This would be her last stand, Venom could already tell that all four of them were about to die. As Wake threw a rock and the creature seemingly ground it into dust. Venom had never encountered something quite so terrifying, the horror was enough to break her mind somewhat. She accepted that she was on death’s doorstep, however she wasn’t about to lay down and die either. The worm vibrated and squirmed, sending the wolves scattering.

Corbie took the opportunity to be heroic and charged the worm, instructing the rest of them to run. There was nowhere to run to, however. Stuck between a rock… and a hard place. "There is nowhere to run to. Die facing your foe, instead of being slain in retreat.” She mustered up as inspirational a speech as she could hearten before launching her own attack at the worm. She coiled her limbs and leapt as his as she could, hopefully avoiding deadly jaws as sharp claws and teeth sunk into dirt covered hard flesh.


"Venom"

Surprise plain on Wake's face as the beast chews up the rock with incredible efficiency, he needs... he needs to stew. To cook on an idea, because there has to be something here. While Corbie implores them to run, Venom has a point-- there's nowhere to run to. While Wake usually prefers to run from his problems, it didn't feel like an option here. Through the fog of laudanum, Wake thinks he's onto something.

"We gotta bait the fucker into the walls. If it can burst through rock like that, then we can use it to batter a hole so we can escape." Was he usually one to take initiative? No. But this time... shit, it was crazy, but maybe it would work. They needed a one worm battering ram, and Corbie seemed intent on letting the bastard focus her down. Dealing with it loose on the surface was better than dealing with it down here. Taking away home field advantage from the wormy boy (girl?) should be at the top of their list. Shit, once they're topside, they can also just run. Either is fine.

WAKE UP

Exposed “Artio” Lebraid Truthfully, if Lebraid had of known what was going to happen, she would never have come -- the worm’s cross-stitched pupil suddenly bursts open, slugging the ore whole -- and with it came a shingly, gruff, granulate squelch plagued by olid, sulfuric smells. It’s wet, meaty body lunged at the group, muscles flexing in avoidance of its spinose weaponry. Billows of dust seeded the air, blanched nebula’s bracing a repugnant glare as defences were ironclad; unpredictable herself, predicaments like these nettled a frenzy in the pits of her gut. There was no time to waste, and nowhere to go. A bottomless, gory growl hulled past gaping jowls, purposefully ignorant to orders. She would not regale to a stranger’s plea, of course –– albeit, with dyad launches made, suggestions to use it as a battering ram seemed more, well, feasible. Lebraid may be an estranged, sordid and erratic hellion, but that did not mean she was imbecilic, nor naive to the perils they had yet to see. If it be so, that is. She’d move in-front of the gap from before, jostled jacket jerking in porous pain, magnitude, a means to get the fuck of here as she seized a rock from the crag. Like the boy, she’d attempt to hurl it at the worming beast, hoping to balk its attention; if successful, perhaps having it come this way will stage an opportunity. Mania kindling, it was kept at bay, for now. Action. | “Speech.” | Skill. “Wrong me once, I’ll kill you twice.” Template by Raine <3

The worm showed no mercy as it lunged toward the wolves, but they were equally as merciless, attacking once again with a vengeance.

The worm lunged and the first wolf to return the gesture was Corbie. Her jaws seized around one of the fleshy petals, a bitter substance oozing from the fresh puncture holes into the alpha woman's mouth. Lower down, Venom latched onto a segment of loamy midbody. Exposed tossed a rock from a distance, thunking on the glossy surface of the beast's head.

The worm flung itself upwards, then downwards into the ground, shaking the wolves free. Wake was in its direct path as it slammed down and in his attempt to escape sure death, his back left ankle was caught, crushing against the ground with a numbing crunch and an odd angle.

The worm reared again, undeterred, and screeched in a loud, rumbling vibrato that shook the cave. Now it was angry, and only the wolves were to blame.

(Corbie finds an elixir of agility. It has been added to your OOC account.
Exposed finds a Post-Acceptance Minor Mutation Pass. It has been added to your OOC account.)

Venom managed to grasp hold of the creature, had she not been so desperate she would have been highly uncomfortable with the texture in her mouth. This was a small misfortune considering she would likely perish fighting the behemoth. Though her faith was lost there was a glimmer of hope. Before the monster could attack Wake he offered the group a brilliant idea. Use themselves as bait to have it smash open a tunnel for them to escape out of.

