some butchering should it be required. As the elf finishes up securing the last arrow to its shaft, he looks up Meri admiringly as she studies his family statues and paintings. He smiles to himself as he attaches a couple small daggers to his waist. The rest of the knives are rolled up and placed in his backpack. Magik then starts going over his completed arrows, making sure the points are nice and secure.

Futsuka turns the map Magik had sent to her over in her clawed hands, her scarlet hued eyes tracing over the location it was alluding to her to approach. It could not be denied that the albino feline was suspicious of this invitation, but as a huntress of the wilds, Futsuka Swiftclaw would not be deterred by some potential trap or deception. Dressed in a white kosode and red hakama, with ribbons adorning her snow-white hair of the same colors, Futsuka seeks out the supposed treehouse. Tightly gripping her yumi longbow, which was fastened around her lithe shoulders, the feline pushes through the trees and brush, coming to a stop at the foot of Magik’s home. Keen eyes narrow upwards and her button nose sniffs at the air. This didn’t seem like a trap but Futsuka could be sure. To her there was only one way to find out… “Hello?” Futsuka calls up to the house, making no attempts to climb the ladder and knock on the door. “I come bearing the mark of the Phoenix,” She holds up the letter with Magik’s wax seal as proof. “Is anybody here?”

Meri steals a glance toward Magik as she moves toward the door, just in time to catch him looking at her. There is a smile for the elf, but the knock that comes on the door stops the blonde from trying to distract Magik from his preparations. There is a slight lift of her brow but she doesn’t announce that she’s ‘on it’ this time as she has in the past, it was already obvious she was moving that direction. Because Meri was already pretty dang close to the front door, Futsuka won’t be waiting for someone to answer the door long at all. Just a matter of seconds really. Meri’s initial once over of Futsuka is a stoic one, if only because she doesn’t recognize the woman. There was something familiar about this feline, but Meri couldn’t quite place her finger on what it was. It is going to take her a little bit to figure out who this particular woman reminds her of. Some amount of recognition comes when she spies that familiar letter and a grin is soon pulling at her red lips. “Futsuka, I am guessing?” She steps out of the way both so that Futsuka can step inside and so that Magik can catch a glimpse of their latest house guest. “Come on in.” That cigarette Meri was thinking about would have to wait, and it was tucked back behind her ear for safekeeping until the group actually moved outside. “Magik says you are quite the hunter and we’ve got a proposition for you.”

Magik pokes at a few arrow tips to ensure their sharpness before filling his quiver with them. Arrows. Check. Bow? Oh that was leaning against his chair. He grabs his bow then scoots his seat back. He holds the bow between his feet as he gets ready to throw a fresh string on there. But first, Futsuka's appearance. He leans to the side to get a look towards the main entrance, "Long time no see, Futs.." He'll let Meri handle her own introduction. Bows to restring and all. First the bottom is tied secured. Then the top. Done. The elf places his bow on the table infront of him next to his quiver and backpack. He then heads into the kitchen, "Tea, anyone?"

Futsuka regards Meri carefully, the hair on the back of her neck raising slightly as the scent of lycan meets her nose. “He did, did he? Yes, I am known as Futsuka of the Swiftclaw tribe, but I will have to know more about this… proposition before I agree.” The feline hides her discomfort like wearing a mask, red eyes shifting away from the woman to gaze inside. Futsuka takes another sniff at the air, confirming Magik was inside before she steps through the threshold. Inside the feline can detect other scents, those of Magik’s students, friends, and family, one of whom she recognizes as Karasu’s. A slight smile turns up the corners on her mouth, but she makes no indication of this discovery as she seeks out the man she is here to see. As Magik gives her his informal greeting, Futsuka bows in response, “It has indeed been a long time…” As she raises she gives him a suspicious glance. “So long that there seems to be something different about you.” Futsuka turns to follow after him into the kitchen area. “The stench of undead… It no longer taints you. Were you able to break the vampire curse?” Not wanting to appear rude, the archer takes a step back away from Magik and folds her hands on her abdomen. “Tea? Well I…” She glances towards Meri and then back at the elf, an uneasy air around her. “Perhaps just one cup, unsweetened, and then you can tell me what this proposal is and why you need a hunter like myself.”

