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The group have headed out onto the Stable Trod to patrol. They're heading in the direction of Cape May, towards the South--if you follow real world directions, anyway. Not that they really mean anything in the Hedge.
They're currently walking through a path that weaves through some overgrown buildings, glimpses of brick and concrete visible under the thick vine-covered Trod walls. As the other team had seen last time... even though the previous team had gone in the opposite direction--towards Old Iron--the Hedge is withering here and there. There's patches where the plants are brittle and wilted, dim compared to their usual vibrancy.
The glass Ogre that arrives to patrol tonight is just a little different. He's still made of shiny glass, but he's not quite as reflective; within is a lambent glow that flickers and ripples in accordance with his emotions. His body is still a brick shithouse, carved of perfect muscle that's far beyond swole; his hair is a thatch of askew white.
Before the group set out into the hedge at all, Rosalyn would gather them around to draw out THE PLAN on an old sheet of paper. She sketched out a rough map of the area and marked out their ideal formation for travelling and staying together, even adding in contingencies for what to do if caught out alone or in the face of enemies. Stay together as we seek out any trouble/source of the blight, navigate back to the group if possible when separated, don't chase bad guys alone. If things go very wrong, get back to the freehold ASAP and get help.
Gallowglass will listen attentively, and share what happened on his last patrol; he explains about the bugs, the plants, all of it.
Ianthe is dressed in the same mail hauberk and coif she was wearing on guard duty earlier, though the sword that was dangling at her side has been exchanged for a quiver of arrows. Given the lack of close quarters or any real non-combatants to protect, the Bright One is favouring her usual archery over close work.
Ros is dressed for archery as well with hardened leather armor, though she also carried a basic machete for thornwhacking where necessary. Elio was dressed in full regalia, armor gleaming.
Gallowglass is wearing some kind of leather jerkin for armor, raggedy jeans. He's more quiet than usual, but he's more polite.
The group travels for an hour or so without coming across anything of note. Until they start to hear the sound of moving water in the distance. This in its self is not very strange--there's all manner of rivers and streams in this area of the Hedge. But what does become strange is when they round a bend and find the Trod flooded with at least a foot deep of water, which seems to be flowing at a steady speed--washing in from one side of the Trod, where the wall has been caved and broken in, exposing the Trod to the thorns beyond.
Gallowglass draws up with a displeased sort of grunt, arms folding as he surveys the damage. "Well. That's fucked."
Ianthe doesn't see any immediate dangers--no creatures lurking in the water or anything. She can hear the sound of water raging nearby though--odds are there's an actual river just off the Trod. A fast moving one as well.
She also hears the distant sound of someone screaming, sounding like they're in distress, from the direction of the river.
"Yeah. We'll definitely need to get that fixed." Ianthe turns toward the sound of someone screaming. "Do either of you hear that?"
Ros hissed a little and Elio shied from the flooded trod. "Damnation. This trod won't last long with it being washed away like this. And that scream. Who knows what or who that is."
He glances to Ianthe, and then Roz; back to Ianthe. "The screaming? No. Sounds like bait."
"Could be bait. Could be an escapee." Ianthe sighs. "We should probably check it out, just in case."
Gallowglass does not radiate enthusiasm, but he nods. "All right, fair. In case it's an escapee. Where's it comin' from?"
"Agreed. But we should also try to spin a culvert to stop to this flooding so the trod isn't ruined."
Ros frowned, then turned around to dig an old silver flute. "I can try to summon some scouts. Better to know what we'd be going into on a rescue."
"True. Let's get that done first." Ianthe glances between the other two. "Either of you experienced at Hedgespinning?"
"Nope. I could probably build a real culvert, but I dunno shit about spinnin'."
"I can spin," she confirmed. "Could you take the lead on the culvert Ianthe? While I try to get some scouts?"
Swiftly several small birds start twittering on ledges nearby in reply to the whistle, then fly down and around Rosalyn, whistling and chirping.
