| Logs |
2014 March 26
| Neverneverwhere |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Taps Logs |
Standing in Ruins Behind Her
The path smells strongly of Pawling, as if he has been down it a lot. There are other scents too, but older and not nearly as many as the main trail. As it meanders 'Chana catches the occasional sight of a wooden stockade fence, though much overgrown or else made to look overgrown. The tiger frowns thoughtfully -- they must be getting close. She's very careful with Pawling's scent as she pads slowly and silently along the trail. His scent gets stronger very quickly, and in a spot close to the stockade fence that seems particularly overgrown. The underbrush and trees are also particularly thick as well, giving some very good hiding spots. Suraksha pauses, crouching and studying the area to see if she can spot Pawling -- before the poor man spots her and has a heart attack!
As she crouches and peers through the underbrush, there's a rustle behind them and Alan whirls, crouching with his favorite knife out. A voice hisses, "Identify yourself." 'Chana knows the voice: it's Pawling, who has circled around behind them -- easy to do when he knows the area and his scent is all over. Suraksha smiles faintly, rising and turning as silently as a half-ton of tiger can -- she'll stay nonverbal as long as she can, but she won't leave Alan to face Pawling on his own. Suraksha hopes Alan's quick enough mentally -- wait, he's on Rattler's personal guard! He will be; he won't give her away if he can help it.
Pawling drawls in a way that's meant to make him look a little slow witted, "Don't think I know you, son. Care to explain what you're doing out here."
Alan doesn't straighten, but he does relax almost imperceptibly: this is the sheriff and not one of Doris' men. He figures at least half the truth is good, "I'm with the caravan. We've got someone missing." Suraksha remains crouched slightly behind Alan, but positioned so she can leap for the sheriff if necessary. She tries to tilt her head so her eyes don't reflect the light at him too.
Pawling's brows go up, "That so. What's this person look like?" His hands are apparently casually in his pants pockets, but both 'Chana and Alan can see that there is something bigger than a hand in one of the pockets.
Alan says, "Young man. Very athletic. Very attractive if you go for that blond and male thing. He was on an errand of mercy and apparently got bushwhacked." Suraksha's ears are flicking carefully back and forth, and she continues scenting the air as she stays on guard.
The sheriff mms and says, "And why is it that you're stalking through my town with something that sounds like it's the size of a bear?"
Suraksha snorts very softly in amusement, but stays back out of sight. She knows she's been incredibly quiet, so... did he spot her shadow or something? She stays low, thinking and watching carefully. Pawling having no weapon visible is good, but he could still whip one out -- or have something ancient that works through cloth, perhaps? Either way, she won't let Alan come to harm because of her. Alan smiles a little, which is never really comforting -- he doesn't have a face meant for smiling. "Because there are dangerous people in this town."
Pawling says, "Mmm, and I'll bet you're one of them. I know there are more things than human in your caravan. I've seen the goblin myself a time or two, and I've always suspected fae -- but I've never seen anything as big as the shadow I spotted a ways back on the trail."
Suraksha wonders with a bit of perplexity why Pawling is stalling so much if he knows Alan's from the caravan -- especially considering the sheriff was trailing the same boy Alan is. What's wrong with this picture? She glances around as she waits, sniffing carefully -- can she spot Alg? He's likely someplace behind the sheriff, but she trusts him not to pounce without reason. Unless... maybe the sheriff doesn't believe Alan's actually from the caravan? Well, hopefully the guard will convince the sheriff soon -- and before dawn. Sura doesn't want to stay here any longer than necessary, nor be spotted if she can help it. Hopefully Sna'tha is back at the caravan by now too.
Alan smells a rat as well; his eyes narrow, "Pawling, either you trust me and you help us retrieve our friend, or you get the fuck out of my way. I don't want to hurt you because you're Sulochana's friend, but I don't know you from Adam and my first duty is to the boy that's been kidnapped. He's already been taken out of one bad circumstance." Suraksha nods in satisfaction -- good man, Alan. She goes back to more carefully watching the sheriff. Now is when he'll try something -- if he tries something. She hopes not. She doesn't want to see him come to harm.
Pawling relaxes. If Alan knows that name for the caravan's leader, he's not one of Doris' people. The older man nods, taking his hand out of his pocket and revealing an old, but well-maintained, revolver. He holds it with his thumb through the trigger guard and out away from his body, "I'm here to help. They took him on his way back from my place. I think they just spotted him by chance, but I was shadowing to make sure he got home safe." He hesitates, "The twins...?"
