RP:Raptors ‘Scmaptors

This is a Warrior's Guild RP.

Summary: Kailani asks for Rilla's help in saving a couatl she has found trapped in the spiked trenches of Venturil.

Vigilanti Semper

Kailani's visits to Vigilanti Semper always seem to be with purpose, and that is going to be no different today. It's connected directly to her dislike for being indoors, though the reclusive druid is becoming more and more comfortable with each visit. Today she moves through the Warrior's guild headquarters with purpose, searching for someone in particular. That someone is not Lionel, it is Rilla. Her first encounter with the young vampire has not been forgotten, which is why Kailani heads directly to the courtyard that contains all the animals Rilla said she cared for. "Rilla?" Kailani calls out the instant she opens the doors to the courtyard, just in case the woman was not within immediate sight. The tone of Kai's voice when speaking Rilla's name is not a relaxed one, today there is a underlying sense of anxiousness and concern. Kai is dressed in the same manner she is almost every other time she has seen Rilla. That is to say, she's got her blackened leather armor on, ranseur strapped on her back, the only new addition is that there is a baby blue dragon clinging to her shoulder.

Rilla had settled into a few indoor spaces, a surprising development after two years of feeling so unsafe that she couldn’t stop running. Vigilanti Semper was one of those places, the courtyard with her animals was the only reason to be there in the daytime, some nights she found a door she could lock and fell asleep behind it. She knelt down in the courtyard, dumping a heavy plate of leftovers from the kitchen into a trough that the animals all b-lined for with excited clucks and snorts and bleats. They were far more interested in the leftovers of whatever feast had been whipped up and only partially devoured than the woman who’d brought it. Straightening, Rilla stepped carefully out of the herd, dusted off the knees of her dark pants. Looser and tucked into her boots. She perked up at the sound of her name, crystalline gaze searching for the source and landing on Kailani. “Here.” Rilla announced, brow furrowed at the tone she’d been addressed in. Tucking the platter she’d brought the food out on under her arm, she approached quickly, her other hand pushed back auburn curls from her face. “What’s that -” she gestured with her free hand at Kailani, concerned with the other woman’s anxiety, “- about? Is everything okay?”

Kailani's anxiousness is replaced with a bit of relief when the woman she was looking for was indeed present. It was a step in the right direction for the situation that Kailani was hoping to remedy. "I hope you don't mind, and that you are free for the moment? But I am here to ask for your help. If you have the time to spare?" The druid was hoping, she was not sure who else to ask that might be within the immediate vicinity of Venturil at present. Emilia was pregnant. Orion was hunting. All hope rested on Rilla! The druid wastes no time in getting straight to the point so that Rilla can decide how willing she was to help. "I do not know how familiar you are with Venturil, but on the outskirts of it...? They have dug trenches and filled them with spikes. While wandering and foraging, I found a creature trapped in the pits. A young couatl. If we hurry...it might still be alive when we get there and we may be able to get it out." The dragon perched on Kai's shoulder does not seem to be aware of the seriousness of the situation that Kailani is explaining, as he seems to be intent on being nothing but distracting. How? He leaps from Kai's shoulders and onto Rilla's to get an up close inspection of the vampire.

Rilla nodded, head cocked slightly to one side as she studied the woman before her. They’d met a few times, they were logically on the same side, but there was always a part of Rilla that had to be sure. “Last time I checked the animals weren’t holding me to a schedule here.” She glanced over her shoulder at the feeding flock and back to Kailani. “Is he impaled or just stuck?” She questioned, though her train of thought was quickly pulled to the dragon who jumped from Kailani to her, and she laughed in surprise. “I don’t have any more food if that’s what you’re after.” She lilted, her voice coloured with amusement, but stretched thin. “Back to Kailani or you’re going for a little walk.” She warned aloud and raised one hand to Kailani. Rilla was careful, should the dragon choose to remain it would be brought over to a barrel near the building where her plate was deposited and she waved to someone through a window. She turned on her heel to face the druid. “Alright, are you leading the way then? Are you …” she bit her lip, considering her words, “I mean no offense, but are you fast or should we borrow a couple of horses?”

