Welcome to Gaia! ::

Bites her lip hard as she sees Crowley get bitten as she realizes if something isnt done soon it may be over for Crowley. TGIB GET that thing away from Crowley !!! eek

:: TGIB glances over to Crowley, eyes wide.. Just in time to see Crowley's younger brother dart past ::

Azi!!

:: Azi's tail was spread behind him, every hair on his body on end as he hurtled toward Crowley. His teeth gleamed white as he pounced at the attacker, shrieking angrily. Just as he pounced, his prey was taken away. Turning, he leapt upon the pot, scrambling at the lid to get to the one who attacked his brother. (Azi ain't 'all there' o.O)

Crowley laid limp on the ground, panting and gasping for breath.

TGIB made his way to Crowley quickly, ignoring the multitude of tiny stabs and bites he suffered in the process. He huddled over the dark-furred volu, hoping his jacket would be enough to protect them both ::

Get everyone out of here, there's too many of them!

*grabs up venus an runs over to seras* where did the come from do you know?

Eirnae comes out from the back of the shop. "What's going...ack!" She dodges to the side of a blur of activity. "What's going ON!?"

*points at the red* seras what is that?? cause it doesn't look good

Ursah said something about other Volus existing.. *she seems to be trying to yell louder then the battle* They might be the Dark Pixis she spoke of, I doubt well kno wunless we either study them enough, or unless Ursah comes back soon! *her words are frantic almost thoughtless as she tries to not be beaten or let her volu get the worst of this little war!*

"Yipe!" Eirnae dodges again, glancing at the nets on poles against the wall. "Oooookay..." She snatches one up, noticing that the others had already caught...some mighty cranky...things.

Firama peeks out from within her mistress's jacket pocket, her daughter Soldeth poking her head out from the other. They immediately dart back into their havens at the loud noises.

Neith tied her scalf around the Volu, binding it. She pushed it under the chair, grasped around in her back quickly, pulling out a long silver dagger. She wasn't going to let anything harm her baby, or her Volu!
She pushed her hair behind her ears, annoyed at the length, being rudely reminded just exactly why Elves in her old work had long hair... so they could keep it back! She slashed out at a passing flying black streak, knocking it to the ground, where she stepped on the big tail, ignoring the teeth that also attatched to her ankle.

The Blue Volu nipped at another flying Volu, his blue wings beating fast as he circled above Neith and Kia.

*grabs a net like thing that is used to catching fish off the ocean floor* HOW MANY DO YOU THINK WE CAN CATCH WITH THIS????? *looks around an spots a huge cage like thing* WE CAN PUT THEM IN THERE *points at the cage* HERE TAKE THE OTHER END LETS DRAG THROUGH THEM!!!

:: TGIB lifted one arm to let Adia in, swatting frantically at a volu on his back, trying to grab it by the nape of its neck. ::

Son of a... Stop biting me! Someone kill these things!

TGIB WE DON'T WANNA KILL EM THEY MIGHT PROVIDE INFO TO URSAH WE NEED TO CATCH EM IF WE CAN!!!

Maybe you don't, but I do!

*throws a 1st aid kit to tgib* here use that

Eirnae drops the damn net...it wasn't her style, damnit! What the hell was she thinking? She quickly reaches up and unbuckles the fastener for her b*****d sword and draws it out, her sea green eyes narrowing. "Hang tight, girls," she murmurs, darting over to a patch of shadow by the doorway and melding into it. 'Alimus...'

'I'm here!' she hears within her mind in reply before she can finish her thoughts, a flash of grey and black blurring past her and bounding outside to snap heavy jaws at one of the threats.

'Show off..' she growls in her mind back to Alimus as she silently dashes after him, heading for the bushes near Neith with her blade at the ready.

Neith growled, and grabbed in her bag for another thing. She pulled out a baby sling, and picked up the net again. "I'll kill them if they hurt my babies..."

:: TGIB glanced up, peering around the field until he spots.. ::

Unseasoned! Over here! I've got Crowley and Adia, get them out of here!

*falls backwards* URSAH!!!! are you alright *rushes to ursah* what happened what was that

Ursah falls down to her knees, the magic of the stone obviously having pained her. "Kill the ones that have not been captured!" she shouts. "They will not stop, they have been trained to kill!"

Neith grinned at the other elf briefly muttering to her, "Almost like being home again, really..."
She glanced back at Kia, to make sure Kia was all right. Kia just waved her hands around happily, highly amused at it all. A dark Volu swooped down at Kia, and Neith hit at it as hard as she could with the net, knocking the Volu into the top of the bush, the rider tumbling off the Volu into the bush where it vanished.
Neith grabbed at the other Volu with the baby sling, binding it up with the material. She didn't really want to kill anything...
She turned to Eirnae again, wincing as claws and teeth sunk into her hands and wrists, her blonde hair in her eyes again. "Remind me to grow my hair long."

