Mochi observed the fast-flowing river considering. It seemed... unwise to just dive right in and try to cross it, the water was flowing far too quickly. Add to that the clearly 'not-logs' that rumbled their warnings to each other when another got too close and the small ears and jets of water that appeared when hippos breached and well... Entering the water sounded like something someone asking to lose a limb would do.

Or at least, that had been her thought until an angry bellow sounded from the clearing just behind her. Her head whipped back to the water catching sight of a hateful little baby hippo smiling at her, and then back to it's very angry mother. Maybe she was no better off on the land between a hangry mother hippo and her baby in the water.

"speech"

The sound of hippos is distinctive and unsettling. Björn⁢'s grip on his whip is careful, shifting, allowing the weight to swivel comfortably in his grasp. Weapons like this have a learning curve, something he'd come face to face with on the battlefield. Better to take a step back, to smack on something a little less intelligent, while he sorted it out.

Drawing to the alarm calls of the hippos, his gaze falls on a familiar enough red and pale girl. Brows lifting, taking in her predicament. Without a second thought, Björn⁢ comes in hot. Swinging recklessly at the not-log, the clink of the hammer whip joining the noise. "Watch yourself," not like he was going to hit her intentionally, it's just a bit unwieldy.

"Björn"

One couldn't call Magdalene reckless. No, it was more like she wanted to have fun. Push the boundaries, test the limits, see how far she could go before getting into trouble. Now, fighting a hippo was not the sort of trouble she had in mind, but as she peered through the bushes at the bellowing beast, she couldn't deny the tingle of excitement flexing with her jaguar claws.

Initially, she had hid in the brush at the first sound of the angry monster. After watching the dark-coated boy launch himself at it, she didn't feel as afraid. She was younger than the two facing the hippo, sure, but she was just as tall and decked out as either of them. Surely they could take this bad mama down!

Launching from the brush, careening around to the side opposite of Bjorn, Magdalene let out a youthful bellow of attack. Though the hippo was hardly deterred by her approach, it still groaned in annoyance and pain when she sank her sharp claws and teeth into its thick hide. The taste algae was rather disgusting, but anything to get a cheap thrill was worth it, right?

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Raumr headed to the river in search of fish. While the deer and antelope as of late had been delicious, he had a hunkering for something different. Something that didn't include red meat. As he approached the fast moving river, a commotion drew his attention away from his task. Amber eyes scan the bank, soon noticing the baby hippo flicking its ears back and forth as it watched the opposite shore. Raumr's brows scrunch, slowly moving down the bank, heading closer to the baby until he notices what its looking at.

Three rather large wolves tango with the mama hippo who is clearly agitated. His nose wrinkles in disappointment. Why would they attack her if she was simply defending her baby? The noble side of him couldn't allow the wolves to be slaughtered though. He would try his best to make sure all parties survived by the end. Quickly wading and swimming through the river, keeping a wide berth from the baby, Raumr reaches the other side without incident. "Move out of the way of its baby. Maybe it will leave everyone alone," Raumr directs, eyes looking to the koi-patterned female first before eyeing the two already slicing into the hippo.

Without waiting for a response, he moves toward the hippo's face. Just off to the side so she can make eye contact with the baby and he can reach for her wide mouth. Bellowing loudly, he swipes at her face, trying to scare her enough to back down.

Raumr Regalus, the Third

table coding by bunni ♥

Something sounded like fun. Cal had been napping in the shade of a nice, cool tree, when the bellowing and raucous sounds of a fight woke him. With a stretch, the thick, teal and wine brute lifted himself from his temporary bed and began making his way towards the sounds. He couldn't have been met with a more interesting sight. Several creatures were squared off against a hippo. He said "creatures" because there was a big, maned cat in the mix. After watching for a moment, making no effort to hide himself from prying eyes, Calibos strode forward to help. Well, not so much help, but he was a bit hungry. If they could kill a hippo, he could camp out here for days and be fat and full. Self-serving, but also... helpful? Yeah, that was it. The blue brute made his way towards one thick hind leg, using serrated teeth to slice through the fatty tissue and into the muscle below. He only stopped when he felt his teeth grind against bone. "Calibos Lir"

Of course it would be Björn that found her first. Were she not in probably mortal peril she might have even sniped and asked if he was following her. Now was not the time for her stomach to go queasy if she wanted to keep all her limbs intact.

The next to join was a vibrant girl, and then the lion from the north. She was a little dismayed to see his lady friend wasn't with him, at least she had seen first hand what they were capable of. The last to join them was another stranger, but at least numbers seemed to sorta be on their side now.

The revelation unstuck her feet and she finally managed to move herself out of the direct line between the mother and her child (and the water). Bellows filled the air as teeth and claw sunk into the angry ungulate, and short legs pumped as the beast managed an intimidating charge. Mochi's hopes that she would just crash back into the river were dashed when she turned to follow on the path she had taken to get out of the way.

It was so fucking unfair! How was any of this her fault? She'd been minding her own business!

Seeing a toppled log, she took her chance, trusting the hippo couldn't leap over it like a majestic stallion (or at least she fucking hoped not), she pivoted and circled around to join the other predators out of range of those yellowing tusks, and away from putting herself between the beast and the water.

"speech"

They aren't alone with the glistening grey beasts for long. A child is quick to join the fray, followed by a cat, and a familiar face. Ah, perhaps the cat had a good point. Björn has never been much for using his brain, just the brawn instead. If they get out of the way of the baby, maybe the adult will chill but uh... shit, is it too late for that?

That, and he's not so good at being told what to do. As the beast charged, Björn ducked out of the way. A swing of the hammer whip, trying to tangle and topple the creature in the meantime. Shit, if he could get the right angle, they'd be golden. Heart pounding, holding the weapon for just long enough to let the beast get swept up in it before letting go... maybe it would be fine. Maybe it would be ignored. So much for strategy, Björn knew he was better off with his teeth.

"Björn"