Blood from Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"You're hurt," says Carver, stubbornly. "If you get killed, who will look after Beth?"

[Tethras Clan]

Silence growls softly, then swallows the last of the small pouch's worth of jerky. That done, she steps back, then lunges up to snap at the air just shy of Carver's face. Falling back down, she growls again and pointedly takes a few steps down the tunnel. 

"She is clearly a Hawke," Gamelan observes. 

[Carver Amell]

"Yeah," says Carver, a sappy grin on his face. "Alright, girl. Let's go rescue Don."

[NPCs]

The tunnel leads, naturally, to the basement of the temple. Thankfully, there's only one Son down there. Miki has the honor of taking him out, incensed by how the asshole is pissing on the bedding even as he refills from a bottle of whiskey. Carver helps the catfolk tied up and gag the Son, then dump him in a corner, under some now soiled blankets. It turns out that Gamlen is surprisingly light on his feet, and volunteers- admittedly with some nerves- to scout a head a bit.

Creeping upstairs, Carver and Silence, with Miki providing some light support, take out four more Sons who have wandered off to loot or vandalize the temple on their way towards where they suspect Don is. Miki and Carver, having been here, have some ideas on what rooms would suit for that sort of thing and Silence is able to help narrow that down. Ironically, Don's decreased time spent at the temple helps out, as his scent has faded save for what is coming from this occasion. As they near the storeroom in the back of the temple, they start hearing voices. Maybe a dozen, possibly more. All masculine voices, most of them jeering or cheering.

The sole exception to that is a thin, pained wail.

[GamesMaster]

Don. Miki sets his jaw, tail lashing, and tenses, ready to sprint into the room -- until Carver puts a hand on his arm.

"Wait. Be cautious," he whispers in catfolk, but Miki shakes him off. That's Don in there. He's being hurt. What's he meant to do but save him?

Miki pulls free, locking eyes with Gamlen for a moment. If Carver's too timid, I'll lead the charge. Then he's off, crouching low, as silent as he can, moving into the room to try and ambush whoever is leading this.

[Tethras Clan]

Thankfully, while Miki is first off the mark by a margin, Silence has four legs and speed on her side. So when Miki bursts into the room, the blood splattered mabari is not far behind. As stalking is clearly off the table, the mabari tries for intimidation and lets out a deep, bloodchilling howl. Outside the building, the two dogs with the guards outside echo the howl.

"Well, shite," Gamlen moans, gripping his dagger tightly. I guess we're doing this.

[NPCs]

As for the Sons... Carver can see elven, no, thirteen people inside. Most of them are scattered around the sides of the room, sitting on crates and stools. Three are by the door, the only ones holding weapons at that moment- a crossbow for one, shortswords for the other two. In the center of the room are three more people. One is a slack-faced brute of a man wearing a butcher's apron and rough trousers. Another is wearing much fancier clothing, just shy of a noble's outfit, the glint of silver chainmail peeking on the edges. In his hand is a bloodstained knife. At his feet, bent backwards over a barrel with his face towards the door, is Done. His fur is slick with blood and there's a gag in his mouth, chains on his limbs.

[GamesMaster]

Miki takes three running steps before leaping into the air, straight over Don and at the man with the knife, yowling a war cry. 

[Carver Amell]

Carver isn't far behind him, unslinging his sword from his back as he goes. Take out the ones with the weapons first,  he reasons. 

[NPCs]

Miki is still a few feet from the man when he gestures sharply- and a wall of blackfire springs up in front of him. When the catfolk emerges from the flame, his fur is gone and his skin is a blackened char and blood. Silence snarls and goes around, delaying her arrival to back him up a precious few seconds. As for the door guards... Carver cuts down the first two with almost insulting ease, but the last of them has some actually skill. He manages to stall Carver for a few moment despite the disparity of blade size, though Gamlen is able to enter, then shut the doors again. Perhaps out of cleverness, perhaps out of cowardice, instead of pushing further in, he elects to bar the door and start stacking crates in front of it as quick as he can. 

At this point, Carver realizes he has another seven people- most of them armed, though the quality varies wildly- preparing to come kill him and his uncle. Across the room, crispy Miki is facing Fancy Guy with Spells, along with the brute, Silence just about done with the other people on that side of the room.

[GamesMaster]

Fire, fire! Miki yowls, stumbling forward, as the pain overwhelms him, almost causes him to lose consciousness. I can't die -- don needs me, he thinks, and keeps his feet, moving forward one more step, then one more. He reaches forward, ignoring the guy with the spells, and feels something well up inside him: a warmth, a soothing vitality, like the beating heart inside his chest, alive and fierce. 

Light pours from him, and his fur regrows as Don's bleeding slows to a stop. 

[Carver Amell]

Carver sets his teeth, looking for an exit. Grab Don and run. You can't win this fight, something inside him says, already giving Miki up for dead. Grieve later.

[Tethras Clan]

"Caver, I don't think this will last forever," Gamlen grunts as he shoves another barrel filled with salt crystals in front of the door. "The door itself isn't built sturdy enough." Finishing, he turns to go help Carver deal with the Sons on this side of the wall of- "You forgot to mention the evil fire wizard we'd be fighting!"

Silence yelps softly, dancing back from the butcher's sledgehammer. He'd managed to clip her shoulder, gashing out a divot of flesh but luckily missing the bone and most of the muscle. Still, the man's sheer size and strength means she can't risk rushing things to go help Miki right away. The healing was much appreciated though, and useful as well, based on the lack of injures save that divot and her eye. 

[NPCs]

The evil fire wizard scowls darkly, then shrugs a little. "Well, I suppose the healing will be useful later, so thank you for that. I could do without the reek of burning fur however." A chuckle slips out as a thought occurs. "Were you hoping to save your friend here? I suppose I could be willing to part with a... token at least." With a sneer, he flicks the knife towards Miki, causing a small wad of bloody flesh to hit Miki on the chest and stick in place.

[GamesMaster]

Miki shudders, not knowing what's been flicked but recognizing where most of that blood's coming from and having some idea what part of Don it came from. Bharnorol, help him, he's my Keeper and my brother, don't let him die here! 

"Don, run!" He's not sure how the extra power gets into his shout, but out it flows. 

Don, hearing him, gives a wriggle and to his shock, he manages to dislocate his thumbs, slipping his hands free of the chains that bind him. It's so dark, how can anyone see anything? he wonders, as he makes quick work of the lower bounds, rolls off the barrel and onto the floor. Gods, everything hurts.