Tireyard Fight
7/29/2006
01:33 PM
Logfile from GarouMUSH.
Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (27% full).
It is currently 13:20 Pacific Time on Sat Jul 29 2006.
Currently in Saint Claire, it is a cloudy day. The temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from the south at 13 mph, with gusts up to 18 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 30.02 and steady, and the relative humidity is 50 percent. The dewpoint is 46 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius.)
Farmhouse: Hallway and Living Room
All doorways in the front part of the house lead to the front hallway, a J-shaped area with the short tail starting at the stairs, the front door hitting the bottom curve, the doorless opening to the living room halfway up the long side, and the also doorless opening to the kitchen and dining room at the very top. The hall has a simple wooden floor, and decorated with a generic print of soft-colored flowers hanging on the wall to the right of the front door, and a tall table sitting under the print which serves as a place to toss keys. A closet under the stairs serves as a place to hang coats or to toss shoes.
The doorless opening to the living room is halfway up the side of the hall's J, and the word cozy might spring to mind when looking into is, as it seems to radiate comforting vibrations. A long couch sits against the south wall beneath a large bay window curtained only by sheers that manages to obscure the view in but only filters the day's light. A variety of out-of-date magazines are strewn atop a low coffee table; more neatly presented are the plethora of books filling the small bookshelves which line the eastern wall. Three chairs sit about the room, focused inward, to allow group conversations. Large floor pillows are stacked in one corner of the room, except one, which lies carelessly in the middle of the floor, apparently left out the last time it was used.
An opening in the northern end of the hallway allows access to the kitchen and dining room at the back of the house, while carpeted stairs twist up at the other end of the hall, leading to the second floor. A door at the base of the J lets out to the front porch.
Contents:
Abraxas, Morgan, Grey, Basil, Leslie, Cole, Ethan, Kevin, Laura, Emma, Yi
NOTE: Current Farmhouse Residents (Updated: Jul 23)
Obvious exits:
Kitchen/Dining Room Front Door STairs
Cole is sitting at a chair in the living room, if one can call the constant shifting, twitching and assorted other tics 'sitting'. He's got a small satchel waiting beside him.
Yi toys with the chain of her makeshift necklace, fingering the bullet at the end of it. She too remains silent in waiting.
Ethan pushes through the front door, carrying a small Igloo cooler. He gives Cole a little smile as he passes him, then sits on the couch and puts his feet up. The Igloo is pushed open, and he pulls out a beer. It's opened, and he takes a drink.
Morgan meanders down from upstairs--the attic, presumably, though whatever she was doing up there she was being awful quiet about it. As usual, she's wearing her oversized coat to hide that extra pair of arms. She looks twitchy, but not nearly as nervous as one might expect. Abraxas, on the other hand, is clearly on the very edge. He enters the front door not a few steps after Ethan, giving the Get a dark look the entire way. He doesn't move much past the doorway itself, except to get out of the way of anyone else that might come through.
Leslie enters through the back door, dressed in black jeans and a black sleeveless mockneck, lips set but expression impassive and reserved. She wanders through the kitchen and takes up a position leaning against the archway between the living room and the kitchen, ooking around.
Leaving it a little late to show up, Kevin pushes through the farmhouse door, bright and energetic-seeming; if anything, a little too much so.
Cole is quick to flash a half smile toward Ethan, almost more of a baring of teeth than anything else. When he notices Morgan, he gives a slightly warmer smile. "Good to see you along, Morgan. I'd hate to think the Fianna couldn't be bothered." He smirks at Leslie's arrival. "Ready for this, Les?"
Basil walks in right behind Kevin with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth, and a bare chest. He's taken a marker to his chest and drawn up a crude, large rat face, and he's wearing a fake 'coon hat. "Fucks sake, you people look like someone's already died."
Yi takes one look at the drawing on Basil's chest, and tries not to be amused. She succeeds, although the wry smirk jacking up the corner of her lips says otherwise.
Abraxas gives Basil a brief taste of the sour look he was shooting at Ethan's back, but otherwise says nothing. In fact, he looks rather determined to remain silent, if one were to judge by how tightly his jaw is clenched.
Kevin surveys the gathered garou. Then he pulls a book out of his pocket and pretends to read from it. "Dearly beloved," he intones, "we are gathered here today to join in holy matrimony... oops, wrong page. To give the Wyrm and all its powers a good kicking. Verily I say unto ye, even unto the third generation, yea, and it was so." He looks round with a vaguely benevolent expression akin to a pastor at his flock.
Havoc arrives as a group, Emma in the lead, Grey at her back and Laura following them both. All three are quiet as they arrive, acknowledging those familiar to them each in their own vague fashion. The warleader of the assault's mouth is downturned in a thoughtful frown as the Wolverine pack settle themselves near the entrance of the living room. Emma stands a little ahead of her packmates as Grey glowers grimly to her right. On her left, Laura seems preoccupied with a few marks she's drawn on her forearms and hands. By the looks of things, they're done in ash.
Ethan gets one look at Basil and nearly chokes on the latest drink from his beer. He's lucky it doesn't come out his nose, and, coughing, he has much less luck than Yi in holding back his amusement. "You gotta be kidding me," he mutters, mostly to himself. Havoc's arrival at that moment helps to regain his composure.
"I'll never be more ready than I am now," Leslie answers Cole. Kevin gets a ghost of a grin, a remarkably feral-looking expression, and she nods over to Basil. "He's right," she agrees, though her expression remains neutral. "We all face death every day, and walking into this like it's a funeral means it probably will be." She straightens and wanders over to her packmate. "What, no beer?"
"Did someone say beer?" Dillen asks as he enters from the kitchen. "Sorry to be late, guys. Taking my farewell of my wife... temporarily only, of course."
Cole shakes his head, leaning closer to Leslie as she approaches. "Nah. Had one when I woke up this morning. Told myself I'd finish the rest of the pack when I get back tonight." Dilleng gets a chuckle. "Of course. Most of us have someone waiting to warm our beds later." He looks entirely too smug as he speaks, though he never completely stops the nervous motions.
Morgan scratches behind one ear, and fidgets. She must be getting a bit warm under that coat, because she's not trying to hard to keep the button-less front closed, though her extra pair of arms is tightly clenched over her stomach.
Basil gestures his cigarette towards Cole and Ethan, then to Yi. He reaches down into his pants and comes up with a pack of Lucky Strikes, offering them around in general. Then he turns to Kevin and gestures the pack at him. "How about a fag for a fag huh? You're going to be walking on a giant fucking cigarette in about a half hour anyways."
Emma looks around at the gathered people and gives a half raised smirk. "We have a lot of work to do. Let's not sit here stewing. Cole, Morgan. You two are best able to resist the balefire. And Kevin, you've got experience running the beast. So I want the three of you and Basil at the front side. The rest of us will come in from the back. There'll be the help of a fire spirit there, so we are *not* to put the flames out. We're there to destroy what is corrupted in it. The smoke will hinder us, so I want two groups going in waves at the back end."
Leslie looks up, and brightens considerably as Dillen walks in. "Hey Dillen." About to say more, she turns to listen to Emma as the Ahroun speaks, quieting down immediately.
