Private Isulus Untangling The Bonded

[Vina Skysong]

Vina laughed and winked as Luna tried to argue against her paying for half the cost of the mushrooms. From Luna's voice, it was clear she knew that the vixen would insist on paying her share.

It's not about having to, it's about wanting to.

Responsibility wasn't something Vina often bothered with. Her primary motivations were her own desires: it just so happened that her desires tended to manifest in the form of helping others and having fun together with others. In this case wanting to help Luna meant paying for the Shimmerspot Caps at least in part.

The question of whether to focus on the green wood or the predator blood had her thoughtful, the vixen looking up at the skies beyond the branches of the great tree they were descending from. After several seconds of humming she shrugged.

The predator I think. There's more than enough trees and they won't walk away while we're dealing with the other thing~

Once Luna had grabbed Vina the winds would help her jump from the platform, a powerful upward gust slowing down her descent so the two of them hit the ground softly. Vina nodded towards the forest to the north, the massive trees dominating the horizon as far as the eye could see to the east, with only the Hylands cutting off the treeline to the west.

The biggest predators won't be near the edge of the Tangleweaves, so we'll have to head a bit further in.

She seemed content to let Luna carry her for now, the winds still whistling around them. Every step Luna would take she would receive support from those winds, pushing her forward and lightening her step as if she was floating.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Well, it was clear that half was as much as she was going to be able to pay, given how motivated and determined Vina was, so Luna didn't bother wasting the energy it would take to try and argue or haggle Vina down. She could tell a losing battle when she saw one and the druid was so much more charismatic than her that Luna wouldn't be surprised if Vina somehow ended up convincing her not to pay at all. Even if it set Vina out of pocket, because her friend was just that kind of selfless.

It was an everyday battle to make sure that she hadn't been taking advantage of that selflessness.

Still, she could agree with Vina's idea to go after the predator first. It wasn't like trees, or any normal trees anyway, would get up and walk away from them. Not unless somebody was making them do that, which would've been a dick move at the best of times.

Hold on tight, then!

And with that, they were off. Powerful winds surged from underneath her, most likely Vina's doing, catching her and slowing her descent with Vina in her arms. Even when she touched the forest floor, the winds continued to swirl and push her, making her body feel lighter than ever, picking her up slightly with every step that she took.

Okay. I'm trusting you to keep an eye or ear out for me. I'm pretty sure your senses are way sharper than mine, so I'm relying on you to find them.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

A bright smile adorned Vina's face as the two of them left the town of Oflainn behind and headed for the Tangleweaves, the endless jungle stretching out before them and only growing bigger as Luna's wind-blessed steps carried her closer and closer. The winds also formed a protective layer that warded off most of the cold, even if Vina's obscenely long silver-white hair still trailed behind her as she was carried by her feline companion.

Don't worry, I'll keep my ears up~!

Not all of Vina's senses were enhanced, but her hearing was perhaps one of the best around. She wouldn't be able to compete with anyone who'd developed the Hyper Sense mastery in the direction of enhanced hearing, but aside from those people (of which she knew none) her large vulpine ears were unsurpassed.

And part of that was how attuned she was with the winds. Where others would only hear the rushing of air as Luna carried them deeper into the jungle Vina caught many different sounds, each telling her a different story. Despite the coming of autumn the Tangleweaves remained vibrant and even warm throughout the year, which meant that only the most sensitive of lifeforms hibernated or hid away. Birds moved from branch to branch above, small critters rustled their way through the undergrowth, and larger predators...

I'm not catching anything yet... can you put me down Luna~?

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Thankfully, her own beastly body was pretty immune to the cold, all things considered. Or maybe it was just the huge boost to her physicality that was helping her shrug it off? Having more endurance would help regardless of whether or not her body was actually better suited towards the cold than it should have been. It made sense for her to be the mule, in this specific scenario anyway. Plus, Vina was fairly warm, so carrying her just made the cold even more easy to handle. Especially coupled with Vina's own efforts to ward away the cold.

