Private Tales Hunters Hunting a Hunted Hunter.

[Kalia Oro Khastan]

It was a fairly simple job.
A noble from Molthal was recently robbed and the thieves made off with some prized heirlooms and other treasures of his house. The treasures weren't a concern, they could take it as payment. But the heirloom was priceless and the client wanted it back at all costs.

Kalia took the job and he and Rebecca Fourtuna began tracking the thieves. From their investigations they learned that the thieves have escaped into the Blightlands.
They were hot on their trail and Kalia needed a better read on the situation.

They sat around a campfire, mostly for Rebecca's sake since the cold didn't effect him.
"Rebecca, I need you to scout the area and see if you cannot spy on our target. They have been elusive so far and I want to know for sure exactly what we're dealing with. Just from the news we've gotten so far they may have joined up with a bandit group, so they won't be as helpless. We need to know how many there are and what armaments' they possess. Can you do that?"

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

Rebecca has been tracking them by scent and by her reckoning they had met and joined with the other bandit group a day before last. Her masters assumption was correct.

“Your theory is correct my lord.” She said stripping to nothing but her cloak stuffingher clothes and light armor into her knapsack before handing them to Kalia respectfully to watch over.

Anything besides the cloak interfered with her cloaking and natural stealth it seemed. Her tail flexed like a writhing snake free of its bonds as she sank down to all fours vanishing in a burst of speed at her masters command.

..................

Her scales flared up cloaking her figure as she approached the camp. Orcs. Orcs the whole lot of them. She noticed something that gave her pause as she drew ever closer. The amount of guards at the gates.

She had expected at least one ore two but she was looking at 7 stationed at each gate on either side of the compound the bandits had constructed. There was the damage and blood of a recent battle scattered about as well. What was going on? As she crept closer a new scent hit her nose. Cooked meat. Drool began dripping from her mouth as her stomach growled. A trash heap of the compounds rubbish sat at the edge of camp. And right on top rested a perfect leg of pork. Still steaming.

“There aren’t any guards...” She said to herself as she crept up to the pile. “It could be a good way in...” She whispered her eyes never leaving the leg until the sand shifted underneath her. She let out a squeak of surprise before she fell into a pit full of spikes. One burying itself right into her head.

.................
By the time her head healed they had already pulled her from the pit and were trying to eat her. The two Orcs that had tried were clutched their throats as the venom in her blood ate away at their throats and stomached as they melted into puddles of gore from the inside out.

Soon 4 more joined the unlucky 2 as Rebecca came fully awake and began to wreak havoc. Slashing, tearing, spearing, and spitting at anything she could reach until an orc was able to come behind her and grabbing her by the tail. Taking a spine to the shoulder for his trouble he swung her like a mace into a wall obliterating her head one again.

..................

When it once again reformed and she returned to the world she was locked in a cage for large animals. Her tail was tied tightly around her neck and her chains were (more than likely by accident.) made out of a blessed iron that burned her skin slightly and refused to be broken they had chosen them because they were thick, but if it hadn’t been made of that material she could have broken it like wood.


“Your awake.” The orc that seemed to be the leader approached her cage. His smug grin faltered and Rebecca threw herself at the cage viciously clawing at the air trying to reach him. “Such ferocity. A creature like you will bring me great riches once I break you in.” He chuckled. Rebecca said nothing but a low growl that continued until the leader left and she was left to her own devices.

“Can you believe a little thing like that killed so many of us last night?” Asked one orc to another as they passed her cell. “Yeah female creatures are almost always more vicious. She got a nice body though.” His friend responded with a chuckle. “Yeah if she wouldn’t tear you in half we could’ve had some fun.” The other lamented before they both bust out laughing and left her be as well. Finally away from prying eyes Rebecca finally relaxed with a sigh.

Tears forming in her eyes as she began to cry. She had failed her master and been captured by these...idiots! Her place was at his side. Not locked in a cage like an animal.

She finally curled up in a ball as best she could with her tail tied around her neck as she settled into a restless sleep trying not to touch any more of the shackles than she had to as it slowly burned away her wrists as they healed only to burn away again.

“Kalia...Anyone..” she wept into her arms while she lay “please help..” She whispered her silent desperate prayer as she fell lightly asleep.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

The Blightlands were as unforgiving as the North was. Where the cold and bare landscape wasn’t new to Mika, the Orcs were. She knew their scent now and tried to avoid them whenever she could. Not all of them were open-minded. More importantly, she was close to home now. Well, relatively close. There were still hundreds of miles ahead, not to mention the sea. That, however, wouldn’t stop her from getting home. The Orcs, unfortunately, did.

Coming too close to a group of them while hunting she had made the mistake to let the scent be. Where she usually made sure to stay far enough from anything that smelled too intense, she had figured the camp was simply spreading it through the nearby woods. A grave mistake. The concentrated scent turned out to be an Orc-made trap of sorts. One she had walked into while hunting a deer. It wrapped itself around her like a cocoon, leaving her helpless. They found her not too much later. Apparently the sight of her made them quite happy, but luckily for her they had some other business to attend. From what she caught there had been trouble in the camp. And they were planning to put her with the troublemaker.

Was she supposed to be this monster’s dinner?

She heard words that meant venom and teeth - it wasn’t anything exciting to listen to as she was dragged with the net and all toward the cage that held the animal.

Thrown in like a ragged doll, she was at least happy that the thick ropes had came loose. Right now she still had her daggers. Being a fighter, Mika didn’t plan on going without putting her knives into the enemy. It’s why she felt quite confused when the only one in the cage turned out to be a small female.

Wrapped by the darkness of the night she got out of the net, took out her dagger, and carefully made her way to the other entity. There wasn’t a lot of space between them, but with no light around it was hard to see what was going on. If this was supposed to be the monster then Mika hoped to strike first. However, her intent to kill was dropping with every step she took.

That didn’t look like a monster.
It looked like..
What was that?

There was a tail. Odd ears. Nothing Mika’s seen before.

“Ello?” she gently tried in Common, with her fingers white from the pressure on the dagger’s hilt. Her heart was beating erratically. The scent coming from the stranger wasn’t a familiar one. Human, but not enough to make things safe.