Kevin sighs theatrically. "If I am scheduled to die today, Basil dear," he retorts, "I'll be proud to say with my dying breath that I never smoked a cigarette save under duress." Grey gets a meaningful glance with that remark. "Which means I should /have/ a dying breath, unlike you smokers who'll be puffing and gasping too much to make a snappy dying statement." Then he too shuts up and listens to Emma.
Ethan actually did bring beer. The Igloo is pushed toward Dillen and Leslie, but it's Basil that has most of his attention. The ragabash looks like he's struggling /not/ to say something, and luckily, again, Emma saves him. When she starts giving orders, he succeeds in turning all his attention toward her.
Yi passes on the cigs. "We will be breathing enough smoke and fire already," she croaks out, trying not to 'impress' anyone with the grating of her Jackal'ed voice. Emma is looked to as far as strategy, and the Gnawer fostern nods. Her eyes shift to the others, picking out groups.
Cole listens to the battle plans and nods as his role is outlined. "Alright. No reinforcements for us front liners? Hope you guys can do your jobs quick, then." Kevin's statement gets a softly muttered 'amen'. He looks over to his packmates and goes silent and seemingly distant.
Dillen snags a beer from Ethan's stash and opens the crown cap in the extrovert way, by placing the bottle at an angle against the mantlepiece and giving it a sharp tap. Kevin and Basil, especially Kevin, get a glare from him, but like Ethan he keeps silence while Emma lays out the battle plan.
Laura's eyes rise from the ash on her arms as the orders are issued. She watches her alpha carefully, silently listening to the orders as they're given.
Grey stares flatly at Kevin until the other Glass Walker looks away, obviously in no mood for jokes. He's not smoking now, of course, though he certainly was earlier, to judge by the smell.
Morgan turns her full attention on Emma, focusing somewhere about neck height. Her only response to this bit of instruction is a twitch of the jaw.
Abraxas gives one look at the cigarettes and beer, and curls his lip. He's keep to his silence, however.
Basil looks at Emma, then rolls his shoulders. "So we're not even going to have a go at drawing it out then?" He turns to look at Kevin, then slaps his lightly in the shoulder. "Preachy fucker. You better not talk like that at my funeral if I die. I'll rise out the ground and piss on your head for fucking up my area with serious business."
Emma continues briefly enough. "We'll go by umbra. There will the be smoke to get through. Does anyone have anything to aid in that? If not, it's just running the gauntlet. Once in, I want the first group to take its shift while the front runners keep the head busy. Then we'll shift in and out. Laura, we're low on healing. I'll need you to keep that in mind."
Kevin gives Basil the finger cheerfully. "And don't any of you guys get ideas while you're behind me," he adds to the room in general.
Laura's jaw works, but she gives a short nod of acknowledgement. "I have some smudges that will help defend against the smoke. Not a lot, but some," she says generally. Kevin gets a blank kind of glance, then she returns to listening to Emma.
"Maybe we can get some rags or something and tie'm off on our muzzles with duct tape or whatever. It helps with the smoke." Basil looks over at Kevin and shakes his head. "Daft fucker, you're going to cause a frenzy 'fore we even get there." He turns to Emma again, then rolls his shoulders. "If it's going to know we're there anyways, why don't we try to lure it? Then the flame spirit will be able to punch it in the ass, Big Boss."
Emma gives a nod. "You and Kevin as runners can do that. If it doesn't budge, the rest of us move in. Any questions before we move in?"
Cole shakes his head. "No. Well, just one. How the fuck are we getting there?"
Kevin pulls a slight face. "I don't mind doing that," he tells Emma, "but there has to be someone else here that runs faster than Basil."
Morgan shakes her head furiously from side to side. Her eyes have got considerably wider as the moments have passed, and now she looks rather like a deer caught in headlights.
Emma looks around briefly, eyeing the numbers. "Cole, Morgan, Basil and Kevin, you have head duty. Go in pairs, so you don't tire from running the whole time. The first group on the rear attacks will be Havoc. and Abraxas. The second group, will be the rest of you. Ethan, Leslie, Dillen and Yi. Alright? Umbra Cole."
"Kinda wish I got something to eat before I left." Basil states, then digs around in his pockets until he comes up with a small foiled bag of nuts. Opening them, he gestures around the room and asks. "Would anyone like some peanuts?"
Yi shakes her head at the rags comment, but says nothing. Her attention is paid to the warleader. She does step up as her name is called. She's ready, indicating so with a nod to her group.
"And everyone make sure you've all been wee-wee before we leave," Kevin counsels snidely as he gets ready to head off.
Abraxas's eyebrows twitch upward as his position is named, and a tiny, infinitesimal loosening of his jaw occurs. He too, nods.
Leslie listens quietly to Emma, then shakes her head at the request for questions. As the groups are named, she flashes a grin at Dillen and aims a friendy slap at Cole's shoulder. "Stay out of trouble, and yell at me if you guys get into trouble or if there are any surprises." That said, she steps forward, pointedly ignoring Kevin.
Dillen's hand comes up to give Cole a clap on the back at almost the same time as Leslie does too. "Front rank, you lucky bastard," the Get growls playfully.
Cole pushes himself up. He looks definitely nonplussed. He nods to each of his packmate, going to lay a hand on arm or shoulder. "Will do, Leslie. You stay safe. Try to keep this dumbass Viking alive for a few minutes, alright? Freya will KILL us if he's any uglier when we're don-nnnk." This last sound is cut off with dual backslaps. "C'mon Wildfire. Let's make Ember proud and show them what fire's really about."
The Ebony Tower(#3946RJ)
The umbral reflection of the tire fire has not had sufficient time to truthfully mimic the much more massive fire burning in the realm, and is substantially smaller in size--perhaps just two acres in size right now.
The outer perimeter is swarmed by a number of rapidly circling and then rising small air elementals. Intermixed with these air elementals are occasional smog elementals, darker and easier to spot, and numbering about a dozen in total. They all whip around the perimeter at breakneck speeds, forming the edges of a cyclone like shape nearly thirty to forty feet high. From a distance, the smell alone is ghastly. Within, it must be suffocatingly noxious.
Inside the perimeter of air spirits, the ground is nothing but a giant glob of hot, sticky, black plastic tar pocked by small, deep holes (about the size of the tight opening to a wolf's den) that could easily cause a garou to trip--but not necessarily fall through. If someone was in homid or lupus, they could attempt to crawl on their belly into the subteranean heart of the umbral blight, though such an act would likely be suicidal.
The black mass is only partially ablaze, burning mostly in patches here and there--roughly only 1/3rd of the pile is actually on fire. There's room enough to carefully move around on the heap and avoid the flames completely if one is careful and doesn't mind getting singed and doesn't linger, but there are no direct paths towards anything that isn't within about 20 feet. The patches of fire move very slowly, threatening to potentially trap any flammable thing that enters these burning lands. Every so often there is a liquidy farting noise in the tar pile as a hole opens up and a gush of superheated flames shoot up from the ground, splattering vile molten black tar all over the nearby area.
Approximately four decently-sized, yellowish-orange fire elementals amble sluggishly over the black surface, revelling in the patches of fire, clustering around gushes of fire that shoot up from the ground, and occasionally disappearing down one of the holes.
A fifth, gargantuan fire elemental burns with a greenish hue and lurks near the center of the blight. The black ground beneath it literally boils from the heat, then oozes and rolls down from the top of the hill, across the lower regions like hot lava, and in places slipping down into the holes.