Deep Trench

Kailani responds to Rilla's initial quip with a bit of a blank, the druid is still learning a few things about humor. The joke is a it lost to her, but that is okay. Kailani is quick to focus on the details of the matter. "Both, it's wing is impaled. That is why it cannot get out." The dragon was not really interested in the food, at least not the food that was currently in the barrel and feeding the livestock. So when it is commanded to go back to Kailani, it does. Kailani doesn't really react to the dragon transferring itself back to her shoulder, she's used to it's shenanigans by now. "We should take horses, I am not fast. But we won't be able to take them all the way into the wildlands, or we should not. They will attract the attention of the raptors faster than we would on foot." As for leading the way? Kailani is indeed more than willing to do this after they gather up the needed supplies. The healer has of course thought to bring gear to treat an injury, rope, and a few other odds and ends that are loaded onto the horses. And then...the two are off. They leave the horses at the stables in Venturil, which is conveniently located right before the bridge to the wildlands. Travel through the wildlands had them moving through tall grass, which could easily conceal any dinos...but Kailani is able to navigate them to the trenches without incident. And it soon becomes apparent as to why they were able to make this journey without incident...for from a distance both Rilla and Kailani will be able to see a pack of raptors circling the trench in question.

Rilla stared at Kailani for a beat when her quip was met with a blank but nodded once more. “Raptors ‘scmaptors.” Rilla sing-songed, retrieving her bow and quiver of arrows from where she’d left, strapping it to her back atop her leather jacket that was always concealing blades. She whistled and a wolf came running, teenaged and jet black. “For protection,” Rilla explained, “his name is Colin.” She fastened a rope into a slip which she looped around her neck as they got ready. The wolf jogged after them, and once the horses were stabled he was let off leash. He trotted beside them but never ahead as Kailani led the way, keeping a close watch on the pair from a distance. He stopped as the got closer to the raptors, lips peeled back as he shifted closer to the woman, low in the tall grasses. Rilla looked from him to Kailani and then to the raptors. “Are you the sort who will be offended if I kill at least *some* of them before we get too close?” Rilla asked, already retrieving the bow from her back, setting an arrow into place and holding it pointed into the ground while she waited on a verdict from the druid. “I could try to scare them off, but if I do they might charge us and we’ll have to take them down anyway.” Her word were soft, considering options as she chewed the inside of her cheek. Colin came to rest beside them, hackles up and yellow eyes fixed on the threat.

Kailani would have certainly tried to befriend Colin at points during their travel to the trenches, it's just sort of how it goes with the druid. She's found of all creatures, though not all equally. Grimclaw and Aspen clearly rate top two in her books, but most other creatures are positioned pretty high up there. Definitely above people. Kailani says, making sure to keep her voice low. "I hunt, quite actively. I live with three males who like meat." The dragon, the griffon, and Orion. "If we kill them, they will find a purpose," the druid assures Rilla. "And frankly? Raptors are tenacious, they have locked on to a prey, they will not give it up willingly...So we will probably not be easily able to scare them off." It seems as though the druid has resigned to the fact that they will likely have to severely injure if not kill at least one of these raptors to drive them away from the trench containing the couatl. "I will draw their attention to me...." Kailani makes a vague motion to her armor, as if to suggest she felt it would at least be able to withstand a few blows, if things got too hairy."...and you? Because you are faster? Pick your target when their focus is on me and drive our point home however you see fit." She would wait until Rilla seemed to agree with this plan before setting anything into motion."

Rilla || Colin was a wolf through and through, young and impressionable, he trusted Rilla. He’d have trusted Gunvald if he was anywhere to be found, but for others he was skittish. He kept Rilla between himself and Kailani, though many hesitant glances were sent her way as if he knew that he was responsible for the both of them. “Good, because that’s not my idea of a meal, I’ve just got this mouth to feed. The cat takes care of it himself.” She shrugged, unconcerned with killing altogether. “If you get their attention, I can take them down before they get to you..” Her bright blue gaze settled on the other woman, sizing up her armour skeptically before giving in and nodding her agreement. She clicked her tongue and looked down at the wolf at her side who met her gaze. They split up, one on either side of Kailani as they spaced out, him hidden in the tall grasses, and Rilla crouched low. A flash of auburn that got tugged in the wind and the top of her bow as she pulled it taut. “When you’re ready.” She called, her voice catching the attention of a smaller one who didn’t dare charge just yet, but all the same Rilla set her eyes on it, staring cleanly down the arrow, waiting for the first raptor to get brave.