* * *​

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

Her ears twitched as the movement and the clang of the cell door opening and closing woke her. Two blood red orbs glowed in the darkness as the being cane awake. The beautiful face of the girl before Mika twisted as it’s jaw unlocked twice.

The expansive maw of teeth dripping with paralyzing, acidic venom greeted her giving the creature the illusion of a cruel smile creeping into the rage that fueled its eyes. A low growl of warning erupted from her throat as it stood on all fours and pounced.

The speed was incredible as Rebecca lunged at the new intruder. An orc thought it could creep in here and kill her? It would have another thing coming. As she flew through the air she almost connected with her target only for the chain to go taunt leaving her to be yanked short with a squeak like a cat getting its tail stomped on.

She landed on her back with a sick crack as she landed on dusty floor of the cell. Her back clicked back together as she pulled herself back up right shrinking back from the enemy inviting them to come closer to her range of movement.

Then she got a good look at her foe. It was a female and a human no less. Rebecca’s teeth sank back into her mouth as her jaw clicked back into place giving her a normal mouth once more. Her blood red eyes shifting to a friendly pink.

“W-Who are you?” She asked as she sank back on her haunches and tilted her head to the side quizzically. “You don’t smell of bandit or Orc. Are you a prisoner as well?” She whispered. Her tail struggled to untangle itself from her neck as they had cruelly ties it around her neck tightly.

The shackles stilled smoked slightly as she saw the dagger her new cell mate was carrying.

She shrunk away from her to the furthest corner of her cell. She may have seemed fierce and dangerous but it appeared their captors had incapacitated her pretty badly. “S-Stay back I-I’ll bite you!” She warned pressing into the corner with a slight shake of fear in her voice. “I-I really will!” She squeaked.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Ruby red eyes flew at her and Mika’s only reaction was to lash out with her dagger as she stumbled back, but the two never met. With a shriek and a crack the creature came down onto the hard floor. Apparently, it was shackled to the other side. Then how was it supposed to eat her?

Had she misunderstood? Was she the future dinner of the Orcs?

Worries for later, Mika told herself as she cautiously studied the creature. They were different now, less hostile. Afraid, even. Though, this could be a trap. Perhaps they wanted to get her closer in order to sink their teeth into her flesh. At least, that’s what the Nordenfiir assumed before the fear became obvious in the other’s voice.

“Hey,” she gently tried. Eyes still glued to the female in the corner. Slowly walking closer, the dagger still between her fingers - she hoped this could be an ally instead of a foe, but she wasn’t sure. They did tried to jump her and still threatened to bite her. Things were complicated around here, apparently.

“Yes, I fell into one of their traps. The name is Mikaela, do you have a name?”

Carefully, step by step, she came close enough for the feline to be able to bite her should she decide to. Offering a harmless smile, Mika sighed. “If you don’t eat me, I’ll try to help you with those chains, okay?”

There were different little things in her satchel. Amongst them wire and a piece of dried fish. She offered the latter to her cell mate in an attempt to win their trust, or maybe sate their hunger a little. Should they get out of here alive then she would hunt something like a deer or a rabbit. Food wasn’t the main problem right now, besides, bears could go on without dinner for a couple of days. She had simply been cautious about supplies and had wanted to make sure she wouldn’t run out by getting her hands on that deer.

Damn it, she should have just moved on from the moment the Orc smell had reached her. Now she was here.

Sitting next to the girl she took out some of the wire. It might take a little bit of time, but she was pretty sure this would work. Having been around iron and steel ever since she was a little kid, Mika did have some skills when it came down to picking a lock. More importantly, as cubs they were taught how to make and get out of an iron trap. Stupidly enough she had been caught by a net.

“Alright, this might.. hurt.” she warned, hoping that the pain wouldn’t cause her to try to flay Mika. Because sitting so close to someone with quite sharp teeth, as she had noticed at the start, wasn’t the best thing when being attacked by them.

A click, one of the shackles came loose. Mika caught them before they made any real noise by hitting the floor. There was a mark on her wrist. The sight had her feel kind of bad for the smaller female. Either she had been in them for quite some time or something about the iron didn’t go well with her skin. When fumbling with the other hand, she realized it was the latter.

“You okay? I’ll help you with the tail after we get rid of this one..?”

* * *​

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

Her voice was gentle.

“Mikaela.” She has said her name was. Rebecca remained tense as they drew closer however. Her eyes never left the dagger. She growled warningly as she grew closer. Her pink eyes slowly going red once more.

Her gambit had worked and the human drew close enough to attack, but by now she had no heart to. It seemed they were both prisoners here and eating her would only slake her hunger for a short time.

Besides she offered a harmless smile, help and even a piece of dried fish.

Her stomach growled.

Food..

Weighing all of this Rebecca finally seemed to decide she was no threat. Her now pink eyes still watchful of the dagger she accepted the food gratefully. Taking it from her hand with her mouth she began to eat as she finally relaxed into misery allowing the human closer to the corner where she had cowered in the cell.

She ate small bites of the fish when the human sat next to her. She tensed again as Mika took her hand in hers but only momentarily as she saw her beginning work on the dreaded shackles that burned her. Her jaw clinched as the shackles finally came free. The claws in her hand sprang out on instinct and skunk into Mika’s own, but she didn’t cry out or bite.

Her burned skin healing after a few moments until nothing of the injury remained.

“T-thank you.” She said gratefully flexing the now freed limb.

“I’m fine. I-I think they g-got their hands on blessed iron shackles. How I don’t know..” She said softly. Her ears that had been pressed back in fear now flipped forward and twitched curiously as she moved forward suddenly placing her face inches from Mika’s as she began sniffing her up and down.

She smelled like the forest and trees and deer meat. All things Rebecca very much enjoyed. That was when she noticed the blood. It was from her claws. “Oh!” She said suddenly trying to use her cloak as a bandage trying to mop it up.

The cuts weren’t deep but were far worse than a simple cut. Her claws werent venomous but they were incredibly sharp. “Sorry I wasn’t thinking..” She spluttered. Pulling her other shackled hand free before Mika could free it. Ignoring the burn they began to leave on her skin as she tried to stop the bleeding..