Contents:
Leslie (Treeclimber), Laura (Child-Holder), Kevin (Power-Up), Ethan (Voice), Emma (Stone-Spirit), Grey, Basil (Kills-the-Cries), Morgan (Song-of-Luna), Cole (Howls-For-Glory), Yi (Runner), Dillen (Bloods-Bane), Abraxas (Bitter-Harvest), Tskilegwa (GM)
"Who got laid today and who had beer, Cole?" Leslie asks saucily as she saunters ut the door. "Maybe he should get laid more often. It keeps him quiet.:
The pack of Garou arrives with Emma at the front. A sense of eagerness and anxiety from the young Ahroun. The whole gathering moves in, and as they approach, a hand comes up to halt them. Emma takes the warform now, and looks at what is there. ~If the fire elementals there are pure, they may be our allies. Focus on what is corrupted only. Don't harm the others - unless the turn intentional harm on us.~
Grey, already in Crinos form, wrinkles his lips back to expose his fangs. He is, if anything, just as grim as he was back at the farmhouse as he surveys the battlefield. A curt growl acknowledges Emma's order.
Cole rises into his warform as well when he sees the foul site before them, a growl escaping the Fianna. ~And me without my swimming clothes.~ Nonetheless, Howls-for-Glory now looks eager. ~Song-of-Luna, you're with me for this. Kills-Cries, Power-Up, you're the second group. You will be the first group in, the runners?~
If Song-of-Luna's eyes were wide before, they're practically bugging (with no pun intended) now. She doesn't seem quite able to take her gaze away from this particular little patch of hell, and the fur all along the back of her neck is standing straight out. She settles near Cole, panting lightly.
Voice is also in the warform. As per earlier instruction, as they come toward the place of battle, he lopes into a loose formation with his 'team' members--namely Leslie, Dillen and Yi.
Bitter-Harvest rakes his claws over the nearest handy rock and ambles nearer to Emma--though not quite as near to Grey, as he gives the Walker a somewhat wary glance.
Power-Up has also taken crinos. The scarring on his chest is plain for all to see. ~I will run with Kills-the-Cries,~ he confirms, ~and fight beside him if need be. Take care of your tribemate, for she is also our packmate.~
Yi shifts to her warform, taking cues from the all around. Her lips curl back to reveal teeth, clearly not enjoying the sight nor scent of the smoke and fire.
~Fuck all.~ Kills calls as he walks along with Kills, another crude Rat's face dyed into his fur. ~Lets see if we can taunt the fucker out before we run in and draw it back. I'm a mouthy fucker, I can do it.~ He glances at Kevin, then back at Emma.
Bloods-Bane lines up alongside Leslie, swinging his arms and doing crinos-style limbering-up exercises. ~What a stink,~ he comments with a mix of anticipation for the fight and distaste.
As Emma shifts to warform, Leslie does likewise, the claws of one hand half-clenched and waiting for any further comments or orders. ~Understood.~ She seems relaxed now, and even eager, the sight of the putrescence they're about to remove changing her attitude abruptly. ~Stone-Spirit, Bloods-Bane and I have the power of silent communication with Howls-for-Glory. Is there a means by which we can communicate with the third team?~
Child-Holder searches the earth around them for signs of the ally she's called on for the battle. As they have come in the Umbra, she has been preparing her smudge-sticks, and now she works her way amongst the gathered Garou. She mutters strange words here and there, short chants of blessings and cleansing as she lets the sweet sage smoke pass over and around them. When the smudging is finished, she returns to her pack alpha's side, silent again.
~You could try semaphore,~ Power-Up calls over his shoulder sardonically to the Black Fury.
Runner tips her ears back at Power-Up, jaws snapping at the Walker in visual enough cue. Concentrate!
A relatively small earth elemental, maybe three feet tall, bubbles up from the ground near Leslie, ready to do its stoic duty--though it does not look particularly powerful.
Power-Up steps forward. The savage grin on his face slips for a moment, but he pastes it back up again determinedly. ~Come on, packmate,~ he tells Basil. ~Let's give it a run for its money.~ He adopts a sprinter's pose, ready to scoot forwards. Basil moves out near the area cautiously, looking a bit more nervous than he was earlier. On the outskirts where they can see, but when he thinks they are close enough to be heard, he takes a deep dirty breath then shouts out. ~Hey Wyrm fucker! Get your flaming ass out here already so I can put my foot in it!~
Runner watches the other two groups make their moves, and then waves to her group, signalling them to be at the ready. Her eyes keep on Emma's group, and she shifts her weight forward slightly in anticipation. Bloods-Bane continues his limbering up exercises as he waits for his turn to be called forward. Voice falls in next to Dillen and flexes his claws, already made sharp with his Gift. He waits for the signal to go in. About to move out to the groups assigned position, Treeclimber jumps about a foot in the air as the miniature earth elemental appears right next to the towering Crinos form. Her claws come out, and she takes a step back before realizing what it is. Powerful jaws flash feral teeth in what might be called a rueful grin. ~Don't scare me like that.~
The green-hued fire elemental in the center turns towards the shouting garou far away from the edge of its black domain, but doesn't budge beyond acknowledging that they exist.
Song-of-Luna shifts uncomfortably at the shout. She looks on pins and needles, but so far, she hasn't budge from her place near Howls-for-Glory. Her eyes are on the largest fire elemental, ears quivering. Kills-the-Cries lifts his hands up and shows the big beast two big, furry middle fingers, then the Garou pulls back his muzzle and spits on the ground in the direction of the thing. ~What are you afraid? Get your fucking ass out here you giant flamin' bitch!~ ~We must run closer,~ Power-Up declares. ~Follow my lead.~ He speeds up and runs down and towards the centre at an oblique angle designed to take him closer to the fat, evil thing at the heart of the area, without (he hopes) crossing into its ambit and unduly endangering himself.
Other than watching, the green fire elemental does nothing. A few of the smog banes rise up to get a better view of what's going on, but no one seems to be interested in charging out to meet the garou outside of the blight.
Kills pauses just long enough to shift down into the form of Hispo with a grunt, then starts moving behind Kevin, leaving a space of about twenty to ten feet but keeping close enough to see him. Song-of-Luna keeps roughly level with Cole, though she's not hugging his side anymore. Now that she's in motion, her agitation seems to have reached new heights, but her limbs are loose, moving as they should, rather than clenched up as they were before. Howls-for-Glory alongside her seems positively calm by comparison. And Power-Up, frontmost of them all, moves closer still and starts to prance around in a peculiar looking way, one designed to draw attention to himself. ~Look! I am here! See me!~ he carols in a taunting howl. ~Look at me DANCE THE NAKED CRINOS CAN CAN!~ And he starts kicking his legs out as he leaps up and down.
Blood's Bane watches the front wave speed up towards the target. He glances at Treeclimber, who glances back at him, and there's a moment of what looks like silent communication between the packmates before, as one, they move -- silently, unlike the first wave, beckoning Runner and Voice. Yi tilts her head to note to Emma's group that they're moving, if they're being watched. The group of four, head right, circling around the enclosure from behind. The group moves in pairs, with Dillen and Leslie together, behind them Yi and Ethan watching their backs.
The corrupted spirits watch Kevin and his group, the loudest and most obvious spectacle, but otherwise don't bother with something that appears to be incapable of harming them or the blight they're guarding.
