Luger Attack

JP with Alexis, Boyce, Nicolaus, Islana, winteroak, and Gonyaul.

As you settled in for the evening, the night descends across the vast plains. The sky is cloudy and the moon and starts not as visible as in previous days. Your small fire only seems to amplify the vastness of the nature around you. A loud humming noise seems to vibrate with the wind. You know this to be the sound of thousands upon thousands of insects, mainly the hypnotic droning of cicadas. You hear the distance howling of wild dogs or wolves as you eat your evening supper. Suddenly just out the edge of your campfire you hear a loud snarl that spooks your horses.

Islana had arrived back. She took to making quick work of butchering the meat. Then as the meal cooked she care of her horse.

On the way back to the the young hunteress had spoken to the horse.

"You did well today. I really should give you name. What do you think of buttercup?'

The horse huffed loudly.

"Not buttercup then."

Islana had known this was the horse she wanted when she was first picking one out for Gonyaul. Why? The palomino was steady, and liked to go fast. It was as if it needed to get some place. The coat and mane reminded Islana of a golden field with a snowcapped river on it.

"River," Her voice spoke quietly.

The horse seemed to agree, so, River it was.

By the time she was done with everything dinner was done and being served.

The young woman sat down with her friends, ate a bit, as the sounds of night surrounded them, then spoke to the group.

"There were large paw prints out there. Larger than the big cats. The largest I've ever seen."

As if on cue, a loud snarl could be heard. Islana jumped up, as if on instinct, and got her bow and arrow ready.

Alexis got to her feet immediately, sword and shield at the ready. She moved closer to the spooked horses, trying to to get her sights on the threat.

Gonyaul was startled but didn’t move an inch. He was trained not to react that way, better to remain calm and more importantly still until a threat actually presented itself. This is how one was taught to stay safe in the dangerous Kr’ull jungle when an Agaj was on the prowl.

He casually turned and place the fire at his back so his eyes could begin adjusting to the dark better. He remained seated, though he had the aura of a tree hopper. Motionless, but could suddenly spring to life. His hands reached down and slowly undid the ties on his Arisha Ikeburer’ sleeves, releasing their full length. Then he reached down, shoveled his hands into the earth and filled both hands with dirt.

In addition, he gently cleared his throat and began an almost inaudible humming noise. He was warming up his voice to unleash a loud torrent of noise should a predator appear on the scene.

Islana made her way closer to the horses, keeping her eyes and ears out for the threat.

Looking slowly in that direction Wolf unclipped his cloak. Crossing his arms Wolf placed his hands on two of the throwing knifes one in each hand. Wolf knew that they would not kill a large wolf or cat but would hurt them enough to make them back off. Watching the others help them out if things go wrong.

Try as you might you cannot see I to the darkness of the plains. Your horses are still spooked and their loud neighs pierce the silence of the camp. You can all feel that you are being watched from just beyond the edges of the camp. You all know something is stalking you.

Suddenly from across the camp a giant greyish shadow jumps from the darkness. In one leap it jumps the flames pawing at Gonyaul's back, tearing through cloth and flesh, pounding its victim to the ground. The man's reflexes save him from being carried away by the giant Luger, as its jaws miss its neck by inches.

Before anyone could react the animal jumps away into the night.
It has tasted blood and it has your scent.

Gonyaul was completely taken by surprise. Never would he have imagined that a wild animal would have the audacity to attack into the heart of a group and charge into and leap over open flames. He could see the Luger’s shadow emerge before the strike thanks to the angle of the light source; however, it was just enough to register in his mind he was about to get hit.

It was enough information though for him to relax his body and roll away from where the jaws and claws would no doubt be leading. The jaws missed; however, the front claws of the right paw caught him in the upper back. Fortunately his Arisha Ikeburer was multiple layers of fabric.

Even so, the claws went through it like a hot knife through butter. Due to his evasive maneuver, only the very tips of the claws reached his skin. He could only imagine if it had fully connected, his ribs and spinal column would have been exposed from the deep laceration.

The front missed for the most part. The back legs though crashed into him. The Luger rode Gonyaul like a surf board across the ground for several feet. Then to add insult to injury, when it pounced off of him into the dark it knocked the wind out of him and pummeled him more into the dirt.

The dirt he planned to throw in its eyes fells from his hands. The shouts he was going to make scare it only came out in a groan into the flattened grass. The back of his outfit was slowly turning red like a watercolor wash.

Islana almost couldn't believe her eyes. The animal was so quick that no one could react.

The moment she could respond the young woman started to run over to Gonyaul to check on him and then recalled, they had Nicholaus with them, it might be best to leave the doctor to tend to the injured man and not get in the way.

Instead, Islana listened to see if anything else was around them and began calming down the horses.

Wolf stood to his feet as the Luger disappeared into the darkness. Wolf gave a sigh he knew better than to just sit there. Everyone should have been on their feet and around the fire. The way it jumped over the fire and attacked Gonyaul told Wolf it knew man flesh and man in general. The question would it be back that night. It would be a fool's errand to go after it at the night. it would be a long night Wolf wondered if there would be two on watch now.

Wolf looked over to Gonyaul and walked over "Gonyaul, that was close how are you?" asked Wolf

Gonyaul remained motionless, like a fountain producing a very slow trickle of sanguine delights. It was staining the fabric more and more, as the smell of blood filled the air proportionally.

He was unresponsive. The force with which he was hit, by such a swift moving mass, plowing him into the ground like a rag doll had rendered him unconscious. While everyone looked awestruck, Gonyaul looked like a sleeping angel.

“Damnadh overgrown cats!”

Alexis cursed, keeping watch while Gonyaul was tended to by Nicolaus.
Her own tussle back on sentinel island was far from forgotten.

“How’s it looking?”

Islana walked over to the still spooked horses, she stood in front of them, looked to make sure no one, that shouldn't see this, was nearby. It looked clear as they were taking care of Gonyaul.

"Calm. Shh... It's alright."

Her voice calm and quiet as she spoke.

The horse all settled down, almost instantly and looked at her.

The young woman went to all the horses, one at a time, petting them, talking softly to each of them.

Gonyaul's horse was last, she spoke quietly to the horse.

"He'll be fine."

Not certain if that was more for herself or the animal. It would work for both of them.

"Nicholaus is an excellent doctor."

The steed put it's head down and Islana pressed her forehead against it's own. Just a little more attention. Then Islana went back to the group to see how Gonyaul was doing.