So she kept her eyes open. She was relying more on Vina to detect things, sure, since the woman most definitely had stronger senses than she herself did, but it was far from being an issue, all things considered. An extra pair of eyes could still see something, if the sharper set of senses had their focus taken by something else for a moment or two.

Plus, from what she could recall, Vina could do something like listening to the winds themselves? Luna had never quite learned to understand what that meant, but then again, very few people had been able to understand her ability to fuse with beasts.

Back when she'd had it anyway.

She sighed, before she nodded upon hearing Vina's request to be set down, gently lowering the druid until her feet were touching the floor. Once securely grounded, she let go of Vina and hummed.

Something the matter? Was being carried not helping?

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Thanks~

Once her feet touched the ground Vina gave Luna a smile, then took a step back to create some space. The tigress's question was answered with a quick shake of her head, the vixen looking around at the jungle that now surrounded them on all sides.

The carrying is fine, but it might be easier to search if we're not going through here at top speed. (She pointed towards her ears.) Sometimes you gotta stand still and listen you know~?

While Vina could listen to the winds taking the time to calm down and focus still helped. Even as she talked with Luna Vina was trying to attune herself to the winds that travelled between the giant trees that formed the main body of the Tangleweaves. Many of them talked of birds and streams rather than grounded predators, but as she sharpened her senses there were suggestions of something further north...

Hmmmhmmm~ Let's try that way~

The path north would send them further down, the ground inclining steeply with large roots forming bridges and arches they'd have to pass either over or under. As they'd go further into the Tangleweaves shadows would also dominate more and more, along with a parade of strange colours from the many different flowers that bloomed in the depths. The terrain would also get rougher, meaning that moving too fast could easily mean a nasty fall.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Well, that kind of made sense. Though it did give Luna the urge to smile and shake her head, patting Vina on the shoulder as she chuckled.

Oh, that was nowhere near top speed. I might not be ridiculously fast, but this weird glitched body is still just flat out stronger and faster than most ordinary bodies are.

And coupled with the physical power she got from Martial Arts, it made for one hell of a powerful body. Enough that Luna hadn't needed to swap back to the scythes that she'd used to use before the glitch had afflicted her thanks to the server blockage.

In truth, she'd only stopped using the scythes because she'd been terrified that she would end up cutting her own tail off. She did a lot of twirls and flourishes with those large, two-handed cleaving tools, after all.

She remained quiet, allowing Vina to listen carefully and waiting. She knew her friend would find something, once she was determined, quickly finding that something, probably the wind, was telling Vina that they should head north. She followed after the druid, passing flowers that bloomed all sorts of unique colors, clambering over roots and past obstacles.

You're sure the winds don't sometimes lie to you? I don't know if we'd find a predator here until it was right on top of us.

Her eyes scanned the treeline, unable to make out the horizon due to the forest.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

I shouldn't underestimate a tigress's agility then~ To me it already felt like you were running fast enough to make the winds dance~

Of course, Vina had been using her aeromancy to help bolster Luna's steps, but that didn't take away the fact that her friend had gotten them into the jungle's depths very quickly and showing no sign of exhaustion. Vina chuckled as well, her tail happily wagging before she turned her focus towards the world around them, allowing her to sense things both up close and far away.

The path forward was a tricky one, as clearly people rarely if ever came here and the inhabitants of the forest had little need for clear roads. Vina's lithe and almost weightless frame allowed her to move with remarkable agility given her rather unimpressive strength, sliding over and under the roots while taking her time admiring the many colourful plants that gave life to this place.

Turning her head she looked back at her friend as Luna expressed her scepticism, the druidess smiling mischievously.

Wouldn't a place where you have a hard time seeing a predator be the best place for a predator to be~?