Ros had dismounted from Elio, setting him to watch their backtrail, and done a little hopping dance and whistling a trilling tune on the flute. She smiled to the birds and let them perch on her hands and shoulders. "Follow the screams," Rosalyn instructed. "Determine if it's a predator's lure or a genuine cry for help, then return and tell me."
"Sure thing." Ianthe shoulders her bow, turning her attention to repairing the Trod.
The birds twitter in reply, then quickly fly off over the Trod's wall.
Gallowglass watches over his two companions, a luminous sentinel in the gloom of the Hedge. He rolls his shoulders, tilts his head from side to side - restless, prowling energy.
Having taken a moment to think about how to fix the immediate danger, Ianthe unshoulders her bow, pulling an arrow from her quiver, shooting towards the origin of the water, attempting to create an obstacle and divert its flow.
Ros followed her lead, quickly loosing another arrow and impressing her will on the hedge in support of Ianthe's vision.
Let's be real, the best possible catharsis for Gallowglass right now is getting to beat the shit out of the Hedge. He throws himself into it with dedicated enthusiasm, not saying a word.
The three work together to force the Hedge into cooperation, shooting arrows and punching and pulling at vines--and from their violence a wall rises up to replace the crumbled in one, stopping the water from flowing into the Trod.
But as they coerce the Hedge into submission, it fights back. The ground quivers, and from the soil bursts thick roots. For a moment it appears that they might lash out at the three--but then the roots get caught up within the wall, growing upwards to lace through it, changing the wall of vines to a wall of... roots. (Anyone can roll Wits+Occult)
Ianthe: Hedgespinning always causes the Hedge to push back against the changes--but this time it felt... more powerful and chaotic, somehow? And the power seemed focused from those roots, not from the thorns. Strange.
Its about now that the birds are swooping back to flit around Rosalyn's head, twittering cheerfully.
"It's a hob kit- a baby," Ros said, swinging up onto Elio's back. "Being attacked by some eels. We'd better hurry, they're a friendly race and wouldn't it be nice to keep it that way."
"There's something odd about those roots, but we can go rescue the kit before investigating it." Ianthe turns to follow Ros's lead.
Gallowglass' expression softens; it's a baby. He nods to the ladies, turning to fall in step beside Ianthe.
Ros trilled a little tune on the whistle again and Elio pranced in place. "Please lead us to the kit as quickly as possible." Then she imbued a point of glamour through the flute and tried to summon the eelhound through the Pipes of the Beastcaller.
The trio hurries off of the Trod, following the sound of raging waters. They're having to wade through water that comes up to their mid-calf, and having to push through thorns--but Rosalyn just erupts forward, disappearing from sight. Ianthe and Gal lag behind, trying to follow the twittering of the birds. (Alright--you two no longer have the Edge... Roll Dex+Athletics as the waters and vines try to trip you up! Still with +8, though.)
The Hedge was a fickle mistress, but Elio didn't have quite as much difficulty getting through the moving water as a human, and she hacked at the vines to try and cut a path through for everyone.
Gal and Ianthe put on a burst of speed, and the Mirrorskin soon joins Rosalyn, Ianthe following behind. They find themselves standing on the shore of a raging river--the waters are white and churning. Its obvious that this is a new waterway, as nothing has been worn down by the water--and there's rubble and debre that is drifting along with the quick current. They can see in the center of the river there is a cluster of rocks where a tree has been lodged. Clinging desperately to it are two small furry, bloodied shapes. And swimming towards them is a massive shape--almost canine, if it didn't appear to be almost... reptilian? That's a long wiggly body. https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/regalgoblins/images/c/cf/Electric_Eel_Hound_Matt_Burger.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20191126032149
It hisses, but doesn't attack, turning it's beady white eyes upon Rosalyn.
Gallowglass takes stock of this scene and, after the day he's had...well, it just seems like he's had enough. He clenches his fists and the flickering light in his chest turns an August-sun shade of red; the color arcs through his transparent body like lightning. He kicks his boots off and takes a deep breath, roaring a challenge to the eelhound that erupts from his core.
And he gets more muscley and big.
Ros sighed with relief when the other two arrived. "Glad you made it." She looked over Gallowglass. " Can you make it through the river to get to the kits?" she called.