Alan replies firmly, "Are safe." Suraksha sighs softly in relief at the sheriff's acceptance of Alan. Now... how can she and Alg help Alan and the sheriff get Rufus quickly and safely out? She waits to see if the sheriff has a plan. Alan nods to Pawling and sheathes his knife, nodding, "Nice weapon. Hard to keep those in good shape nowadays."
Pawling tucks the gun back into the waist of his pants and says, "It's a family heirloom. Do you actually have a plan here? Because it seems sort of like you're just stalking the people trying to help you." Suraksha frowns, resting her chin on her paws as she thinks. Should she stay quiet and let Alan lead? Or will he call her out? Hmm... she should let him decide, she decides. He did seem somewhat grumpy about her giving so many orders, after all. She goes back to scanning visually and olfactorily for Alg -- he'll have useful information about the stockade by now, she doesn't doubt.
Alan motions the tiger forward, "I should let you know that you're right about me not being alone. But no, we don't have a plan other than 'Get Rufus.'" He doesn't sound a bit regretful as he says, "My normal plan does tend to involve a lot of bodies." 'Chana knows that Alan isn't all that bloodthirsty, but she also knows he's trying to impress on Pawling that he doesn't really care who he has to damage to rescue the person that's his concern.
Suraksha grins quietly as she listens -- but when Alan beckons to her she rises smoothly from the shadowy underbrush she'd been lying in... and pads silently forward to stand next to the slim, wiry man. She sniffs thoughtfully at the sheriff, checking to see if he's going cautiously still... or sliding into panic. She's willing to guess it will be the former, however, knowing Erik Pawling. She gently bumps her shoulder against Alan in an almost absent-minded gesture of community.
Pawling nods and says, "I think the camp is mostly empty right now. A few guards. Doris was here earlier, but I think she's back up at the big house now." He nods toward the stockade fence, "There's a way through right here and it comes out behind some old outbuildings..." Then his voice trails off as 'Chana slides forward. A low whistle escapes him, "Damn lucky you know I'm a friend, huh."
Suraksha rumbles relaxedly as she finishes sniffing at the sheriff -- good man! Still cool as a cucumber. She glances around for Alg to drop in any second now, and the goblin does literally just that, chittering right before he drops out of the tree over her head to let her know he's there. He perches on the big tiger's back and pets her fur, "Pretty kitty lady! Alg found Rufus!" Suraksha rumbles amusedly as the goblin lands -- he's far too light for the impact to actually cause her head to bounce at all -- but at his words she snorts in sudden interest. She turns and pads slowly towards the opening in the stockade, giving the two men time to catch up. She wonders if she'll fit through the opening. Probably not... but then it's an easy fence for her to jump. Hmm... she thinks she'll keep from talking, though, unless it's necessary. No need to alarm the poor sheriff any further.
The opening in the stockade is built in an old "cattle fence" fashion: one wall splits into a narrow V, with the other side pushing deeply into the opening of the V. It's a design meant to ensure any creature with a long body can't easily negotiate it. Of course, the creatures it anticipated were horses and cows -- not tigers. Pawling licks his lips. He's not panicking, but he's devoutly glad he didn't try to surprise them before this, "Normally, the patrol goes by on the inside about every five minutes. It's enough to get between blocks of buildings."
Suraksha pauses at that, glancing back at the sheriff, then sniffing the ground to see how fresh the patrol's scent is. She can't catch any fresh scent besides Pawling's on the outside of the fence. The sheriff narrows his eyes. She's behaving like she can understand him, but he keeps his words addressed to Alan, "They patrol inside, not out. It's too much of a tangle out here. Plus they've got the advantage inside." Suraksha glances back and forth carefully as she listens, plotting out where to leap, where she'll land, and where in the shadows of the buildings she can immediately hide her not-inconsiderable bulk. She trusts the others to do just fine; it's her that's most likely to cause a panic if spotted, after all.
Suraksha nods once and gathers herself for the leap, knowing this will alert her companions of what's coming... then she abruptly springs over the entire cattle gate arrangement. By the time she lands she's already running, her heavy pads soft on the dirt. She slips into the shadows, sniffing quickly around to make sure it's just her -- or her and Alg, if he rode along. She's also hoping she'll be able to catch where everyone else is through scent -- or at least the guards -- Alg can lead her to Rufus. The goblin normally hoots and cackles with glee when he rides with 'Chana over a jump, but he's silent this time, knowing they're trying to be stealthy.
