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+---- Thread: cut our teeth and make our bones right here (/showthread.php?tid=7764)
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 05-04-2023
If Remi can still hear Ronin's heart, he'll notice it spin from hummingbird quick to the methodical beat of a funeral procession in mere moments - as soon as the shapechanger turns to him, funnily enough. He's holding it tight in the lasso, for what little effect it seems to be having, and while the urge to ignore it and circle around towards Remi is strong (he doesn't think he's ever heard the wendigo wail like that), he has no doubt that the danger level here might still ramp up.
[say]"Spit it out, then,"[/say] he hisses instead, tilting his chin up and scowling at the shapechanger. [say]"And speak up, would you? I'm hard of hearing."[/say] Because what's a life or death situation without a cheeky little joke thrown in, hey?
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 05-04-2023
Remi does notice, and it's a welcome thing really; Nothing draws a predator's attention more than the jackhammering of panic. With the knife still embedded in his belly and a wariness at trying to remove it himself, the wendigo nevertheless edges forward a few shambling steps as if he means to put himself between the shapechanger and Ronin.
If the shapechanger is off-put by the lack of fear Ronin displays, it doesn't show it. Instead, it straightens somewhat, shifting within the chain as if trying to get more comfortable. [say]We know what you are doing.[/say] It answers, enunciating each word carefully and with no small amount of malice. [say]If you do not stop, you will be stopped.[/say] It continues, taking a step toward Ronin.
[say]They are coming back for you, little changing.[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 05-04-2023
[say]"You don't know shit,"[/say] Ronin snaps, the flare of his temper as much as a surprise to himself as it might be to anyone watching, and he tightens the chain significantly with a ruthless flick of his wrist (one that, it might be noted, he'd never use with Remi). [say]"Let them come. I've got scarier things hiding under my bed than you or them."[/say]
The set of his jaw might well suggest otherwise, but he holds his nerve steady for now. [say]"Is that it?"[/say] he continues, raising a brow. Because if it is, as the shapechanger should well know, it's not as though Ronin is just going to let it go free. And while they might be no match for it in a fight - not with Remi as he is, and with a silver blade in his belly as well - Ronin, as ever, still has countless tricks up his sleeve.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 05-04-2023
The shapechanger is jostled forward with the snap of Ronin's wrist, but its eyes never leave the hunter's face nor do his words dislodge the smirk on the creature's lips. [say]We are watching. You are not so clever as you believe.[/say] It adds, grin widening.
Glancing ever so slightly over its shoulder as Remi lumbers closer, the creature swivels its gaze back around toward Ronin. [say]You would kill the messenger? Tsk.[/say] What might initially have been taken as nothing more than a bluff on the shapechanger's part is bolstered by the sudden presence of many unseen things in the woods around them. They, whatever they are, make enough noise to be heard but not seen, save for the light that flashes off of far too many pairs of eyes to count.
[say]Tsk.[/say] The shapechanger repeats, and smiles.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 05-04-2023
[say]"That so?"[/say] Ronin mutters, and if the words come out as a drawl, so be it. The stony look on his face makes it seem as if he's been tsked many times in his life, and always with violent consequences, but between the hunter and the shapechanger, Ronin's been punished by worse than him if they're talking Fae antics. And so while one hand keeps the creature tight in the chain lasso, his other draws something from his pocket.
Again, he's come to gather, not hunt.
But that doesn't mean he's stupid enough to go out empty handed in the dead of night.
[say]"Not kill,"[/say] he assures the shapechanger. [say]"Just banish."[/say]
Whatever Ronin tosses to the ground is contained in what looks suspiciously like a walnut, but when it breaks open, what is released is nothing short of a flash of pure, white sunlight. Dawn to dispel magic, dawn to send things back to where they come from; alright, so it might only last for a second or two, but it should be enough of a fuck off for whatever is lurking in the woods, shapechanger included.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 05-04-2023
There is only a moment before the light pours across the creature's face, but it's surely long enough for Ronin to see the look of surprise part its lips before it's overtaken by white. There's a hiss of static and then there's nothing at all. The creatures in the woods were either affected by the light as the shapechanger was, or decided to let things alone for now.
Either way.
