Rodeo

Alexis inwardly cursed as the Naylmo picked up speed again, even more so as it became evident that it had spotted Gonyaul.

She tried to keep up with in the subsequent chase, which turned out quite complicated as the ape furious smashing destroyed several monuments and crypts.

She managed to only narrowly evade several debris projectiles coming at her and finally had to throw herself to the ground as a particularly large piece almost took her head off.

Stumbling to her feet again she could see the Naylmo go down in front of her, due to a rope cleverly tightened by Gonyaul.

Her friend payed dearly for his resourcefulness however as she saw him get slapped away like a fly.
She began to run.

As the Naylmo stood, angrily searching for his agile prey, Alexis jumped onto his back, digging both her blades into his thick hide as impromptu climbing knives.

The Naylmo roared in pain and reared back. It was all that Alexis could do to cling on, grabbing the swinging rope dangling from his horns with her left, leaving the dagger embedded in its flash with probably as much impact as a mosquito bite. But it had served its purpose for now.

Between her sword and the rope she managed to get a bit a higher on its back while it was wildly bucking. She payed for it as it threw itself backwards into a crypt in its effort to dislodge her, the impact driving the air out of her lungs and the stones cutting deeply into her back.

Stubbornly she held on finally achieving her goal to wrap the rope around its neck.
Before she could take advantage however, it finally got hold of her, ripping her from its back, with her still grabbing her sword and thus pulling it from its flesh.

The mercenary found herself upside down in the crushing grasp of the beast, as it brought her to its gaping maw.

‘Fòcas, caileag!’
The chiding voice of her father in her head pushed her out of her stunned state, and she realized her swordarm was still free.

Before the beast could take a bite out of her, she managed to swing at its eye. It connected, maybe not enough to take its eye out, but enough to have it rear back and let go of its troublesome catch, throwing her to the ground.

She reeled from the impact, but she knew she had to move. Rolling onto her stomach, she pushed her knee into the ground, launching into a running start and weaving into the cover of the structures once more.