Pawling watches with wide eyes and Alan smirks a little, "Impressive, huh?" He tips his head, "Let's go." He slips around, listening for the patrol; once they hear it go past he and the sheriff follow through the gate.
Suraksha murmurs softly to Alg, once they're into the shadows, "Where Rufus?" She glances back and sees the two men are waiting for the patrol. No worries. If she can get Rufus out quickly and easily, all to the better.
Alg mutters, "Little house. Other side. Looked sleepy-sleep, but walking."
Suraksha nods and pads towards the other side, carefully sticking to shadows. She whispers as she goes, "You gh'over u'bh dh'ra'ghs I leave when we g'ho, bh'lease?"
Pawling and Alan slip into the compound behind 'Chana, Pawling murmuring, "That's not just a big cat."
Alan grins at the sheriff, "Very little is just what it seems."
The sheriff snorts and asks, "Do we need to follow them?"
Alan says, "Need to? Maybe not. Are we going to? Yes..." He motions the sheriff forward and follows the other man's movements, expecting him to know the layout. Suraksha's round, furred ears flick back and she grins at the men's conversation. At the edge of the shadows she glances around for the "little house." She trusts Alg to cover her tracks once they leave, as she asked him to. Alg is directing her and both of them are staying in the deepest shadows they can find. Which isn't hard -- there are no lights outside the buildings, and the only lights moving outside pinpoint the patrol. Alan snorts derisively and mutters, "Oh, real smart. Might as well wear fuckin' signs."
Suraksha turns her head and flattens her ears at the disgusted Alan: quiet, please! Then she pads towards the shadows around the building Alg points out, sniffing carefully around it to see if there's an easy way to get in -- and if anyone is there besides Rufus. Once they're all in the shadows behind the "little house" -- which turns out to be something that looks like a small jail -- Pawling whispers, "There's normally two guards inside with anyone they've just brought in. Normally they aren't much needed because Doris makes damn sure her new recruits are feeling cooperative." Suraksha turns to study the patrol -- how many are there? She wonders if the guards inside could be drawn out if there was supposedly some sort of emergency.
Inside the building Alg and 'Chana's sharp ears pick up what sounds like a possibly-intoxicated Rufus chatting happily with the guards. He's discussing how much he likes being in the caravan and all the friends he's made -- but nothing that would betray his true nature... yet. Suraksha grins in quiet relief -- she doesn't want to have to kill anyone to keep the caravan's secrets safe, after all. Pawling shakes his head and whispers, "I don't know what drugs they give them, but they're all very friendly at first... so much that they usually only have two guards for each prisoner, and two patrolling."
Sura looks back at the patrol again, checking -- then chuffs with pleasure as her question is answered. She sits and thinks for a moment, looking around... then glances at the two men. Her voice is very low, "You gh'an tay'gh ou'dh bh'adh'rol silen'dhly?"
Alan arches a brow and asks, "How silent you want them?" The implied intent is that he can make them permanently silent if she wants. Pawling's eyes get very wide at a talking tiger. He can't quite understand her, but Alan obviously did.
Suraksha shakes her head, "Ssheri'vh'z dh'own -- no dead unless he say." She turns her golden eyed gaze onto the sheriff in silent inquiry.
Pawling swallows, "What did it say?"
Alan snorts, "It's your town. No one dies unless you say. I've got the training to take them down without killing them."
The sheriff nods, though 'Chana can hear his heartbeat is speeding up -- things are getting awfully weird. "Then I'd prefer fewer dead bodies. I can justify not immediately charging out of town if they're still alive."
Suraksha nods at that, then grins at Alan, "Go haff fun. I dh'ear open bh'uil'dhin', you ge'dh las'dh dh'wo, when you done." She tosses her head slightly, "Alg, bagh'up Alan, bh'lease?" Then she settles down into a sphynx-like pose again as she waits. Her golden eyes glow slightly this close, and she blinks them once in relaxed friendliness at the sheriff if he waits with her.
