Theres Bandits in those hills - RPLOG
Participants
Date
10/5/477
Log
The entrance to the path was rather busy this day, as it seemed a caravan loaded with supplies to be sold to the encampments around Mossy Stone was getting ready to head up. Armaments of all size and caliber, most cheap and of poor quality, along with food and armor filled all the carriages to bursting. Along the head of the caravan was a small group of four 'guards', all german shepherds with adaptable clan seals affixed to their vests, discussing something with a deer folk of the Gracefull clan clad in rich elegant purple silk.
A little farther down was a armored Vixen with a Lightbringer's seal affixed to the clasp of her cloak, yawning gently as she awaited the others to arrive as well so the 'owner' would give them the briefing before finally moving out.
Selena stretches, the wolfess looking a little groggy but otherwise okay as she approaches the highly touted caravan, offering a wave over to the lightbringer present. "So this is what we're escorting?" She calls over, aparrently not intending to waste any time before starting to inquire. "Kalt, so you're heading this one? Hm. Well, I hope the lightbringers are treating you well anyway." She chuckles.
Rixo makes her way towards the caravan, no less lacking in plate or arms than usual. Shield and spear at the ready, she steps up and taps the butt of her spear on the ground and nods. "Here as requested. And hello, Selena."
Jera screeches as his wings blot out the sun. And then he crashes majestically into the ground. "D-Damn it. Can't get used to flying like this." The kit fox grumbles as he picks himself up, thankfully quite immune to the minor battering of a crash by now. At least he found a landing spot with enough clearance, but he can't be inspiring a lot of confidence right now.
Angus walks up to the caravan, working on afixing the blade he had been using as a bayonet on the end of his Musket before resting it against his shoulder. "Oh hey Kalt, I see you already have your seal on." He comments, flashing her a smile as he eyes everyone else. "I'm guessing these are going to the Anima encampment or something?"
Of a mind that a potentially dangerous trip could use a bit of triage, Kaelli arrived at the caravan's location kitted out for such an activity. Not traveling alone, the tigress had a pair of strange machines with her and was chatting with them animatedly on the walk up. The conversation stopped once she was in casual earshot, of course. When it started raining kit fox, that brought a quizzical expression to her features for a moment but then a soft chuckle followed - there were stranger things out there. Raising a hand in greeting to the gathered beings, the pale feline offered a smile and simply awaited the caravan's departure.
Kalt shrugs gently as she smirks to Selena, the Vixen giving a slight nod. "Treatin' me well'nuff, ain't headin' this all up though... Just went an' beat all'ya'll slow pokes here first it's lookin' like." A loud laugh rising from her as Jera comes crashing down, causing the four 'guards' at the front to jump and panic for a moment before figuring out what had happened, before she gives a thumbs up to Angus. "Yep, ain't figurin' wastin' time will be doin' me any favors."
Soon enough the deer seemed to finish her conversation with the four up front, before meandering down to the group with a smile. "Ah, you must all be the freeswords~ My name is Leana Belware, the owner of this caravan. I'm thankfull for your aid, and hopefully it should just be a quiet trip... Now, my plan is to get the convoy through the main portion of the path, before being able to sell my wares on the other side to the encampments that need it. You all will be merely joining us through the pass, as a little extra safety never hurt~"
Selena rolls her eyes and bats the marble fox across the back of the head gently. "Slowpokes, she says." The wolfess chuckles. "Anima, though? Of all the places you could take supplies. Nothing has been done up there at all; the entire purpose of that encampment has been neglected." She grumbles with a shake of her head.
"Well, I guess I shouldn't be complaining too much. Might as well get this over and done with. I'm honestly a little surprised to hear nothing about Thera'dor." That said, the wolfess nods back to Rixo and offers Jera a hand up. "You may want to be a bit more careful with those wings." She quips - falling victim to a slight smirk herself.
Rixo props her spear up on her shoulder and nods. "Just get the thing going and I shall indeed follow, yes. Doesn't matter much to me where we go, I was just looking for something to do." She idly eyes the caravan over, tapping the side of her spear lightly against the helmet as she waits for the trip to begin.