Kailani responds to Rilla with a bit of a smirk, griffons and growing dragons eat a lot. Speaking of growing dragons, Aspen is still present but the druid removes him from her shoulder and places him within the high grass, hopefully keeping him out of sight and out of danger. One day, he'll be a valuable asset in these situations but he still has a lot more growing to before then. "If you could please watch out for Aspen as well," she asks of the skittish Colin, really taking no offense to the wolf not warming up to her. With a nod to Rilla, Kai creeps out of the high grasp, using the fact that the raptors were trying to plot how to get into the bit and get the coautl to her advantage. As she advances forward, the druid keeps herself positioned in a half crouch and removes her polearm from it's resting place on her back. Once she manages to creep close enough, her ransuer is positioned in the offensive and the druid yells out a "Hey!" In that moment all four raptors lift their heads and turn to look at Kailani. One of the hungry dinos releases a shrill screech and then all at once the pack attempt to charge forward. The trouble is for the raptors is that not all of them will actually be able to advance. Two out of the four who try and charge will find that their foot are rooted quite suddenly within blocks of ice, the only element that Kailani is really able to manipulate with any amount of ease ever since the druid's tree was damaged. This left Rilla with the choice: to go after the two that were advancing upon Kailani, or make quick work of the two that the druid has turned into sitting ducks. I mean, they could probably break out of those ice blocks...but it would take a bit of effort on the part of the raptors, the ice will hold for long enough.

Rilla and Colin both remained still and tensed, the wolf ready to pounce and Rilla with her arrow drawn back as she watches the druid approaching the raptors. The shouted ‘hey’ earned a smirk - that was exactly what she’d done the last time that she was the distraction. It broke Colin from his space first, the wolf lunging from the grasses to back up Kailani. He came from behind her, flying at an approaching raptor who screeched and tried to dislodge the animal from his throat to no avail. He tightened down, forcing the raptor briefly to the ground. Rilla was momentarily thankful that she didn’t have to get all four in one fell swoop, making note of the trick Kailani had pulled for later use. Her arrow was loosed next, from the other side so that it sunk into the chest of the oncoming raptor. Though he screeched, it only seemed to enrage him more, continuing his jog towards the druid at a rapid clip. Rilla cursed under her breath and another arrow was produced, this one zipping past Kailani and the rapidly incoming raptor, into the eye socket of the one that had now escaped Colin’s jaw and had risen to charge at the teenage wolf who snarled back, feral as it’s owner. Rilla put it down, and this time down it stayed.

Kailani was relieved that Rilla was able to take down one of the raptors, without the wolf being injured in this process...These details would not register upon the druid's face in the heat of the moment though, she had to focus lest she end up trampled by a decently sized dino. The first of the raptors is felled, and it is not a silent death. The druid makes a point to keep herself positioned relatively close to Colin, even as the second raptor not bound by ice was still charging forward. She wanted to be able to support Rilla in keeping the wolf safe, since the creature had come to her aid. The blind rage of the creature was bent to Kailani's advantage, as was the length of her pole-arm. Not really wanting to kill a second raptor, the druid lunges to one side a few moments before the beast would have tackled her to the earth. As she does so, she stabs the blade of her ranseur straight into the raptors neck. While she did not want to kill the beast if she did not have to, she understood that this creature would not give up without being dealt a fairly grievant injury. And it is, Kailani's blade makes contact and cuts deep through the raptors scaled flesh. More screeching is released from the enraged raptor, but it does not turn to continue it's onslaught of Kailani. It runs, disappearing into the high grass and leaving a trail of blood as a marker of where it has gone. While all of this is happening, the other two raptors that are bound by ice have been struggling to get free and creating quite a ruckus. The two remaining raptors have already been sent into a panic, as there are not many creatures that take kindly to being bound and restricted. So when they finally managed to crack those blocks of ice from their feet? They too bolt from the scene, in the relative direction that their buddy ran off into. This just leaves Kailani and Rilla to figure out the couatl situation. If Rilla were to inspect the trench, she would find that the creature they are trying to rescue is still alive..but definitely weakened. It is Kailani described, trapped in the pit with a spike through the wing.