Meri couldn’t help the smirk that formed across her lips as she watches Futsuka, but as mischievous as Meri can be at times, she manages to mind her manners. Well, they are minded as far as Meri goes. The blonde follows Futsuka, moving from the front door and toward the table that Magik just left, where they were presumably going to have their tea. A chair claimed next to where Magik was working and while she waits for the elf to return, Meri attempts to entertain Futsuka a bit. “My own name is Meri,” she’s never been in the habit of throwing her last name or any titles around, “And I will happily explain the details of this proposition, once everyone gets all settled and caught up.” The blonde has picked up on the fact that it might have been a minute since Futsuka and Magik have seen each other. This hunt was of interest to her, but she didn’t want to deny the two long time friends a moment to catch up. “It’s a pretty harmless request though. We were just hoping you would join us on a hunt…” Meri pauses her, shifting her gaze to the kitchen as she waits for Magik to return with that tea, realizing a bit late that she never actually told him if she wanted any or not. She was distracted with trying to introduce herself to Futsuka. Whoops.

Magik nods his head then smiles proudly, "The curse of Elazul is broken, yes. And what a ride it was.." The elf then goes about making a cup of tea for everyone present. Unsweetened for Futsuka and a very subtle hint of whiskey in Meri's. Magik's? Just a bit of honey in his. Nothing fancy. He finally returns with everyone's tea and makes himself comfortable in his chair while scooting his things on the table out of the way. He then adds, "It should be a relatively simple hunt, to be honest. Plus, I thought it'd be good excuse to see an old friend." Time to sip on that tea while Meri pitches the hunt to Futsuka.

Futsuka ‘s ears twitch as the mention of a hunt and he two scarlet eyes grow in curiosity. “A hunt?” The feline cannot deny her love for the hunt, finding more solace alone in the wilderness than with people in towns and cities. Meri officially had her attention. “Please, Meri was it? Please go on.” Futsuka takes the first seat available, across from the lycan. She gives a polite smile to Magik as he joins them at the table, sliding her cup to cool before her. “What sort of quarry shall we be after? I have traveled all throughout Lithrydel, from coast to coast, highest mountain to most remote, lifeless reaches of the desert; Any beasts that are there will be a simple matter to hunt and slay… provided that you are not getting me involved in poaching.” She throws a suspicious look to Magik. “I know that you drag my niece along with those troublemakers you hang out with- the Monster of Black Pond, no less. I will not be involved in any unsavory or illegal activities.” The smile that was once present has evaporated into a stern expression.

Meri flashes Magik a warm smile to show her appreciation when she’s presented with tea, with just a hint of whiskey at that. Good man. She doesn’t need to have a sip to know that he put it in, she can smell it. The tea is given a few moments to cool and Meri uses this chance to start the pitch to Futsuka. Some of what Futsuka says is ignored for the sake of the situation. Monster of the Black Pond? Meri would normally be quick to defend Quintessa, but she instead stills her tongue on that subject and looks toward Magik. It was his friend. Meri instead keeps focus on the subject at hand, as much as she can. “Your niece?” Meri gives Futsuka another once over. “Karasu? I thought you looked a bit familiar…” The blonde pauses to sip from her tea before she goes on. Another look toward Magik, this time because she needed a bit of a morality check. At least she’s not trying to pretend she’s all squeaky clean and good. “I don’t think this is a case of poaching, but you two are perfectly capable of judging for yourselves. The Adventurer’s Guild received a request for several hunts. I’ve roped Magik into helping and now we are hoping that you might be interested as well. The request is a paying one and for the wings of some form of firebird. I think a benu would be suitable. We need to bring back two wings. If we are efficient hunters, we probably only need to claim the life of one of them. As far as I am aware, there are no protections against the benu that would make this poaching.” A brow is lifted. “I was also thinking that...I need more friends within the Ranger’s Guild and I was hoping that the both of you would be interested, as this hunt could serve dual functions and count towards admission as well…”

