Life Stone

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius was swinging away, his eyes' glowing growing and fading continuously as he fought himself from losing control. However, he was so focused on controlling himself since his team was so green, he didn't notice Suzumi behind him, which was unheard of in the past, and tripped, falling to his right. Luckily for him and Suzumi, the broadside of his large sword landed right on top of the cockatrice that she missed, crushing its head into its body. There were a couple heading towards the two, one more curious than wanting to attack while the other was charging at full speed.

[tangletail]

Leo's eyes danced over the target, looking for a decent point to stab on this overgrown bird. His dagger's now slowly rotating in his hand till they were upside down. Once he felt he was close enough, he quickly hurled forward, planting one foot on the back of the cockatrice startling it, and even provoking a squawk. However the sound was now short lived. A crunching sound filled the air as Leo's left dagger drove it's way home into the cockatrice's spinal column. Once it was severed the bird's beak opened wide, and it twitched, making a gargled guttural sound once it was paralyzed. The feline left the dagger in place while he continued it's way up the bird, leaping off the same foot that he planted on it, and pulling the other one inward to pin it's neck down once he dropped on top, his right dagger raised high prepared for a downward strike through the back of it's skull.

 
However, upon the ascent, Leo noticed a glint on the ground, and then several large round containers with flies buzzing around.  Well, to say the least the source of the smell was found. The containers were tins designed for pies, holding bits of rotten meat as lures for game. And just under one of them, Leo noticed metallic teeth. And it dawned upon him as his leg made contact with it's intended goal that under some of these pie tins that were haphazardly scattered about were bear traps. His expression turned into an epiphany of horror after his dagger missed it's proper mark from the lack of focus. “SHIIIIIiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiIIIIT” rang through the air in a harmonic tone. The tip struck down on top of the skull, and slid down the side after both he and the cockatrice's head had hit the ground.

 
And he hit the ground hard, rolling forward, and tumbling over a pile of rotting meat and tins. Sending some tins flying into the air and setting off bear-traps. Leo was panic stricken, thrashing around heavily as he tries to pull himself away from any possible traps, but only making louder noises. Once he was on his feet, the cat quickly leaps into the air, grabbing onto a low hanging branch and proceeded to climb the tree with the fur of his tail bristling. And if matter's weren't worse, a loud hiss could be heard as several more cockatrice's came in to investigate the racket. Sure enough, they found the aftermath of what could have been the deadliest trap to any backstabbing individual. Crushed pietins on the ground, pie tins crushed in metalic jaws, and of course a paralyzed and slowly dying cockatrice on the ground, who can only manage a twitch periodically.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana partially witnessed the mishaps that occurred with Karina and Suzumi after her arrow hit its target. As she kept an eye on the group of cockatrice, she noticed Korius fall because of Suzumi behind him. He had managed to kill the cockatrice Suzumi had missed but now there were two coming at them. Kiana turned and, having already notched another arrow from her quiver, took aim at the cockatrice that seemed more intent on attacking. She was stepping sideways to keep herself aligned with the moving cockatrice when one of her feet got caught on the other one. Wobbling, she lost her balance and fell sideways. She loosed the arrow on accident and ended up hitting the cockatrice in the leg instead, causing her to curse herself for her clumsiness as she scrambled to get back up.

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

Helios watched as Leo stumbled around like a fool. Leo you owe me so much. As the cockatrice hissed and clawed at the tree Leo was in, Helios shot out from his cover and swung sloppily at the largest of the cockatrice the blade fumbling almost from his hands, he thanked Nyx though as his swing may have missed the neck of the largest cockatrice, but instead the blade landed with a resounding thud in the skull. The other two turned on Helios and hissed preparing to charge. Shit. Leo I swear! Without hesitation Helios let go of his blade and grabbed the closest branch he could find pulling himself up into a tree. For the moment at least their attention was solely on Helios.

[Vosur Aekira]

Karina was starting to get mad as she grabbed a new arrow from her quiver, noticing that a few of the cockatrice were trying to break away and rush them. She didn't have enough time to notch it, so she used it and the bow's blades as melee weapons by stabbing and slashing through the cockatrice that charged her. "Strange, one of them by now should've..." she started to think to herself while fending off the ones that were too close, a larger male letting out a very loud and shrill shriek. She had to shake off the feeling off it, quickly taking aim to the calling cockatrice and firing an arrow. Her vision was a little off as she only pinned the creature's outstretched wing to the tree that was right behind, it now letting out more desperate and higher pitched cries. "Sonova... why can't I seem to get a break!?" she growled out as she fumbled to get a new arrow on, rushing because the cries were starting to cause a headache to her.