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

It felt a bit like bribing a kitten until it showed its sharp claws. Literally. A soft “ouch” escaped Mika’s lips as she pulled back her injured hand. While she’s had worse this still stung like a bitch. She felt a bit ruffled by the fact that the stranger had sort of cut her, even if it turned out to be an accident. Mostly because nothing else of any hostile kind had followed. Perhaps the shackles had been pressing down the limb in such a way that the claws coming out was a simple reaction to being let free. Mika wasn’t sure, but figured she would have to be a bit more careful with the other wrist, because the blood was already leaving a trace in the air.

“Don’t worry,” the Northerner grinned, eyes a bit narrowed but forgiving. She ignored the bleeding and gestured for the other hand to return. “I didn’t catch your name,” she mentioned, thinking it would be easier for them to communicate if both had a name to call the other.

“Sit.. still, for a moment, please?”

The sniffing was funny. It looked like this one depended on her nose quite a lot as well. So it seemed that they had something else in common as well. This had Mika silently shake her head while returning to work on the other lock. This one took her a bit longer. Mostly because her fingers had become slippery from the blood leaking down her hand.

“Damn it,” she rubbed the hand against the side of her jacket before returning to picking the lock. It clicked, after a while. She placed the iron on the floor next to them, and curiously studied the way the red skin healed. This wasn’t something she had seen before. It was quite amazing to witness regeneration of sorts. With no obvious magic being used for the process, the whole scene certainly had Mika’s attention.

“Do you think that you can free the tail..?”

Honestly, she was slightly worried that it would have to be broken. The way it looked, well, it definitely didn’t have its natural form. Depending on how long it’s been in that state, Mika could imagine that it might have healed in those odd angles.

* * *​

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

“R-Rebecca.” She responded allowing Mika to take her other hand and continue her work, but focusing on keeping her claws where they belonged. Guilt flooded her as she saw the process take longer from the blood still steadily dripping from her hand.

When asked about her tail she nodded. “Stand b-back please.” She asked as she untied her tail from around her neck. It stayed crooked and bent as it fell to the ground. Rebecca grit her teeth.

Her claws sinking into the stone they sat on leaving deep grooves as she took a single finger from her other hand and used the claw that sprang from it to cut it off. Her hand flew from the stone where it had sat and into her mouth as she bit down on it to keep from screaming in pain.

Tears welled up in her eyes as a greenish red blood sprayed from the wound. The liquid leaving pox marks on whatever it touched melting it with a hiss of chemical burn. Her tail laid limp next to her.

Her poor tail.... She recovered as the wound closed but as her stomach growled it seemed to simply heal but didn’t grow back. She knew what needed to be done as she glanced at the tail on the ground.

“D-Don’t look until I say so please.” She would ask Mika before approaching her tail and eating it. It vanished down her gut like a large noodle as she slurped it down noisily trying to do it as quickly as possible.

“Ok..I’m d-done.” She said quietly as a new tail sprang to life right behind her. Growing even longer and thicker it was like a scally snake slithering from her bottom until a long jagged spine pushed from the tip. A splurt of venom shot from the top almost testing itself before thick fluffy hair seemed to poof into existence covering the vicious weapon with a cute exterior that made you want to cuddle it almost.

“You can come closer now.” She said though she doubted her new friend would want to. She was a beautiful girl but her odd appearance and the dangerous side she had meant many found her quiet repulsive.

She was more of an “It.” Than she was a “She.” And she knew why even if it hurt her soul. “A-again I’m s-Sorry about..that..” she said gesturing to the still bleeding hand Mika now had all from trying to help her.

Her pink eyes brimming with tears as she couldn’t seem to put her guilt and gratitude into words. So she settled for letting Mika decide how close she got to her before deciding how to proceed from there.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Agreeing to create some distance between the two of them, Mika definitely didn’t regret doing so when the blood turned out a viscous liquid of sorts. It ate away at the stone and briefly she found herself wondering if they could have used it to burn away the thick chains keeping them in this cave. Immediately, however, regret for such thoughts followed. This creature was going through some ridiculous amounts of suffering and here she was thinking of a strategy to use it so they could get out.

Quietly staring into the darkness she flinched when Rebecca screamed. The sound pierced her ears. She wondered if the Orcs would come flooding now, but realized they might assume one of the two to be dead now. Had they actually cared they wouldn’t have dumped her with Rebecca to start with. Not that any of those overgrown beasts were anywhere sharp when it came down to thinking.

Once allowed to turn, she did just that, but didn’t move. The lack of tail on the ground had her stomach turn. There, fluffy like a cub’s winter coat, the tail lived again, waving gracefully behind Rebecca.

Obviously Mika’s confusion now grew.

“Forget about the cuts, what happened.. what happened to .. it?” she wanted to know, gesturing toward the spot with eroded stones here and there. The tail had been there. Mika was not insane.

Her stomach turned. Luckily for both of them, she hadn’t eaten in the last couple of hours or the meal might have returned upon the realization that the broken tail might have been devoured. Coughing at the image in her mind she took a deep breath to mentally stabilize.

“I..” the Nordenfiir tried, but failed to find anything to say. Until she saw the tears. Aware of the danger she could be in should Rebecca lash out, she still decided to get closer once again. Even her meeting with the dragon paled in comparison to this creature. To her. She corrected herself silently.

“It’s fine, don’t cry over it.” Gathering the wire and the dagger, she attached the satchel back to her hip. “We need to think about how to get out of here.” For the last part she got quite close again. There was no need to risk being overheard by the enemy.

“Just promise me.. you won’t eat me.” The bear joked, though there was a bit of worry in her violet eyes as she studied Rebecca’s freshly grown tail.

* * *​

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

Rebecca’s ears went back in embarrassment her tail sweeping between her legs as she looked at the ground.

“I..my body takes what I eat and..makes it new things.” She said obviously her limited education kept her from really explaining or even fully grasping how her body turned the flesh she ate into useable flesh to heal and regenerate injuries.

“I haven’t eaten in a few days so it didn’t have anything to make a new thing..” She said her cheeks growing red with shame as she saw Mika wretch at the idea.

It was simply something she did almost on instinct but the idea of eating a piece of herself made her nauseous as well. She was disgusting. A demon birthed from the pits of hell and spat into the world when her use as a soilder was used up.

