"Shit shit shit," Tal said eloquently, freezing for a moment as he took in the tableau. He had rope in his bag, but no idea how to make or throw a lasso. He could try and chase the rats off, but that wouldn't do any good if the unicorn sank too far into the quicksand to get out while he did so.
And anyways, the unicorn was closer to the rats than it was to him.
With a grimace, Tal raised his voice in a holler as he unlimbered his axe. "Help! Anyone! We need a hand!" Something was coming closer - he could hear the jingle of metal and the creak of leather nearby - and he just had to hope they were friendly.
Thinking on the fly, Tal headed for a tree on the edge of the clearing and began to chop at its base, intending to make a bridge across the quicksand so he could get close enough to the unicorn to help. Boreal leapt from her branch and coasted above the unicorn, crooning reassuringly before her path brought her towards the rats. She let loose a jet of fire on the biggest before flapping back up into the trees.
The rat shrieked and rolled to drown the flames and its family scattered under the assault, ears and noses twitching furiously as they compensated for their blindness. The pack split, flowing around the edges of the quicksand at a swift scamper and heading for Tal and the sound of his axe - and the sound of hooves pulling free of the sucking mud just beyond him.
Why wait for the main course to be ready when a pair of appetizers had so conveniently presented themselves?
And anyways, the unicorn was closer to the rats than it was to him.
With a grimace, Tal raised his voice in a holler as he unlimbered his axe. "Help! Anyone! We need a hand!" Something was coming closer - he could hear the jingle of metal and the creak of leather nearby - and he just had to hope they were friendly.
Thinking on the fly, Tal headed for a tree on the edge of the clearing and began to chop at its base, intending to make a bridge across the quicksand so he could get close enough to the unicorn to help. Boreal leapt from her branch and coasted above the unicorn, crooning reassuringly before her path brought her towards the rats. She let loose a jet of fire on the biggest before flapping back up into the trees.
The rat shrieked and rolled to drown the flames and its family scattered under the assault, ears and noses twitching furiously as they compensated for their blindness. The pack split, flowing around the edges of the quicksand at a swift scamper and heading for Tal and the sound of his axe - and the sound of hooves pulling free of the sucking mud just beyond him.
Why wait for the main course to be ready when a pair of appetizers had so conveniently presented themselves?