Ianthe nods to Ros when she arrives, drawing an arrow from her quiver at the sight of the eelhound, but not nocking it yet.
"You want me to get the kits, or you want me to get that?" He lifts his chin in the eelhound's direction. "I can grapple with that, while you ford through on the horse. Ianthe shoots it with her bow?"
"Alright! Your call." Ros patted Elio's neck. "Ready to go swimming, sweetheart?"
The eelhound hisses back at Gallowglass when roared at, and is going to move to attack unless Rosalyn orders it down.
"I think I can hold it where it is?" Ros called, a bit uncertainly.
He looks immensely disappointed by this, but teamwork is important. "I'll stay on it, keep it away from the kits. You got this!" He gives her two enormous thumbs-up.
A log washes down river and slams into the tree the kits are holding onto--both of them let out a rather human sounding squeal and are knocked into the river.
Both Gal and Ianthe can sense danger lurking underneath the surface of the water. There's some sharp thorns, that are going to be dangerous to move through. Especially if they try to move through them quickly--which is kind of neccessary at this point, as the kits are now quickly washing down river.
The eelhound grumpily lays down on the shore.
Gallowglass is tracking the kits downriver, growling in frustration. "We're gonna get torn up in that shit. I think...I can take a pretty good beatin', but I wanna get t'those kits."
"Go get me some Kraken Ink," Ros hissed the order to the eelhound to give it its task before it could be free again, then turned her attention to the river and stepped in. She swung her hatchet to sheer a thorn off the vine and let her will ripple down the waves after Gallowglass.
The eelhound's head tilts a bit, before it stands and slinks off in the opposite direction through the water.
Ianthe steps in next to Ros, focusing on pulling the vine out of the way. Luckily her hands are armoured.
Gal goes wading into the river--the water coming up to his chest when he can manage to keep his feet on the ground--but with the ground covered in thick, sharp thorns he mostly ends up having to swim over them, navigating quickly. With Ianthe and Rosalyn Spinning the Hedge around him to help keep the worst of the thorns at bay, he manages to get to the first kit quickly--grabbing the toddler-sized ball of trembling fluff. It squeaks and chokes as Gal grabs it, quickly scrambling to climb on top of his shoulder and digs tiny sharp claws into his skin to latch on.
The second one is a little further down stream, and is sinking down underneath the surface of the water, looking unconscious.
The Hedge pushes back--but not to any notable effect.
One more time--keeping with the same tactic?
"There y'go, little bub," he croons to the fuzzy kit. "Hold on tight, let's go getcher sister."
Gal pushes on ahead quickly, this time having to dive down under the water to literally pry the sinking body from the thorns--but he resurfaces, holding the second kit against his chest. It... is bleeding a lot, and definitely not conscious.
"Chips!" the Hob clinging to Gal's shoulder squeaks in distress.
Gallowglass draws a shuddering breath, hugging Chips close against his chest; he hunches around the little kit like a papa bear. With a determined resignation, he grasps her a little tighter; the light shines bright within, and he infuses his glamour into the little body to heal it. ((Shared Burden 2 glam, I'll taaaake....we can start with 3L))
The kit's wounds heal, bringing it back from the brink of death, while Gal gets some nasty cuts that spread over him. The kit is still injured, these wounds too bad for Shared Burden to handle. But otherwise doing much better.
Gallowglass picks his way carefully back to shore; he has precious cargo now.
Now that they can get a good look at the kits, they appear to be toddler sized (but still obviously babies--basically round fluffy poof balls)... beavers?
Ros and Elio moved down the shoreline to meet Gallowglass. "You did it! My heart had jumped all the way up into my throat! Oh you poor things... They're adorable. Where are you kin, little ones?"
Ianthe follows behind Ros, letting the Autumn take the lead when it comes to asking questions.
"This one's in a bad way," he reports, panting; he prods Chips with big, gentle fingers. "C'mon, 'lil bit. You okay?" He's gone all soft and protective, the light within a rosy gold.