Spat out to be ridiculed and hunted as she walked an earth she was no longer apart of with humans that she longer was. It made her so...angry. She shook as she slammed a fist into the stone sending a cracks along the thick floor. Taking a deep breath she relaxed slightly recognizing the wisdom in Mika’s words. “S-Sorry...again..” She said wiping her tears before replying.

“We can escape at any time..” She said simply. Snorting deeply she spat like a sailor. The sticky snot like substance sticking to one of the thick cave wall opposite them . It flew through the air before landing and melting where it touched like butter.

“I would’ve left long ago if those chains hadn’t kept me here.” She stated. Her tail now seeming to flex and strike the air like a snake with a mind of its own.

With a sudden flick it sent a bone spine flying from the fur burying half way into the cave wall’s thick rock. Finally seeming satisfied it was working a full capacity Rebecca curled it around her like a security blanket hugging it closely to her chest as she began to think of a plan. It would be no problem for her to escape on her own and go get help, but who knows what would happen to her new friend in the time it took her to return, and if they were to fight their way out together well...Humans didn’t grow things back like she did. It would be a bloody fight and she wasn’t willing to bet her friends safety on her own ability to protect her.

Her right eye twitched suddenly as she thought and suddenly she began to try and scratch a part of her back she couldn’t seem to reach no matter how much she twisted and clawed at it. Completely derailed by a simple itch. Such was her attention span it seemed.

“C-could you...” Rebecca almost asked but faltered as she looked into her friends violet eyes. She was a disgusting creature and getting more so by the minute. Why on earth would this stranger that she had just made wretch want to touch her MORE.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Incredible. It truly was. When the spit melted away the stone Mika knew it was a good thing that she hadn’t jumped Rebecca. There wouldn’t have been anything left from her should she have opted to attack this cute-looking but insanely dangerous feline..reptile.. Mika wasn’t sure what she was. Aside from dangerous. The spike flying from her tail only confirmed those thoughts. Beneath the cuteness this one was all death.

Torn from her thoughts by Rebecca’s call for ‘help’, Mika blinked slightly surprised a couple of times before nodding. “Ehm, sure.”

It would be a lie to say that this wasn’t a little bit awkward, but she was helping a potential friend here, so it was alright. Carefully placing her hand on the spot Rebecca couldn’t reach, she gently scratched it. Back and forth her fingers went over the back in front of her. She used the tips of her fingers and her nails, applied a bit more pressure and realized that this looked a little bit like she was scratching a cat behind its ear.

The hesitation behind the gesture soon disappeared and Mika no longer felt awkward about it. “Is that better?”

An itch could truly be annoying. Everyone knew that.

Not using her messy hand because she didn’t want to leave blood traces on Rebecca’s cloths, Mika soon noticed that the cuts had finally stopped bleeding. The stripes still stung, but at least her fingers were no longer wet and slippery.

A sudden roar of sorts caught Mika off guard. It echoed down the cage they were in. Unsure if it was an Orc or something else, she immediately pulled out her weapons. The dagger from before and on slightly longer one. The latter she kept in her uninjured hand. Listening closely in hopes of hearing what was going on she felt her heartbeat rise again.

Something might be coming their way. Or was terrorizing the Orcs.

“Could you open the lock? I think.. this might be better than waiting down here?”

* * *​

 

[Kalia Oro Khastan]

She had been gone for a long time, too long. Even taking any distractions into account Rebecca would have returned before now, so now he could only assume that something bad had befallen his guardian and he would have to rescue her.
Orcs weren't known for great intellect, but they were far from stupid. They knew warfare, they knew the hunt, and they knew the ways of strength in numbers. They made up for their lack of knowledge or tactics with these things, and as a culture they have managed to keep their heads above the water in these advanced times.

He broke their little camp and headed out. Rebecca was a powerful and cunning creature, but if she was unable to return then it means the orcs got the upper hand and either killed or captured her...
If she was captured he would do whatever it took to rescue her.
But...
If they killed her there was no power in heaven or hell that could prevent his wrath from incinerating the barbaric orcs from existence.

He trudged through the Blightland tundra, his bronze shot boots cracking the frozen crust on the ground as he made his way North-East in the direction he knew the orcs to be last time they spotted them.
The problem was that he had relied on Rebecca's tracking ability up to this point. He wasn't a talented tracker himself by any means, though he had picked up a thing or two in his travels. But at this point all he could pray for was that they hadn't moved camp since yesterday.

He didn't have as sharp of senses as Rebecca, and so the smell of orc escaped him as he passed through a copse of trees.
Their attack was swift and deadly, even his great size didn't intimidate a well coordinated ambush. Two orcs dropped from above and their spears both impaled him through the throat from behind. He gurgled and went down to his knees. Two more orcs appeared from the brush on the sides and stabbed him in the throat from the front, the weak point that his armor didn't cover.

He seemed to struggle for a moment, his hands clawing to remove the barbed spears, but finally with a final gurgling sigh his arms fell limply to his sides and he sat kneeling in the snow as if he were praying with his mask lifted to the sky, four spears protruding from his throat.

The orcs began chuckling, "That was too easy!" One of them declared to the rest.
"The giant man didn't even have time to put up a fight, dumb adventuring scum!" He kicked the kneeling giant that was only maybe a foot shorter than them while kneeling down.
They all had a good laugh! And that made them pause... or at least, the orcs paused, deep and boisterous laughter was coming from the pulverized throat of their victim, his chest was even heaving with each deep laugh like they had made the greatest joke known to the world.

The orcs stared in shock and awe as the giant stood up, pulling out one spear at a time. To their surprise no blood spurted from the wounds, but shreds of bandage wrappings came off torn by the barbed spear heads.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Well done! A flawlessly executed ambush, I applaud you for your great skill and resourcefulness! Really if this hadn't been the most obvious place to stage an ambush in a tundra I never would have suspected a thing!"
He lets out another chorus of laughter as the orcs still stood dumbfounded that he was still alive.
He snapped the spears all at once in his grip and dropped them to the crusted snow.
His voice remained light and jovial but his words were far more ominous.