Magik is sarcastically taken back by Futsuka's words, "Wow, Futsuka..That "monster"," Magik does air quotes, "isn't that bad and I never put Karasu in situations I know she can't handle. You'd be proud of her..I sure as hell am." Magik brings his tea to his lips and mutters loudly on purpose, "You want to talk illegal hunts.." He smirks behind his cup. After his sip, the cup returns to the table and Magik chimes in once more, "This is definitely legitimate. And will be done humanely, of course. Just like the old days. Respect for the hunt. Respect for the creature." Magik nods assuringly. Meri's words did catch him a little off guard. He tilts his head at his lady then nods without hesitation, "I think getting back to my roots would be good for the soul. It'd be a little refreshing instead of constantly worrying about..," He pauses and rethinks his words, "...work all of the time." His fiery dark eyes look at Futsuka, " There might be a few rangers who need some work on their shot, eh Futsuka?" He bases this on absolutely no knowledge of any members in the guild at all. Just a little cockiness, to be honest.

Futsuka cannot contain the feeling of pride growing within when Meri mentions Karasu, and she smiles quietly to herself as she lifts her cup of tea from the table with both hands. “Yes indeed, the last daughter of our tribe- though she was stolen away by that fiend in the magic tower and made to learn forbidden practices.” The look of pride shifts rapidly into an expression of scorn, one meant for Kaaname Tsuji who used to teach at the Xalious Tower. Futsuka pauses to raise the tea to her lips, testing the temperature before slowly setting it back down. “If this is a guild matter then I expect that it is all legal. Why would someone do illegal activities with so many eyes watching? That would be silly.” A very Karasu-like, smug smile appears on the feline’s face, one that was all too cat-looking for either of their own good. “I have been meaning to join a guild. I was hoping to find a place among the healers, but the rangers and adventurers sound like good groups. I will gladly accept this admission test.” Scarlet eyes flicker over to Magik, a brow raising at his reaction to the mention of Quintessa. She parts her lips to speak but then holds her tongue. She did not wish to have that argument here and now, but the subject of the changeling and her honeyed words would not soon be forgotten. Somebody had to recognize that what the Countess had to say was as poisonous as it was sweet. However, Futsuka had her priorities and acquiring membership in a guild where her skills would be put to good use were much higher. “I am glad to hear you say that, Magikrios, idleness does indeed breed mischief. It will be good to do honest work, like hunting, again.” She looks at Meri. “So, when should we leave? There are benu that live in the Xalious Mountains not far from here.”

Meri wiggles her brows to Magik when he starts talking about rangers working on their shot. No doubt she had some sort of typically Meri remark to go along with this, but she is quickly distracted by Futsuka. It’s probably for the best. It was probably some flirtatious innuendo that might offend Futsuka’s all prim and proper sensibilities. As it were, they were already trying to skirt away from the tense subject of discussing Quintessa. No further mention of her adopted niece is made, so Meri presses the subject on. A practiced smile forms across red lips as the blonde presses forward with the matters at hunt. “No, I definitely cannot have you worry about work all the time,” Meri agrees with Magik, a bit less Futsuka. What is wrong with a bit of mischief? This is not a topic that Meri pursues at this moment though. The blonde instead empties her tea cup and moves to stand from her seat. She’ll take her empty cup to the kitchen as soon as she’s done chatting, “Now, if the both of you are ready. Xalious is exactly where I was thinking that this hunt would take place and while it is not dreadfully far,” not compared to some places in the land, “I’ve horses ready for us to help make the trip there faster.” Leave picking the method of transportation to the horse girl and she’s going to try and put you on a horse. Futsuka could probably smell the beasts on her way into the treehouse. “And if there are any supplies you’d like to bring for this?” Well Meri gestures with a wave of her hand to all the preparations that Magik has been up to. “I am sure we have what you might need here. I’ll let the man of the house answer those questions.”

Magik 's PTSD kicks in almost immediately. A guild doing illegal things? Never. Ever. Cue the flashbacks. Mainly the one when Magik led the wrong man to death but at the same time it was also necessary. Yikes. Magik almost chokes on his tea. One cough and then he's up from his seat trying to stifle any future coughing fits. He covers his face and waves to signal he's alright. From in the kitchen he stares at the fireplace, trying to focus on something else. Don't cough. Don't cough. Don't cough. The elf starts coughing again but it somehow turns into a cough/laughing sort. "Oh God. I'm ready when you guys are. The dry air. Tea. Guild. I'm ready whenever." The elf looks to his love with watery eyes. A hand covers his mouth to hold back another coughing fit. How embarrassing! Magik turns away and leans over the kitchen counter. He quietly says to himself, "This is where I die.." Finally the elf clears his throat then returns to the dining area. Whether or not Futsuka and Meri are ready to go, he's still going to clean up his mess from the table.