Rilla was more of an asset from far away with things like this. An invisible killing thing, if it came down to it she wouldn’t let anyone die. Her face set with determination, she watches as the fight ends, keeping her distance though she rose from the grasses. She kept her bow and arrow raised as she approached, stopping when the ice began to crack. She could have let them go, but as they fled Rilla loosed one last arrow into the back of the larger one who cried out, but continued running. Stubborn beasts. “Nice work.” Rilla called out then, slinging her bow onto her back once more as she dug a piece of dried meat out of her pocket and tossed it to Colin. He caught it from the air, hanging back around the corpse of the fallen raptor on alert for others. As she came alongside Kailani she smiled, tipping her head towards the trench as she approached it to peer into the depths. Hands on her hips, she considered their options for a long moment. Her heel tapped against the dirt as she looked over the winged serpent. “He’s just a baby. Do you know how to take care of them? I can look after healthy animals, but I’m no healer. Or animal healer.” Her brows furrowed with concern. “Any ideas?” Rilla asked idly, chewing her cheek as she considered their options. “My best bet,” she tilted her head, examining the animal again, “I think is if one of us goes down there. Maybe a rope around my waist? Or yours.” Turning to Kailani she looked her up and down, “But if you’ve got a better idea I’m all ears.”

Kailani shakes her head when Rilla mentions keeping a rope tied to her waist, "I think it would be good...for one of us to go in and the other to stay up here? Just in case the raptors decide to return. We don't want to both be in the pit if they do...But...as for the rope...?" The same trick that Kailani utilized on the feet of the raptors is put to use again, except this time instead of trying to bind creatures into place she uses it to trap one end of the rope so that the block of ice is effectively an anchor. "I will go in, free him...heal him...and then fasten the other end of the rope to him...or her..." Honestly, telling the gender of a couatl was not exactly a specialty Kailani had. "So that you can help hoist him up?" Some might think Kailani crazy for assuming such a small woman like Rilla would be able to lift a couatl out of a ditch, but...Kailani has started to presume that Rilla may not actually be a human. She had complete faith that Rilla would be able to do this. The ranseur that Kailani carries around with her almost always is actually left next to the ice block she has just created. The druid did not want to alarm the couatl any more than she was suspecting that she would already do. The druid had a sneaking suspicion that Rilla would be alright with this presented plan of action, as it was pretty close in to what Rilla herself presented. And so, Kailani positions herself on the rope, preparing for a short rappel into the trench of spikes.

Rilla nodded slowly as Kailani spoke, tucking a stray curl behind her ear as it crossed over her field of vision, irritation flashing over her face and disappearing into an apologetic smile. “I’m sure Colin would take care of them for us, but no need to test him.” Curiously, she approached the ice and prodded at it with the toe of her boot, seemingly satisfied with whatever that told her she looked back to the druid and nodded. “Let me help you down at least, I can keep some of your weight. If you end up on a spike you might not be getting off of it.” Peering over the ledge Rilla was certain that at least some of the bones were human. Without waiting for permission she bent down, grabbing the rope and nodding to Kailani that she was ready. Colin settled beside her, facing away from her to keep watch for raptors as Rilla focused on keeping the rope taut to slow the rappelling woman.

Kailani would of course let Rilla assist, anything to keep her from being impaled on a spike. That is definitely a result Kailani did not result, for it meant that Rilla would probably be having to run off to find even more help...to save Kailani's tush from the pit. Let's not. The druid makes it safely down into the pit with relative ease, and were the young couatl already not so drained from both loss of blood and struggling to free itself, then Kailani would probably have a harder time with this carnivorous but beautifully colored creature. While Kailani may have trouble connecting with her druidic abilities in the wake of the destruction of a tree, there were still a few things that she could do with ease...outside of water magic. A basic attempt to charm a beast was one of them. As she approaches the couatl, she is emitting a very soothing and calming energy. Maybe Rilla would feel it, Colin definitely would even though he was not the direct target of this attempt. Despite her attempt to charm the beast, she still moves slowly and with caution -- not just because she does not want any sudden movement to startle the coautl, but also because she does not want to trip and fall onto a spike by mistake. The four-foot couatl is none to happen when Kailani frees it's wing from the spike, but the painful moment passes quickly and the druid is able to work a bit of healing magic on the wing of the injured young beast. From the start, Kailani was aware that she would not be able to heal this injury fully, but even a partial healing was better than nothing. An herbal poultice is applied to what is left of the injury to keep it from getting infected, and then the couatl is carefully drug from it's current spot and over to the rope, which is soon fastened around the body of the beast so that Rilla can hoist it ten feet up and out of the pit.