"Now, you have dared to try to kill me, indeed if the deck wasn't stacked against you since even before you were born you might have succeeded. I should kill you, in fact I could do so easily, raise your corpses and use you to attack your own comrades... But no, you four have shown me that you have worth, that you are strong but also intelligent and cunning. I would have great use for you if you would choose to serve me."

The orcs seemed a bit shocked as their minds seemed to have finally snapped to attention, still not comprehending what had happened but understanding that they weren't about to die.
"If you choose not to be my followers I will still allow you to live, to go your own way. But I would ask that you aid me in finding my guardian, a female that is like a cat and a lizard combined. I believe you or you comrades might have killed or kidnapped her. I would like to know which and where your comrades might reside so I can show them the error of their ways."

The orcs stood still up to now, but now they turned to each other and deliberated amongst themselves. They spoke Orcish which he didn't understand, and so he made it a point to try to learn it some day.
After some discussion they approached him again. He was prepared for some petty declaration of honor and loyalty to their brethren and another futile attempt on his life.
But he was both surprised and pleased when they all four went to one knee with their fists on the ground, "We will serve you, One-who-defies-death. You are worthy as the keeper of our honor. We vow to follow and serve you till we die, let us be your servants!"

He nodded to them, "I accept your vows, rise and be my children. Tell me where I can find my lost child and we shall go to save her."

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

She tensed at Mika’s touch turning to look at her.

Shock apparent on her face. She hadn’t expected Mika to actually help her. Her eyes closed as her muscles relaxed and even let out a deep purr with out realizing she was. His ended with the roar. She nodded to Mika before ger fur bristled.

Her claws sprang from her fingers. Her eyes changing from bright pink to blood red. Her jaw unhinged with 2 sickening clicks.

The 4 inch teeth slid into place and she sank onto all fours with a nasty growl. She spat at the bars melting a nice sized hole in the bars before flying through them with blurring speed and a screech like a mountain lion challenging whatever had entered the camp.

She sniffed the air.

“Troll.” She growled. Her voice a deep gravelly growl. “I would not follow me until the fighting starts. If you see an opening take it but a troll is not something to take lightly. Be cautious.” She growled at Mika before leaping off after the noise of the guard clashing with He massive beast.

The top half of an orc landed with a splat in front of her as the enemy came into view. It’s long greasy locks whipped through he air as it shook an orc in its teeth before throwing him squealing into the air only to catch him with its jaws silencing his pleas as he disappeared down his throat with a gulp and a crunch of teeth.

The other Orcs in the camp rushed about in a panic as the troll dispatched the rest of the camp guard. Rebecca ate the half of an orc that had landed in front of her before cloaking and launching herself towards the troll.

A spine firing from her tail sinking into the trolls shoulder as she passed him climbing onto it back before sinking her teeth into the back of the massive creatures neck.

Her teeth falling just short of severing it’s spine before it reached back with a roar of pain grabbing her back right leg and yanking her from its broad shoulders flinging her back and forth until her leg tore free.

With a squeak of pain Rebecca landed with a sickening crunch.

Her right leg was torn off stopping half way down her thy. Her left was twisted and broken from the landing as she saw a corpse in front of her.

Her claws sank into the ground.

Choking out blood from her shattered ribs and ruptured organs she pulled herself slowly towards the corpse of one of the fallen guards with a pained groan.

The troll roared seeing its target still lived and charged. Her leg was healing slowly but she had rushed into the fight rather than eating a few of the dead and now she was paying for it as her healing still seemed sluggish.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

The transformation remained frightening to Mikaela. Even while she should have been used to her fellow Nordenfiir changing from human to bear skin, this was completely different. When Rebecca shifted into her demonic form, would could call it, everything about her became lethal. Not only the claws and teeth, the spiky tail and the acidic poison, it was just her entire entity. Where bears were large, strong, with sharp fangs and claws, they were different from something that ate its own tail to recover. Rebecca certainly was one of a kind, if you asked Mika.

Following her ally outside, she realized that the latter was only wearing a coat of sorts. The sight had the Nordenfiir blushing. Especially because she had been scratching her back. There was no time to be embarrassed, however. Left and right battle erupted. Something was out there rampaging through the camp. According Rebecca it was supposed to be a troll. Another creature Mikaela had never seen before. She’s only read about them. Snow trolls existed in the darker caves of the Tundra mountains, or that’s what the old stories told.

As a little cub she used do dream about venturing there and killing one of them in order to show her strength as a bear. Right now, though, she was happy that never happened. All she would have done would be becoming a snack. Especially a couple of years back. At least right now she could fight.

Daggers wouldn’t help here. The first weapon coming in her view was a spear. She grabbed it. An Orc wasn’t sure whether it wanted to attack her or the troll, and Mika used his hesitation to impale him in his side. Afterall she had been their prisoner, so there was no sympathy here, not now.

Tearing out the spear, she slashed at his neck before slamming the blunt side into his head. As the man stumbled she took advantage of his bleeding side and throat to finish him off by pushing the spear end into his eye. The man fell to his knees, then tumbled to the side with blood running from the wounds. She tore the spear form his head, eyes already searching for her next target.

Obviously that was the troll. For her friend needed help.

Standing too far away from them to do anything but swing the spear. She launched it as hard as she could, aiming for either the hip or leg. With fortuna on her side she saw the steel sink away in the troll’s knee. With a roar the creature fell into the mud. One knee still stood, the other one was stuck to the ground with odd greyish blood seeping out out of the wound. He angrily tore out the lance’s pointy head before trying to get up. At least this bought them some time. However, with the troll facing her now, Mika wasn’t sure what to do next.

* * *​

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

Rebecca saw what was happening and fired a spine from her tail mid bite as she feasted on a guards corpse. It thunder into the creatures shoulder berifre it yanked it out.

The venom squirting from the tip spilling harmlessly to the ground. She had resumed eating when the troll fell upon her again.

Luckily she ate quickly. Kicking the beasts jaw with her newly healed leg. Her other was still a stump but the bleeding had stopped.

The beast fell back with a slight stumble before grabbing Rebecca by the tail. Her spine sank into its palm like a stinger as it screamed in agony.

The flesh from its hand beginning to melt away to nothing. With a bellow it threw her up into the air and into its mouth.