Futsuka listens to Meri and nods her head, confirming what the feline had suspected they were headed. As a native of the Xalious Range the huntress had hunted these giant birds more than once, though that was a long time ago, in her youth. Nowadays the painful memories of her deceased tribe followed her when she traveled through her ancestral home, but she would put those emotions aside as she had so many times in the past. Now was not the time to dwell on things that could not be rectified. Futsuka rises from her seat, adjusting the bow and quiver strapped to her back. “I have all that I need; A good bow and the eyes of a marksman. I- Magik, are you alright?” The feline cannot hide her concern despite him giving the signal that he was fine, a few timid steps allowing her to follow after him before she turns back to Meri with a frown. “Die? Why would he be dying?” Her keen feline ears could easily hear what was only meant to be said in private, but as the elf moves to return to the dining room she reaches out to stop him. “Magik, is this a sickness of the mind or a sickness of the body? I can help you with either.” Futsuka draws her hand back, afraid she has been too presumptuous. “Nevermind, perhaps I should ready the horses.” She gives Meri one last glance and heads for the door, ready to escape this awkward situation.

Meri is just a little bit confused by Magik’s sudden coughing fit, that is to say the least. The planning for this had been going fairly smoothly, it was just an oversized bird that they were after for this one. Much like Futsuka, Meri could hear everything that Magik was muttering to himself in the kitchen. He’s going to have to try a little harder if he doesn’t want either wolf or feline to overhear him. Meri had more of a mindset to keep this knowledge to herself, but Futsuka just goes and calls him out. Oh geez. “He’s...not dying. He’s not allowed, against the rules. I said.” Meri answer is not a helpful one, in truth she’s not really sure what this fit is about. Futsuka makes her exit to tend to the horses and Meri will not stop the feline. It would not be hard for Futsuka to locate the three horses, none of them currently saddled and ready for a trip. There would be plenty to keep the feline busy while Meri tried to investigate what was up with Magik. She wouldn’t press the subject too hard in this moment, for now he’d only have to deal with Meri sliding up next to him and leaning in close while asking, “You good? Are you sure you are up for this?” If he was, Meri would help him haul all the gear they had prepared for the purpose of this hunt from the treehouse and down to ground level with Futsuka.

Magik appreciates Futsuka's concern, "I'm fine. I swear. Tea went down wrong." As Fut makes her exit, Magik slips into a chair even though he's going to pop up in a second, "I'm fine, babe. I just forgot how, innocent, Futsuka can be. And it was just some comedic timing, at least for me." The elf takes a deep breath then gets to his feet once more, kissing Meri on the cheek while he does so. Backpack thrown over his shoulder, bow in hand, all is good, "Pitter patter. Let's get at 'er." With the wiggle of his eyebrows, he heads to the treehouse door to open it for Meri, "Have everything love?" The door is secured behind the couple and Magik is quick to hop down to help saddle up some horses.

Futsuka normally travelled by foot, she could cover much more ground not encumbered by the need to take designated paths, but it would be nice to ride a horse for a change. With a few clicks and whistles, the feline manages to gain the attention of the horses, bribing them with a few apples from her pack to make them more friendly to a stranger. Assuming the horses were well trained, Futsuka would have the trio gathered below the tree in a matter of moments, ready to be saddled as soon as Meri and Magik arrived with the gear. Once they were saddled Futsuka would climb into her designated saddle and turn westward, back home to the Xalious Mountains.