Havoc plus one stays as they are, watching the battle, each set of eyes tracking whatever is of most concern to them. Child-Holder observes the spirits, Stone-Spirit the warriors as they take their positions, and Grey and Abraxas the enemy ahead. There's no sign of silent communication, only the tension that rises as they wait for the banes to react.
Song-of-Luna has to visibly control herself to keep from staring at Kevin, rather than the real danger, but she keeps on. She doesn't exactly start doing a naked crinos can can, but as they get closer she gives an uneasy growl, which increases in pitch until it's almost but not quite a grating howl, rough as her voice always is. Power-Up meantime throws the metis a quick thumbs-up gesture and keeps prancing away and howling himself. Howls-for-Glory rises to the occasion and begins a dissonant howl of his own, which sounds like a Mother's Tongue version of an Irish drinking ballad. And... Fucking Wyrm.~ Kills spits out in annoyed Mother's Tongue, his words corroded by the form in which he speaks. The Hispo looks at Power-Up, then towards the spirits the spirits and turns. Keeping his eyes on the spirit, the Hispo lifts one mighty leg and starts to piss all over the ground around it in the general direction of spirits and the jolly fire giant.
~What the fuck...~ And that's about all Bitter-Harvest can manage. His nose is wrinkled, his brows are lifted, and he is staring at the antics of the Walker and the Gnawer as though he has never in his life seen anything quite so bizarre. Grey utters a low, irritable growl when it's clear the enemy won't be drawn. ~Ears should have been here. That Gift of hers...~ Stone-Spirit waits no longer, growing impatient. ~It will not come. Let's stop wasting time. Runners go! Havoc, Abraxas, move in on the tail. Group two be at the ready!~ And with that, Havoc, Abraxas with them, begins to move.
The collective spirits in and around the blight seem to be doing little more than going about their business, though the smog banes, green fire elemental, and four other fire elementals all appear to be watching the various groups of garou as they move (or dance and yell) about. As the garou begin to charge, the smog banes on the perimeter rise up higher and out of easy reach. The five fire elementals start to cluster closer together near the center of the blight.
The front line group continue their various distraction and attention-drawing techniques. They can all see what they hope the target does not -- the eight other garou starting to move off, ready for battle, behind the elementals at the center.
Runner takes in a long, deep breath and exhales. At the howled signal, she nods to the rest of her group and the four of them position themselves at the back. Voice levels his claws, keeping pace with the Gnawer. Bloods-Bane keeps stride with Treeclimber, the two packmates moving almost in unison as they move.
Once he sees that the second and third waves are well on their way, Power-Up ceases his madcap prancing. ~Won't come to us?~ he roars in one last defiant challenge. ~Then we shall come to you!~ And he's off, lickety spit, claws raised and ready, charging the nearest elemental. Basil having given up on his own ideas, Kills joins Power in making as much ruckus and annoying sounds as is possible in the form of Hispo. Song-of-Luna's howl dies down again into rumbling, uneasy growls, and her ears lay flat as she sees the smoke spirits start to rise. Howls-for-Glory watches on, still shifting his weight nervously back and forth. ~For Gaia,~ he bellows as the charges begin, trying to gain the beasts' attention in those last critical moments.
Yi's group attempts to rush through the wall of air spirits and, miraculously, everyone makes it through. Some smog banes hesitate above, ready to attack if need be, but hesitate. Probably hesitating because the green fire elemental in the center of the tar pile cuts loose with with a spray of green flames, flamethrower-like, to halt the attacking party's advance toward it.
Cole's group likewise manages to penetrate the outer wall without any incident, also sending the smog banes nearby up higher into a 'holding attack' position. The central area is still a short, hard run away and requires weaving through various patches of flames to get within striking distance.
Stone-Spirit's quartet moves on the charge as well, with Stone leading the group through the cyclone of air and smoke. Once within the perimeter of it, all focus will be on the large evil thing - preferably from the rear. The foursome moves in a charge together, keeping close eye on eachother.
Emma's group likewise manages to charge through the outer perimeter, though Laura gets in the way of one rushing spirit and a collision occurs. She falters, but manages to not fall face down into the tar as she trip-stumbles through to the other side, and then outright falls over and doesn't move.
Power-Up ducks and weaves as agilely as he can, seeking to dodge between patches of flame while maintaining some speed in the hope of striking to the elemental and then running back out before heat or fire takes him down. Kills weaves in and out of the fires, careful to not dive into one of the holes or fire patches, trying to keep enough distance between himself and the big Wyrm thing to get enough warning to dodge. He also tries to remain alert of the smog Banes, but the other things are his primary concern. Howls-for-Glory tries to find a moderately safe spot to wait until it is his and his tribemate's turn to make a foray against the elementals. Song-of-Luna's slight panting becomes considerably more pronounced as they get closer and closer to the source of the heat. She's careful about where she steps, but it's difficult to do that and move quickly at the same time. Her gaze has started to rove, from her feet, to her surroundings, to the hovering smog banes, and back to her feet again.
Runner yelps with a high pitched squeak, skidding as green fire is spat their way. Voice swerves a few paces away as well, halting with a look up towards the hesitating smog banes. Like a pair of wheels on an axis, Treeclimber and Bloods-Bane swerve aside when the green flames come spitting their way. The group turns as a whole, running at a tangent to the monster that produced them, drawing the fire.
As Laura gets tripped up, there is a growl from Emma. She urges Grey and Abraxas on, who continue their furied charge to the beast in move to attack. Stone-Spirit turns quickly, moving back to help the fallen Theurge.
The green fire elemental turns around and fires a gout of green flame at Cole's group much like it did Yi's. It's used defensively to ward the garou off, then focuses in on Kevin who apparently got close enough to be within range. He doesn't dodge fast enough and catches the flames on his side, scorching flesh and fur. As unbearable as the stink of the blight already is, it suddenly gets unbelievably, retchingly, eye-wateringly bad around the green spirit within the center.
Runner's group was halted by the gout of flame earlier and now the elemental's back is exposed to them. Except for Treeclimber, who is blasted from behind as fire shoots up from a hole in the ground and scorches his back.
Emma's group carries on without her and Laura. Grey and Bitter-Harvest are almost within striking distance and will be in a matter of seconds, assuming they don't get flamethrowered. Emma turns back to help Laura, who now has a tenril of black tar wrapped about her and is being sucked slowly down into a hole within the blight.
Suddenly, and without any warning or precursor, the four fire elementals turn on the much larger green one in the center. It flares up wildly at the betrayal and a great physical brawl between five firey beings breaks out in the center of the blight.
From the heart of the stinking, smoking fire comes a howl of pain that belongs to Power-Up. As though spurred on by the singed, blasted patch of fur on his flank, he dives closer still to rake with his claws, then without pausing to see what effect they have, heads outward at full tilt towards breathable air. Kills yips roughly in Hispo and jumps back from the fire when it goes off, dancing back towards the way he came with a glance sent in his packmate's direction. The large wolf yips and barks loudly, never once stopping or looking away from where it's going for very long. Song-of-Luna releases a sound that is both snarl and shriek as the flames are directed at them, and that horrible stink fills the air. She twists, charging towards Kevin and watching the fire bane out of the corner of one eye. Howls-for-Glory hops back prudently as green flame rains down nearby. He bares his teeth at the balefire elemental letting out a cheering howl as the four elementals turn on the fifth. ~Runners, fall back! Forward Fianna!~ Then he's charging alongside Song-of-Luna.