With a screech Rebecca caught herself from falling fully into its mouth. Half in and half out the teeth came down with a wet crunch. The top half of Rebecca fell back to the ground. She fell on top of a few more corpses of the guards the troll had killed.


“Master will come..” She muttered. Blood choking her throat as she spoke in a pained whisper. She kept repeating it over and over as a good bit of her bottom intestines fell out of her body with a wet splat.

She kept her eyes scrunched tight with pain. She turned and began to try and eat a guards corpse.

The trolls stomach seemed strong enough to handle her acid blood even though his throat bubbled and swelled but it remained standing.

After sustaining so much damage it seemed weary of attacking Rebecca again so quickly but it’s focus was completely on her.

“Master will come...” Rebecca said tears streaming down her face as her bleeding stopped and she finally seemed to be eating enough to heal even if the pain was agony.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Bubbles formed on his throat and were crawling up his jaw while Rebecca was on the ground bleeding out, and Mika felt helpless. Faced with a creature more than double her size that was able to consume poison without outright dying from it. Well, it was an understatement to say that she was worried. She was freaking out entirely, but the only thing she could do aside from running was fighting it. The former seemed like a good idea, the logical thing to do, pure instinct to follow, but she was proud. A Nordenfiir didn’t ran. Her mother hadn’t run from the unknown, and she, Mikaela Ryurik, would not run here either. Especially not from something she could actually kill. This wasn’t spit out from another dimension or secret portal of sorts, this was something they dealt with now and then. Snow trolls were a part of the Tundra life, and while she hadn’t had the ‘pleasure’ to ever meet one, she could imagine that the only difference between them would be the layer of white fur.

It groaned, limping toward her. Rebecca was mumbling things Mika couldn’t hear from where she stood, but she assumed it to be a plea for help. Being the way she was, the dark haired cub of Nordengaard rushed forward with blades in her hands. Small, but efficient. She took a leap, landed on the troll’s side and dug her daggers into its already swollen neck. Stinky goo came leaking down the steal when the cuts deepened. Mika felt the bone of its neck, but his crushing embrace was already trying to break her arms and ribs. She screamed, feeling the trolls arms tightening around her. Its face was too swollen for him to bite her, which was a good thing, but she wasn’t strong enough to break free from his grip. Wiggling and growling back at him something suddenly snapped.

At first she thought this would be the end. The cracking of bones echoed through her mind, but there was not enough pain associated with what she thought to be the breaking of her arms, ribs, and potentially her spine. Like fire the cracking spread, giving power to her limbs and back. She felt her legs digging harder into the troll’s side. The daggers went deeper into the neck until she was no longer holding onto the weapons. Instead of fingers she had claws. Black fur covered her body. Fangs white as the snow protruded from her maw as she let out an animalistic growl before breaking free from the troll’s grip. Using her newfound strength to slam into its size, Mika’s growled again with teeth bared. Standing on her hind legs she caught one of his arms and tore it off with her fangs from the elbow down.

Should Rebecca find the strength to recover it would be easier to take on the enemy. The troll was still larger than the bear, but at least it was injured. Apparently the acid had done some damage to its intestines, for it was moving slower. Aside from that there were the gaping wounds in its neck, the piece of a spear protruding from tis knee, and a missing forearm.

“RRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrghhh.” Mike let it know with furious eyes.

* * *​

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

Rebecca grew back slowly as she ate. Soon she had reformed enough to look up from the chest she was in the middle of reducing to nothing to see her friends change. “Mika..” She whispered in awe. She had heard dwellers of the north could change into bears. “Norden-something..” they had be called. She never thought that she would get to witness some one change. Not only that but the fact the person she first saw change was as shy and sweet as Mika...

Her ears perked up at the animalistic growls before going back at the roar that followed. She not only broke the grip of the troll but even pulled off the arm not damaged by her spine.

The troll was still dangerous but far less than it had been when first entering the camp. Mika was more capable now in her new form but was still no match for the troll in size at least. Her eyes reddened to blood as she stood. Her arms sprouted a long bone spine apiece.

Hollow for venom like the one in her tail these were much longer and sharp on one side like blades. She let out a screech like a panther adding her challenge to the troll along with Mika’s before vanishing. Suddenly the troll would let out a guttural grunt as it’s unharmed knee was sliced clean through leaving it falling to its knees. It’s damaged arm coming to catch it as it fell forward before an invisible force cut it off as well. It arched its back roaring in agony and halting its forward plunge to the mud with its maw open wide.

Rebecca reappeared thrown into the air twirling as her spines cut through either side of its jaw cutting through its weakened body like butter as she slid down to the ground slicing down his entire body like a curtain before she touched down. Sinking to all fours her eyes no longer held the same understanding they had before. She wasn’t Rebecca right now.

She was a demon.

And a very hungry one.

She didn’t look behind her and instead sniffed the air. Her eyes locked with Mika’s in a challenging way before she took in her scent.

A scent she had locked into her mind. While her mind not process her as a friend the scent was something she knew to be a friend even if it was simple instinct that told her this was no foe.

“Meat...hungry..” She said seemingly to herself. Her mouth not being made to form words it sounded like a struggle to say as she returned to eating the body’s of the fallen. The troll had remained motionless as Rebecca turned her back to it.

The section from its bottom jaw down to the bottom of its gut fell forward while the rest fell backward splitting it cleanly. The camp had begun to reform as the survivors began to gather and reform. The troll was gone. The prisoners were here.

The monster they had already caught before and a bear.

Both much smaller than a troll.

Size wasn’t everything but when you were a stupid bandit and didn’t know what you were dealing with...it was a big factor. One snuck up in Rebecca while she ate.

The others gathered a net and began to form into an attack party to try and capture her.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Taking a couple of steps back to make sure there was distance between her and the still quite capable troll, Mika roared again. The creature replied with vigor, but soon found itself collapsing to the muddy ground. From behind Rebecca had done her work well. Even before Mika could help her further the now demon-like feline of sorts cut through the troll from behind. The already damaged neck and cheeks came off like butter when Rebecca’s shazor-sharp spines cut through its flesh and bones. A satisfied growl escaped Mika’s maw when the troll fell. One down, a couple of more to go. At least those were smaller. Didn’t mean it would be easier, because they were smarter than the troll. A mistake they might make, was, however, thinking that Mika was just a bear. All of their attention went to Rebecca, and that left them wide-open for the Nordenfiir to take advantage of.

