Rezik's calling hadn't been immediately noticed - well, it had but Eythan didn't parse it with the instantaneousness required to keep him from retreating into his chrysalis.

The gryphon had come on broad wings, limited for speed as he wove through the chambers and broke into the open by the circuit - where a howlite lay. It was in the process of assault, it seemed, and Eythan dove straight for the assailant. His motivations for chasing away most certainly weren't to selflessly protect Rezik, but to do so for the rest of the Bonebound. If the deer-creature managed to form into safety, then it counted as him not being dead.

Now, it was a matter of making sure the prick's chrysalis was intact.

Anyways.

Eythan went claws-splayed towards the slimy creature, dropping with all his weight and heading down on a harsh trajectory. He was going to pin this slippery thing down and see what all the nerve was about - and maybe finally figure out who exactly was specifically out to kill Rezik... and how they'd managed to find him (although, to be fair, the Bonebound hadn't hidden him too well.)

He missed completely, sailing over and spinning on his palms with a harsh "HEY!" and fluttering wings to alight. "Quit fucking with that chrysalis and start explaining."

@Opal Three-Seven-Six

There was movement behind him. He eye stalk flicked back just in time to see a winged gembound diving for him. Shit! He ducked out of out of the way and peeled off across the Bone Fortresses before the gembound could even finish his sentence.

He had to lose this idiot.

This was bad. He botched it and dallied too long and now the Bonebound was on his ass. He expected the Canis-dwellers to know these parts inside and out. Astraea must have got them to work for him somehow. He couldn't risk being caught, not by the likes of them.

Opal raced across the bone fields towards Tunnel K, his long body zagging in erratic lines, a challenge for anyone chasing him.

*Exit Opal unless stopped

The ram's ears caught the distant shriek of Rezik. Astraea's warning flash in his mind, then the Spellweaver's vision. His heart sunk.

Dropping the pile of green grass he had gathered for the spoiled brat, he bounded across the ivory mounds to, ironically, his defense. Aries expected the worse. Shit! I should have been watching him! Rounding the corner, he heard Eythan yelling and a scattering of bones. Suddenly, long, slimy, mean-looking gembound raced through fortresses.That must be him! The bastard! The eel-thing hadn't noticed him yet as he headed towards tunnel K. He was trying to escape!

Aries barreled down towards him, he racing behind one of the fortresses to surprise him and cut him off. Oh boy, he sure hoped this was the right guy.

Because this was going to hurt.

Barreling out, he rammed into the eel-weasel, striking him in the hind leg with all the force of speeding rock. It threw the slimy gembound off balance, slow him down, but it wasn't enough to incapacitate him like he hoped.

"Listen to me."
Thoughts...

TAG: @Eythan // OOC:

Off the slimy creature went, completely unfazed and definitely heavier than him, now that he thought about it. Eythan tore off in a dead sprint after the eel, calling as he went, "BONEBOUND!" At risk of sounding cliched, he added, "AFTER THEM!"

And out of his periphery, Aries charged and threw the eel off-kilter enough for the gryphon to make his head-start count. Eythan supplemented his bounding stride with probably ominous wingbeats and cried, "stop!"

He came up to the opal's hip and lurched down to make a harsh swipe at their closest ankle. It was a bit cruel, but nothing that couldn't be healed off and nothing that could really cause them to suddenly chrysalize. Eythan was going to steer clear of all of those teeth, but he was going to get this one down.

Opal was Achilles, and Eythan was a man slashing at their ankles to bring them down.

@Opal Three-Seven-Six

He'd heard the scuffle. He didn't give a damn about it, though. Instead he'd carried on throwing his prey onto the ground to crack its neck, the resounding thump giving him a brief relief. It'd taken him a while to hunt down this bastard of a mouse.

However, when the Bonebound were called, his head jerked to attention. A fight? Taking the rodent in his jaws, Desert Rose lifted himself into the air and began to lazily draw himself towards the call.

Not that he needed to get too close to see the action with his eyesight- they were chasing after... Oh, shit, was that Opal? The champion almost dropped his food in surprise before righting himself. Damn, that oily dude was still kickin', then.

He snorted and soared in the stale air, watching the action from above with a faint interest. He was more thinking about the mouse he was intending on eating rather than the existence of a traitor once more.

This wasn't his fight.

(Desert may be skipped in post order. He's just chillin'.)

Giggle's head snapped up. The call wasn't far, but it wasn't close, either, and it rang along her link with Omen like a plucked string. She was on her feet in an instant, fear prickling through her.