Northern Range

Meri would have done her best to have secured trained horses for both Magik and Futsuka. For herself, she is riding the gray mare that Meri has had in her care for years. While traveling out to Xalious, Meri would take the time to try and educate Magik and Futsuka as best as she could on the guild(s) that they were about to join. Less time was spent on talking about what the guilds were about but she’d tell them a bit about members, not that she expects them to remember. Maybe they’d retain some names at least? It was just something to talk about during the ride. When they reached the Xalious area, the horses would not be left out in the middle of the wilds for some bandits to discover and steal. The trio would first approach a hunting lodge. It did not look like anyone was home, but Meri must be comfortable with whoever owned this property for she is not shy of putting the stables to good use. If Futsuka is concerned, Meri would promise that the space belonged to a friend and they were welcome. Once the horses were safe and everyone had their gear, Meri would lead them away from the property and deeper into Xalious. The temperature was colder where they were, even if they were in the warmer months of the year, and the ground was steep and rocky. Those not paying attention to where they step could easily slip on this terrain. While there were numerous trees in the mountainous region, it’s not likely that the bird they were searching for would be nesting in one of them. It was far too large. Meri doesn’t seem to be offering much help to the two prospective rangers from this point forward. It made sense, this was their admissions test. She knew from watching Magik that he was already more than capable in this regard and trusted his opinion on Futsuka, so she did not feel the need to hand hold them. “Well...shoot. I think I am suffering from a case of amnesia and have forgotten everything I used to know about tracking.” Lies. “So. If I were an oversized bird...where would I be?”

Magik 's horse ride was relatively quiet. He didn't bring up any particular subjects but he did chime in when necessary. He did fill in Futsuka in regards to him no longer being a vampire. It felt good to just enjoy the ride, close his eyes occasionally, and let his horse simply follow Meri towards Xalious. Arriving at the lodge, the elf gives the place a look over. Was this the same lodge he almost burnt down at the start of his sickness? As the horses are put away, he looks around the property. Oops. Magik reaches to his neck and pulls up his face covering. This was the same lodge he mentioned while recapping his vampiric story. The elf still felt guilty about the incident that happened here almost a year ago. His uneasiness was obvious. As they finally start to make their way away from the lodge, he can focus once more. As the altitude rose, Magik would take his quiver out of his pack at one point to secure to his back for this particular adventure. With his bow in hand, his fiery eyes start scanning the trails and trees. If not for the benu, for anything that could be hunting them as they trekked up the mountain range. "If I were a large bird, I wouldn't want to depend on tree branches to hold my weight. Up in the rocks, perhaps.." Magik then looks to Futsuka for reassurance or a teaching lesson.

Futsuka had been quiet too for the most part, but she made sure to mention that she had been on some sort of pilgrimage and it had brought her to Cenril, though she had no idea where she was meant to head next. Keeping the feline communities in the city safe from undead was sufficient enough a purpose thus far, but she still felt that she was simply getting distracted. Once the horses were saddled then Futsuka would become more focused, her feline eyes shifting to let in more light. “No tree is big enough for the benu,” Futsuka agrees, “And benu burn too hot for the tree. They nest high, where their flames do not burn so brightly and give them away.” The feline steps ahead and scouts out a route through the foothills, but pauses to look back at her companions. “How good are you two at climbing?”

Meri :: It was just earlier that day that Meri thought something was wrong with Magik, but it turns out she completely misread the situation. And in an attempt to avoid repeating history? Meri misreads this situation, there’s probably nothing bothering Magik. He’s just being a dork, or maybe he was just a bit chilly and that is why he wanted the face covering up. A conversation with Futsuka about her pilgrimage was something that Meri files away in her “to accomplish” list. She was curious to learn more, but for now they had a task to complete. While Meri was happy to try and pull both Magik and Futsuka into conversation on their way to Xalious, once they embark on the hunt Meri is considerably more silent. Going forward, her verbal answers to both Magik and Futsuka are kept to a minimum. Both of the prospective Ranger’s are given nods in response to everything they are saying, both affirming their current assumptions about the benu and confirming to Futsuka that she could climb. And climb they would, while Meri might have claimed that she has totally forgotten how to track, her actions would demonstrate otherwise. Under different circumstances, the lycan might be a more proactive hunting partner. She just wants to make sure Futsuka and Magik have their chance to shine and show off their skills. However, in trying to force them to show off their skills, Meri might be giving them reason to doubt her own. There are definitely signs that at least one benu might be in the area for the longer they search and the further up the mountain they go, they begin to see scorch marks on the rocks or in the earth. Maybe from the benu hunting prey of it’s own? Or defending itself from prey? It didn’t matter, but once they are close enough that Meri can actually catch a scent of their winged prey, the blonde attempts to steer them off course. “We need to go this way,” she insists, pointing west when in fact they should just kept climbing up...out of sight, perched hidden on a ledge several yards above them, was the bird they have been searching for. They could not see it from their current vantage, but it was easily as tall as Meri and has a striking resemblance to a heron. Just. Bigger.