[Suzumibachii]

Ducked down at Korius partially tripped over her after her mishap, looking as his massive blade all but crushed the skull of a cockatrice just by sheer weight rather than force. She wanted to apologize for rushing in as she did but there really wasnt time a curios cockatrice was closing in and another one was in a full charge to attack. She glanced back in time to see Kiana loose and arrow that would hamper its charge but it wasnt a killing shot by far. Rolling to the side before standing up Suzumi took a deep breath and focused once more the gems glowing brightly her focus was disrupted slightly by the ear piercing call of the cockatrice that had been pinned to the tree by Karina.

Wind started to rush around the reptile partially drowning out the cockatrice's call. As the wind twisted and spun around her body and towards her hands she turned and ran at the pinned cockatrice. She wasnt going to miss this time, stepping close to it she reached up and slammed her right hand against its throat her left following up by hitting its chest. Several heavy pulses of air rushed over her arms and hammered at the cockatrice hoping to crush its windpipe or damage its lungs so it couldnt call out anymore.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius grunted as he got up and picked up his sword after Suzumi killed the Cockatrice. He then hefted up the large blade over his shoulder and looked over the field. Their half of the group seemed to have downed about 14 Cockatrice so far. Many of them had run away so all they had left was to collect their prizes into their satchel. Near Helios and Leo, the Cockatrice continued to peck at them until they discovered the rotting meat all over the ground. They finally stopped picking at the two and started eating, snapping at each other angrily if they got too close to each other. A couple ended up killed over the rotting meat. However, while they gorged on rotting meat, the cockatrice began to poop as they ate more and more of the bait whose traps were already long triggered. Most of the grass below the duo was now white and ranque. But not long after, the cockatrice left, leaving the three dead bodies laying nearly untouched.

After collecting the cockatrice bodies, Korius led the group to try to follow where Leo and Helios had gone. After an hour or so, they saw some cockatrice leaving a thicket and they headed towards it. Korius stopped short of the thicket at first from the smell of the fresh manure, but saw the three bodies and some dangling tails from the trees. He sighed and walked into the thicket to collect the bodies. After that, he looked up to the two lynxes still in the trees, "Are you two coming or just going to hang there and smell that foul stench for the rest of the day?" The old wolf was seasoned and used to horrible smells, but they were never as fresh as this. It offended him and he just starting walking backwards, backing away from the thicket. Once the group was together again, Korius turned his gaze over to a small feeding group, "Looks like there's more over there. Let's go before someone else takes them."

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana saw that Karina took care of the charging cockatrice that she had managed to at least slow down with screwed up shot. It was only mere seconds after that that an ear-piercing shriek came from the other cockatrice. Kiana's ears instantly flattened against her head at the horrible sound. She watched as Karina's arrow pinned its wing to a tree which caused its call to be louder and high pitched. She was quite relieved when Suzumi ran at the cockatrice and crushed its windpipe and lungs with the power of wind. She looked around after that and saw all the dead bodies then watched as Korius collected their kill in the magic-enhanced satchel since he was the one it was given to.

Once the bodies were collected, she followed Korius with the others, she guessed, to find the other two from the group she finally noticed weren't there. When they got to a thicket, she waved her free hand in front of her face at the gross smell. She let Korius walk into the thicket since she didn't want to go any closer to the smell than she had to. She could see the tails hanging down from the tree as he had walked in. When Korius rejoined them and the other two did as well, she turned her attention towards the small feeding group that Korius turned his gaze on.

[tangletail]

Leo watched from above quietly with a very confused expression drawn. His eyes shifted between the bird like creatures as they sifted through the pans of the disabled traps. Some even fighting amongst each other, and being left as a statistic for them to add to the kill toll later. The feline looked up to his kin for a moment to see if he was just as confused, before looking back down to see them leave. His head slowly turning to watch them go till they disappeared.

“What... just happened,” Leo mumbled just loud enough for Helios to hear. He never once thought in his life he would get a lucky break such as this, when a handful of blood thirsty mobs would suddenly turn on each other and leave. It was almost like lady luck had actually taken to some form of pity for the two cats stuck in the trees. However, Leo dared not to climb back down just yet. He slowly moved closer to the trunk and wrapped his arms around it so he could look in the direction they left. Of course it was clear, but only as far as the cat could see through the leaves. The smell might have been terrible, but it was better than being torn asunder, and then transformed into the same very materials of the repulsive stench.