The once Empress did her best to do damage before releasing the worm once more. She couldn’t help Wake as his leg was smashed, but at least he still had his life. She took his place instead, wanting the worm to begin to burrow this way. She just hoped she was light enough on her paws that she could dodge its villainous attack. Perhaps they would get out of this alive?

"Venom"

Corbie's jaws closed on the worm, and her brief flash of triumph was washed away by the shock of the bitter flavor that flooded her mouth so horrifically. She gagged, salivating foamily as her body rejected the taste, but refused to let go. But suddenly the worm was moving violently, viciously, bucking in a way that she was suddenly airborne, ripped free and sent skidding along the cave floor. The boy was injured, it seemed (why didn't you run her mind groaned at them in an uncharacteristic fury, sure that if Venom and the stranger had run back down the tunnel they could have brought the boy with them) and Corbie growled deep in her chest, frustrated. Would they not just go? Leaping forward again Corbie sought to savage the worm's body, trying to get it's attention off the injured yearling. She could only hope that Venom would be fast enough to leap aside when the creature came after them, and that Wake and the stranger would take the opportunity to escape through the tunnel the worm had come out of. It was a long shot, but better than watching a young wolf die because they were too proud to run.

Exposed “Artio” Lebraid Steely, bedraggled rumbles perforated past wet lips, maw creasing at the sulphuric stench. It seems their attempts paid off, partly -- fleshy petals seized under cuspids, the pebble hit its hallmark -- however, anything they did simply maddened the worming vermin. Even the sound of crunching bones held no end to its barbarous, booming vibrato, and Lebraid conjured a rotten snarl, bellicose and thundered by cosmic tempests. Atleast their life wasn’t hung out to dry, right? Crown lumbering low, perhaps forcing it into a frenzy may truly be their only escape. She’d stalk the wolves’ movements, refusing to play part until absolutely necessary; one boy already had their ankle bludgeoned, and she, for one, would not fall victim to the same mistake. The siam-jacketed, graveyard hellion would not die here, not for them, not for anyone. Thick, stout muscles twitched with raw potency, malignity, a spell of caprice –– veins pumped with hot adrenaline, saneness becoming trifled at the thought of turning this monstrosity’s guts inside-out. She could barely sit still, pacing in calculative alacrity until the opportune moment arose. Just a little longer. Action. | “Speech.” | Skill. “Wrong me once, I’ll kill you twice.” Template by Raine <3

The bastard clamps down on his ankle. Wake gives a stark yelp, loud enough to echo through the cavern and reverberate around. "Listen here you rat fuck," he snaps and snarls, yellow eyes blazing in the low light. Searing pain radiating from the spot, a tremor coursing down his spine. Let it be angry. He's angry right back. Draining the last of his flask, letting the laudanum dull the pain,

Injured, but every bit the madman, Wake won't let up. That one doesn't quit, after all. Snapping and snarling, if he has agro from the worm, he'd make what use of it he could. Kiting around toward the tunnel the beast had come out of, trying to lead it crashing into the wall once more. If he could get it to crash, then he'd take swings of his own on the bastard as well. All shining teeth and shitty attitude, Wake is holding on.

WAKE UP

The worm's rage only grew with each freshly opened wound, further stoking the fires of its burning wrath. Pain seared through its fleshy petals as the wolves assaulted it, puncturing further into its flesh. It thrashes in response, attempting to coil its body inward protectively, unleashing an agonized cry.

It grows still, at least for a moment, before convulsing outward sharply. The movement sends its attackers sprawling, as it hits Corbie square beneath her jaw with a sickening pop. Her jaw is temporarily dislocated, and is sure to be sore for quite some time. The pain sears through her face, immobilizing her temporarily as she's send spinning toward the cave's floor.

Fluid continues to seep from the worm's wounds, at even greater volumes from the newest lesions. It pools around the paws of its attackers, spraying up in a cascade as the worm reels backwards, thrashing its bulk against the cave wall the way it'd come, successfully lured backwards by Wake.

