[SE] golden gravity and half-forged knives

we've been living on a fault line
and for a while, you were all mine

With the task of offerings and the news of Ru out of the way, Kiada lets it settle somewhere in her mind to reflect on later while the prospect of hunting comes up. Smirking slightly to hear that Deimos has never hunted a glotter, she all but perks up – tail twitching against her heels. “They’re basically massive otters.” She explains, turning to start leading the way.

The trek there has her offering a little bit of information about them – still technically a monster hunter at heart – and where they would be more likely to be found, what kind of maneuvers they’d make when they descend, and typical behaviors, Kiada guides Deimos through the Greatwood as best she can (when it isn’t fucking with their pathway) to find a river that flits through the region.

“So, they should have a den around here somewhere..” She hums in a whisper, already having her steps slow toward more of the predatory check for the creatures along the edge of the water that seems to rush by in a dull thrum.

KIADA

i've spent a lifetime giving you my heart,
i swear that i'll be yours forever, till forever falls apart

Deimos

Deimos, despite his inexperience in hunting said glotters, did know about them, given the amount of time spent in the guild library, but he listened just the same, brow arched as she explained. The sentiments remained the same, of dens and rivers, of maneuvers and motions, quietly smirking behind her as she led the way.

Unbothered by the labyrinthine quality of the Greatwood, it was amusing to watch as Kiada unfurled into old habits, likely made stronger by the Ancient ties and drawn persuasions to blood and chaos, head tilting as she whispered. “I can search,” he rumbled in a low register, before shifting. The dark hues of the hellhound coat made it that much easier to blend into shadow, and while still large and massive, his senses would be heightened; nose to the air, intending to register everything else between the sights and sounds and other proportions of the forest.

Eventually though, he could parse through, lowering his form in a crouch, slinking further, tail wagging as he granted a signal, tracking after the significant scent.

we exhume our enemy's bones
we are battling, hungry beasts

I am not a creature that was born

“Sure.” She murmurs, glancing over at Deimos with a grin that reveals the extra sharp canines. “I haven’t done my bloodlust recently, so I hope you don’t mind me snagging one for myself.” She offers quietly, still trying to not tip off any glotters that might be in the general vicinity.

She, too, shifts into her newest shift – one she’s fairly certain she hasn’t shown Deimos yet. The hawk-like creature rises toward the boughs of the trees, looking similar enough to other birds to not tip them off as the hellhound drifts down below her, melding into shadows. Upon the scent, Deimos will be guided a bit further downstream, coming upon a duo floating in the river and bouncing up and down through the waves lightly.

Kiada catches onto the sight of them not too long after Deimos has noticed them and she perches on a rock beyond the shoreline, waiting for an opportune moment to strike – perhaps in the chaos when they realize Deimos is there.

---

Glotter 1: 250/250
Glotter 2: 250/250

Kiada

I am a fire that was set

this is the reckoning

He nodded at her insinuation; hardly bothered, figuring in her Ancient creeds she’d want to sate whatever their necessities were. He was in it for the thrill and seeking dominion; though, upon the sight of the glotters innocently playing, he did have a moment where he felt less inclined to stalk and maul. Most creatures he stalked were of the dangerous variety; bounties for their heads, devastation in their wake, citizens pleading for some kind of retribution for lives lost. These were none of those things, and though he could always play the ‘mouths to feed’ card, perhaps he was far too versed in the potential wreckage, annihilation, and danger nearly always represented, to have a heart in this fight.

Instead, he figured he could flush them towards Kiada (in her new shift, which he’d have to ask about later, considering the lack of communication skills at present). Once spotted, he lowered himself to the ground, waiting on the embankment, before uttering several sharp, low barks, hoping to scatter them towards a new direction, and perhaps out of the water, flanking towards the Harpy.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

I am not a creature that was born

She rises a bit higher once Deimos starts moving – her avian-attention stuck on the two glotters in the river. As he barks, Kiada draws up and takes to the skies, watching as bother glotters begin to frantically start to move within the water, zipping through it toward their dens. One gets pulled away from it by the echo of Deimos’ bark, panic ensuing as it shifts its trajectory, unfortunately toward the cinderscourge up high in the sky.