Alan nods and grins in an entirely unreassuring way before slipping off. Alg hoots quietly and follows after him, clambering onto the rooftops. That leaves Pawling with the tiger. He swallows hard and says, "Dunno who you are, but I know you aren't just a cat." Suraksha's small chuckle is rumbly as she glances back at the sheriff, checking how close he is to her -- that will tell her a lot as to how much he does or does not trust her. She figures his statement is actually pretty obvious too: of course she's not just a cat. She's both intelligent, and awesomely big and gorgeous!
Pawling squats by the wall of the building, voice low as he talks, "These little buildings have cells inside them. The captives are usually pretty passive, but sometimes one comes to their senses before they're meant to -- or the drugs just don't work right. I think it's drugs, anyway." His heartbeat is still racing a little and there's a little smell of fear around him, but he's keeping his head enough not to completely panic. "The guards inside should have keys... normally... normally I get them out when they've been moved to the barracks." He inclines his head toward a set of larger buildings they used for cover on the way here, "By they time they've been moved there, they usually have no inclination to try to escape... until they're away."
Suraksha hmms, then rumbles quietly, "Morr-re here now? Or jh'us'dh one?"
Pawling shakes his head, "I don't think there's anyone in the barracks. There are no lights but that stupid lantern the patrol uses after dark."
Suraksha nods relaxedly as she glances around; Alg can check to be sure once they have Rufus secured. She has an ear turned towards Alan as well, to make sure he's all right. She wonders silently as she waits: should she tell Erik about Elise, and what Doris is actually doing? But if she does so, he'll likely figure out why Doris is dead tomorrow -- and who the likely perpetrators were. On the other hand... would that be a death he'd agree with?
There is no noise right up until there's the sound of a body hitting the ground and then there's a sound that's obviously the beginning of a shout -- but only the beginning, and too faint for the guards in the building to hear. Then the lantern goes back to moving around the inside of the stockade. A moment later Alg is back, chuckling quietly and whispering as best a goblin can whisper, "Tricksytricksy Alan."
Suraksha chuckles quietly as the goblin rubs with absent affection up under her chin, rasping her tongue over his fur once... then she glances around as the guard returns. "Gh'oo'dh! Now, bh'lannin': house fall dh'own sof'dh, or bi'gh roar-s'ghare for gh'uards?"
Pawling blinks, "House fall... down? Uhh...." He figured she was strong, but tearing the house apart?
Suraksha nods to the sheriff as she rises to her pawed feet, "Gh'oddi'dh. Alg ge'dh guards, yah? No gh'ill, bh'lease." She grins over her shoulder at the sheriff as she pads silently away, "Gh'omin'?" Suraksha waits until the gleeful goblin has bounded silently up onto the roof, so he can ambush the guards... then she moves around to the backside of the building to figure out how best to collapse it. Whether that's tearing out the corner poles or simply pushing the whole thing over, she doesn't yet know... but she wants to make sure everyone has time to notice, panic, and run out of the building.
Alg goes over the top of the building, making very loud skittering noises as he goes. It has to be purposeful as he's normally exceptionally quiet. The little building seems fairly sturdily built... except that its "foundation" is stacks of cinderblock at the corners and under the center of each wall. This sort of configuration usually includes some supporting stacks beneath the floor as well. Suraksha grins at that, well-pleased -- she can easily and quickly yank those out!
Pawling looks a little bewildered. He's finding himself to be unexpectedly surplus to requirements and he's not sure what he should be doing. Suraksha flashes an encouraging grin over her shoulder at the sheriff -- or at least one where the glint of eyes and teeth show her face is not angry or ears flattened -- then rumbles, "You gh'ra'bh Rufus, gh'ee'bh him safe, bh'lease?" Then, with a quick flash of motion, she starts swiftly yanking out cinderblocks. She wants to do so quickly enough that the house starts creaking, swaying, and groaning almost immediately -- as that should more quickly scare those within.
There's an almost immediate outcry when the house starts creaking and moving. The sheriff darts around the building and away from its lean, ready to grab the young man if the guards bring him out.... and they do. They know better than to let one of Doris' playthings come to harm. Suraksha keeps pulling out cinderblocks until she hears the door bang open and the gabble of startled, anxious voices outside -- then she too darts around the building. She stays in shadows, however, waiting to see if Alg and the sheriff actually need help or not.
Alg drops off the roof onto the head of one of the guards, which startles the other one into turning around to see what's going on. In the dark with no lantern, all he can see is the red glow of the goblin's eyes and something very dark with very sharp teeth. He shouts, only to have it turn into a strangled groan when Pawling brings the butt of his pistol down on the second guard's head. It's a quick and painful couple of minutes for the guards, but they're both soon down but still alive.