ALRIGHT ITS STOMPING TIME!!! *stomps on a few dark volu at her feet* DIE!!!

*lifts up her foot an looks at her shoe* EWWW!!! they bleed green

Eirnae growls and smacks three of the damn things with the flat of her blade....hard. They should fall to the ground unconcious, but of course that is all up to chance...well, that and how much damage the little buggers can take. She grins at Neith as she lunges to spear one of the dark things on her blade, twisting in a half circle to both fling it off and dodge other beings as they flee the scene. "I will," she replies shortly, turning fully around to face the direction she heard the exclaimation come from to see Ursah. "Lady Ursah!" she slashes a path through the creatures, heading for the out of breath bunny-eared woman.

Alimus is currently tearing his way through the terrified beings, making his way to Ursah's side as well.

:: TGIB shrugged out of his jacket quickly, draping it over Unseasoned's back. He reached up and tugged the collar off his neck, his face beginning to change even as he spoke to Unseasoned. His ears growing longer, his nose forming into a muzzle ::

They can't get through the leather, you'll be safe as long as you keep yourself tucked in.

Ursah pressed a hand to a wound that was bleeding more than it should. She looked around, her eyes searching for a few specific individuals.

"Neith-Kia! Eirnae! I need you!"

*runs after some of the dark volu stomping on them as she goes* 1 lil 2 lil 3 lil nasty volu

Neith blinks, and sighs as she stands up, the wriggling Volu left tied up at her feet next to the other one. She stood with the net in one hand, her dagger already dripping red blood, not wanting to leave Kia, but wanting to go help Ursah.
Another winged Volu sprinted in, in a flash of Pink. She circled Neith's blue Volu, then circled around Urash's head, then around Eirnae, finally landing above Kia to stand across Kia's wriggling body.

((What? razz I had brought Kia in for Ursah to meet! Bad timing. lol. ))

Neith looked back at Pinky and Pinky's son, who stood guard over Kia. "Let anyone touch her, Or you, and ... kill them." She winced, and ran across over to Ursah, blindly waving her net at any flying bodies that got in her way.
She knelt beside Ursah, pressing her hand to the wound hard, ignoring any cries of pain Ursah made. "How'd you do this?"

"It doesn't matter... I will be fine... the stone...."

She tries to catch her breath.

"I have no magic... you... and Eirnae... your race is magical... I need you... need you to speak the incantation... the stone... it is written on the stone... together... send them away..."

*takes venus over to pinky and pinkys son and sets her with them* you help guard also venus *then goes back to squishing the dark volu*

Alimus sees the danger to Kia before Eirnae can, him facing the right way. "Grrnoooo!" he roars, shifting into a form he doesn't often use...a humanoid jaguar, quickening his pace to bound towards the threat to the young child on all fours. For the last stretch of space he leaps forward to land on the volu's back, latching onto it with all four sets of black curved claws and chomping down on its neck from behind.

Eirnae fights her way to Ursah's side, having to weave through the many bodies either fighting, dying, or dead. "Ursah, hang on!" she cries even as she slashes at the last volu in her way, kneeling by her friend. "By the Lady!" she curses, grimacing at the wound in Ursah's side.

(( EDIT: Whoops...oh well, let's just say that there was an evil volu there...I read the post wrong. sweatdrop ))

*cringes as she watches everyone smash at the little ebil volus*
She watches as Ursah calls the two near her as she meerly continues to hold the dark one near her and the others closely huddle in the backpack on seras back*
I hope they can fix this!! I reaaly do! whee

*kicks some of the dark volu as hard as she can sending them backwards into a tree the dark volu fall to the ground at the base of the tree in a pile of unmoving bodies* EWWW!!! i really don't wanna clean up this mess

((I straight away assumed it... Pinky and her baby are great and all, but Pinky's not as bright, and... well... he is her son...))

Neith breathed a sigh of relief as Eirnae joined them, and another when she noticed Alimus join her Volu.

"It looks bad..."

She looked up at Eirnae, who was standing above them, and then at the stone.

Eirnae listens to Ursah's words carefully and sighs, "But..I may be elven, my friend, but magic....all I have to offer is my link to the Shadow and my Lady...nevermind, that is unimportant...damn!" She straightens and turns to slash at an incoming enemy. "Neith! Cast the damnable thing, I'll cover you!"

Alimus rips into the volu, tossing it aside once he is sure it is either dead or dying, twisting his body to crouch over Kia and the two volu, glaring and growling threatenly at any of the volu nearby.