Exposing its back to four angry Garou is enough to send Runner's group into action. Runner surges forward with speed, claws out as she leaps for the creature, but she is overtaken by both Get and the Fury harnessing their Rage. Voice attacks when he's close enough, leveling his claws upon the blighted fire creature. Bloods-Bane puts his head down, takes a huge gulp of only slightly foul air, and charges, claws concentrating on green. Treeclimber howls in pain, but barely pauses, charging in just a little behind the others.
Emma is at Laura's side, claws slicing carefully at the tar tendrils that grab her. ~Child-Holder, get up!~ Abraxas and Grey are moving toward the beast, but waiting their volley in. Yi's group taking first attack, Bitter-Harvest is like a spring that's been wound too tight and suddenly released. He plows forward, claws already curled and ready to strike, a furious, hateful snarl on his muzzle, and with that Grey goes with him.
As the fire elementals tangle with one another, Kevin manages to dash in and tag the balefire elemental with a swipe of his claws. The heat is unbelievable, and he retreats--completely on fire. Chaos decends. Runner's and what's left of Emma's group are spared from Kevin's fate as the neglected fog banes they left behind them rush in and strike them from behind. The air becomes totally unbreathable, meaning the garou will suffocate likely within 30-60 seconds. In the center, liquid tar and even vaporized black tar rises as the 5 flaming elementals battle.
As Emma pulls trying to free Laura, her small earth elemental takes the initiative on its own and widens the hole at the top for easier access for Emma to gain purchase. Simultaneously it closes the hole further down where the tendrils have emerged from, preventing Laura from getting sucked under. Emma's claws strike off a few of the tendrils and then they let go, attacking the earth elemental and killing it instantly. Laura suddenly starts moving again.
As the air becomes toxic and the smog chokes at the Garou, Stone-Spirit lets up a howl, filled with urgency and command. ~Pull back. Get to air that is breathable. Let the fire spirits have their chance to purify the beast. We will push in on another attack once we have our lungs back!~ Her attention also on her task of freeing Laura. When the valiant spirit gives its sacrifice, she yanks hard on the Theurge to get her up. ~Move!~
~Withdraw!~ Treeclimber manages to choke out in a strangled voice as the fog banes close in on the Runners. Suiting words to action, she turns and charges towards fresher air. Dillen growls low and glares towards the mess that they face. He reluctantly backs away, gasping to try and regain his breath. Runner nods and does the same as the others, holding her breath to try to get clear. Voice, coughing and muzzle panting, falls back with the group.
Power-Up comes charging out of the unbreathable air zone like a small fire elemental himself, completely ablaze, a horrific sight. His head is thrown back in a howl of agony as he wills himself to keep running out of the danger zone, as fast as his wounded body will move, and only when he's free of the burning area does he throw himself to the ground and roll frantically in a desperate attempt to extinguish himself. Kills is about to call something when he ends up coughing, and is turned away by the severe heat and foulness in the air. The Hispo is running back out even before the orders to bug out come in, holding his eye open despite the watering and irritation. Song-of-Luna spins after Kevin. Her ears are laid completely back, her lips pulled back from her teeth. She seems focused on the flaming Walker now, and even as the smog spirits batter at her she tears after him, trying to close ground. Howls-for-Glory starts to cough, his frame heaving as his body struggles for air. When the command comes, he brings up the rear of his proto-pack, tearing along behind Song-of-Luna toward the air. ~We're out,~ he calls to the other groups.
Kevin manages to put out the flame in a frenzied fit of rolling about on the ground, though his fur still smokes and smoulders. He's completely unmutated by the green fire he's just been playing in, however. Everyone manages to get free of the blight and outside the perimeter, where the smog spirits leave off and cease their attacks on the garou. One of the four yellow-orange fire elementals is consumed, literally, by the giant green-hued fire. It is looking weakened though from the combined attacks being brought against it. No help comes from the smog spirits, and the green fire elemental is left to fend for itself against the remaining three traitorous elementals. It's clearly losing the fight. It flares, thins, and then fades out of existence.
Panting, Stone-Spirit looks up and to the smoggy area, ~Spirits... have you cleansed the taint from this place? Does it burn pure!?~ She looks around at the Garou as well, ~Hold any further attacks for the moment.~
The remaining fire elementals flare in anger. Up above, the smog spirits linger, apparently trying to make up their minds as to what they should do at this point.
Child-Holder breathes hard, spitting and coughing from the effects of the smog. She hears the question, but still takes some time to answer. ~Not dead,~ she huffs, straightening up and looking out over the fire. ~Not dead. Gone away. Not clean. Not yet.~
Once the fire on his body is out, Power-Up ceases rolling around and becomes motionless, his claws dug firmly into the dirty ground as though he fears he may fall off the planet if he lets go. Song-of-Luna pads up next to Kevin, tongue lolling frantically as she sucks in greedy gulps of, if not clean, at least breathable air. A thin, thready whine works its way out of her throat as she bends to inspect her packmate, worry present in every line of her form. Kills is ignoring the commander and the attack for the moment once he's reached safety, panting for air like he's never panted before. The Garou wanders over to his now charred pack mate, and lowers his nose to look at him, examining the damage. Howls-for-Glory sucks in deep drafts of revitalizing air. It's the sweetest he's ever had at that moment, even if it's truly foul. He looks with concern towards Power-Up, only looking away to listen to Stone-Spirit's command. ~Take what rest you can. This may not last long.~
Bitter-Harvest gives an irritable lash of his tail as he spies the damage dealt by the fire elementals. Clearly he's not happy not to have touched that one, and he's looking around for something to hit.
Dillen stands back, his eyes staying on the quarry. He casts a quick look towards Emma, giving a nod at her orders. Treeclimber shows no sign of having any mind to disobey Stone-Spirit's orders, instead throwing herself to the ground as soon as she reaches fresh air, coughing the smog out of her lungs. A long, livid red stripe of burn runs up one side of her back, just missing her tail in that hairless and angry swath. Only when she has air again and has lain for a good minute or more does she look up, listening carefully. ~We need...to finish that place off.~
Power-Up is still alive, it seems, though his breath is coming in fast and unhealthy-sounding gulps; it's a fair bet he has burns to his airways as well as the outside of his body. ~Did... we... get... it... Kills?~ he croaks out in a series of gasps.
Song-of-Luna settles as close as she can to the charred Walker without actually touching him, like a giant dog, with her extra arms bunching up in the middle. Her whining continues as she turns her head and sniffs his ear.
Basil shifts up into the form of Crinos, then takes a squatting sit near Kevin. He looks like he's about to reach out to touch him, but thinks better of it and retracts his hand. ~Looks that way.~ He half pants out, nervously glancing over the area in all directions. ~You can't fight anymore. Not today. Not unless you get healed.~
Howls-For-Glory settles onto his haunches, looking toward his packmates. A look of concentration passes over him as silent communication takes place.
Stone-Spirit growls as she faces the blight. ~Let's give these other banes a taste of our claws and try to clear some of the smog. Leave the elementals to their duty with the fire for now. We'll see what happens. Child-Holder, see if the elementals have succeeded or if the corrupted one is just in hiding.~
~I must... fight...~ Power-Up protests. ~It was...our... punishment...~ He actually tries to rise from his prone position, but he's not going anywhere in a hurry.
