M for swearing
"You're a blind coward, Imp, but once I destroy you in combat, we can destroy Nemean together."
"...You're an idiot, he muttered in response.
Then came the resonating BOOOONG. Imp flattened back his bat ears with a grimace, the infrasound thrumming painfully against his eardrums. "What the fuck was that?" As his ears cleared, he could hear her shuffle and drag underneath him, and at last blurted--"Are all your legs broken, or what?!" (Imp couldn't remember how many legs Kalama had, exactly.) "Look, lemme just fly you." (Imp also did not realize that Kalama had mutated into a heavier beast.)
He dropped down, attempting to find her by ear and get her in his claws--but his feet weren't grasping, bird of prey feet. He'd have to basically hook his feet under her wing-shoulders, or something. If she didn't cooperate--if she didn't want to be lifted--it would be too difficult for him. As it was, the best he'd be able to do with her size was sort of glide low and fast along the ground, struggling not to lose his grip. "Just hold still, and I'll get us, uh, wherever that is."
It would--assuming Kalama allowed it--be only a low and clumsy glide, with Imp swearing and bobbing heavily in the air with cargo nearly a third his own weight. And if she didn't, well... they'd just have to go the slow route.
Imp will attempt to carry Kalama to go faster, unless he fails, or she refuses!
Mirage shivered, watching with quiet horror as the scene played out before her. She didn't know if they should even be there. Maybe they should just go back to their hole and hide... These bone-dwelling strangers were sick, Quentin was right... But he was so kind, he didn't want to leave them to their fate.
"This is terrible," she chirped quietly, feathers ruffling. She was glad no one tried to come for her feathers and wings, and more relieved when the door opened so everyone stopped mutilating themselves.
... The worm was coming, now. She had only faced a worm once, when she was a fledgling, and it nearly killed her. Shivering, she hopped up to Quentin's side, and peered around at the group. "Okay!" She hooted at Warrior's instructions. "There's some larger cracks in the canyon that we can hide everyone in," she nodded. "Everyone who's too hurt to fight, follow me," she insisted, spreading her wings and taking flight.
She really hoped that Warrior would be okay. Right now, though, they needed to protect the ones that were injured from the path of the worm.
Fighting the sand-turned-snow worm was definitely suicide. But so was the entire Trial, and if the Champions were anything to show for it, victories could be found in the face of death! "The worms rely on sound and vibration to hunt," they spoke, spreading their wings. (The rest would be glad that they had conserved their strength for the battle to come.) "With how the chasm echoes, we may be able to disrupt and confuse it-- and, as the Champion's daughter said, it shouldn't be able to maneuver easily in the narrow quarters."
The cockatrice took flight, sweeping in front of everyone toward the sound of the worm before spinning about to face the fighting team they had gathered. "Now, we will have to beware of falling rock and avalanches, with this thing thrashing through... So be on guard! Do not give up! We will fight until the last!"
They bowed their head, eyes gleaming as their sandworm-esqe mandibles clicked against their beak. "Protect the one with the weapon. Run distractions. We will slay this beast! Nothing is unkillable in the Hydra!" With that rallying cry, Gatto rose further into the air, and turned their head toward the rumbling. It was now or never.
None of them complained? Well- okay, he got a bit of an ego boost, but if these creatures really followed him blindly like that, they were a bit brainless. Did they really not look out for themselves? How did they even survive through the desert?
He had no time to complain, watching as... Nothing happened, until the branch was deposited. Really? Use his head, Vargas. Well, he did use it. Grumbling, Desert reached into the bowl to retrieve his deposited antler, taking it in one of his wing-claws. The others were talking as he coddled himself and his free horn. Would it even grow back? None of his head-antlers had ever broken off before.
Well, the ones he used to have would regrow, so this may not be any different.
Anyways. He drew in a breath as he resettled, the doors open and the canine with the sword. She had chosen herself to be the killer- he couldn't get a good glimpse on the glyphs, but he could glean what they had to do from it.
Of course, the goal was never to survive, but to kill, to triumph from this beast's death. For a brief moment Desert had it in his mind to fly away and return to the entrance, but the gates would never release them until the worm was dead. Probably. His wings flared out slightly in the contemplation of the action anyways. He could ascend easily, leave them all behind-
But Ivory's words hit his ears. Strike from above. He eyed the dog for a brief second, leathered wings extending more. He'd carried heavier- and she looked like the was mostly fur, anyways. He took a second to shut his eyes and reset his emotions, shoving them deep down to offer himself up. "I can get you above the worm." He stepped forward, the antler still in hand. A brief glance was given to the Agate. The rally cry was given, and Desert's scales tingled with discomfort.
He really wished he didn't have to be here.