There's no real ragged breathing to indicate the Wendigo's pain as you might expect, if only because its need for oxygen was so low. Still, breath hissed in and out of the grotesque and boney features of his face, before growing loudly and decidedly more human as he shifted. Thankfully unaffected by the cold given how very little clothing he'd managed not to shred, Remi knelt forward as if poorly attempting childs pose, before bracing himself against the snow and trying to sit up. The knife was lodged all the way into his stomach, just to the right of his belly button and was presently oozing a ghastly black sort of sludge. [say]'Had I known...we were going ... to run into...a friend of yours..'[/say] Remi says between hiccups of pain, [say]"..I..would have brought..them some ...flowers."[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 05-04-2023
For a second Ronin wishes he could stay in the blank white void of sunlight, because here, maybe things are okay. Maybe the world didn't go to shit and maybe he didn't get snatched by faerie creatures when he was barely old enough to walk, and maybe Remi hadn't been attacked by a wendigo. Maybe they go to bars and play pool. Maybe nothing is after him, and maybe no one treats Remi like a slab of meat or a science experiment. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
The light winks out, leaving stars before his eyes, and Ronin reaches down for the walnut shell (the nut inside is now beautifully warm and toasted), and proceeds to eat it. By the time he's done, his vision has cleared and Remi is Remi-shaped again, and the hunter gathers up the (now loose and shapechanger-less) length of chain and drops to kneel down next to the wendigo.
[say]"They'd have only stabbed you anyway,"[/say] he mutters apologetically; the dry tone is void of any expected humour, which is probably the biggest red flag between them that things are Super Serious right now. Inhaling and exhaling a long, deep breath, Ronin considers tthe situation before him.
[say]"You and me have been through enough shit by now to try not to fuck this up, right?"[/say] he says softly. [say]"Because I can take the knife out, but I know you're probably going to lose your fucking mind about it - no offence."[/say] It's true, though. [say]"And I really need not to be eaten tonight. So I do this, and you go and tear up that herd of deer, and not me. We got a deal?"[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 05-04-2023
[say]"Ahh."[/say] Remi murmurs, and were he able, he'd have waved his hand to indicate that it was no big deal. [say]"Stabbing is..basically just..a monster's way...of saying..hello."[/say] Though the Wendigo isn't sure what he expects to happen next, (maybe Ronin leaves him to die, maybe there's a cashew of healing light in his pocket, maybe this is all a bad dream), he takes the hunter's suggestion in stride. Leaning his cheek onto his shoulder and closing his eyes while he considers, Remi weighs the options before looking down at his wound.
Exhaling hard enough to make his lips roll against one another, he closes one eye and gives the hunter a quizzical look. [say]"What do you mean you need not to be eaten tonight?"[/say] He wants to know, suddenly smirking. [say]"Does that mean there is a time you can be eaten?"[/say] This particular brand of deadly humour would have the morons back at the facility reaching for their silver, but Remi only grins.
[say]"If I go after that herd there won't be a single stag in the area who won't have fled."[/say] He reasons, his voice already much more stable than it had been. [say]"Just toss the chains on, yank the knife out, and I'll let you know when the urge to kill you passes."[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 05-04-2023
[say]"Is it? Well I think you might have just made a friend, in that case,"[/say] Ronin drawls, though he still doesn't manage a smile. At least the whipcrack humour between them is so automatic that he doesn't have to try, right? And it manages to continue as they breach the subject of casual cannibalism, har har har. [say]"Never by choice,"[/say] he clarifies, trying to get a good look at the wound without touching Remi, not wanting to provoke any instincts unintentionally.
The wendigo's idea is a terrible one, in Ronin's humble opinion. But the fact that he's remembered the stag antlers is enough to stop the hunter from saying so, and instead he rolls his eyes and decides to (gasp) trust what his partner is saying. [say]"Alright,"[/say] he murmurs, reaching for the chain again and working it around Remi's wrists and neck in skillful loops that would probably make a dominatrix jealous.
[say]"In three,"[/say] he says by way of warning. And then, like all good warnings, Ronin reaches out and draws the silver blade out on two instead. The black ichor glistens in the frost and the moonlight, and Ronin is already sitting back out of reach. Tethered or not, unlike the rest of the complex, he doesn't underestimate Remi.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 05-04-2023
[say]"That's what they all say."[/say] The Wendigo mumbles under his breath before another wave of pain stifles the rest of what is currently passing for humour.
Moving where and when he needs to to facilitate his bondage, Remi immediately regrets everything as he feels the full weight of the silver settling against his skin. [say]"It's on, not--"[/say] But of course he runs out of time because his bastard of a friend has yanked the blade out and fuck if it didn't hurt coming out just as much as going in.