The net they brought was thick, but wouldn’t mean much for Rebecca’s teeth, claws, and or tail. It’s why the sight of it had Mika wondering whether there was something special about it. Like the iron that’s been burning the shy female she’s met in the cage - after the demon-like eyes and murderous teeth. The shift in appearance was insane, but now that she thought about it, Mika realized that the shift she’s just made wasn’t something most people were used to either. That thought suddenly had her realize that she was a true bear now. A Nordenfiir, not a cub. It, together with the sight of the net falling over her ‘friend’ gave her enough rage to dash forward on her paws.

Tightly grabbing a part of the net while digging her claws into the neck of one of the Orc’s, she tugged at it to make sure that there was space enough for Rebecca to escape on the other side.

Her claws went through the Orc’s neck with ease. It fell dead while the others started to scream toward each other. Apparently they had thought the bear would run while having the chance. What a normal animal might have done with all the heisa going on here. This one, however, had its own thoughts.

That’s why she managed to dodge an incoming spear. Heavier, bigger, but still lean for a bear, Mika broke off the spear in the middle before digging her claws into the enemy’s shoulder, pulling them closer and biting into the side of their neck. This one went limp too. There were a couple more to go, but she knew Rebecca would probably make quick work of those.

* * *​

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

Rebecca barely paid the net any mind as she ate. The bear made quick work of the others leaving her two minions to deal with. One gurgled as a spine flew from her tail and impales him through his open, still screaming mouth. His friend turned to run only to be tackled to the ground.

“What are you things!” He squealed like a pig as Rebecca crouched on his chest. “I do not know.” She growled as she grabbed his wrists and ripped his arms off.

He screeched in agony as Rebecca tosses one arm in the air catching it in her teeth as she proceeddd to beat him to death with his other arm using it like a club until he quit moving. Swallowing the arm in her mouth while much like she had her tail previously.

“That’s b-better.” She said with a burp glancing around at the now desolate camp. When no new threats arose to greet her she ate the other arm too before her jaw clicked back into place.

Her arm spines sank back into her arms and her eyes changed back to pink as she seemed to change before Mika’s eyes back to the sweet cuddly cat/ lizard demon Mika had met before.

“These people taste awful..” She commented. Smacking her lips before making a face like she had just had a dish she hadn’t particularly liked.

“So..” She said after a moment. “Your a bear?” She asked. Her head tilted to the side looking Mika up and down. “Why did you need help breaking out then?” She said with her curiosity only seeming to grow with each second she looked at Mika.

She walked over to her circling her a few times smelling her all over before sitting in front of her. “You still smell like you too huh...” She said with her face only scrunching up further with confusion.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

The taste of both troll and orc blood still lingered on her tongue. She spit it out, as practically as a bear could spit. With fangs and claws still covered in blood she pinpointed Rebecca’s location. It seemed that the latter recognized her still, what was good. What was a bit more of a problem, though, was releasing the magic that was tightly wrapped around her very soul. She shook from side to side, swung angrily at a nearby tree and finally, after a couple of angry roars her body reformed itself into what she was. A lean Nordenfiir female with the same clothes from before. Magic had its own rules, it seemed.

“Yeah.. I ehm.. I am a Nordenfiir. We are bears.” She explained, somewhat surprised by her own transformation. It was supposed to be a huge thing, and she should be relieved that she now was a true Nordenfiir. An adult. A real bear.

It had to still sink in, though. She felt herself slide against a tree trunk, not because of the exhaustion, even though the battle did take a chunk of her energy, it was more because she was still trying to wrap her mind around the feelings that’s just surged through her body mere moments ago.

“We can’t turn from our birth, it’s a .. journey of oneself. They call it Taking the Path. I’m rambling, aren’t I?” Nervously laughing, she felt a bit stupid for telling Rebecca so many things that were pulled out of context for someone who knew very little about the Nordenfiir.

Should Rebecca want to, Mika would try to explain more. Like the marks she would sure find beneath her clothes now. Having no idea what they would look like, she felt nervous. At least, judging by Rebecca’s look, nothing about her face had changed. Change glyphs were rare. She didn’t mind. Whenever they would find a safe place, and perhaps a small stream, she would discover how her Svalen had changed her.

“We shouldn’t.. stay here for too long.” In case other Orcs would arrive. Who knew how many were supposed to be here and were traveling or on a hunt.

“Take the valuable things, perhaps equipment you think would come in handy..?” she offered, starting to look around herself. This wasn’t stealing. They fought for it, they spilt blood. This was only natural.

* * *​

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

“R-right..” Rebecca said as the moment of wonder passed and left her to still wonder where her master had ended up. The crown! Her master had needed the crown! Rebecca cursed herself for forgetting so easily. Now that the camp was empty she could find it! Master would be so pleased! So she looked through the camp.

“I’m looking for a golden crown.” She told Mika. “Something like...” her eyes scanned through the camp until they fell on a tent in the middle. Most of the camp was made of mud hovels and ragged tents but this tent was satin red and untouched by the ravages of age. A soft golden light crept from under its entrance. “Like that!” Rebecca said with a happy snort before she bounded inside while her friend undoubtedly search for other things they would need.

The crown sat on a stone pedestal in the middle of the tent as she entered. Gold, jewels, everything a greed person would love to hoard. She stuffed her satchel full to bursting with gems and coin before taking the crown and running outside.

“Mika! I found a treasure room! Bring a bag and-“ that was when she felt it. The rumble. Cracks began appearing from under the satin tent. Moving out like spider webs they spread throughout the camp and began to widen.

“A trap..A TRAP!” Rebecca yelled

“Run!” She yelled sprinting towards Mika and picking her up easily as the tent behind them sank into the sands. The entire camp began to collapse as she ran carrying her friend.

“No no no no no!” Rebecca kept repeating as it became clear even with her speed they weren’t going to make it. The entrance to the camp already having a sizable gorge to clear before reaching safety.

Rebecca pulled Mika from her shoulder and and shoved the satchel full of riches and the crown into her hands before she threw her for all she was worth and leaping into the air after her.