Bitter-Harvest draws up level with Stone-Spirit. He eyes the smog banes balefully, flexing the fingers on his right hand.
Child-Holder crouches down, craning her neck to watch the spirits. ~It has fled,~ she states after a moment regarding the fire. ~Driven off. The smog-spirits must be driven off, and then the infection can be drained.~
Bloods-Bane gives a deep grunt and then a low growl. ~Say the word.~ As he looks towards Emma for direction.
~No.~ The Crinos says firmly, reaching out to stop Kevin from getting up, but again Basil's paw stops before it actually touches him. He looks over himself to make sure his body is patches itself up, then turns his attention to Power again. Looking at the others, the Garou asks. ~How do we hit something with no form?~
Howls-For-Glory rises once more to his full height and eyes the swirling smog banes. ~Let's end this.~ The Fianna can no longer contain himself and lets out a howl, enhanced through a Gift. A call to battle.
The comment from the Glass Walker Ragabash is what propels Treeclimber to her feet, finally. ~You're here, aren't you?~ Rage surges through the Fury's tone as she walks over to look down at Power-Up. ~You were told to fight, to prove yourselves. You have done that, honorably and well. You were not told to throw your life away stupidly. If you cannot fight any more, don't be stupid enough to try.~ She looks over at Stone-Spirit. ~As far as I am concerned, Power-Up and Kills-the-Cries both have met the terms of their punishment, nd Power-Up is no longer fit to fight. Now what?~
Song-of-Luna starts to pull herself rather reluctantly away from Power-Up at Howls-for-Glory's call. There's still a low, thready whine in her throat, and she more backs away than turns, as if reluctant to take her eyes off of her new packmates.
Power-Up sinks back to ground level at Treeclimber's words, and seems glad enough to do so. ~Sometimes... a fool... but... never stupid...~ he pants. ~Thank you... philodox.~
Stone-Spirit tosses her head at Laura and looks to the others. ~They drew in on us to attack us, they will do it again. We'll have to move in and out, or suffer choking on their stench. My group will go first, draw their attention to us and the rest of you bring up and attack from there. Quick pulses. Hit, and get out. Target the same banes so we can take one down quickly at each thrust in. Let's go!~ The Ahroun charges then, moving in to stir up the smog banes.
Kills-the-Cries doesn't acknowledge the Philodox, turning back to face the Ragabash, then the others. He looks about to say something when Emma rushes off, drawing a scowl out of the Ahroun. He rises back up to his feet, waves a hand at Power-Up. ~Stay.~ He says simply, then looks at Howls.
Voice continues coughing, and he swipes one furred arm across his watery eyes to try and see what exactly's going on. In the confusion he finds his teammates and lopes toward them. Still panting, he hears Stone-Spirit's orders and bares his teeth, getting ready for his turn.
Child-Holder's ears prick, and she lunges after Stone-Spirit. Grey is just as quick on the charge, despite the injuries that still pain him. The packmates barrel towards the smog-spirits with a snarl.
~You can thank me later, if we all get out of this.~ Treeclimber turns away, and back towards her own team-mates, waiting for her turn.
Power-Up stays as commanded, though he rolls over (wincing with pain) to watch his pack alpha as Emma commands a further movement from those garou still fit to move.
Bitter-Harvest hurls along with Havoc, all too eager to rejoin the fight.
Howls-for-Glory leads the way for his group, snarling as they wait for Havoc to cycle themselves out of the fray. Kills-the-Cries takes up a position behind Howls and on his right, glancing back at Power once before heading into the battle again, trying to remain just as alert as before. Song-of-Luna prepares to follow, though she keeps looking back at Kevin over her shoulder. Her nose twitches. There's an intensity about her, she's ready to go. And when their time comes, they go to with a will, striking at the nearest bane in concert.
Havoc (plus one) drives back into the blighted grounds. The smog spirits take offense to this and start swooping down on the garou below, trying to physically rake at their heads and cut them.
Runner and her team mates wait tensely, restraining themselves, tails twitching and clawed fists clenching until they spot Havoc emergng from the ground. That's their cue, and they're right on time, charging in virtually in unison, claws and teeth raking and biting. They concentrate all their force on the back of the smog bane that the previous group struck at.
That 'plus one' is pretty pissed off. Abraxas snaps his jaws as the spirits begin swooping, timing his claws until they get close enough to strike...and be struck...before lashing out with every bit of poor temper and barely bottled frustration he's been holding onto. Child-Holder stays low, striking when she's sure she'll hit. She channels the Rage of Wolverine to follow her first slash with a second. Stone-Spirit goes in like an exploding cannon, raking at the banes as they swoop down. As the banes come in, and the second group emerges to their backs, they fight, just until that second group gets the jump. Once the transition occurs, the command for Emma's group to move out is called, ~My group, follow out. Move in three.~
Emma's group attacks, wounding two smog banes. Emma and Abraxas manage to kill one between them. They don't appear to be particularly powerful banes, but can still dish out substantial damage to a Garou in the umbra--and in fact do so. Laura gets a nasty slash across the head by one of the wounded spirits. And Grey likewise is wounded in the confusing melee, attacked from behind by a spirit that flies upwards and escapes completely unscathed.
Howls-for-Glory is in the fray just like that. Movements fueled by the anger held under tight reign up until this moment, he lashes out at the smoke banes that present themselves. Kills takes Howl's lead and sinks his proverbial teeth into whatever bane comes within reach, letting himself lose on the smoke bastards. His face is pulled back in a sneer and the only breathing he does is to let breaths out, and once his reserves are low, he's pulling back for more. Song-of-Luna is somewhat less experienced than those of the first group, and it shows. She lashes wildly at anything that remotely resembles a smog bane.
The Havoc +1 group makes their move on retreating. Stone-Spirit keeping a careful eye on her foursome. As Grey and Laura take assault, she pushes up next to them, hurrying them out of the fray. ~Out, our turn for air now.~ Child-Holder runs back out, stumbling blindly after the sound of her packmates. Abraxas moves with them, offering no disobedience from the call.
Cole's group wades into the fray, taking advantage of the fact that some of the smog banes are engaged still with Havoc and company and dishing out a few good licks. Everyone manages to land a blow or a bite in a general take-and-give with the smog spirits, but no one manages a kill in the swarming frenzy of smog banes--now numbering about 1 per garou currently in the fray. As Howls lands a blow on the smog spirit nearest him, it turns in vengeance and a strong updraft launches Cole up into the air where he is rapidly mauled by several smog spirits coming from every direction at once as they all but desert the garou still on the ground. His blood (and flesh) rains, splatters, and pours over the garou below. As Havoc and crew flees the blighted tar pile, Stone-Spirit falls forward onto the ground like a flopping rag doll, coming to a stop face up and perfectly still. Tendrils snake out from the nearest hole a few feet away, grab her legs, and start pulling her towards the gaping black hole. Cole's body drops to the ground limply into the tar.
Power-Up can only watch the carnage in sick horror. He makes a move as though to get up, but once more, flops back. He's too far away, too wounded, too spent, to stand any chance of aiding Cole, Emma or any of his friends.