Tigers, like nearly all felines, were ambush predators. If this place made it easy for them to hide and ambush their prey that was only a plus. Vina would have explained in further detail, but at that moment a loud roar echoed through the jungle, sending birds flying and causing the vixen to freeze in place as her ears quickly swivelled towards the source of the sound. It was from far away, close enough that anyone, even a human, could easily hear it, but still far enough that they wouldn't be able to spot the one responsible.

...I think that answer the question.

Her voice was hushed now, and she motioned for Luna to follow her slowly as she started moving again. The jungle was more quiet now, all smaller wildlife either taking cover or moving in the other direction, but Vina knew where the sound had come from and was going to find the owner.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Luna couldn't help but smirk slightly at the praise, though she let it drop there. Gone were the days where she'd try to vehemently deny any praise that was offered to her, often to the point of offending others in her determination to not be seen in any kind of positive light. Even if she didn't necessarily agree with things, now, she just swallowed her words and allowed the other person to speak them. It was easier and cleaner that way, for all parties involved.

She kept her breathing even and quiet, trying not to cause any disturbance that would draw Vina's attention whilst setting her own focus on scanning the trees with her eyes and clambering over roots and vines. She lacked the grace that her druid friend moved with, but her powerful body helped make sure that she didn't fall behind.

And it was then that the sound of a roar froze the both of them. Luna felt her hair raise, tail bristling slightly as she drew her lips tight into a thin line. Ducking a little lower, now that the jungle seemed frozen, she crept along behind Vina, keeping one hand pressed gently against the druid's back, ready to grab or move if something did attempt to ambush them.

Just be careful that we don't end up being ambushed, rather than us being the ambushers.

She hissed a short whisper to her friend, ears flicking uselessly. They were no better at hearing things than her human ears were in the real world.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Feeling Luna's hand on her back, ready to step in if anything happened, did make Vina feel a lot safer, the vixen giving her friend a grateful smile before turning her head forward again as she led the way towards the source of the majestic roar that had resounded throughout the jungle before. Many would consider it almost suicidal to move towards a creature capable of making such a sound, but Vina was confident that the two of them could handle it.

Don't worry, we should be fine. (She whispered back.) From the sound of it the tiger was already hunting something else, so they shouldn't be going after us. They might get angry if we disturb their meal though.

With her sharp hearing Vina didn't think that they were in danger of getting ambushed, especially if she was right that the tiger had just finished hunting something big. Mysterious as this world could be at times the animals often acted in familiar ways, and a predator who already had a full meal in front of them was usually too busy to start another hunt... unless it felt threatened.

As they crept along a faint breeze would carry the scent of blood towards them, suggesting that something had indeed been slain recently. Neither tiger nor prey was visible, however: in front of them a wall of dirt stood in the way, with thick roots sticking out from the side as one of the giant trees that formed this jungle had made the ledge its bastion.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

If there was one thing she was good at, right now, it was protecting something else. The only real saving grace of the build that had been jury rigged for her by somebody that was infinitely smarter than her. And she'd been largely set up to be a shield, or a wall. Something to keep somebody else safe from harm. That would come in handy now, if they happened across any trouble.

She wasn't sure if it would stay that way once she had gotten her original body back. Her old form came with abilities that didn't even exist anymore.

Well as long as it was just hunting. If it has any young, we shouldn't go for it. Incapacitating the parent might make things really bad for the cubs, if there are any. I'm not sure if it's the right season for a tiger to have cubs though.

Did tigers have things like mating seasons and things like that? For somebody who had been a master beast tamer, Luna really didn't actually know much about animals. Even tigers, of which she'd spent a lot more time around than anything else, were fairly mysterious to her.

They continued to creep along, Vina following something that only she could detect and Luna following the druidess in turn, breathing deeply in an attempt to keep herself calm. Her tail flicked in agitation, though. It was hard to stay calm when they were approaching a predator that they couldn't even see. There was just a wall of dirt and roots.

So, do we climb this?

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

I don't think we have to worry about cubs? We're in autumn now... But once we've gotten what we needed I can heal them so they're not in danger afterwards.