"Miss Belware, would you rather I fly ahead and scout first?" Jera blinks and realizes that he's dropped out of his griffon form. He takes Selena's hand and squeezes it for a moment, holding on for support as wings spout from his back again and blowing small gusts of wind as they flap, sharp talons digging into the earth. And then he flops back down on all fours in his quadruped shape. Hanging from his neck is a spell foci that Selena would recognize. "Always an easier journey when you can see what's coming from afar."
Resting the butt of his rifle on the ground Angus leans against his musket. "Sounds like a plan, what cart do you want me to sit on?" He asks as his ears flick, giving Kalt a wink before he checks to make sure his pistols are holstered and his swordbreaker was in its scabbard.
The fallen being was given the bulk of the tigress' attention, if only because she had never met them before. Mismatched eyes scanned Jera's form as much to commit him to memory as to assure that he wasn't hurt from his landing. Tail flicking a moment, Kaelli's attention eventually wandered over to the caravan guards and their hostess. A polite bow was offered to their employer before the feline's attention turned towards the pass. "Very nice time for stroll.." she murmured, more to herself than anyone else though the statement was given without any vestige of sarcasm.
Belware giggles slightly and offers a gentle shooing motion to Angus before pointing to the carts. "Any cart you wish to stay on, mosy of what I've heard is mostly rumors anyways... We've five carts, and I believe that'd be more than enough room for everyone." Her gaze turning to Jera as she taps her chin lightly and resists the urge to laugh some. "Well, so long as you do not end up performing another fantastic display my dear, then by all means feel free~ Oh, and before I forget, you're payment will be rendered upon completion, and naturally based on how many carts survive the expedition."
Kalt gives a short nod as well before snickering at Selena. "Oi, ain't bein' m'fault if'n it's true! Anywho, plenty of room for everyone I figure... An' the fella's up front got their own mounts an' such as well. So, who ever wants to go sittin' where ever I figure it's all good an' such." She gives a short nod before grasping the side of the first cart, pulling herself up enough to sit on it's edge.
"Does anyone want to ride on my back and make sure they don't miss anything? Maybe shoot a few things on the way." Jera chirps! Clearly socially oblivious in his current state.
Selena rolls her eyes a little at as Kalt shooes Angus away, shaking her head amusedly and sighing a little. "Well, if Angus does happen to get more holes put in him I"m sure we could arrange for house arrest until he's completely recovered." She suggests, looking over to the fox from the corner of her eye.
"Jera and I both can fly, though I think I'd rather keep to the caravans at this point in time. There's probably more I can do from them than other- Wait, Jera, you're offering for people to ride on you after that display?" She asks incredulously. "Flying with another being is hard enough as it is."
Rixo chuckles softly and shakes her head. "I will refrain from flying for the moment, yes." And refrains from calling in her own steed as she climbs into a caravan. No need to scare everyone off yet, afterall! That'd be a bad start.
Jera laughs. And then his wings flap once, twice, thrice, ancient air math blowing up gusts enough to rustle the trees nearby as he takes off! This time with quite a bit more resolve, flying ahead of the caravan's intended direction and trying to scout through the treeline.
Angus sticks his tongue out at Kalt as he walks towards the Cart sitting right in the middle of the caravan, climbing up into it and resting his musket across his lap as he looks around, humming to himself as he listens. "Selena, I assure you I will not get filled full of holes today."
Kaelli perks up at the offer to see an aerial view but privately chastises herself for the thought. Now was the time to focus on work, not new experiences. Exhaling a breath though her nostrils and sulking at herself, the feline smiles towards Jera and softly replied, "Perhaps later, my children need attention at times.." To emphasize her meaning, she tigress directed her machine companions towards the end of the caravan and claimed it for her chosen perch.
Kalt chuckles and leans back against the armaments as she smirks, looking down to Angus as she raises her voice. "You'd best not go gettin' all wounded up an' such you know! I'd be right proper pissed if'n we'd have to go an' either drag you to a healer, or go an' clean your wounds cause you're goin' an' bein' stubborn again! Wouldn' go against that house arrest idea either, just go lockin' your doors an' windows on you." The Vixen enjoying her little tease before she waits for it all to start off.
Belware gives a soft chuckle at the entirety of the group before she hops up next to the driver of the first cart, the four guards mounting their steeds and unslinging heavy crossbows before giving a short nod. A cry is given then from the lead driver as the carts begin to rumble forward slowly up the path, making good time as it seemed the noises from the shipment and persons kept most of the creatures at bay.