Go! Find out what that is, she called urgently to her familiar, mind-to-mind. And then she was running, scrambling toward the sound, hoping that the voice--Eythan, she thought?--would call again. It would be hard to pinpoint, otherwise.

And it would take her time to get there--precious moments, if there was trouble.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a figure hurled towards him. Large, spiraling horns, a head like rock. His heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, he sprung into air, twisting like deer desperately trying to avoid a vehicle. The horns narrowly missed his chest, but caught his thigh instead. He heard a crack.

Opal failed to land on his feet, falling side instead instead, but he long body slid and wriggled, correcting itself as limbs twisted back underneath. It slowed him down for a heartbeat but a heartbeat was all the other pursuer need.

Sharp pain slashed through the heel of his other foot. There was an audible pop and Opal found himself unable to use his foot. He stumbled across the bones, spilling drops of green blood. The shifting ground did nothing to help catch himself. All of his hind weight fell on his other leg, the one Aries hit, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins drowned any discomfort.

He had been reduced to a brisk limp. Opal knew what the winged one did, he snapped a vital tendon. That was exactly the kind of underhanded move Opal would have used himself. He almost would have been impressed, if he wasn't on the other end of the stick.

Hissing a curse he skidded to a stop as a tall, bone wall loomed over him, boney spikes jutted over the top, a deterrent to those who would climb it. He looked to either side. It was a long way around. So this is how it ends.

Still hobbling on three legs. Opal snapped around to face them. Back arched, he swung his tail close, protecting the gem on the tip. The Opal flared his neck frills, ratting them as he let out a warbling hiss. Sharp teeth glistened. His yellow eyes were wild with fear and hostility, as he trained his sight on Eythan. The eyestalk flicked towards the ram. He almost felt pity. They were new cycle gembounds, misguided perhaps. He wondered if he'd have to kill them, because he wasn't going down without a fight.

He remembered Reji's words to him. "Come back alive."

His heart ached. I'm sorry Reji.. I don't think I will.

@Eythan @Giggle @Desert Rose Thirty-Five

The slippery thing had limped themselves into a dead-end, and Eythan crowded in - bearing in mind the bear-trap jaws bared his direction. His wings raised a little, primaries flaring out to make his silhouette bigger. He chirped towards Aries's way, "keep to their right. Box 'im in," and shifted slightly to the left, in case the eel-thing made a break for it. "Keep an eye out on those teeth," the gryphon added, flexing his talons around a stray bone at his feet. It'd be a makeshift bludgeon, if necessary.

Eythan's ears swivelled around, listening to the sound of any arrivals - perhaps, other Bonebound that heard his call - but his gaze never once left the eel. They were posturing like an animal backed into a corner, and apparently at their wits' end.

"Well," Eythan growled, "you've got a lot of fuckin' explainin' to do, attacking him." His tail flicked, rightfully pissed off that someone'd come to attack Rezik right at the end of the two cycles allotted to his protection. Right when they had him almost out of their laps, here came this assassin. The Bonebound were just about scots free as far as Astraea's punishment went. Now the snotfaced tattletale was in a chrysalis.

"I don't think you'll be leavin' any time soon," Eythan paused to glance at the eel's hind legs, "so you maaay as well enlighten us. Why are you after Rezik?"

Aries trotted up beside Eythan, obeying his command. Golden eyes glared at the intruder. He endangered the Bonebound, he endangered Eythan. There was no way this bastard was getting out of this. Head down and horns bared, Aries stepped over to the right in a low draw, promptly cutting off the escape. With a loud snort, jets of smoke shot from his nose. He pawed at the bones, ready to lurch forward any second if the eel tried anything funny.

With out take his eyes off of Opal he asked Eythan. "Is Rezik still alive?"

"Listen to me."
Thoughts...

TAG: // OOC:

The winged one picked up a bone and the ram had cornered him in, snorting smoke. One had a weapon, the other knew fire. He guessed the winged one wasn't much a magic user, given the tricks he pulled and the ram.. well, the ram looked like a meat-head. If there was an afterlife, he would forever kicking himself over dying to these guys.

All that time in Hydra, and not only had he failed his mission, but got bested by a two children as well. He almost wanted to laugh. Sometimes fate was cruel. This proved how flawed the Hydra Trials really were.

Opal pinned his frills at Eythan's words. The bird-cat wanted him to enlighten them?

I think I will. He thought harshly. "Why are you harboring him?' His hissed back. "Did Astraea put you up to this? Do you know what he's even done- what he has planned for all of you?"

@Eythan @Giggle @Desert Rose Thirty-Five

(mmkay posting order now)