It was a bit strange to try and protect a predator out in the wilds when they were usually the ones killing the other inhabitants of the jungle, but Vina wouldn't feel entirely comfortable just leaving the tiger helpless after they'd just barged in and taken their blood.

The tiger is somewhere beyond, so I think we have to. (She followed the ledge with her eyes.) We could also try to follow it and see if there's an easier path up, but if we take too long the tiger might leave. I could also use my magic to help us up...

Stepping forward she touched one of the branches, humming as she tried to find the right melody. After several seconds of searching the melody spread through the roots, allowing Vina to mould them into a more regular shape that would make it easier for the two of them to climb upwards. Given that the tiger they were heading forwards was probably an impressive specimen Vina would refrain from more excessive displays of magic, like just flying over obstacles together with Luna, unless it was necessary.

I'm pretty sure I could climb this as well, but...~ (She wrapped her arms around Luna's neck.) I think we'll both enjoy it more if you carry me~

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

So tigers were the kinds of creatures that only had their young at certain times of year? Luna found herself willing to trust Vina's words, figuring that the druidess would know way better than she herself would. Back before the servers had shut down, she'd even been considering asking Vina to teach her how to use Nature Magic, back when she'd still had it. Maybe that'd be possible in the future, as she reclaimed old skills and got her old form back?

Still, after they began to review what actions were available to them, Luna was of the opinion that climbing would be the superior one. They couldn't take too long or the tiger might move on. They couldn't be too forceful or they might spook the tiger.

Feeling Vina's arms wrap around her neck, Luna giggled, pulling Vina into her arms and then swinging her around, until Vina was pressed against her back.

Hold on tightly, then. I don't want you to get hurt if I drop you.

Her hand grabbed onto a root, before she pulled, heaving her body upwards and throwing her other hand up to sink her fingers into the dirt. It gave her enough leverage to surge upwards again, pulling one arm at a time, utilizing this powerful body whilst she still had it, combined with the enhanced physicality that came with Martial Arts as a Mastery.

Vines, loose stones and the dirt itself were all valuable hand holds for climbing. Feeling Vina against her back, she hoped the druid was holding on tightly as they climbed up and up, until they ascended the peak.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Having initiated this Vina smoothly moved along with Luna's strength, ending up attaching herself securely to the tigress's back and wrapping both arms and legs around her friend so she wouldn't be in danger of falling off.

That shouldn't be an issue: it's not my first ride after all~

Her light weight meant that Luna only really had to focus on getting the two of them up, the vixen barely hindering her as her own physical strength meant she might as well be carrying a bag of feathers. Vina herself was left with little to do but enjoy the ride as Luna showed off her prowess, quickly scaling the wall of dirt and root until they found themselves at the base of the large tree that had claimed this part of the ledge as its own.

Thanks for the ride!

Vina let go and slid off Luna's back, quickly stepping forward to join her friend's side. Twitching her ears she started whispering again.

We should be close now. Are you ready?

Once they did find the tiger things would get hectic, after all.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Well, Vina was popular and had some beast taming abilities herself, if Luna remembered correctly. So it wasn't a surprise that the druid was no stranger to taking rides on things, though Luna wasn't too sure how she felt about being considered a ride, for all intents and purposes. She'd carried people before, back before the servers had shut down and she had been fusing with her beast companions. Back then she'd been treated almost like a vehicle, carrying people around and pulling carts and wagons along the roads.

She had time to reminisce as she was climbing, Vina's weight pretty much negligible on her back. She grunted with each lunge upwards, making slow but steady process whenever she'd identified something she could grab onto without it snapping or breaking with their combined weight, until they were at the top of their climb.

And there, she could let Vina go and let her friend act like a radar again, ears twitching as she began listening out for the tiger that they were hunting. When asked if she was ready, Luna closed her eyes for a moment, before calling on her Aura. It clung to her skin, like a soft white outline, coating her in a protective layer. She needed the focus to summon it forward, but now she was ready.