As the convoy would get higher into the pass, and closser to the top they find the need to pass through a section that possesses a heavy woods to the left, and a ridge to high to climb upon the right. Jera would be able to easily make out two beings standing in the middle of the road with pikes in hands, just around the next bend in the convoy's path...
Jera flaps around and pulls up, making as wide a berth away from the guards as he can. He makes a soft bird screech, in it disguised an air magic to send a coded message in taps and dashes, likely understood by thise army trained, back towards the caravan before continuing his path onwards.
Road is blocked ahead. Armed guards. Stay alert.
Selena tsks quietly and sets herself up on one of the middle carts of the group, relaxing a little as they roll along. "You know, sometimes I wonder if beings out this way have heard the reputation of some of the freeswords." She notes to nobody in particular. "You'd think that after a while some of these people would recognize who they're attacking."
The odd tapping prompts her to look back up to the sky for a moment, sighing and pushing herself back upright and ready, bringing her elemental into existance just above the cart - after all, the tapping was deliberate enough...
Rixo furrows her brow at the sound. She doesn't really recognize it, but it doesn't sit well with her, so she shuffles towards the edge of the cart, ready to step out with her spear and shield at the ready, should the need arise. "Looks like we'll be having some fun afterall, maybe?"
Angus perks his ears up as he hears Jera's tapping, eyes narrowing a bit as they flick between the cliff on their right and the woods on the right as he reaches up to the two pistols holstered on his chest, cocking back the wheellock hammers before he does the same for his musket on his lap, his left hand wrapping around the grip.
The mention of healers caused the feline to run her hands across the front of her coat, the light assessment serving to take inventory of the items within. "Patient can always be restrained!" she cheerfully volunteered, calling the comment forward before scanning the area they were traveling through. While the initial stretch seemed calm enough, the return of the griffin and the message carried upon the winds caught her attention and caused her ears to perk up. Tail lashing, the tigress gestured lightly to ready her mechanical children for company.
Kalt shrugs gently as she calls out to Selena while laying lazily. "Well Selena, M'figurin' if'n you're desperate'nuff, it ain't gonna matter much who you're goin' to try an' kill an' such. They got what you're needin, an' you're gonna try an' take it from them. If'n they kill you, then they got it, an' if'n you kill them, well they won't be needin' it no more either." She nods gently to herself before grinning at Kaelli's call out, before sitting up at Jera's 'speach', not comprehending the message but moving to pull the war hammer from her back all the same.
The rest of the group seems mildly confused or annoyed at the screeching, and soon enough the round the bend to only come to a jarring halt as two Hyena's block their path with pikes and thick armor upon themselves. "G'day, you'll find the pass is currently being tolled by our good king, so as to draw revinue for a new project, and supplies for troops to come up and aid more whole heartidly in beating the undead back. If you'd be so kind as to relinquish... Let's see, five carts? Yeah, five thousand crown per car, you can be right and on your merry way."
Belware gawks slightly as she raises a hand. "I've heard no such proposal about the king taxing this path, and five thousand per cart is two steep to begin with! Where would I even turn my carts around at, the forest is too thick for us to do so!" Her four guards grumbling as the knock bolts into their crossbows and take up a line on the mounts to put themselves between the carts and the woods.
Selena tsks quietly and shrugs. "There's still probably a better way to get a hold of goods, though. Attacking a well-defended cart isn't the best idea." She notes. The beings stepping in front of the carts are met with a stern look. "That's ironic. The project up north is neither new nor in need of resources from what I've been hearing." She comments, keeping an eye on the forested sections and peering over, looking for any signs of movement or trickery.
Rixo hops out of her cart, chuckling. "Excellent," she mutters under her helmet, giving the spear a little twirl. "Yes, and I patrol Mossy Stone daily. And for long stretches of time. If there were anything going on up there, I would know of it." She keeps her intentions hidden under her armour for the time being, but she's completely ready to leap into the fray at the drop of a pin.
Jera doesn't see anything else interesting ahead and then makes a u-turn. It will be quite a bit before he makes it back, but he has an air spell at the ready in case the caravans had to break through.
Angus chuckles a little as his ears flick, his gaze turning up to the cliffs once more before he takes a deep breath and sighs. "Look, why don't you just drop the pikes and walk away while you still can, I would really hate to have to waste the bullets."