The emergence of Havoc +1 from the choking smog is the third group's cue, and they're right on time, charging in virtually in unison. Seeing Cole fall and Stone-Spirit being dragged away drives his two packmates into a full-out charge -- with a howl of Rage, Bloods-Bane charges in like a beast, slashing at anything he can get his claws into with a fury. Treeclimber is but a breath behind him, though she charges in a different direction, her own howl of Rage punctuated with fear as she rushes to find Cole and get him clear. Voice, meanwhile, taskes up the fight, claws and teeth flying and seeking a purchase.
Bitter-Harvest twists, as fiercely as though he were about to attack an enemy, though there's no enemy in reach. Instead he lunges for the suddenly prone Emma, trying to drag her bodily away from the tendrils. He's not terribly gentle about it...but who would expect him to be gentle with anything? Stone-Spirit is left prone and immobile as this latest turn of action proceeds. There is clear frustration in her eyes, but no other movement at all. Grey moves to aid Abraxas in freeing the tar-trapped Ahroun, claws slashing at the tendrils. Child-Holder jinks and weaves, first heading for Emma, then surging towards Cole. ~MINE, FIGHT!~ she snaps at the other Garou, ready to drag the Fianna free.
Seeing only the chaos wrought as Cole is pulled up and the ineffectual attacks, and feeling the burning in his own lungs, Kills barks out. ~GET OUT BUG!~ As loudly as he can with what remains of his breath, then uses some of his remaining rage to tear out of the area like a bat out of hell. Song-of-Luna yelps as Howls-for-Glory is swept right up into the air only a few feet away from her, and this is followed by an even louder yip at what follows. Retreat forgotten, she pounces toward him...or what's left of him, if that's the case. Cole, for his part, shrinks down to his birthform. And it's not a pretty sight, for all that he still seems alive.
Leslie dashes in at a breakneck speed towards Cole, where Song of Luna has lingered longer than intended in order to protect him. Fortunately Howls did not land in a flaming patch of the blight, but he is still unmoving. Song of Luna grabs the fallen Fianna elder and flees with him, using her body to shield Cole from any further attacks, while Leslie helps to keep the spirits away as best as possible as the trio exits the blighted tar pile. Leslie even managed to fell one badly wounded spirit in the process of protecting the two other garou, though her arms are badly cut and bleeding. As Song of Luna rushes the border of the blight, she collides with a circling air spirit and she and Cole go flying onto the ground--clear but temporarily safe so long as the smog spirits don't come after them. And they're not very far away come to think of it. Dillen makes a break for Emma, who happens to be much closer. His claws strike the tendrils repeatedly in an attempt to free Emma. More tendrils come up but he has managed to prevent Emma from being sucked into the hole--so far. Bug and Yi both manage to tag-team one wounded spirit from behind as it fixates on Basil's back as he flees the blight. It goes down. The rest of Cole's pack manages to escape There appears to be six smog spirits still remaining.
[This pose is slightly confusing, as Bug/Song-of-Luna is mentioned twice. Assumably, SoLuna grabbed Cole and ran. Ethan/Voice tagteamed with Yi to bring down the spirit.]
Power-Up sees the two Fianna knocked to the ground at the edge of the blight, and it seems to give him enough energy to finally lurch to his feet. ~Song-of-Luna!~ he howls hoarsely through a fire-damaged throat. ~To me... to me!~ And he tries to run, limping badly, towards his packmate, determined not to leave her helpless.
When Kills actually spots Bug making it out of the fire with Howls and the spirit go down behind him, he practically baseball slides to a stop and tears ass over towards them. ~Live dead doesn't matter, grab, GO!~ Kills commands Bug, staying on their flank to keep an eye out for incoming spirits. Song-of-Luna yelps further as she collides with one of the air spirits and goes for a brief flight and dive. She staggers upward almost immediately, but she doesn't seem quite capable of walking straight. At least, not right away. Cole breathes hoarsely when free of the smog, proof that he's clinging to life, if not consciousness.
Treeclimber staggers out after Cole, bleeding freely, fur matted and torn. Once Cole is safe, she stares at him for a long moment, and looks like she's about to jump back in. Instead, she drops to both knees, fighting for consciousness and uprightness. Bloods-Bane and Voice, meanwhile, cloaws raking at the tendrils with everything they have in an effort to tear her free. Yi, meanwhile, continues to fight, slashing at smog banes lest they attack those dealing with the wounded.
Bitter-Harvest continues to try and tug Emma out. He growls, but his hands are somewhat occupied by the other Ahroun, and that's about all he can do. Child-Holder scrambles to drag Cole clear of the fight. ~GUARD THE RETREAT,~ she roars at the nearest conscious Garou, fighting with the threatening Frenzy as she struggles with the weight. Prone and unmoving, even as the Lord and Walker work to pull her free, Emma glares absently in the same direction she stared when she fell. It is Grey's voice that calls up, ~Pull back. Everyone out to regroup and tend our wounds. Out now.~
Whatever's down the hole with the tendrils gets tired of getting its tendrils mauled by Dillen and now Voice. Just as they free her, it cuts loose with a blast of fire that scorches both Garou. Meanwhile, Yi manages to keep the smog spirits largely at bay and even brings one more down, though she is mauled in the process by overwhelming numbers of wounded banes. The least injured of the remainin three fire elementals, seeing that the garou are fighting a losing battle at this time, moves in closer and blasts one of the smog spirits out of the sky with a fountain of flame.
Bitter-Harvest pulls back from Emma, once she's up, but he seems considerably reluctant to retreat once again. He goes, but his eye is obviously on the remaining enemies. The young warleader hurries herself upright, looking, perhaps shamefully, far less wounded than most of her warriors. A growl rolls low as she surveys the situation. ~We push one last time. Bloods-Bane, Howls, Voice and Treeclimber. Stay put. Child-Holder stay with them and heal what you can. The rest of us move together, hit it hard and fast, and retreat. Form up on me.~ Child-Holder crouches next to Cole, laying a hand on the man's chest and leaving the battle behind. She focuses on Gaia's healing will, blocking out the chaos around and behind her as she channels her Gnosis to heal the wounded Fianna.
Power-Up staggers weakly for several paces in Morgan's direction, then his legs fold under him and he goes down again. ~To me... here...~ he calls again weakly, though what good he could do Cole or Morgan in his present state is highly dubious. Song-of-Luna staggers a moment more before righting herself. She turns her head, sniffing, seeking out the hovering banes. ~Idiot.~ Kills grunts without really sounding as though he's meaning it, keeping an eye behind him, and at the spirits swirling in the sky. ~Get out faster before those things come down or the thing under us 'stands up'.~ Howls-for-Glory has no difficulty in following Stone-Spirit's instructions.
As the retreat is shouted, several things happen with the Runner's team. Bloods-Bane slices through the last of the tendril and is blasted by the fire. He slumps over to one side, out like a light. Yi and Voice, hearing the call, withdraw and form up around Stone-Spirit; Treeclimber, however, looks up with a snap, newfound Rage exploding through her with the force of a shout. ~BloodsBane is down!~ Her eyes flash with a Rage that is barely contained as she struggles to stand.
A look of immense weariness spreads over Power-in-the-Darkness' face as he watches Morgan and Basil, his packmates, turn and join Emma once more in the fray. ~Idiot yourself,~ he croaks, though it's extremely unlikely that Basil will hear.