Exposed “Artio” Lebraid Despite it all, the writhing vermin refused to concede, or even die. A sea of merciless malevolence wept from the graveyard’s glower, nebulously sharp and unpredictably agrestal. It was as if a firestorm blazed from the worm’s mutilated rage, its hollering, harrowing wauls pulsating off the labyrinth’s craggy, war-torn walls, wet grot flaying and furnacing in every-which direction. She’d continue to pace, jaded by its bleak games and spewing convulsions; there was nothing normal about this situation, and Lebraid, above all else, wanted to ensure that this foul invertebrate would see its dour, gory end, no matter what. The split dispassion provoked temptation, yet jerking spasms showed no charity — a loud, repulsing pop marred the atmosphere, snarls conflagrating like an avalanche in the sierra — fluid breached past her ajar lips, calculative of what to do next. Right, she’d had enough. Their attempts to coax it backwards paved fortune, albeit afflictions, and Lebraid saw an opportunity -- muscles taut, slaver serpentined every follicle underchin, cuspids becoming seasoned with grit and animus as adrenaline ran hotter than pumice. Thick with ferity, even, like the worm’s gamy goop. There was no time to waste, the hellion’s phantasmal demeanour daring to pervade souls, if it so had the chance; repositioning to face the spinose critter head-on, a chasmic, primitive rumble plumed with sadism, conviction and a gut-wrenching promise that held no virtue. She would not die here, not for them, not for anyone, “Move.” The singular word bled in forewarning, therein launching from where she stood as her crown lumbered low and slanted, stowing in defence to avoid injury if possible. Be it may, attempts to ram the bulbous rotter back to where it came from was her only intention, and hopefully their last. Action. | “Speech.” | Skill. “Wrong me once, I’ll kill you twice.” Template by Raine <3

Venom was impressed that Wake so quickly picked himself up after an injury such as the one that he sustained. He was young though, and perhaps more than a little unhinged judging from how quickly he had lapped up that goo earlier. Still, the once Empress’s thoughts were not lingering on those facts now, right now it was all about survival.

The worm, though it was ‘bleeding’ profusely, it did not take her bait and attack the far wall. Good enough that it began a slight retreat at the wolves attacks. Despite their worsening injuries it seemed the tide was turning in their favor. Venom felt hope surge through her as she aimed to attack again. If it wouldn’t go forward, backwards whence it came was the second best outcome.

"Venom"

Alright, he has the beast's attention. Wake holds it for as long as he can, kiting backwards, being careful enough where he puts his feet. Even if he moves on three legs, the boy is nimble. Always more of a dancer than a brawler, he's... he's trying here. Laudanum doing enough to keep him standing through the pain. It's probably enough.

Luring the beast, Wake runs straight for the most promising caved in spot. The thing that looks most like it could be an exit from this hellhole. Keeping the worm's attention, he's trying to bait it directly into the rocky, caved in section. At the last possible moment, Wake feints to the side, dashing out of an actual collision with the wall. He scrambles, trying to keep himself upright. Prepared to fight his way out, but hoping to hell it actually worked.

"Wake"

The other wolves continuing their own assaults made Corbie hesitate one brief, stupid moment as she had to decide where to jump that wouldn't just tangle her with another wolf... and she leaped, but too late, and she was caught across the face and thrown to land in a breathless flash of agony. She was long moments in finally dragging herself back to her feet, shaky and dazed as a newborn fawn and as helpless as one. Moving her head at all was agony, but attempting to move her mouth made the world around her go white with pain, a faint keening ripping from her throat and she could only stand swaying until the white faded. She would be doing no more biting. But beneath her paws the ground shifted as she did, shards of rock from a smashed boulder where the worm had struck it. Grimly the Avalon alpha wedged the sharp pieces of rock between the toes of one foot like vertical claws. The black razor-edged rocks jutted above and below the paws, dripping already with her blood where they'd cut the webbing between her toes, but she kept the paw raised off the ground and limped with wobbly determination toward the worm where her allies were harassing it. She curled her paw around the rock shards to better grip them, took a deep breath through her nose, and leaped to the worm's back, frantically stabbing and slicing it as quickly as she could, digging at it with her other paw in the wake of the shards. If the creature had a spine, she'd find and sever it. If not, well, she'd see how far she could burrow in before she found something that could kill it.

The worm's writhing grows more frenzied with each passing moment. The wolves charge it, aiming to send it backwards, Wake successfully luring it back the way it came. Its petaled maw parts, aiming to strike him, but he moves far more quickly- its bulk is send hurdling toward the wall of the cave, a series of tremors rippling out from the impact.