Rilla, despite being small in stature was strong enough to leverage her weight in getting Kailani safely down. She braced with her knees, digging into the dirt and clenching her jaw. It was easier than when she was human, but make no mistake, the big strong men could outmuscle her most days. Work smart, not hard, kids, and lower your center of gravity. Once Kailani was at the bottom, Rilla looked out of the trench and Colin looked into it. Yellow eyes stared down into the trench curiously, perhaps the work of Kailani’s magic. Rilla kept watch, arms crossed over her chest. For a moment she could swear she smelled a clove cigarette and she was lost in a memory. She shook her head, drawing a slow breath to bring herself back to the moment. “How are you doing down there?” She called out as she turned back, peering over the edge of the trench to find the couatl and Kailani close to finished. “So what do we do with it when we get it up?” Rilla questioned, taking up the rope once more but not lifting just yet. “I guess we could bring it back to Vigilanti Semper and care for it there until it can fly again …” Rilla mused, and shrugged. “Let’s get ‘im up.” Although that was really all her. Stepping back, she sank low into her hips, wrapping the rope around her hands. “Just help keep him away from the spikes while he’s low!” Rilla called out, her voice strained as she pulled, her heels digging in once more as she began to walk back, pulling the young coautl up though it wouldn’t be the smoothest ride of its life, Rilla did her best to make it at least not horribly long.

Kailani did not answer Rilla's question immediately, priorities. She wanted to make sure that the coautl did not slip out of the rope and fall on a spike again. And then she needed to wait for Rilla to send the rope back down so that the druid herself could be hoisted out of the ditch. If only she could manipulate earth still, this whole scenario would have been much less work for the both of them. Once Kailani is back on ground level with Rilla, she begins to speculate and plot and plan. "We could...either bring him to Vigilanti Semper, yes...or I could bring it back home with me. Do you think you would have issue with him and your other animals at the Vigilanti Semper?" Kailani did not have a strong preference either way. "At either location, I can visit with relative ease and make sure he is healing smoothly. And then we can release him in a better location..." Not that there are many places in Venturil that is not plagued with some sort of threat. It's a tough life this coautl lives, but certainly there were better spots than the dino-ridden grasslands. Kailani's blue eyes remain pinned on the vampire to see what her preference was.

Rilla || With great effort Rilla pulled the coautl up and over the ledge, and promptly sent the rope back down to Kailani, pulling her up as well (with much less effort - dead weight is the worst). With both of them back on the ground, Rilla straightened. She stretched her arms up above her head, leaning backwards to stretch herself back out. “I’m officially glad we rode.” She laughed, cracking her neck on one side, then the other and finally looking down at the injured creature with the brilliant colours. “I’ve never actually seen one of these in person, I hadn’t imagined they would actually be so vibrant.” She mused with a tilted head before looking back to Colin who was reluctant to approach the creature. “Let’s try Vigilanti Semper, I’m sure I can find a spot for him that he can’t get to any of the smaller creatures.” She decided. “Aren’t they supposed to be smart? If they can learn to wait for meals he could live with us. I think it’s ultimately up to it.” She shrugged, arms crossed over her chest as she considered how to get the coautl back in the first place. “I think we’re taking turns carrying it to the horses though. Do you think he’d just let us?”

Kailani :: Would it let them carry it? "Ah," Kailani begins to answer as she sets up shielding the raptor carcass from other curious predators. It seems that ice seems to be the state of water that Kailani is quite partial to tonight because that is what she utilizes to shield it and help keep the meat fresh. "They are indeed very smart, it could very well make the choice to stay..." Kailani responds with a shrug, soon turning her attention to the injured coautl. She very carefully attempts to hoist the beast into her arms, once more focusing releasing that soothing and calming energy during this process so that it will hopefully keep calm. "Perhaps it sees us as friend enough for now that it will not struggle...I suppose there is only one way to find out." And that would be for the two to begin their journey back. Rilla and Kailani would indeed take turns trying to manage the coautl. During the journey back, Kailani stresses one detail, "I really appreciate you coming to help me. I know it was a very sudden request, but you were one of the few people that I could think of that might be willing to help me save some wild animal." She grins. "So thank you." It would have been much easier if they could have brought their horses through the grasslands, but at least the horses were not -too- far. Their journey back to Vigilanti Semper will be made all the easier once they do actually reach their horses. What a time these two have had, going home is always the easy part.