Magik | "Climb?" Magik thought about just, ya know, poofing and zooming up the mountain side. But, respecting the hunt and all..Magik quietly stretches his arms and cracks his knuckles. His bow is secured to his back and up the mountain he goes. Magik's not a terrible climber but is also not the best. As they climb up, Magik puts the party as his first priority, "If anyone thinks they are going to fall, speak up. Screw the bird, I'll swoop you up." Magik takes notice of the scorch marks as well but Meri's misdirection throws him off for a second. Magik stops climbing and looks to her. Quietly he says, "Mer..Wait." The Lyastri closes his eyes for a second. Is this cheating? Two sources of heat close by, obviously. A third as well but it's definitely not west. Respect the hunt..The elf could just fly up as smoke in this situation as well to get a peek but, no. "Guys..Up..Not west..Fut..?"

Futsuka climbs the mountain face with ease, sporting both claws and an impressive vertical jump, such physical feats were easy for her even without a rope or climbing gear. When the party nears the area with the scorched earth, Futsuka pauses to take a closer look. She stoops down silently and touches the blackened rock, feeling the lingering heat still residing in the stone surface. They had been here very recently, perhaps hunting? Futsuka scans the surroundings slowly, looking for signs of struggle, but whatever had been preyed upon had been snatched up swiftly and carried away without much of a fight. When Meri directs them to move west, Futsuka follows with her eyes, remaining completely still as she uses her heightened perception to examine the path closely. Magik speaks up, however, and when he indicates ‘up’ Futsuka's eyes shift in response, scanning the ledges above in search for the giant bird. “I do not see it.” she whispers, still scanning. “It will be higher… we should keep climbing. Silently. We are close.” Futsuka’s eyes are nearly fully dilated as she slinks closer to the cliff face, searching for a way to climb up and take a better vantage point.

Meri was pleased with the fact that at least one of them stopped her from leading them in the completely wrong direction. That was not really a ruse that Meri wanted to follow through with, she actually has stake in the success of this mission. Not only is the angle to get a couple of new Ranger friends, but she also wants that gold that Nikola promised her. Unfortunately for the trio, the correct answer of ‘let’s keep traveling up’ puts them at a disadvantage. It did not matter how silently they tried to gain a better vantage point, the benu was going to notice them before they had a chance to even get to a suitable location to fire off a single arrow. The group would be alerted to the fact that they have been spotted for the benu would release an ear piercing screech in an attempt to warn them away from their current course. Of course, this would do little to deter them. They had their goals and Meri was not one to give up on the prospect of golds easily. Even if Magik and Futsuka gave pause, she would press on and push closer. It’s not like they had much other choice. As soon as she got to a position that seemed decent enough, she would free her bow and attempt to notch an arrow. Short of retreating with a haste, it probably didn’t matter what any member of the group did, the benu was offended by their presence so close to it’s home. An attack was inevitable. The large bird runs straight off the ledge that it has claimed for itself in what might have been considered suicidal, except it was a bird with wings and was not in immediate risk of a deadly tumble down the rocky mountainside. Magik might be though, if the group couldn’t figure out how to fell this bird quickly. The benu was pretty hellbent on sinking it’s talons right into the elf’s shoulders as it descended from above during its assault. For the moment, the benu was not radiating any extreme amounts of heat. It was just one very angry and very large bird.

