[PQ] Dancing Bones

I was thinking the very same— Tensing immediately, a flurry of blondeish feathers broke out through Remi’s curls and talons punctuated his fingers. Yes. He replied in an absurd mental whisper (have you ever tried to change the pitch of your internal voice? It’s nearly impossible).

Grinding his teeth together as he tried to catch sight of Sam (which obviously he couldn’t), the alchemist lowered himself to the ground, placing a nearly fulled-pawed hand on one of the rocks before him as his body tensed. If I shift I could carry him out if you provide a distraction? Not for the first time the alchemist wished they had a plan, and though he did still have a mouth to speak, he couldn’t to Sam. Not without risking drawing undue attention.

until the lambs become lions.

Oh it was indeed a shell. The sound of something making its way into a standing position came from within; limbs shifting, wings unfurling, feet slopping against the hardened stone ground. And then all at once there came a loud and piercing cry that nearly threatened to shatter the ear drums of those who had them, and to disorient all who heard it.

Jigano shifted his weight as Remi changed position and composition, the alchemist going from two legs to four. I'll do what I can, he agreed cautiously, tensing and starting to leap from his perch to try and get ahead of wherever their invisible Ascended friend had wandered off to. He couldn't make the some bold assurances he once had, not with Safrin's rebuke still ringing in his soul, but that didn't mean he would stop trying to help his friends entirely.

Alas, even that more modest intention was struck down as a wave of sound struck through the cave, ringing through the raven's ears so that his wings stuttered in their flight and he tumbled from the air as up and down suddenly switched places with dizzying ease. "Sam!" he tried to croak, but the cry had dazed and deafened him enough that he couldn't even hear his own voice, much less find his invisible friend in the murk of the cave.

Instinctively he shifted to his snake form, heedless of his audience as he scrambled to reorient himself in a form that was low to the ground and more dependent on vibrations in the earth than sounds in the air. The tip of his tail curled tightly through the ring of his lantern as he flicked his tongue out in distress, peering towards the source of the noise and trying to see any sign of Sam returning.

The screech completely ruined Sam's attempts to be slow and steady. He ran as quickly as he could, clutching the bones, towards the entrance of the cave. "I have some - be ready to go!!" He spoke out before himself, as loud as he dared, hoping that Jigano and Remi could hear him and be ready to fly away as soon as he reached them. Unfortunately, he was disorientated, so he fell flat on his ass, the bones skittering out before him. "Those are the bones!" Sam yelled out, making his hand visible enough to point at them (as if it wasn't obvious) then crawling towards the entrance again, hoping to get to Remi and clamber on his back. Samuel He took a step but then felt tired He said, I'll rest a little while But when he tried to walk again He wasn't a child

The sound made the alchemist place his hands across his ears and scrunch his eyes in pain. Unlike Jigano he hadn't any shifts that would protect him from this. The best he could hope for was that the ringing would subside. Though it did, he was disoriented and dizzy. All he saw was half an arm waving at some bones on the ground and a pale snake slithering away into the darkness. Frantically his mind tried to piece all of his together, but it was a slow process.

"SAM—" He yelled now that they'd lost all hope of going unnoticed. Peering into the dark Remi retreated a few steps. Grabbing at the bones with his magic and tugging them along towards the entrance, he retreated as swiftly as he was able to. "I'm going to shift, climb on, Sam." Remi called out. So saying, he did indeed shift then. Standing at the entrance and nearly blocking out all of the light and with bones scattered around, the manticore crouched with muscles tense.

until the lambs become lions.

Sam's words were distant things through the ringing in the snake's earbones, and Jigano coiled himself protectively as he swung his head from side to side, frantically trying to see either the bookmaker or the beast. A scattering of something small and clinking rolled past him a moment later, swiftly followed by an arm that popped into existence without a body. He reared back, startled, but Remi had recovered enough to at least get the bones that they had come for.

It was time to go.

The snake turned and slithered swiftly towards the exit, staying between Sam and the whatever-was-behind-them. He turned when they reached the manticore, facing into the cave and waiting for the bookmaker to get safely on Remi's back before he shifted again to make his own escape.