Meanwhile Rufus is standing there with wide eyes, head tipped in a very canine way. Pawling steps forward and says, "OK, boy, you're coming with us." Without waiting for a reply and without knowing that the man he's doing this to is a werewolf, he scoops Rufus over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and starts for the wall, not bothering with shadows this time, since all four guards are down. Suraksha grins as she trots along after the sheriff. She glides smoothly from shadow to shadow as she goes, running forward scout for the men, and gives a low, coughing grunt as an all-clear to call Alan to them as well.
Alan comes out of the shadows with the lantern almost completely hooded and says, "Maximum chaos or a quiet getaway?"
Suraksha pauses next to the sheriff, glancing at him, "Ssheri'vh? Which bedder for you?"
Pawling is huffing: Rufus is not a tiny person, "Quiet..." He eyes the lantern and, having sized Alan up, says, "Besides, fire could spread too easily." Alan nods tersely, blows out the lantern and drops it, muttering about it already ruining his night eyes.
Suraksha nods in agreement, turning and vanishing into the night. Over her shoulder she rumbles, "Alan? Dh'ailguard, bh'lease?" She figures the goblin is carefully brushing out any tiger tracks behind them, after all, and making sure there are no other prisoners.
Alan nods, "Already on it -- go on..." Pawling is moving as fast as he can with the boy over his shoulder. Rufus seems bewildered but cheerful, asking where they're going.
Suraksha knows her scent will cause any normal dogs to whine and refuse to follow... so unless the townies have werewolves or other scent-trackers too -- which Pawling would definitely have mentioned along with the other odd ones in the guard -- the caravaneers should be fine. She trots along ahead, clearing the way and then checking back -- and at some point she grins at the sheriff, "Wan'dh I gh'arry?"
Pawling huffs laughter and nods, slinging Rufus over the tiger's back and wincing as he stretches his back, "Damn, but he don't look that heavy."
Rufus laughs happily and says, "Wolf-hearted are dense..." That makes him howl laughter at his own joke.
Suraksha growls firmly, "Hush!" She knows the boy will obey his current alpha. Rufus claps his hand over his mouth, but still giggles. He is definitely behaving in an odd manner, though fortunately not like a puppet. Sura nods her head to the sheriff, adding, "You lea'dh s'ghou'dh now." Pawling nods and leads them over a different path than the one they used to get there, coming out across a field from his own house -- a field that approaches from the rear. Suraksha keeps one ear flicking back to check on Rufus; she's a little worried about the boy. Hopefully the sheriff will have something to clear poor Rufus's head? She pauses and sniffs the air carefully at the edge of the field to Pawling's house. Anyone around? She glances around to see if Alg has caught up with them yet too.
Alg and Alan have both caught up, and Alan reports quietly that there's no sign of followers. Pawling is checking Rufus over and shaking his head, "This usually lasts a couple of days, but I don't know if they keep dosing them."
Suraksha rumbles quietly, "You haff way dh'o gh'lear hea'dh?"
Pawling shakes his head, "No, sadly. Just time and safety." He rests his hand on the boy's forehead, "Safest, probably, if you lot just go back to your caravan and get out of town."
Suraksha nods at that, her head twisted around so she can watch the boy on her back. "Hoh-gh'ay." She looks back at the sheriff and smiles, "Dh'an'gh you, ssheri'vh, for hel'bh."
Pawling says, "Thank you for sending him. Take him home now. I'm going back to my place in case someone comes looking for me." He tips his hat and sets out across the field.
Suraksha gently bunts her head against the sheriff before he leaves, growling, "Bh'ee safe."
The sheriff startles a bit, but nods, "I will." She watches silently, making sure the man gets into his home safe and sound before they head off.
Alan too watches Pawling go, and says, "See, that's the kind of man that should be in charge. He wants people to be safe."
Suraksha grins quietly as she watches, and nods to the guard, "Gh'oo'dh man, yah. Mebbe dh'is dh'ime he will, once Dh'oris gh'one?" Pawling seems to get safely inside the house, and Suraksha sighs in relief: excellent! No struggling shadows or tipped-over lights or muted yells. She turns to glance at the boy on her back and says firmly, "Ru'vhus. Change."