Everyone agreed on up..so he went straight up the rocky mountainside. It seems like Magik was the one bringing the party up by the rear. While Fut and Meri had -slightly- better footing, this elf was still attached to the mountain, no ledge or ground below his feet, just the pointy rock that he had managed to scale. The elf's foot slips and a curse slips through his teeth. Meri and Futsuka wouldn't hear it though. The benu had let out his loud screech at the same time. Once Magik regains his footing, he looks straight up to see the benu getting closer and fast. The Lyastri deeply sighs and shakes his head, "Well, now -this- is how I die.." While trying to make this hunt as fair as possible, he throws that all out of the window in a move of desperation. It was him vs benu now. Between frost giants, skeleton dragons, and vampiric curses, death by a stupid bird was off the table. Magik grips the rocks above him tightly and pulls himself into a leap towards the descending benu. The force of the jump throws loose rocks down the mountainside. Before he takes on his smoke form, he yells out a warning to the other two as he quickly ascends beyond their current altitudes, "Someone better be ready! We're coming down!" Fiery black eyes meet the benu's golden. Before impact, Magik goes full smoke form to allow the bird to pass through. He quickly materializes back to his elven form and dives back down to the hopefully confused and disoriented bird in an attempt to wrap himself around the bird and turn it's chest towards the mountainside, giving Meri and Futsuka a clear shot at the bird's vital organs.

The sounds of the shirking bird causes Futsuka to freeze, her keen gaze ever searching for the aerial foe above. Then she sees it, the great sun-heron in a full attack dive headed straight for Magik. Making a split second decision, Futsuka searches for that vantage point she was on the lookout for, finding it in the form of a scrawny tree growing out of the side of the cliff face. The feline rushes towards it, balancing on the furthest reaches that could support her 100lb frame as she draws her yumi longbow. Watching closely as Magik deftly turned the tables on the benu, Futsuka nocks an arrow and draws it back, taking aim but holding for the perfect moment. While she waits the albino woman whispers a silent prayer, asking the ancient spirits of the hunt to guide her arrow and asking the ancient spirits of nature to show the beast mercy and make it a swift death. The divine forces react to her call, manifesting in a brilliant flash of green and white sparkles that swirled up and down the shaft of her arrow. When the benu exposes its chest in her direction, disoriented from its attempt to combat Magik, Futsuka exhales and fires, the tip of the arrow exploding with the energies she imbued it with. It sores through the air swiftly, guided by divine forces to adjust as the target reacts, and when the projectile strikes a second burst of energy inflicts axiomatic damage directly to the benu’s heart, the arrowhead sinking deep into the vital organ.

Meri’s entire body grows tense the second that she hears the screen being released from the benu. She knew exactly the sort of creature that they had set out to encounter and it should be manageable for this team, but Meri could not help but wish they all had more solid footing. One mistake could send any of them tumbling down the mountainside. At first Meri had a healthy awareness of this risk but confidence that no one would meet this fate...until she sees Magik literally riding the great sun-heron. Attempting to ride a bird that is associated with fire is not advisable but Magik might be the one person here who can get away with it. Hopefully. When it becomes obvious to the benu that Magik has a solid hold on it, strong enough that he is able to manipulate it’s positioning so that the chest is easily exposed for the other hunters, the benu’s entire body erupts into flame in a desperate attempt to rid itself of Magik. It is going to make a great story after the fact but in this exact moment, Meri is wide-eyed with nervousness. Thankfully she has not been shocked stupid and has enough gut instinct to know that she needs to take up her bow and ready an arrow, making her response similar to Futsuka’s. She does not have the feline’s agility though and is not able to find a better vantage point, making it almost near impossible for her to get a clean shot. Futsuka can though, and while her arrow strikes true, the flames of the benu would not die out within that instant. It would be several more seconds before the creature is overcome with the pain to the point that it loses consciousness. Up until this point, Meri had been avoiding using any of her telekinetic abilities, but all of their efforts would go to waste if both benu and Magik ended up rolling down the mountain. Meri needed two in-tact wings from a benu and one boyfriend who was not completely battered. Rather than free-falling and crashing into the earth, the benu’s body would seem to defy gravity and ends up finding a light landing on the first patch of ground that offers enough space for both the benu..and possibly Magik? Meri looks toward Futsuka for a moment before making her way to the now dead benu. Compliments will be given out once the blonde has confirmed everyone is still alive and has all their limbs attached.