Bitter-Harvest turns swiftly, making for Emma's side again. He looks as though he is only just holding back from charging straight in without orders. Emma waits for those who are up and able, to close in on her. She growls anxiously, and gives a single nod, ~One last push, give it all you have, and then get out. No one stays in to be a hero.~ With that offered, she charges in first, leaping up at the first bane she spies to slash at is ragefully. Grey moves as well, keeping pace at the alphas side, and the others following in move as well.
A look of immense weariness spreads over Power-in-the-Darkness' face as Emma summons Morgan and Basil, his packmates, once more into the fray. ~Idiot yourself,~ he croaks, though it's extremely unlikely that Basil will hear.
Rage flashes like an invisible beacon from Treeclimber, the blood pouring freely from her wounds slowing and then stopping; by will and rage combined in an unholy and fearsome mix that is anything but human, she bolts to her feet and charges in exactly where she left the fight, claws out and with a single object -- Bloods-Bane -- seeking to pull him clear of the fray, wounded or not.
Bitter-Harvest is, if not right at Emma and Grey's side, then practically nipping at their heels. He's eager for this fight, and eager for more. Song-of-Luna follows Emma's lead, tensed and ready to attack anything that gets within reach. Without comment, Yi joins the form-up and then the charge in, striking at the nearest Bane she cna reach with a vicious snarl. Grey and Emma move in as well, making the offensive party a total of five.
The wounded pseudo-trio pack of garou throw themselves back into the blight one last time, outnumbered by the remaining and likewise wounded smog spirits. And the thing from down below, which makes itself known to still be present by blasting Bitter-Harvest in dead-on from out of reach down one of the numerous holes present. Emma and Grey combined manage to take down another smog bane, but then Grey is suddenly launched into the air and directly towards the closing fire elemental. It tries to duck, but Grey is still lightly braised by the elemental's flames, then lands in a flaming patch of tar-coated ground. Song of Luna and Yi manage to pull down and kill a second smog bane with some difficulty, trading blows amongst themselves. Leslie, with her nasty wounds, manages to haul Dillen out of the blight--barely. Fortunately the other garou have managed to keep the remaining banes distracted and the two Get escape unmarred.
Cole's eyes snap open as some of his wounds seal up and consciousness is returned. "Thanks," he manages to croak out as he sits up and takes stock. "Fuck! Dillen!" ~Idiot yourself,~ repeats Power-Up hoarsely as Kills approaches the helpless Glass Walker and the other incapacitated garou. Among them, Child-Holder moves to intercept the incoming wounded...then stops. ~Stone-Spirit we need to get out NOW! NOW NOW NOW!~ she howls, an undertone of unusual panic taking over her voice as she starts getting those who can walk onto their feet and headed away.
With the last of her strength, Treeclimber staggers out of the fray, an unconscious and badly burned Dillen in her furred and bleeding arms. She takes maybe a handful of steps towards Child-Holder, then drops to one knee dizzily. Laura's call makes her look up, and it's only with a hell of an effort that she staggers to her feet, Dillen still in her arms. ~Let's go!~ she calls, wearily.
Voice helps take Treeclimber's load, doing his best help drag Dillen.
Kills-the-Cries doesn't waste any time as soon as he hears the Theurge panicing. He looks above him to make sure no banes are swooping in, then turns to Power-Up and bellow. ~Shift light, wolf or human, I don't care!~ Then he points at Cole. ~You two lean on my shoulders, I'll rush you out if you hold the fuck on!~ The Gnawer kneels down to do so, spreading his arms out for them. ~Lets go now!~
Power-Up, his rage all spent, has no choice in how to obey Basil's order; he reverts to homid, revealing horrid raw burnt skin all over his body. "Are we getting out?" he grates through charred lips.
Murphy's Law states...well, Abraxas could tell you. The black furred metis staggers limp-knee'd for only a step before collapsing on all fours. He makes a noise that might be a curse, or a growl, or just an attempt to force air back into his lungs, but either way it comes out as more wheeze than anything else. Song-of-Luna tears into her bane, seemingly encouraged as it's brought down, in spite of the injuries she receives in return. Emma spies her packmate get thrown, and even as the frantic call comes from Laura, she eyes the prone body of Grey. ~GO. Get out... Everyone, out!~ Emma herself turns though, and with the full expulsion of her rage, charges straight for the Walker, intent to bring him out too.
Howls-For-Glory pushes himself to his feet. Though he's obviously still beaten, he's mobile now. The Fianna shakes his head to Kills-their-Cries. "Get Kevin out of here! I'm with my pack! We'll cover your backs!" So saying, he rises to Crinos and goes to Treeclimber. ~SONG! WE LEAVE! NOW!~ Tribe-and-pack-mates properly attended to or warned, Howls-for-Glory prepares for an exodus.
Emma charges towards Grey, whose body is catching on fire. The fire elemental steps aside and uses a gout of flame to stave off two smog spirits going after Emma's back. She grabs the fallen Walker, now in his breed form, and runs at a reckless pace to get out of the blight--the last to leave. The fire elemental goes down, smothered to death, as the remaining smog spirits descend on it in anger.
Kills-the-Cries scoops Kevin up onto his shoulder, moving as quickly but as carefully as he can. One arm holds him on his shoulder, his large head nodding. ~Yeah.~ He calls simply, then turns and gestures into the air towards himself, shouting with Cole. ~I order you to get out, Morgan! Bug! Song-of-Luna! Get OUT NOW! You hear me? Get back here and follow your Alpha now!~ Be barks at the top of his lungs, then turning to hustle out with Kevin at a brisk jog. He stops every so often to make sure everyone is getting out, and that a smog Bane isn't about to fly up his ass.
Something so black that it sucks in the surrounding blackness of the sky, so big it's blotting out a couple stars as it draws nearer, heads slowly but steadily towards the umbral tire fire. You might have two or three minutes, at its current rate of speed, before it gets here.
Emma charges out, carrying the burnt Walker. They are all moving fast now, even as she continues to call the retreat, ~Out, Keep moving. Child-Holder... Grey needs help now. Everyone keep moving!~ And THAT particular thing does indeed spur Bitter-Harvest to churn rubber. Song-of-Luna turns without hesitation and bolts toward Cole, running as fast as she can.
Treeclimber wastes no time, Howls-for-Glory and the others around her, Dillen in her arms, in getting out, the black thing lending speed to her steps and a fresh burst of adrenaline.
Child-Holder rushes to her packmate, channelling Gnosis and Will. She fights her panic as she lays hands on Grey, recognizing the seriousness of his wounds. She focuses, trying to heal faster than she normally does. ~Hang on you bitter son of a bitch,~ she curses as the Gift takes effect.
Kevin sobs with pain as Basil hoists him up, even though the ahroun is as gentle with him as he can contrive. He can see the huge black /thing/ starting to loom in the sky quite plainly. "Get out," he croaks to Basil. "Leave me if I'm slowing you down but /get out/."
Howls-For-Glory has to force himself not to drop into Lupus for the extra speed. ~Treeclimber as your Alpha I order you to move your ass FASTER! This is BAD!~ As fast as he can, muscles straining, the Fianna Elder runs.
Voice follows Treeclimber, with Dillen, and Yi. The Get holds one arm to his side, but he keeps up with the others in running.
The collective garou run, stagger, stumble, and otherwise move as fast as is possible to get away. And they fortunately do make it to a place where they can reach through finally and get away.
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