Rufus's eyes light up and he wriggles off her back, quite casually stripping out of his clothes -- which Alan gathers and stuffs into the satchel 'Chana is carrying. The wolf-hearted young man changes shape, eventually springing to his feet and play-bowing to the tiger and the goblin before starting off in a lope, obviously chase-play behavior. Suraksha growls, "Ru'vhus, s'dhay close." She studies the young man carefully, sniffing at him to see if his head has been cleared of the drugs. It should be, from what she remembers Malachai telling her? Rufus comes back, looking a little shamefaced. He doesn't smell wrong and he's acting clearer -- just apparently relieved and exuberant. Suraksha nods slowly, gently pinning the wolf with one huge, velvety paw, "You ho-gh'ay now, gh'ub?"
Rufus wiggles on his back, tongue lolling, and does his best to imitate a human-type head-nod. It makes Alan snort. "I think he's fine, lady."
Suraksha laughs at that, lifting her paw and grinning with relief at Alan, "Ho'bh on -- we run!" Alan looks a little dubious, but climbs onto her back anyway, realizing the wisdom of letting her do the running. Suraksha chuckles, giving a slow body shake to make sure the guard is secure -- then she cheerfully gruffs to the goblin and the wolf, "Ho-gh'ay -- you gh'uard aroun' me, ya? Here we gh'o!" She starts at a slow canter that drifts through the shadows, but as soon as her outriders give her the heads-up the big tigress speeds up her gait. They nearly fly through the night's shadows back towards the caravan, hoping to beat the rising sun to their destination.
With 'Chana's speed they're easily back before the sun is rising, but the first outriders have already left to make sure the trail out is clear -- the caravan has been going about the business of getting on the road while their leader was gone. Rattler has apparently stepped up and put on his 'king' presence. His identity is a fairly open secret, but very few of the caravaneers have seen him using that 'I am to be obeyed' body language; it reassures the few that were nervous. When 'Chana and the rest return they find that the first, slowest vehicles have already started out, since they need the longest headstart.
Alan slips away, urging Rufus and Alg to go with him and leave the two lovers alone. Suraksha sighs in relief, sitting next to Rattler and then rearing up her long torso to wrap her forelegs about his neck and shoulders in a warm, powerful hug, "Dh'an'gh you so much, lo'fer." She presses her broad head against his, adding, "Alan fan'dhas'dhic. Ru'vhus safe. Sna'dha ba'gh?"
Rattler rests his head against the big cat. He's used to his beloved being in shapes much larger than his own, "Sna'thaid got back maybe half an hour after you left. She's beat, but she assured me no one would find Doris until well after sunrise. Never seen your godsmomma whistling."
Suraksha sighs in gusty relief, hugging Rattler even more closely and nuzzling against him, "Dh'an'gh dh'e Gh'oddess!" She laughs a moment later -- a low, chuffing grunt -- and adds, "Sshould gh'o change, dh'en sche'gh on wagh'ons. Schu'gh wagon an' mine bh'o'dh goo'dh? An' new gh'irl safe, yah? Eloize?"
Rattler ruffles her head fur as if she were just a large housecat and smiles, "Ever'body's safe, lover. Eloise and de twins tucked away and sleeping. Fantine has stopped flitting aroun' like a drunk butterfly. Go change and get some rest. We'll hold down de fort."
Suraksha giggles at the image of Fantine flitting, then hugs her lover close again, "All righ'dh. Dh'anks again so musch, lo'fher. Wa'ghe me a'dh dh'e bridge, yah? Or if emergenszy?"
Rattler nods and oofs at the hug from the enormous predator, but he's smiling almost tenderly, "Yeah, yeah. Go rest. Earned it, you."
Suraksha purrs happily, rubbing her cheek ruffs against her lover for a moment -- then she yawns hugely as she drops to quadrupedal form again. For just a moment Rattler gets an unwitting flash of enormous curving fangs! Fangs which, should he think about it, are there for him... much like Alan is, though perhaps more emphatically and lovingly so. The big tiger nods and rumbles, "Yah... dh'ired. Nigh'dh, lo'fher..." as she pads off towards the lined-up wagons. She checks, looking down the line for a moment with a sigh -- where can she sleep if her wagon is broken? She glances over as Fantine dashes up with a silk wrap, "Mam'zelle! Zhis way -- Ohkwa say the wagon she is still able to carry one small sleeping woman!" That provokes a sigh of relief as Sura follows the small loogaroo.