Magik held tight as the benu set himself aflame. The elf turns his face away from the foreign flames as they lick away at his cheeks, "I know, fella, I'm sorry." The elf could feel the impact of Futsuka's arrow into the benu's heart. The grip remained tight on the bird as Magik patted the dying bird then looked down to try and figure how this was going to play out. The wings need to be undamaged yet here he is freefalling with the bird. Does he dare take the full impact of an inevitable collision with the ground to leave the benu as undamaged as possible? He could take it, right? The smarter answer would to shift his position to get an even better grasp on the dead bird and turn to his smoke form once again. Better make a decision fast, elf boy. Or..Or Meri can suddenly dig into her own skill set. As Meri took her own grasp on the freefalling duo, Magik quickly looks up and breathes a sigh of relief. As Magik and the benu float towards the mountainside, he shifts his hold on the fire bird to hold it in his arms. Once on the small landing, he places it down then looks to Meri and Futsuka, "Well, that was..unexpected. You two alright?"

Futsuka sat perched upon the twisted trunk of the coniferous tree, stoically watching the conclusion of the fight with her keen gaze. Only once Magik is safely on the ledge with their quarry in tow would the feline slide from her perch and join the pair by the fallen benu, a suspicious glance being tossed Meri’s way for her part in saving him from a terrible fall. Was that some sort of magic the lycan used? Futsuka could not sense the taint of arcane magic on the blonde so those thoughts passed quickly; She had a job to do. Rolling up the long sleeves of her kisode, she kneels down to the great heron and places her hand upon its chest, near where the arrow struck. “Your struggles are over now…” Futsuka whispers, drawing a long knife from inside of her robes and sinking it into the chest of the large bird. If it had been merely driven to unconsciousness before it was surely dead now. “I am fine,” she finally responds, looking up at Magik with a neutral expression. “You should be more careful… but I’m glad you were not harmed either.” Futsuka stands and looks back at Meri, giving a silent nod at any words of praise. “We are not done yet.” She continues, giving a forlorn look at the dead benu, “Shall we carry this back to the lodge or quarter it here? It makes no difference to me.”

It is good that Futsuka does not seem to concern herself with the technicalities of what Meri just did. Was it arcane? She’s heard not, but please do not ask Meri these very technical and complicated questions. Meri approaches Futsuka and Magik, giving them both a quick once over to appraise their current conditions, but a smile is quick to form on her lips once she can see that they are all fine. “Nice!” Meri says once they have finished their task. She wasn’t enthusiastic over the death of the bird but over the display that she saw from both Futsuka and Magik. It was a bit unconventional, but they got their job done. “My apologies for not carrying more weight on this hunt,” she would have stepped in if things seemed to be going completely awry. “I’ll be more useful to the both of you on future hunts, as there will most certainly be future hunts. Because welcome to the guild...s.” Meri smirks for just a moment but she doesn’t stop talking, Futsuka has asked her a very important question. Unfortunately for Magik, Meri did not piece together why the tall elf was acting so shady around that hunting lodge, so when Futsuka suggests they return to tend to their kill, Meri is entirely on board. The blonde nods without hesitation. “Oh yeah, I know the owner of that particular lodge and she won’t mind if we put her property to good use for a bit. There are plenty of beds available to us as well,” her gaze trains more on Futsuka at this point, “So you are welcome to stay there as long as you would like. I will see to that.” While hauling their kill down the mountain and back toward the Hunting Lodge might seem like a great time for Meri to put those telekinetic abilities to good use, she does not. In part because it would be draining on the psion to levitate the corpse for an extended distance like that, but more because it was nice to do things the old fashioned way. Did they have to use magic for everything? Going down the mountain would take more time than coming up it did, if only because they have to be mindful of this rather large corpse. Team moving is required, but they will eventually make it all the way back to the lodge. While Meri elects to take them to a more remote part of the property, they are going to make a quick stop by the horses on the way so that Meri can present both Magik and Futsuka with a compass, a guild item for the Adventurer's Guild. With that matter quickly addressed, they are off to a more remote part of Raphaline’s property. “If there are any questions…Soon?” There was the matter of field dressing the benu to focus on. Since Magik and Futsuka played such an active role in the hunt, Meri would be the one to take up the knife and begin the process of field dressing the benu and making it more...transportable. Magik and Futsuka were of course welcome to stay and watch Meri gut the benu, but the blonde would also not fault them if they made their own way. There would be blood, guts, and that’s just not for everyone…