Corbie launched herself at the worm, using rock shards to tear into its back. A hellish screech emmates from its mouth as the stones cut through layers of pulpy flesh. For the first time, the worm's relentless thrashing seems to slow significantly.

But then it retaliates.

With a violent lurch, the beast goes lunging backwards, and Corbie is sent flying. Her body goes hurling toward the cavern wall with a sickening crack. Her front right limb is caught on a sharp stone shard that juts out from the wall. Pain unlike anything she's ever felt shoots through her as the worm follows, intent on crushing her against the stone.

The worm's midsection is sheared clean through as it impales itself on the stone.

Corbie falls, her front right leg torn clean from the socket, as blood pours freely from the wound. Her vision goes black as the worm collapses alongside her in a pile of barely recognizable wormy fleshy, sticky fluid spewing out with force from its gaping wound.

Exposed “Artio” Lebraid Disquiet and infuriation seemed to be evident in not only herself, but everyone, and their attempts to impede, impale, were only met with frenzied recriminations. As expected, though. If it were she who wept a monstrous guise, vehemence sounded more probable than not; still, that did not mean she appreciated the vermin’s slooshing, viscous tyranny. Lebraid’s barrel proved successful natheless, the others biffing in raw unity -- lurement needling, the worm’s petaled, spinose jowls part with intention -- and then, a series of foreshocks bulwark the labyrinth’s fissured entrapment as it hurled forward. Achromic eyes tapered sharply at the wreathing varmint, watching it get torn by crag shards and teeth –– girdles of thick, dewy, pulpy flesh oozed like barby, envenomed concoctions. Spurting, sputtering, thrashing and flaying, there seemed to be no end. A dire, miasmic growl thundered from the graveyard’s gullet, ropes of spittle mutilating sable lips; skin jerking, nerves tingling, the sickly git promised berserkers once more. Mossbed, lemongrass and siam hackles took umbrage like wildfires in summer’s blaze, seeing it mash the coal, pastel-bleached woman against the cavern’s wall. She’d plume a devilish snarl, preparing to intercept -- albeit, the wailing invertebrate’s midsection was sheared clean open -- pulpous, fleshy, glutinous fluid belched from its gaping wounds, springing brooks of soppy insides. It was about fucking time; Lebraid did not fear death nor monsters, but dying for a cause that served no purpose to her was certainly not an option. That wintry gaze bled over the group, breaths rather leaden, laboured, as she ogled the pile of bathetic madness. Action. | “Speech.” | Skill. “Wrong me once, I’ll kill you twice.” Template by Raine <3

Well, at least it's dead. Wake can only look on in horror for a moment, before remembering that he's a healer and this is probably his job. That's a shitton of blood, and without much to bind it, the boy shambles to life. Sticking the flask in Corbie's mouth and moving to peel away a part of the creature's carapace, wiping it clean on his own fur... good enough. It had taken some effort to pull it away, but adrenaline was still coursing through the boy's system.

Pressing the clean enough piece of hide against the wound, he'd need to wait for the blood to clot before doing much else. No good place to get a fire going, at least down here. It would probably need cauterizing, but that would have to wait. "I'll uh. Handle this, I guess. If someone can find something to tie this in place, at least she won't bleed out before I can get her home." Wake's gaze flicks to Venom, unsure how much help the other woman would be.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

It was working! Corbie felt a surge of triumph through the white pain in her face as the worm slowed beneath her. The worm was dying, they were winning!

But suddenly Corbie was flying through the air, twisting and flailing in an instinctive attempt to catch herself, only to slam hard into the wall. Everything went white with pain, her breath catching in her chest, sounds distant. In the seconds as the world returned to her, she found herself dangling from one paw, twisting, scrabbling in the agony - and her enemy flung itself at her.

She was falling away, distantly relieved that she'd somehow slipped free before she could be crushed, shock making what should have been agony instead distant and vague before she hit the ground and crumpled. Darkness crowded her vision. She heard Ayer cry out from somewhere far away. Corbie tried to answer her, but her jaw didn't work right, and she could only gape her mouth and pant. Suddenly, some liquid poured into her mouth. Blood? No, from a bottle? Strangely, someone seemed to be pressing parts of the worm onto her. Agony and panic flooded her suddenly at the pressure. She thrashed weakly. They were trying to turn her into the worm? No! No! She wouldn't be the worm. She -

She went limp, and everything went dark.

Dead?





No.

Somehow.

Probably not.