Rattler watches her go with a smile on his face. The moment she's faded into the shadows, however, he's whirling around to keep people moving, pulling on that aura of command again. He hadn't realized that he'd missed it a little bit. Not long afterward the whole caravan is moving, all their bells wrapped with cloth to silence them, and some of the animals being led by hand so that vocal commands aren't needed. Stealth is a survival skill when you travel the way the caravan does.
It's a quiet ride, but not exceptionally long, to the strategic bridge. 'Chana soon finds herself being shaken gently by the shoulder. Suraksha wakes up quickly and quietly -- it's both a habit, and well-trained into her from her Hetaera training. She yawns, pushes her hair back, and murmurs, "'M 'wake. Whuzzup?" Outside her vardo she can hear quiet voices and the sound of hooves as people speed up, abandoning stealth for quickness now that they are past the point of no return.
She finds Rattler leaning over her, face serious, "At de bridge, us." He smiles in a way that would be quite disturbing if she knew it wasn't pointed at her, "De river's runnin' bank-full... been a while since got t' flex dose muscles, me."
Suraksha laughs softly, looping an arm about her lover's neck and giving him a gentle kiss -- she's feeling more loving than sexual, right now. "Thank you, handsome man. All right, I'll go see if Ohkwa and Buddy and Gajara need my claws to help crack the bridge."
Rattler mms and kisses her forehead, hugging her tightly, "Go on. Be big an' strong, li'l girl." His eyes are twinkling as he gets up and slips out of the vardo. Suraksha giggles as she watches him leave. Mmm-mmm! Yep, that lovely ass is still a delight. She laughs again, turning to pull on some light clothing before she patters out barefoot in the cool morning.
Plaiting her hair as she goes trotting down the caravan line back to the bridge, Suraksha waves and calls greetings to her friends and companions... then pauses at the edge of the sturdy bridge. Halfway across stand several people, talking and examining the bridge. Gajara has a coil of rope held loosely in her trunk and bound about her broad shoulders, while one of the athletic Sokoloff grandkids is on the other end, hanging under the bridge and calling out shrill, excited information about the bridge's construction. Buddy leans relaxedly on his great axe, while Ohkwa is carefully feeding out the rope. Sura smiles quietly, touched once again at how blessed she is to have this great, eminently capable, warm family... then she trots forward again, calling, "Hello, everyone! Can I help at all?"
Buddy grins and says, "Lady! C'mon down! Once Gajara's done a li'l work, think you can put a shoulder to some of these supports." He nods toward the outside supports below the bridge, adding, "Push downriver. Just get it leanin' a little bit and then your man's gonna talk to the water."
Suraksha grins at that, "Sure, I'd be happy to." She casually strips off her clothing, passing it up to Oksana seated on Gajara's back, then shifts shape. She leans against the elephant to exchange friendly greetings, then pads off to the side and stretches out comfortably, out of Gajara's way, as the others keep working.
The caravaneers work as assiduously and cooperatively at this rare act of destruction as they do at anything else. Sledgehammers and axes are brought to bear on the heavy pillars on the town-side of the bridge, before letting Gajara rear up and put her tree-trunk front legs against the supports and push. She doesn't trumpet, though; they're almost home-free, but not quite.
Suraksha rises at that point, padding silently down the embankment to sniff around the supports sunk into the dirt. She picks the one that's creaking the most, and stands next to it as she calls to her friends, "Now?"
Buddy calls out, "Now!" Indeed, the bridge is beginning to creak alarmingly, but it's still mostly upright. Buddy and Ohkwa have shooed the smaller folk on over the bridge and to safety with the caravan on the other bank of the river. Several of the caravaneers stand there, watching nervously -- though some of them are simply keeping watch on their backtrail. Indeed, Alg and some of the wolves are still on the townward side of the bridge, with the great creatures.
Suraksha braces herself as firmly as she can, then wraps her massive upper body around the support. Ohkwa has shifted shape to the great Bear as well, and Buddy calls off the cadence so the three huge animals can work together, "Ready? On three. One, two, three!" The tiger, the Bear, and the elephant heave and sway, and the wooden supports creak and groan alarmingly. "One, two, three!" There are a few sharp cracking sounds this time. On the third effort, one of the great crossbeams snaps with a retort like a rifle shot! Buddy pauses, rumbling laconically, "We wanna send alla our li'l folks on over afore we do the last shove?"
