Trial by Fire

Tal's eyes widened in surprise as his friend magically reappeared. He quickly picked his jaw up from beneath his mask and bobbed his head shyly in pleasure at the praise and confirmation that he was unharmed. "Little shaky," he admitted. "But I didn't get hurt." And he stood a little straighter, riding out the adrenaline spike but steadier than he'd been at his first ursur hunt.

"Thanks for keepin' the other ones off my tail." He flashed Deimos a sheepish grin - a crinkling of the eyes - as he knelt with his axe to chip away some of the lial's teeth. "I'm gonna make you so many brownies when we get back. Or, uh... do you like chocolate cake better?" He was sure he could get one of his sisters to help out so the final product would actually be worthy of giving to someone else. He just had to make sure they didn't find out that it was for Deimos, or he wouldn't get to help at all; banished to washing dishes in the sink so his inexperience didn't screw anything up, he knew from experience.

Deimos

For once Zuriel hadn’t been required for an aftermath debacle, and he patted her on the neck just the same, finagling for treats lined in his pockets (at which time, Belial used the opportunity to swoop down next to them for his own share).

A vague snort followed through on the notion of the dessert bribery. “You are welcome.” Another consideration stirred; because it’d probably be easier to hide the former rather than the latter, especially from soldiers going back and forth along the barracks. Or he could just as easily store them in his house, hidden from public eye. “I will take the brownies.”  

His gaze riveted to the rest of the boiling lava pools nearby, watching to see if any lials opted to make a reappearance, before flicking back to the courier, arching a brow at the teeth being chipped away. “Do you need anything else?” Figuring they could forage whatever was left – the skin might’ve been good for some armor, and Halo was never picky about meat.

you're all bronze and bite
all venom and fistfight

Boreal's head came up with rumble of interest when the treats came out and Tal grinned at her, pocketing a couple lial teeth and then reaching into a different pocket for her favorite spiced jerky. She wolfed it down with relish as Tal made note of brownies as the preferred vehicle of culinary gratitude, already scheming to wheedle Dierdre's extra creamy fudge icing recipe out of her to top the rich, moist treats with. "You got it!" And maybe he could steal one or two while he was at it.

For taste-testing purposes, of course. It wouldn't do to give the guildmaster an inferior gift!

"Nah, we can use the rest for whatever, I think." The request from Frey might have seemed wasteful, but the god surely knew that two Halovians weren't going to kill something just for one body part. They could probably find a use for just about every piece of the beast, given its rarity across the border. "I can start sectioning it up," he offered, unslinging his axe and getting to work while Boreal huffed and moved into position to watch the lava pools while the men worked.

Between them and their Bags of Holding the beast was soon reduced to bits and bobs that disappeared for convenient carrying and further processing in a safer locale. In a much more cheerful frame of mind than he'd arrived, Tal headed back home beside his stoic friend and their four-legged allies.

~Fin~