Shaking his head ever so slightly, Desert Rose kept his wings out, placing his palms on the ground below. "We need to get its head above the ground, primarily, and keep it there long enough for her to attack." His head tossed to Hargrave. "It'd best if we prioritize the high ground. We wouldn't have to contend with avalanches and I doubt the vultures would want to deal with the worm. Hell, they might help us in getting it exposed."
A lot had happened, and she felt the edges of her vision fade as she struggled to focus on- anything. Her- her leg was gone. Pain- hot, this time- flourished on her jaw, but she found she could move it ever so slightly as it settled.
She barely looked to the others as plans ensued. When Hargrave moved to the door, Null slid of every so gently, gingerly standing on three paws. This would take some getting used to. A movement forward threw her off of her precarious balance, and she shuffled in place as she tried to put weight on a limb that wasn't there.
Well, at least she could think for herself. The horse suggested going along with others, and Null's head turned down to look at the pair of desert beings. It wasn't like she had much of a choice- she couldn't fight, not like this. A hopping step took her into a rhythm to follow in the wing-wakes of the little owl and footsteps of the worrying fox.
She paused, and looked back. She had unfinished business. Giving quick mind to shuffle closer to Hargrave, Null butted her head against the canine's shoulders before turned back around to be delivered to wherever this safety was.
When Mirage came close, Quentin gave a brief press into her side, reassuring. They'd get everyone through this. "Sounds like a plan," the little fox spoke as he nodded to Warrior. He wasn't going to speak over Mirage asking others to accompany- instead, he only watched as others (if any) followed, and moved to step behind them in the search for protective covers.
"The worm won't be able to fit in 'em," he chirped idly, giving himself reassurance more than anything. Even with the larger injured beings, he was sure they could squeeze everyone into safety. "Here-" He nudged his nose towards a particular path as he eyed the canyon walls.
Not everyone would be able to fit in every crack, but they'd have to make do. He'd make sure everyone found themselves in relatively safety before he worried about his own.
Lyra tuned out everyone else for now, trying to control the hysteric pain that was making her head spin. It was the worst feeling in the world and it wouldn't go away, it wouldn't stop bleeding and she scared herself. Was that necessary? Was my sacrifice even worth anything? She looked up with her one good eye towards the door that had appeared, sighing with relief. It was. At least, she hoped that it had been. She was weakened now - the Trial was going to be only harder from here.
The dog was offering to burn wounds shut and...and while Lyra knew that was gonna be painful...she wasn't going to pass up an opportunity. She forced herself to rise and walk over, sitting before Hargrave and offering the bloody socket. "I-if you could...please?" But the heat wasn't enough to close the wound and it still dripped blood from her face. She sobbed and backed off, pressing a paw against it. Hopefully that would at least quell it enough for now. She could fix this when she got out.
She tried to tune herself into the conversation. Take the injured...to safety. Yeah, yeah, that was good. She was injured and she couldn't fight. "I'm...sorry. I can't help here, even if I still had both eyes. I'm not a fighter, I'm not particularly strong." The owl was taking wing, to lead the injured away and, however disgusting it felt to still have to rely on others, Lyra followed, out into the canyon, to find a crack in the canyon walls to take shelter in.
Palefur continued licking at the wound on her shoulder until the bleeding was slowing enough that she felt comfortable getting up and walking towards the group. They were doing all the thinking for her this time, but it wasn't a bad idea - to have to face the iceworm was absolutely ridiculous, of course. That thing was huge and none of them were particularly large. Besides the bison, of course, but she was as good as dead at this point. But what choice did they have?
She wouldn't do this alone. No, it was impossible. Besides, the wolf had the dagger and that was possibly the key to finishing it. At least, it was the best option. As if she would wield the dagger herself. Better to let someone else take the risks. "I'll run distractions as well. We should head up the sides of the canyon - distract it from all sides so it doesn't know where to go. Make some noise while the one with the dagger attacks while its confused." She glanced at Desert Rose. "I wonder if the vultures would turn on us after the ice worm is defeated. We may be too exhausted at that point to fight them off."
Shida paced forward to stand next to her sister, chuckling a little at the slip up, but the laugh cut off quickly. This wasn't the time. She didn't involve herself in the planning - only keeping close to Ivory while they worked out a plan for the iceworm's attack. "Wherever you go, that's where I'll be going to."
Oleander
Melt all your art and drink the paint
Oleander nodded a little blankly at warrior as he consciousness slowly came back. Her mind was still shock-frozen from fear and now that the adrenaline was wearing off, she realized how tired she was getting. She hadn't done this much work since she'd last been in Hydra. That was just the curse of the cave, then.
She followed Mirage and the two canines away, hopefully to a safe place where she could wait out this disaster in peace.