Snarling forward, his abilities subdued but not his instincts, Remi's lips peel back from his teeth as he snaps in Ronin's direction before his eyes roll back into his head. [say]"Sei fottuto figlio di puttana. Userò i tuoi denti per i dadi e ti schiaccerò il cranio con il mio cazzo che cazzo di bastardo."[/say] It's quite colourful, this bout of curses, a few of which the hunter might even understand. With each punctuated threat, black sludge oozes from the wound until the wendigo finally has the good sense to shut the fuck up.
Flopping backward into the snow, Remi reaches for a handful and slams it over his eyes as if the brisk chill might hurry his return to his senses. It doesn't, and so for a long while he just looks like someone's weird sexual snow/bondage fetish recovering from a bit of knife play that went too far.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 05-04-2023
[say]"Mmhm,"[/say] Ronin says mildly at the wendigo's correction, fully expecting it not to matter on a couple of seconds. And it doesn't, as the descent into vulgar Italian proves quite beautifully, the hunter taking himself further out of reach and quietly getting to work while Remi comes to his senses. One might think it a little callous of him, to offer nothing by way of distraction or help, but honestly, given that every part of him is likely ringing a dinner bell at Remi's instincts, acting as invisible as possible is definitely for the best.
So while his partner fights to collect himself, Ronin takes inventory of everything they'd collected out in the woods, storing it away in the bag he's brought. He diligently empties the pockets of his coat, too, before shrugging out of it. A few more moments, and he finally rises to his feet and approaches close enough to Remi so he can cover him with the garment. [say]"Won't do you any good to get frostbite,"[/say] he tells him. [say]"How are you doing?"[/say]
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 05-04-2023
Eventually the wendigo stills, and though there's no rise and fall of his chest to indicate that he's breathing normally, that in itself is as much a sign of calm as anything else. Though his eyes are closed there's no reason to think he isn't intimately aware of where Ronin is, and so as the coat is dropped on him, he doesn't flinch or stir, but merely lets his eyes open like some creepy doll in a horror movie.
[say]"I don't think I can get frostbite, actually."[/say] He murmurs conversationally. [say]"I heal too fast for that."[/say] Sitting up, Remi uses his shoulder to remove the last of the melting snow from his cheek, before ruffling a chained hand through his hair. [say]"Fine now, other than the fact my partner can't stand to see me naked. You're going to make me body issues one of these days."[/say] He adds, before holding out his wrists in Ronin's direction.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Ronin - 05-04-2023
[say]"Well fuck me for looking out for you,"[/say] Ronin says, managing a brief smile and not bothering to take his coat back. [say]"Just put the damn thing on, frostbite or no frostbite,"[/say] he murmurs, reaching out as Remi holds his wrists up so he can deftly unloop the silver from around him. It doesn't take more than a moment to free him, Ronin gathering the chain back up and stuffing it away in his bag.
[say]"Anyway. Stag,"[/say] he says, as if the past however long hasn't taken place. It's not true, of course, and the glint of silver from the shapechanger's blade is all too obvious in the moonlight (Ronin has slipped it through the back of his belt). Not to mention, if the hunter's suddenly subdued nature isn't a screaming warning that things are Not Okay in Ronin-land, not much else will be.
Nevertheless, with everything in hand and his bag over his shoulder, he gestures for Remi to lead the way in tracking down their deer.
RE: cut our teeth and make our bones right here - Remi - 05-04-2023
Eyebrows, Eyebrows and cue laugh track and base slap sound. No wait, this isn't that kind of show.
[say]"JUsT PuT ThE DaMn ThINg On."[/say] Remi mimics, tilting his head away ever so slightly as Ronin's fingers work to undo the various loops. Heaving himself into a standing position, Remi looks down at himself, before glancing at Ronin. [say]"There's going to be my blood on it now."[/say] He murmurs in a tone of voice that suggests this is Ronin's problem since he asked for it, before buttoning the jacket up and looking all the more like a fucking idiot for it.
Tracking after the hunter in his eerily near-silent way, Remi shoves his hands into the pockets of Ronin's jacket (boo, nothing to find), and nibbles the inside of his lip. [say]"So..."[/say] He murmurs, coming alongside before overtaking Ronin that his senses might guide them both. [say]"Do...you want to talk about it?"[/say] Unfortunately the words come out sounding like a dad whose daughter has just gotten her first period and he's obligated to ask the question. In fact the wendigo is happy to talk things out, only on the heels of having been mid-kill, then stabbed, then bound by silver in order to be un-stabbed, managing his tone is a bit too much. Still, at least the glance over his shoulder looks genuine enough.
Or maybe it's murdery, Remi never really can tell.