As quickly as he could, glad to see the bones move (magic was such a wonderful thing), Sam crawled the last few feet over to Remi, grasping onto his mane and pulling himself onto his back, grabbing the bones as they came closer and pressing himself down close to the Manticore. He glanced up only to see if Jigano was alright - seeing that the bard was between them and the rest of the cave, his eyes widened with alarm. "Jigano, let's go!" He said out towards the snake, desperate to be anywhere but where he was but not wanting to go without his friend. Samuel He took a step but then felt tired He said, I'll rest a little while But when he tried to walk again He wasn't a child

Not able to see Sam (he'd probably need to mention to his friend at some point, that as helpful as his invisibility could be, it was also a huge hindrance as well), he did indeed feel hands tugging at his mane, followed by a body scrambling onto his back. Fanning his wings, the manticore gave a mighty roar into the belly of the cave. If indeed there was a creature therein, better it know that what had just left was no small meal but indeed something that would put up a fight if it came to that.

Awkwardly grabbing for the bones with his paws, he glanced around for Jigano. He knew the Sage was well equipped to make his own getaway, and so the large manticore gave a rumbled warning to Sam before pushing off into the air.

until the lambs become lions.

Jigano was only waiting until Remi was leaping into the air before he shifted, changing scales to feathers and shrinking in size. Talons clutched at his lantern as he rose into the air swiftly, wings beating through the fog as he rose in Remi's wake. Isuma fluttered ahead of them both, chirruping encouragement and calling them up out of the mist towards the bridge above.

You have the bones? Jigano called to the manticore, not wanting to have to go back down again anytime soon. It'll be a while before we go back if we lost them! His curiosity in seeing the kappa was outweighed by his desire to see his friends and himself safe. He'd go back again to help Sam if they needed to...

But they'd want to give the Kappa a good long time to forget that they had been there - yelling, roaring, and generally startling it as much as possible.

Well it had certainly been a thrilling quest, but it seemed they were going to escape unscathed. Grabbing onto Remi and the bones he closed his eyes, waiting until they were up on safe land to open them again so he wouldn't have to see the rapidly disappearing ground. He only looked around to make sure Jigano was coming behind them, and seeing the bard and Isuma nodded and pressed his face back down into Remi's mane, hoping it would be a swift flight up. Samuel He took a step but then felt tired He said, I'll rest a little while But when he tried to walk again He wasn't a child

Some of them— The alchemist replied, wings pushing downwards to try and put as much space between himself at the mouth of the cave. Sam hadn't actually said how many bones were required for this. Do we know how many he needs? Without a mouth with which to speak it was hard to ask. But the raven might be able to, limited vocal abilities though he had.

Slowing their ascent if only to give the bard time to ask and answer if necessary, Remi gazed down at the mouth of the cave, waiting to see if anything was going to emerge.

until the lambs become lions.

No, Jigano admitted with an internal sigh, wishing that they'd had a better plan before heading off on this adventure. Let's find out...

He flapped up higher to reach Sam, circling the bookmaker where he sat on Remi's back and cawing to get his attention before twisting his clever raven's tongue to human words. "Bones!" croaked the white raven above the misty gorge, undoubtedly a gothic poet's coke dream in that moment. "Number?" He might have been able to do better if they'd been perched serenely on the ground, but in flight it was the best he could muster. He focused on Sam, sharp blue eyes never leaving his friend as he glided around him, leaving Remi to watch the cleft below and warn them of impending company of the potentially angry and lethal - or at least, the very hungry - kind.

Unaware of Remi and Jigano's mental conversation, Sam didn't look up from Remi's mane until Jigano spoke, at which point he looked down at the bones in his arms, unsure of Jigano was asking how many it was he had needed or how many he had. Deciding to answer both, he said: "I have three here -- I have three fingers and they're bigger than my fingers so...I think it'll be okay?!" Possibly too long of an answer, but unfortunately he really had no idea how many bones The Voice needed to fix his hand. Hopefully what he had would do, because he really doubted he was ever going to have the courage to go back down to the Kappa's cave. Samuel He took a step but then felt tired He said, I'll rest a little while But when he tried to walk again He wasn't a child

Trying to hover near a raven was a near impossible task given the difference in sizes. But it wasn't the first time Jigano and Remi had flown together before, and so at least the manticore had some idea of just how drastically he'd have to adjust his wing beats to stay near the Sage.

All Remi needed to hear was I think that'll be okay, before he stretched his wings wide to bring them back towards the bone bridge. He had a few bones in his paws and with the ones in Sam's hand, he was hopefully they'd met the quota needed. If not? Well on a second pass hopefully they could be far more silent and not awaken whatever it was lumbering within.

Landing tensely just to the side of the bridge, Remi looked down into the misty gulf. His muscles twitched with adrenaline, ready to take off again at the slightest indication that they'd been followed.

until the lambs become lions.