They don't immediately reply to Rosalyn's question. The one clinging to Gal's shoulder quickly climbs down onto his chest (seemingly unconcerned that it's leaving scratches in the glassy skin in the process), curling up with the other kit. "Chips! Are you okay?" it says in a squeaky voice, grabbing onto the other's poofy cheeks with it's little clawed hands. This one's injuries are pretty severe as well--it's bleeding all over Gal.
Chips' eyes open weakly, blinking up at the other as it's cheeks are smooshed. "No! I'm not okay," it whines softly--one of it's front buck teeth is missing, making it whistle as it talks.
"Hold still," he rumbles at the talkative one, gathering them both in the big cradle of his arms. His skin flickers and gleams again, the red chasing over it in currents.
The kit heals up completely.
She put a hand on Gallowglass' arm. "Are you ok?" she asked with concern. "I have an Amaranthine in my pack, if it's necessary."
"I'll make it back," he assures Rosalyn, nodding. "Hurts like a bitch, but I'm tougher'n I look. Let's save it, 'case we hit anythin' headin' back."
"I have a few healers I can contact, once we're back. If none of them are around to begin with."
Once reassured that it's brother--sister? who knows--isn't dying, the now healed kit looks up to blink-blink at Gal, then past him to Rosalyn and Ianthe. "Hii..."
Chips, apparently more timid, moves to climb onto the larger kit's back to cling tightly, which makes the other grunt from the weight, but doesn't complain.
"Hi. Are your kin anywhere near, do you know?"
Elio gave the little snack sized critters a rather hungry look. Ros reached forward and grabbed his ear and twisted it gently to dissuade any ideas he might be forming.
"I'm takin' these two back with me," he says quietly, like stones grinding together. "They're comin' with me to th'Freehold so they can get patched up."
"Umm..." The kit looks towards the river for a moment, then shakes it's head. "I don't... think so. Ow--Chips, not so tight," it whines, then continues, "Our dam broke and the river took us real far away." A beat pause, then it adds in a lower voice, "I was goin' in after Chips. I can swim."
"You fell in too," whistles the smaller kit.
"We'll find them and get you home again," she promised. "Gallowglass will take care of you and make sure you get patched up in the meantime."
"Will you keep the roots away?" whistles the smaller one worriedly.
"The roots? Are they what caused your dam to break?"
He glances at his companions, jaw setting in a hard line. "We keep the roots away," he assures the little pair. "I'm gonna take care of you, and then we'll find your family again. Okay?"
"Yeah!" exclaims the larger kit, lifting it's tiny clawed hands into the air--clinging onto Gal's chest by digging in the back claws. "They just came out of no where and BOOM! The whole dam broke in two!"
Ros exchanged a worried glance with the other two. "Let's get back to the Freehold. We'll have to make a new plan to investigate the roots once we figure out where the dam was."
"Sounds like a plan. Gallowglass, you going to be okay carrying those two?"
"It's th'same kind of roots around the blighted plants, I'd bet. But yeah - we need t'get these two back and patched up. You two hungry?" He gives the bigger one a little scritch on the chest. "Bet we can find some dinner." He laughs a little. "Yeah, think I'll be fine."
They both perk up a little.
"We're starving," the oldest says eagerly. "Do you have food?"
"All our food is gone..." the littlest one says softly.
"We'll feed you," she laughed, then looked up the stream where the eelhound had run off to. "I wonder if that other beasty is going to come back with my Kraken Ink."
"I have some on me," Ianthe says, retrieving a bag of trail mix from a belt pouch, pouring some out onto her hand and offering it to the kits. "It's not much, but we can get you more once we're at the Freehold."
"I got all kinds of food," he tells the pair; his voice is different, more gentle and light than it's ever been. "And nice cozy beds, or we can make blanket nests, whatever it is you want t'sleep in. Get you feelin' better, how's that sound?"
The kits are apparently easily bribed. They snatch the bits of trail mix to sniff at then stuff quickly into their mouth, apparently very hungry. They're going to eat all of it unless stopped.
"I'm Nibs," says the oldest while munching. "And this is my sister, Chips."
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