Kiada descends, talons outstretched to try and snag the creature from the water’s surface, successful when her talons sink in deep to the quiet yip of the otter. As she drags it from its watery surface, it drops something that appears to be glittery and gold in the water – an heirloom, perhaps, from the nearby fae villages. Her talons dig in, blood leaking immediately from its side where she’s snared the glotter up to the sky, aiming to drop it upon the rock nearby.

---

LMAOOO I got the glotter's HP wrong originally RIP anyway I've fixed it!

Glotter 1: 182/201
Glotter 2: 201/201

Kiada

I am a fire that was set

this is the reckoning

One did exactly as he’d sought – driven right towards Kiada in its state of panic. The other, however, was either smarter or simply not as induced to flight or fight, making its way towards a den. Not to be deterred in the slightest, the hellhound took a massive breath and dove onwards, snaking beneath the crashing waves and the onslaught of splashes and pond grass. For half a moment he considered shifting into his seal proportions, capable of striking hard and fast beneath the surface.

Though, he’d find it wasn’t necessary – the launch into the stream was enough to spread the apprehension through the creature, and with swift, cunning reflexes, he snagged at it by the middle, jaws settled over the abdomen as it thrashed and screamed. Lifting it from the water, so that it was immersed throughout his jaw while it screeched, he proudly displayed the imminent prize, beginning to swim and then trot towards the embankment.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

I am not a creature that was born

The glotter that Deimos has snatched from the water, thrashes within his grip – screeching its pain and panic – driving his sharp teeth further into its sides and its stomach while he lifts it to show Kiada his prize. The cinderscourge shrieks a call toward him that’s pure excitement as she dives back down to the glotter she’s chosen, wings flaring as she strikes at it with her beak and claws.

It doesn’t take nearly as much damage as the glotter in Deimos’ jaws, his shift stronger than hers and far larger, but still the glotter in Deimos’ maw writhes and thrashes as its taken toward the embankment while Kiada focuses her fury on the glotter she’d dropped on the rock.

---

Glotter 1: 162/201
Glotter 2: 95/201

Kiada

I am a fire that was set

this is the reckoning

It could thrash all it wanted, screaming, wailing for friends and companions, fellow compatriots, that simply wouldn’t show. He bit down harder as it screeched in a high, delicate pitch, striving to push against his jaws or bite at his skin. His eyes went towards Kiada as she gave her own call; presuming a triumphant display, eyes flickering briefly to the unfortunate glotter on the rock, imagining broken bones and suffering to come if she didn’t finish it. Were his mouth not full, he might've barked in return; gleeful and fervent.

For his part though, he figured he’d end it too. In one fast motion, he clenched his jaws down further, force, precious, might, strength, and formidable brawn behind the motion, intending to clench and smash and decimate. With any luck, the little beasts’ spine would snap, and the fight would be over, done with.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

we've been living on a fault line
and for a while, you were all mine

Oh how Deimos succeeds, with the clench of his powerful jaw and the sharp teeth hidden within, the pressure is next to nothing for the hybrid and the end of everything for the glotter in question. It takes very little time for Deimos to end the glotter’s life, and while he does so Kiada spends the next undetermined amount of time scrapping against the creature.

In a series of rapid fire attacks not unlike a cat toying with its food, Kiada decides that perhaps she’s been focused too long on her newest shift and its inability to deal much damage – and perhaps she sees the way Deimos has already crushed the glotter between his teeth. So while the glotter she focuses on is currently trying to squeal and make a break for it, Kiada shifts back into herself, fire curling at her fingertips before she yeets it at the glotter and watches as it collides with the beast, smoke pouring from the grass around it and along its back.