Kaelli sits rather serenely upon her cart. That being said, the feline's mechanical companions didn't seem quite so sedate. The turrets and barrels that arrayed one machine produced a series of clicking noises and soft whirs as the defender took aim upon the interlopers and the shield that matched it idled nearby at the ready. The tigress herself readied a bit of fire math should it come to that, but she left the forward facing bandits to the attention of her devices while her own gaze traveled backwards just in case there were any beings hoping to flank the group.
Kalt slips down from the cart, making her way to the left of the caravan to help block the side against the forest. The Vixen's grip on her warhammer tightening as she'd rolls her shoulders, eyes deadlocked on the two in their path.
The two hyena's merely shrug and turn around then, begining to walk away as they wave. "Fine then, don't pay the toll. But the King doesn't like being denied his crowns you know." As they were walking, Selena would see what appear to be either the shapes of beings or just brush... The thickness of the forest making it hard to tell, though the focus upon that was lost as six crossbow men appear on the ridge, leveling repeating crossbows as they open fire to dous the carts with bolts!
Two of the drivers end up on the ground, one with a bolt in his shoulder and another with a bolt in his leg. The four guards turning their mounts as they go to open fire at the ridge, missing their targets by an inch while Belware scurries under the cover of her cart. Kalt's armor brushing off a bolt that flew close to her chest, elliciting a growl from the Vixen.
Selena calls out to the group; "There are bandits in the forest!, it's not only the crossbowmen to worry about!" she announces, a bolt wedging itself in a layer of extremely tough stone conjured forth at recognition of the situation, the wolfess batting it off and turning her attention back to the forest, conjuring a thick mire between them and the attackers and her elemental to move up to the ridge and begin meddling with the crossbowmen - starting with a smoke grenade for good measure.
Rixo snorts as she brings her shield up to ward off the crossbow bolt. Lacking much of another way to reach them, and seeing as the ones from the forest were not yet upon them... She decided to try to give them a fright indeed, throwing her helmet at the ones on the ridge... Well, not just her helmet, if the weight behind it and the utter lack of head on her shoulders was any indication. It'd come back, of course, but what fun to see their reactions!
Jera is coming from behind. He moves into a diving array and just crashes into as many of the crossbowmen as he can with his talons first and flapping up large gusts later to buffet people and veer projectiles.
Angus leans back rather quickly to avoid the bolt flying at him before he sits up straight, ears flicking as he glares up at the Crossbow men before hopping off the Cart to face the forest, crouching and keeping his back to the cart to protect himself from the bolts as he brings his musket to his shoulder and looks down the sights. "Good thinking with the mud." He murmurs to Selena, flicking his gaze to Kalt to make sure he knows where she is as he waits.
Bathed in the light of her shield, Kaelli managed to avoid being made into a porcupine. Hissing faintly, the feline directed her gun-laden companion to return the favour and open fire upon the crossbowmen. Whatever math the tigress held at the ready was kept delayed for the time being, unleashing it blind into a forest would be risky move and she wasn't quite ready to go all out as it were.
Kalt gives a nod to Selena as she holds her warhammer at the ready, and begins to make for the forest, treking just into the mud as the guards stir their mounts forward to the front of the caravan, and after the two whom had turned to walk away.
Rixo's head finds purchase between one of the Hyena's shoulders, causing him to stumble forward before turning and staring at the headless woman, his eyes going wide as he screams and points. "UNDEAD! THEY GOT UNDEAD WITH THEM!" The duo quickly dashing down the road then to try and avoid the rather frightening situation.
The smokebomb does wonders in preventing the crossbow men from firing back down, as two fall from a hail of bullets by the creator tech, and another beneath Jera's talons. The remaining three turning their attention to Jera, as two try to reload their crossbow's quickly, while the third merely draws a pistol from his belt and fires a round into the poor man's shoulder.
Down below, Selena's call was more then accurate as two more bolts fly from between the trees, one smacking into Kalt's plate harmlessly, while the second find's slight purchase in angus' thigh... Thankfully away from the artery, and failing to shatter the bone.
As soon as the bolts had setteled though, seven more bandits rush from the trees. Brandishing pikes, swords, and shields as they're slowed by the mud in their attempt to reach the Caravan. The one closest to kalt falling just short of a swing with her warhammer, causing the Vixen to ditch it before drawing her longsword from her side.