 
He then heard another noise. His body quickly moved away from the trunk, and lay across the gray and neutrally toned browns and black branch that held him in the air. His arms were stretched out, to help reduce some of his bulk as well as hide his orange furred head. The gray clothing he wore did help  him blend in, but not completely. It wouldn't easily fool the searching eye as easily.

 

"Are you two coming or just going to hang there and smell that foul stench for the rest of the day?"

 
Leo blinked when he heard the voice. His gaze now peeking over his arms to look down to a familiar face. “Oh... yes... we are just going to sit up here and enjoy the lovely view of clouds and sunshine,” the thief commented, though there was a relieved under-bite to his sarcasm. When they left he slowly sat up, and climbed down from his tree. “Oh, and Helios. I owe you one,” he added after recollecting his two daggers.

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

As he dropped to the ground he thanked Nyx he and Leo had survived. As he retrieved his blade he looked around at all the other members of the rag tag bunch. He smiled, and laughed. "You should have seen your face." Helios said his gut in pain from both the extensive exercise and the sheer amount of laughter he was producing. "I mean the way you stumbled around those traps." Helios was glad the day was over, and he was ready for whatever Korius had planned next.Thanks for keeping an eye on me Luna.He smiled and laughed more turning to see the other staring at him.

[Suzumibachii]

Stood there for a few seconds breathing deeply before moving her arms away from the cockatrice and watching its body slump to the ground. Stepping back and  brushing her fingertips over each gem she looked back at the others with a soft smile. "I am still learning to control it properly." Her tone was soft and almost apologetic as if she felt bad for not being at the level of a grandmage yet. Looking around her found her cloak and picked it up hitting it so the dust would come off before she placed it over her shoulders once more.
After watching their kills being collected she followed Korius up until the stench reached her nose stopping dead in her tracks and almost retching she gasped out and took several steps backwards "Dear god...what is that smell?" she gasped out and covered her nose waiting for Korius and the others to come back.Looking at the group of grazing cockatrice she nodded.

[Vosur Aekira]

Karina's irises were red at the moment, her hair and fur having frizzed up in the whole fight. She slung off the blood from the cockatrice that she killed from her blades on the bow and looked about to see if there were anymore. "I hate that call of theirs..." she spoke as she was trying to calm herself down, gathering up any salvageable arrows since she only had a limited amount to work with. Though she did smell the stench in the area, she did not seem fazed by it as she was gathering her arrows. Karina heard Korius say about another group, so she nodded in acknowledgement before following his lead. "We are on a time-constraint here, so let's not waste any time sitting idle." she spoke to the others as she looked to the direction that the berserker pointed out.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius looked up for a moment, noticing it was already just past high noon. The Hunt only lasted until sun down, and turn-in time was within an hour of full sun down. He then led the group onward towards the small feeding group. There was only 3 of them, but one was particularly interesting. It was plumper, though not taller, than the others and had a large, pink plume atop its head. It was a female. A break. The black wolf firmed his grip on his sword and rushed forward, swinging down with his large weapon. However, his swing did not connect with his target. A large halberd and spear stopped the large sword. Korius snarled, "Why am I not surprised?" It was the group that they had seen earlier, and they obviously want to claim the female for themselves. That's when he noticed something odd about the two males around the female. One of them outright killed the other, behavior not seen from Cockatrice unless it was mating season, and it was only 2 months after. Korius also noticed that the female's rear was covered by the familiar yellow, baby dragon. From the looks on the four faces, he knew they weren't going to let him and his group have the catch, but they needed the money and the last thing Korius wanted was a tamer to actually have a female Cockatrice under their control.

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

Seeing Korius take off for another group of cockatrice Helios groaned in frustration that the day wasn't over like he thought. He thought for sure they would catch a break when they found the female, but no such luck. Another group was fighting for the same kill. He watched as a spear and a halberd stopped Korius blade. Seeing a chance to prove himself to Korius and the others. Helios stalked silently around the groups for just a moment then rushed the other still standing male cockatrice. First you then the female. This is my chance to prove to Korius I'm not just dead weight! "Come on you stupid bird show me what you've got!"

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana saw that there was a female cockatrice among the group and watched as Korius charged towards it. A split second before Korius was blocked, she saw the members of the other group. When contact was made, Kiana reached up and pulled an arrow from her quiver. Notching it, she waited and prepared for what might happen yet. It seemed that they might be fighting the other group for the female, but she wasn't sure how that would happen. Raising her arms, she searched for what would be her mark, be it cockatrice or Kin.