---

Glotter 1: 117/201
Glotter 2: 0/201

KIADA

i've spent a lifetime giving you my heart,
i swear that i'll be yours forever, till forever falls apart

this is the reckoning

One moment life clambered for its continued existence, and in the next, it faded. He felt the glotter go limp in his mouth, death swing back on its circular position, and felt nothing; overly familiar with the concept again and again. His eyes went back to Kiada’s actions instead, muffling a snort as he watched her toss it about – feline in her avian endeavors, before switching tactics.

He had half a mind to offer assistance, but he knew it would just prickle and irritate. The Harpy was more than capable of maiming on her own; perhaps it would merely take a foundation of more concentration, rather than systematic torture on her end. He tilted his head as she unfurled a fireball, watching the nuances back and forth like a tennis match, except the opposing glotter did no scoring. Granting her a canine grin, prey still firmly in his jaws, he gave her another instant of audience participation, along with an encouraging bark from the sidelines.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

we've been living on a fault line
and for a while, you were all mine

It’s a very clear focus that Kiada provides for the glotter in question. A predator with a singular goal, a hunger that’s so primal that even the harpy can’t focus on anything else but sating the roar in her bones. It’s easier with Deimos, especially as she stalks toward the glotter as it suffers from the burns, fire wreathing her hands again as she sends another one out at it and another one, over and over again until it’s got nothing left.

It takes three whole fireballs to take down the glotter – bolstered by Deimos’ bark of encouragement, and Kiada descends toward the smoking creature as the last ball of flame falls upon it. And without much care about the mess or how she looks – she knows Deimos won’t judge her – she tears into it, devouring half of it before she finally feels like herself again, sinking back on her heels with blood dripping down her wrists and coating her hands in red.

Only then does she look back at Deimos with a bloody smile.

---

Speeding this along with Kiada hitting with 3 fireballs to take it out completely!

Glotter 1: 0/201
Glotter 2: 0/201

KIADA

i've spent a lifetime giving you my heart,
i swear that i'll be yours forever, till forever falls apart

this is the reckoning

It wasn’t too often, at least lately, that he got to witness Kiada’s predilection for merciless endeavors. A bit of a show and a treat, to simply be a watcher along the sidelines as she utilized her powers, plunging into fire and ensuring the glotter was essentially a crispy, burnt fringe when she was done. Smug and pleased, he shook his head with the residual grin, another bark of triumph around his own laden wares for her victorious onslaught.

As she had her fill, he obliged her some amount of privacy, walking over to where they’d left the Mathair behind. Instead of relishing and ravaging his own prey, he offered it to the tree, placing the fallen beast down amongst the carnivorous plants and the massive roots. Using his great maw and muzzle, he shoved and shifted it to coexist the other matters he’d brought; recalling the seasonal goddess’s penchant for meat (or at least, anything readily accessible).

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

we've been living on a fault line
and for a while, you were all mine

With the battle of the glotter and fire and blood painting her skin, Kiada does her best to pull herself together when the blood lust is quelled, even if she feels suddenly quite exhausted and tired, and spends a few moments as Deimos drifts back toward the Mathair to give the offering to her so she can clean up in the river and fire.

Eventually, though, she’s put back together and bounds toward the Mathair to join Deimos’ side, flashing him a fanged smile and reaches out to brush her fingers along his soft fur just to see if it is as soft as she expects it to be. "Well, I feel better. Thank you." Pleased by the result that it was in fact as soft as she’d hoped, she waits for him to shift back or to continue to attend the offering in this form.

KIADA

i've spent a lifetime giving you my heart,
i swear that i'll be yours forever, till forever falls apart

Deimos

Snorting upon her return, and pat to his head and fur, he soon shifted back into his residual form, stretching out long arms and consequently, and purposefully, bumping her with an elbow. “Good,” and he wrinkled his nose back at her, before his gaze went towards the tree again, with its mass of offerings, figuring it’d be enough for now. “We will have to do it again sometime.” Promises of bloodshed were always something to exist between them – it’d been occurring for some years now – and unleashed a light laugh to coincide with the statement, before they dispersed, away from Greatwood entanglements and back into others.

[FIN]

we exhume our enemy's bones
we are battling, hungry beasts