I'm all good. Let's go. I can only hinder it non-lethally for a moment or two, so you'll have to act fast.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

The tiger was very close now: the scent of blood was in the air, and with Vina's sharp hearing she could actually hear a faint crunching in the distance which could only translate to, well, the tiger enjoying the fruits of its latest hunt. She tentatively sniffed the air, then shook her head as the scent of blood masked anything that might be useful.

If it's just hunted it should be on the ground, but it'll try to defend its catch. Don't worry, I'll be ready once you hold it still~

Leading the way a bit further forward she'd come to a halt next to a large tree, placing her hand against the rough bark and closing her eyes. Humming slowly she attuned herself with the wooden giant, feeling its roots spread out underground. Here in the depths of the Tangleweaves the plants fought as much over the ground as they fought over the air, needing space to spread their roots. If one went digging here, even the parts which weren't part of the Allfather Tree, they'd find that there was more root than dirt underground.

It's just up ahead. Be careful, and good luck~

Focusing on her connection with the tree Vina would leave it to Luna to face the tiger. She needed to be ready once Luna caught the beast so she could root it before it broke free again.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

She wasn't exactly sure how she would hold a tiger still for more than a few seconds, considering that she didn't exactly have any skills or masteries that excelled in restraint. Sure, she could use Martial Arts to grapple, but that did put her very firmly in the danger zone, which wasn't where she particularly wanted to be when dealing with a carnivore like a tiger. Not that she had much choice, so the best she could do, as they came to a halt, was take a deep breath and focus on the one thing she could do.

Damage mitigation was a pretty useful skill, at the very least.

She crouched low, down onto all fours for a moment, before she pushed off with all four limbs, launching herself out of the undergrowth and towards the tiger like a humanoid missile. Hands and feet slapped lightly against the ground to propel her further, before she reared up, a soft white glow enveloping her left arm as she raised a loud warcry.

She'd done it intentionally, needing to draw the tiger's attention for her plan to work, forcing her left arm into it's mouth and wincing as it bit down against her defensive Aura. It still pushed her back with its lunge though, as her right hand grabbed it by one of the ears and she heaved, flipping onto her back and hefting the tiger over her.

Now Vina!

Her voice rang out loudly as she span, pushing the tiger down into the ground with its jaws still clamped around her arm.

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

As Luna pushed further towards where the tiger was enjoying its meal she found it lying down on the ground, its muzzle burrowed inside the remains of a boar-like creature, ripping off chunks of flesh with its powerful jaws. Of course, once the tigress went on the attack the tiger reacted quickly: its ears perked up and then it was on all fours, first jumping back to create some space before roaring back at Luna and jumping forward to meet her, clawed front paws extended and jaw wide open, bloody fangs glistening.

Not that it expected Luna to stick her arm in its maw intentionally.

Its jaws snapped shut reflexively, trying to pierce the tigress's flesh even as her defensive aura struggled to withstand the combination of sharp fangs and strong jaws. The tiger was big and mighty enough that even an experienced adventurer like her couldn't dismiss the might of its assault, but her bravery paid off as she successfully managed to withstand it and even flip it onto its back, the tiger still holding onto her arm but the pressure lessening.

Vina had been observing the swift but violent encounter even as she remained in contact with the tree, and as Luna shouted for her to act the vixen did so promptly. Roots which had spread far and wide to feed the wooden giant now sprouted new branches, shooting up towards the surface underneath Luna and the tiger. Erupting from amidst the dirt the thick tendrils wrapped themselves around the striped beast, encircling its limbs and crawling across its back. The tiger let go of Luna's arm as it roared, thrashing and heaving in an attempt to dislodge the entangling roots. Several of the thinner roots were torn apart, but more replaced them until finally the tiger's chaotic resistance was safely contained, the beast continuing to push and trying to bite at the restraints holding it but unable to break through.

Once her spell had taken hold Vina quickly ran forward, her focus on Luna as she'd seen how her beloved friend had used her own arm to bait and catch the tiger.