Selena curses quietly as the attacking force closes in, yelling out to the others - "Get on the carts, we can start moving and try to lose them!" before she quickly makes her way over the carts to Angus, redirecting her elemental to rain fiery arrows over the bandits mired in the mud. "I'd rather not go and hurt anyone, but if we don't get a move on there's no option anyway." She grumbles, making a sweeping motion at the mire she'd created, prompting a violent tremor to throw up some of the mud and destabilize the ground even more. - then the calls of undead are processed, the wolfess shooting a glare at the then-headless body of Rixo; the kind that says 'We're going to have a nice long talk about this later'.
Rixo reclaims her head as it sails back into her grip, settling it down into place with a bone chilling cackle. It's mostly just a show, but if she can strike fear, then it works. Taking up her spear again, she brings her shield to cover her armoured self even more, placing her spear point-forward, rather like a phalanx. Charging at the first bandit to overcome the mud that she can, the panda seeking to impale them outright. "Yes, get it moving if you can! The longer we wait the more chance there is of them getting back up."
Jera howls out in pain as the bullet strikes true, coming close to crippling one wing already. He growls and stares darkly at the being that shot him and just lashes out with savage claws, wanting to tear him limb from limb.
Angus snarls in pain, cringing as the bolt sinks into his thigh! He reaches down with his right hand and pulls the bolt out before throwing it to the ground and taking aim with his musket once more before it barked, a cloud of powder coming off of the musket as he gets to his feet and limps over to the cart with Selena. "They probably have something set up for us later down the trail." He mutters.
A satisfied sound escaped the tigress' lips as she saw the bandits falling to her beloved companion's slugs. Directing the device to maintain covering fire, the feline moved along with her shield to dart through the caravan towards the fallen guards. Intent on helping the wounded up and into the carts or back onto their horses as may be required, the woman left the offense to the others while she focused on trying to herd the so-called guards. Beckoning to their employer, she urged the woman up from cover to move the caravan forward.
The guards carry on their chase of the two fleeing members, leaving the freeswords to defend the Caravan in their abscence as they'd most likely also serve to trigger any traps farther down. The two drivers that had been hit in the first barrage slowly being loaded up into the carts, while the Deer takes a bit more convincing to finally leave the safety of being under the cart, hiding in her wares rather quickly. "WELL GET ON QUICK THEN!"
Selena's spell works to trip and muss up the movements of four of the bandits, leaving them stumbling for a moment as one takes a musket ball between the eyes from Angus, and another ends up as a fancifull ornament on the tip of Rixo's spear. Another bandit approaching the panda as he jabs at her from behind his shield, just scrapping some against her armor as he sneers.
Kalt is quick to move though when they begin to trip, her longsword slicing through one of their thighs, before digging itself into the victim's chest. Causing her attention to be too focused to notice as spear is jammed into her side, just managing to pierce the plate and ellicite a short cry of pain from the armored woman.
The Bandits on the ledge are continued to a continuation of fire from the creator tech, another falling riddled with holes, as the one with the pistol is quite literally torn into by Jera. The last merely dropping his crossbow as he turns and tries to make a break for it into a forested area not far away.
Selena directs her elemental to 'take care' of the being that attacked Kalt, cursing quietly as the other guards split off to chase fleeing bandits. "Come on, we need to get a move on!" She yells again, though whether it's to Kalt, Angus or anyone else is not too clear - it's probably just in general given the situation. "Do we have any good journeymet here at all? There's only so much you can do with magic about wounds."
Rixo kicks the impaled bandit off of her spear's point and turns to stare grimly at the one that had ineffectively attacked her. "So many dead already and you have gotten nowhere," she says, speaking solely to the individual. "Just turn back and go. This isn't worth your life, is it? Because that is surely the price you will pay, and you know it." Her voice is calm, trying purely to reason with him, rather than scare him. She's already stepping backwards towards the cart, not keeping her eyes off the attacker incase he tries anything further.
Jera is too busy tearing his assailant limb from limb to focus on anything else. Blood, gore, and bone pieces fly about.