Neith trembled a little, very unsure of herself... she had been trained with weapons more than with magic, although magic was apart of her kin. She peered at the stone, keeping one hand pressed hard on Ursah's wound, trying to read it.

:: Nodding, TGIB stands. He sweeps through the masses of volu with a practiced air, his claws slicing one, puncturing the next. Now and then he takes the opportunity to snatch one out of the air in his jaws, killing them quickly with a rough head-shake. Brutal, animalistic, and messy, yes. But very effective! ::

*puts ear to the pot an listens spots a pair of yellow eyes staring at her through the hole in the lid an jumps back* oye thats one mean looking lil guy in there

Neith grabbed at the stone again, reading through the words as quickly as she could, and then held up the stone, wincing as she yelled out each word, her body shaking, the magic riseing up through her, burning her arm as it set into the stone, letting out a powerful bolt of red light...

Eirnae is not prepared for the bright flash of light and stumbles, barely catching herself in time to avoid falling to her knees or worse. The dark volu and their riders about them freeze in terror, their eyes widening at the sight of the crimson streams of light. (Assuming, here.) "Neith! It's working!" she cries without turning, getting into a defensive stance.

Alimus hears the sounds of the terrified child and volu beneath him, forcing himself to 'rrrrr' softly to reassure them despite the blood dripping from his muzzle that is not his...and the dark rivlets of black coming from his own wounds along his sides.

Neith ignored all, her hand covered with blood falling weakly to her side as she forced herself to remain upright, her eyes stinging as the magic burned all up her arm. She kept it up, muttering the words again, and again, the light growing, and growing...
The riders on the Volu turned from the bright light, trying to escape it.

*looks around then dumps the contants of the pot in a cage the dark volu lunges at her as she locks the cage door* omg what a mean lil sucker *picks up venus an carries venus and the pot with her* please give that bully to ursah when she comes back we need to go home now *walks off into the night towards her home*

The hoards of attackers fled at the encroaching light, a few of them dropping to the ground stunned. As the energy of the artifact blinked in and out of existance, it seemed to change the chaotic scene to one that was utterly peaceful. So peaceful it was disturbing.

All that was left were the wounded and captured. Luckily there were no mortal wounds... everyone would recover.

Ursah paused a while before she spoke. "There are cages... underneath the tarp... over there..." She pointed.

"Please pute the captured within... one per cage... I don't want them killing each other."

The volu in the pot continued to scratch. The other ones seemed quite worn out and defeated.

"Perhaps we can condition them from their violent urges..."

Neith glares at the stone a bit, standing up to trudge over to the Volu she captured. She picks it up, and drops it carefully into the cage, while unwrapping the scarf at the same time.

Eirnae immediately begins to stalk after the ones laying stunned on the ground, smacking the ones that still move with the flat of her blade to still them before picking them up and tossing them into a limp pile near Neith and Ursah. "Neith!" she calls out, wriggling her pack off of her back and tossing it to Neith, "I have my healer's kit in there. Use it on Ursah and the others, I know you know the way of herbs and such!" She then goes back to gathering up the dark volu that still live, slaying what riders remain.

Alimus slowly transforms into his elven form when he sees the danger has passed, his wounds now more evident but minor. He gathers up Kia into his arms as well as the two volu and heads towards Neith as quickly as he can without disturbing the crying child further.

*looks over the others and then back to crowley*
I hope you dont mind that we picked you up little man.. we didnt want you being hurt!
*looks back and pulls the sweatshirt up with the ebil little volu in it and slowly unwraps it with a tight grip on it, then the net, slowly seras unwravels it from the feirce little volus body, her hands already scratch now being bitten after as she heads quickly to the tarp, she tugs it off quite hard and pulls one of the caged up to her, unlatches it and tosses the dark volu in*
You wretched wretched beast!
*she looks to her hand as she locks the cage back, its bloody and scratched quite deep*
Awww common!
* lugging the cage with the nasty volu in it she heads back to her other volus and crowley, then she wets some rags and wiped him up, then herself, then she cleans up her hands and heads tward Ursah and her wounds*

Neith catches the pack, and digs around for the kit. She picks it up, and nods. "I paid attention to that part of the elder's endless speeches, at least..."

She wrapped her arms around the crying Kia, thanking Alimus quickly, and comforted Kia, placing a soft toy in Kia's hands. Kia stared at it, then put the head in her mouth, going quiet as she chewed on it. Neith placed Kia on the ground next to Ursah's good side. "Ursah, meet Kia. Kia, meet Ursah. Bad timing, but... oh well..."
Neith took out the right herbs, crushing them, and fixed up Ursah's wounds as best she could. "I'll be right back... want to watch her while I run around to the other hurt people?" She hugged Ursah's good half, then kissed Kia's forehead, before running over to Crowley and started to tend to his wounds.