Alg and the wolves are called across the river to keep watch behind them. At Sura's quietly chuffed request, the Sokoloff child dashes off to bring back Rattler as well... for just in case. The goblin is chuckling and hooting quietly. Goblins are hunters and have some degree of chaos in their makeup. He climbs onto 'Chana's back, "Crack! Crack-smash!"
Suraksha chuckles at that, turning her head to give the goblin a quick tongue-swipe before she rumbles relaxedly, "Wan'dh dh'o ride on las'dh shove?"
Alg hoots happily and bounces, wrapping his long arms around 'Chana's neck to hold on, "Ride! Crack-crash-boom!" Buddy chuckles at the goblin's enthusiasm.
Suraksha laughs rumblingly again, then nods to the minotaur, "Awri'ghd. Rea'dhy when you are!" She glances back to make sure Rattler is on the bank where he can see everyone for any required rescues, then checks her two companions are ready. Bear nods; Oksana waves cheerfully, "Gajara says let's do it!" Buddy nods once, his heavy bovine head swaying as he too checks visually... then he starts the count again -- and on three there is a mighty shove indeed!
That last shove sends the bridge leaning and swaying toward the downriver side. Alg hoots and cackles happily, scrambling up along the precarious thing to then swing across it to the safe side -- the side away from town. In fact, the moment bridge starts swaying Buddy starts herding people up the bank, "Gogogo!"
Once everyone but the three great creatures are safely on the other side, Suraksha sends Gajara across first, since she knows she and Ohkwa can swim better than the elephant. Gajara treads carefully and delicately across, with Oksana holding still on her neck and keeping a vigilant eye out for further breakage. The sun is just coming up over the horizon. It's been a-dawning for some time now, but the first curve of the golden orb is finally cresting the trees that line their route going forward. On the far bank, most of the caravan has been sent on. Rattler, however is standing there, eyes shining in the gloaming and with energy and power almost crackling off of him. He's wearing the mantle of King and Tap and it is easy to understand how he came up from river rat to ruler.
Suraksha smiles slowly as she watches him, feeling her heart swell with warmth. He's pretty amazing, as far as she's concerned! She grins happily up at Bear once Gajara is safely crossed, "So... ray'ze you agh'ross?" He snorts amusedly, waving her on, and she chuffs a laugh -- then starts a high-stepping, cautious trot across the bridge. Her head is swiveling back and forth as much as her ears are; she's tightly focused on the bridge, and ready to make a leap as needed should anything crack more decisively. Hopefully it will not, however -- their goal was simply to dangerously weaken rather than shatter the bridge.
Bear crosses last of all in a slow and deceptively relaxed-looking amble that keeps the bridge's creaks and groans to a minimum. Once everyone is safely crossed to the far side of the bridge from the town, Rattler crouches down and puts his hand out toward the water, eyes going unfocused as he starts crooning in almost the same way he would to a skittish horse. If Sna'thaid is right, it will be hours yet before anyone finds the puppeteer Brahmin's body, but the caravan has not survived so long by being lackadaisical or by taking anything for granted.
Suraksha sits next to her lover and watches in fascination. As the undine murmurs, the river starts to flow faster and heavier around the supports of the bridge. The creaking grows positively alarming and the roar of the river rises. Upstream there is a rush of sound, and something very like a wave strikes the bridge, washing one of the supports out completely and leaving it sagging obviously and dangerously on the townward side. Rattler stands, eyes shining -- and then they roll back in his head and he slowly collapses.
When Rattler falls over Suraksha gives a startled chuff, sitting back and wrapping a forearm about him to catch him. She calls out for some help, letting Rattler down gently to the ground and crouching worriedly over him -- why did he faint? Has he been working harder than she realized? There is some flurry of worry as the Tap collapses at the edge of the river. Buddy crouches and scoops him up, rumbling, "Go! I'll bring him. We need to get gone."
Suraksha nods and keeps folks heading back to the caravan, to keep it rolling. She asks Alg to keep his pack on a strong tailguard watch, and goes trotting along the wagons in tiger form to make sure everyone's okay and rolling smoothly. As she passes she calls for Suze to be sent to Buddy and Rattler, and then -- if her tiger's strength isn't needed anywhere -- she'll find her clothes and shift back to human form. Bear, she knows, will be effectively stuck in this form until dusk, so she makes sure he has a wagon he can flop on occasionally as needed -- bears are not build for long-distance hikes, after all.
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