Are you okay Luna?

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

A sudden explosion of roots burst from the ground all around her, tendrils of wood wrapping around the tiger, which seemingly caused it enough distress to make it let go of her arm and begin to thrash around. It gave her an opportunity to break free and throw herself backwards, strips of cloth torn off of her arm by the beast's fangs. She clutched her left arm with her right hand, looking it over, before she turned to face the approaching Vina and gave her the best reassuring smile she could muster.

I'm fine, no need to worry! Just some torn clothing and there's nothing new about that. It's pretty fashionable actually.

She HAD always been the kind of girl to think that ripped jeans were cool and stuff like that.

Sorry about that, I just wanted to make sure it attacked a spot I could survive, rather than risking it landing a lucky claw strike or biting my neck or something. My aura stopped it from even piercing the skin.

She showed off her unharmed arm for Vina to inspect until she was satisfied with her findings, before turning back to the restrained tiger and humming.

So how do we extract blood from it without killing it? And what are we storing the blood in?

@Vina Skysong

 

[Vina Skysong]

Despite Luna's reassurance Vina still inspected her friend's arm, noting how the fangs had torn clear through the fabric but had left the skin unmarred. Her worried expression softened, her lips curling back into her usual friendly smile as the vixen looked up at the tigress.

I knew you were tough Luna~ Still, to be completely unharmed after getting bitten by a big boy like this one is really amazing~ (She stroked the skin.) You did scare me a little, but your plan worked perfectly~ As for how we get what we need from our friend...

Now that she was no longer worried about Luna she turned around towards the tiger. With the roots wrapped tightly around him his struggles were less noticeable, but she could see how his muscles were still flexing and tensing underneath his thick fur, trying to find a way to break free. Unlike how a person might look in the same position it didn't look malicious or hateful: it was simply struggling, snarling and growling even as Vina walked closer.

Now that... (She leaned forward and sniffed.) ...He won't bite us I can calm him down, and then we can drain his blood carefully. As for a container, I have a vial that should do the trick~ I'll show you where to make a small cut once he's calmed down.

Sitting in front of the tiger Vina began to hum, keeping her eyes on the large predator struggling in front of her. At first there was no response, but as Vina's humming persisted the tiger's movements began to lose their frantic nature. He was still pushing against his restraints, but with less intensity than before, and as he lowered his head he looked at the vixen, his golden eyes meeting her azure ones. Reaching out Vina gently placed her hand on the side of the tiger's head, and instead of biting it the tiger brushed his tongue across her arm, the vixen's smile widening.

It took well over a minute before the tiger had calmed down completely, and all that time Vina neither looked away nor stopped humming. Raising her free hand she motioned for Luna to come closer, then pointed at a spot on one of the tiger's front limbs before pulling a vial out of her inventory and handing it over to her friend, never breaking eye contact with the tiger or ceasing her soothing melody.

@Luna Avalbane

 

[Luna Avalbane]

Luna rubbed at the back of her neck, shaking her head. She still wasn't exactly used to receiving much praise from people.

It wasn't really that impressive, truth be told. Instead, I just made him attack the one part of me that I knew he couldn't hurt no matter how much he tried.

And she'd been quite lucky to avoid any errant swipes from claws or the like, too. A tiger's claws would gut her just as well as its teeth would puncture her and kill her that way, after all. And neither way was particularly enticing of a death to consider, though it didn't frighten her all that much when compared to the feeling of setting herself off like a bomb, back before the servers had been blocked off.

So she watched as Vina sat down and began to hum some kind of song, the tiger slowly calming down when exposed to it, upon which Luna herself was beckoned closer to check on the tiger and was handed a vial to take some of the creature's blood into.

Actually taking the blood proved to be a problem that she solved with a sharp stick, jabbing the creature's forelimb and draining some blood into the vial until it was filled, before she stepped away and pocketed the vial for now.

So, do we just walk away and then you let him go when we're a distance away?

@Vina Skysong