Ursah waves her hand dismissively at all the attention.

"I look worse off than I am..." she explains. "The magic of the stone drained me is all... people without magic shouldn't use artifacts..."

She looks about the shop tent, and the surrounding ground, sadly.

"They are barbaric... the dark pixies. Simply barbaric... those poor volu... they don't know any better..."

She shifts her position and leans back against a nearby tree.

*frowns a bit and understands*

Is there anywhere else we could go for the time being? I mean maybe another clearing close to the deep wood? And maybe we could re sew the tent??

*she heads back twards crowley*

Wheres adia? Im sure he'd feel better with her at his side..

*sighs a bit*

And the bodies.. those will start to smell.. and... Im sure the young dont need to grow up smelling that..

Alimus breathes a sigh of relief, taking Kia into his arms protectively when Neith turns to leave and help the others. "I will watch over them both," he rumbles as he sits by Ursah, now cradling Kia in his arms.

Eirnae finds quite a few more dead but no more living volu. She sighs sadly, hearing Ursah's words only confirming what she had feared. The reactions of the dark volu had been only trained...not natural. Perhaps..perhaps she could help with her ways of Shadow to appeal to them as an ally in the future? She shakes her head, "Not now...concentrate." She focuses on gathering the dead now, starting a new pile to burn when she is done.

Neith stands up. "Crowley, you're more bandage than fur right now. But at least the female Volu will adore you even more for this!" She grins, then wanders over to help Eirnae out, wrinkling her nose at every dead one. "What a waste..."

Ursah lowers her head and speaks as the others begin to gather the dead around her.

"The night of hunting comes once every year. The dark race of the pixies sweep across the forest, to gather food for the dragon they revere as a god. They purge the forests of as many of its creatures as possible... it is an atrocity..."

She shakes her head sadly. "For what? The dragon eats but a few, and leaves the rest at the base of its lair... a pile of carnage to ward off anyone who would approach..."

She sighs, and tries to wipe at a spot of dried blood on her arm. "The stone will protect this place... and when the dawn approaches... they will be gone. For another year."

Eirnae continues on with her work, her face grimly set. She ignores the smell, the sensation of dead flesh against her fingertips, and continues to gather and pile. The only indication that she heard Ursah is in her eyes, which narrow angerily at the thought of such a waste of life.

Firama and Soldeth dare to poke their heads out of their pockets then, the smell greetings their noses both rank and uninviting...but the sight of the gathered volu around the bandaged up Crowley is enough to make them both skitter down Eirnae's moving form and run to their friends' sides.

So now then.. *glances quickly to the caged one* What shall we do with those that lived?

Neith wanders over to hug Ursah. "Don't worry... we'll... uh...Do something!"
She takes Kia from Alimus, hugging him thankyou again, and picks up the now empty baby sling. Kia is slung in it around Neith's front, where she calms down and goes into a semi-doze.

"Right now, maybe... But these will be happy, if we can help them." Neith sits down on the grass, a little exausted, with Kia sucking on her thumb and watching everyone with wide green eyes.
Pinky and her son wander over to Crowley, looking at him curiously.

They sure are mean, and quite ebil, but I must say they are quite beautiful in an odd sort of twisted way.. eek

Firama and Soldeth gently nuzzle Crowley, both chirping worriedly.

Eirnae finally finishes her grisly chore, taking a moment to wipe away the sweat and grime from her face with a retreived handkerchief. She does hear Neith's words and sighs softly. "In time, anything is possible my friend...anything."

Eirnae puts away her handkerchief and glances about, most likely looking for something to light up the pile of bodies with. "Lady Ursah, you'd best move away a bit...please take the volu with you? I don't want them to have to deal with the smell." She then fetches a clean handkerchief and wraps it over her nose and mouth, tying it behind her head.

Ursah shifts to a stand, holding the volu close to her chest and shoulders as she moves back, mournfully silent.

Alimus gets to his feet as well, still in his elven form, now approaching Eirnae to wrap an arm over the short female's shoulders. Eirnae shrugs him off, gesturing with her head for him to go with Ursah and the others without saying a word. She begins to start chanting the elven song for the dead, but on such a soft level of sound that it seems more like a whisper.

Alimus sighs and shakes his head, starting to make his way to where Ursah retreated to.

Ursah watches the flames without blinking, apparantly lost in deep thought.

Eirnae's song slowly gets louder and more emotion filled, the words not familar to all those gathered but the meaning clear. The tones become close to a wail as Eirnae begins to dance around the flames, her sword out and branished, becoming one with her body as a tool for the dance.

Alimus simply watches this display with Firama and Soldeth huddled near his booted feet, all three of them quiet and contemplative.