Mika clearing the gorge by a good few feet leaving Rebecca to grab the ledge of the now massive cliff that overlooked the bottomless abyss of the camp they had just been in. “Mika!” She cried out as she dangled precariously over the gaping maw of darkness like the mouth of a massive beast.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

A couple of gems she thought to be worth it, arrowheads, one of the axes were put under her leather belt. She took coins, but not as greedily as many others would. For she wasn’t used to paying with them, but knew that in these lands gold meant a lot, together with some other valuable metals. The food she left for what it was, mostly because she didn’t quite know what they ate and how they made it. Perhaps a discriminating thing during such perilous times, a foolish action, even, but still, she trusted her own skills and took a freshly looking fur cloak instead of the bag with food. Hunting had brought her here, but she still enjoyed it. In fact, hunting for Mika was a little bit like art. She would probably miss it.

Or starve - a somewhat sarcastic voice in her head pointed out, but she ignored reason.

“A crown?” Curiously looking for one, unsure what shape it would be, but assuming it to be made from either gold or iron with lots of gems, she laughed when her friend found what she had been looking for.

“Great! Well done!” she encouraged her, walking toward the tent while trying to find a satchel that was empty. She didn’t get really far, because Rebecca was already slamming against her. Before Mika really knew what was going on the ground beneath their feet changed, twisted and sunk. Well, Rebecca’s feet as the latter had decided to carry to clueless Nordenfiir.

“T-trap?” she uttered while rolling over the dirt. Coins danced around her in the dirt when her friend’s scream pierced the air. Hurriedly crawling back she grabbed Rebecca by the hand. Mud, slippery, no rocks to hold onto, but Mika knew her strength and was certain she would get Rebecca up.

“C’mon, use your other arm, use your tail, climb me, don’t worry for cuts, they’ll heal.” She mentioned, knowing Rebecca could change, could use her claws to dig in if she no longer had the strength to actually pull herself up. Sticking something into the wall and pulling like that was easier than simply pulling, at least in Mika’s opinion. And right now, she was willing to be the wall for her newfound friend to climb to safety.

“Quick, do it, we’re slipping!”

* * *​

 

[Kalia Oro Khastan]

Kalia had arrived just as they finished off the troll. He crested a small hill overlooking the camp just as he watched the Nordenfiir tear off it's arm, and then watched as Rebecca delivered the finishing blow.
The remaining bandits weren't a challenge for the two of them so he began making his way down the hill with his new followers.

But as he walked and watched it seemed they activated something when Rebecca went into the tent. The entire camp began sinking! When he saw that he broke into a sprint towards the edge.
Rebecca was hanging over the side with her new friend trying to help her up, but both of them were slipping. He didn't have much time to think, but being as cautious as he could he flattened himself and slid on the ground just before he reached them so he didn't disturb the crumbling dirt with all of his weight.

He showed up just as they were about to fall and grabbed them both, Rebecca by her scruff and the girl by the arm.
"Sorry I'm late, there was an unavoidable delay."
He began to pull them up and out of the pit.

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

mood lol UwU She will return


She saw the cracks forming. Even before Kalia had come to their rescue she knew the weight was far too much for the crumpling cliff of sand.

Her mind had already been made up. Her peace with her actions made.

Her mind calm.

Even if she climbed up her friend it would be too late.

She felt the scruff of her neck pulled as she looked up to see.. Her master!

“Kalia. Mno!” She yelled seeing what the others could not. The sands already giving to the bottomless abyss. They had moments.

“Take care of the small one. Her heart is large. Her strength great.” She said.

A tear in her eye as they locked with where Kalias would be.

“Mak Lae ketnah maka barknah.” She whispered in demonic.

“My love. I will see you again. Be well until my return.” It was what she had said the last time the parted.

Her to save him.

As it was destined.

Before glancing to make sure Mika was safely in her masters arms she kicked him in the chest like a battering ram. Wrenching his hand away with her tail.

Hitting hard enough to dent his chest plate and send them both flying back. ground giving beneath where they stood. Rebecca seemed to hang in the air for a moment. Regret and fear flashing across her face before peace seemed to take its place.

She closed her eyes and plummeted into the pit.
Soon the rumbling subsided as there was nothing left but the pit. Sand already beginning to pour in.

Soon there would be no trace this ever existed. A burial with no headstone to mark.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Someone grabbed them, the both of them. For a brief moment she thought that one of the Orcs was planning to give them a shove into the mouth of hell but instead they were pulling them back. Slowly but gradually they would make it. She pulled too, tried to hold onto Rebecca until both of them were safe on the green grass further away but it wasn’t meant to be. Something in her friend’s face changed. The words coming from her lips were none Mika had heard before. Desperately trying to pull while rationalizing what’s been said mere seconds ago, Mika suddenly felt nothing but air. No longer did Rebecca held her hand, their fingers had lost their grip on each other because of the might push given to the one behind her.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!” The Nordenfiir’s voice almost broke from the cry. Falling back she tried to free herself before running toward the broken cliff of sandy mud and nothing but a enormous sandy field.

“REBECCA!”

She jumped down without thinking, without wondering if the sand would swallow her too. It didn’t. Nothing moved when she fell onto her knees and dug into the sand with her bare hands. A little more, a little further. She used both hands to open up a small hole in the sand but it only looked like a toddler playing on the beach. Nothing changed. Tears flooded her eyes. She could barely see where she was digging.

“Why? Why would you do that?!” Her heart pounded in her throat as she kept on crying before slamming her fists into the sand which slowly rolled back into the hole she had been trying to make.

“Why would you give up like that?” she whispered, sitting there on her knees when something shiny caught her attention. With her vision blurred by tears she pushed herself further to find the crown Rebecca had been looking for. There it laid, silently in the sand.

Rubbing her eyes with her sleeve she was set on burying the crown right here. Nobody deserved to have it if the prize for it was Rebecca’s life.

Again the Nordenfiir started to dig, now with less hysteria and more purpose. Her soul was filled with sorrow, so much that she had forgotten all about the stranger who’s tried to save them both.

* * *
OOC: Not sure if Mika talks with Kalia a bit before they part ways?​