Angus was wrapping his thigh up with Gauze he had in his field medicine bag, ears perking as he hears Kalt's yelp. Dropping what he was doing his draws both pistols and instantly takes a bead on the fool who attacked her, rage in his eyes before he realizes Selena's elemental had already taken care of them....so he holsters both pistols and goes back to tying the bandage off as he digs through his pack for some herbs to dull the pain. "Last call to get out of here guys!"
"Can fix!" Kaelli calls back as Selena's voice rings through the air. The normally polite and soft-spoken tigress' words were terse and her accent had returned full force as her concentration was elsewhere getting the men in their seats and the owner out of hiding. Her coat, as it turns out, had a great many pockets filled with a great many useful items. Of these, the feline had fashioned quick bandages to keep the men up and going until they were in a more secure setting to properly attend to the injuries. "Come!" she added, beckoning the others back into the carts and even directing her shield to hover near the deer to try to reassure the woman that she had a measure of safety. If she had to, she'd take the reigns and lead the caravan herself at this point.
Kaelli's efforts are well recieved as the drivers are better felt for sitting up and standing at the ready, taking to their positions with Gusto as the deer pokes her hands out from hiding. "Chop chop then! Get on or get left behind!" Her driver appearing ready to take off -without- the group as well.
The Fire elemental's attack leaves a bandit to drop his spear and flail in pain for a few moments before falling still in the mud. The Vixen quickly taking hold of the shaft as she breaks it with her sword, before retreating back. The second remaining Bandit's sword merely glancing off her armor as he tried to get a cheap shot in during her retreat back to the group.
The bandit infront of Rixo holding as he stays still, shield raised high as he speaks for the Panda to hear. "It's not that easy, an' it never will be, We're dead men either way." Slowly begining to make his way back to the woods as he calls out to his remaining friend, the bandit dodging Kalt's sword then as well as he books it for the safety of the trees as well. The battle leaving a nice collection of bodies laying out in the mud, and layed out upon the ridge.
Selena furrows her eyebrows as only two of the bandits depart. "Angus, are you feeling all right?" She asks the fox, then moving over to Kalt - "And yourself?" She asks, closing the deceased being's eyes and shaking her head a little - aparrently somewhat disappointed. That done, she's back onto the cards as soon as she can. "Does anyone have anything? Proof of motives? Did they say anything?"
Rixo shakes her head and raises her spear in a mock-salute to the bandit as he retreats. "You should try being friendly. Might get some actual assistance that way. No need for this mess." She leaves it at that, climbing back into the cart before it departs, lest she get left behind. "I'm not entirely sure... They said they were dead men either way... So either they're really desparate for supplies... Or something else is going on here."
Jera tries to fly off the ridge, but his injured wing is making him veer off course. He tumbles in an emergency landing on the soft earth on the floor near the caravans, injured wing twitching.
Angus chews thoughtfully on his herbs to dull the pain as he shakes his head. "I feel like my thigh is on fire." Turning he signals to the Deer, before shouting. "Don't take off just yet!" He hops down, grunting as he puts pressure on his right thigh. "Rixo, help me search the bodys." He asks of the Panda as he grabs the nearest one, rummaging through their things.
Staying with her patients long enough to make sure they were up and running, as it were, Kaelli recalled her defender and headed down towards Angus and Kalt. Shooing them towards the cart, she took on a rather authoritarian mien as she pointed her finger directly at Angus and growled, "Back to cart! Or I carry you myself." The feline did not really wait for an answer or a reaction of any sort. Instead, she veered off to help the fallen griffin. "Just throw bodies into cart and look on road!" the barked as she moved away from the overly enthusiastic fox. Despite the gruff manner displayed, her touch was light and gentle as she tried her best to get Jera moving without causing too much additional pain. "Come, come.. Remove metal once you are settled."
Belware finally pulls herself out from hiding as the four guards return, dragging the two hyena's and four others behind them by their horses. Thick ropes binding the lifeless corpses together as it appeared there were indeed more down the way, the lead guard speaking slowly. "We cleared them out ahead, they were to build ditches to break your spokes in. They probably figured you'd abandon the carts then." The guards cutting the boddies free off to the side of the road before turning to lug one onto a cart.
Unfortunatly for Angus, Kaelli blocks most of his view of the scene as he's shooed back. The cracking of a whip signalling the caravans soon departure, while Kalt makes her way over to gently punch him in the shoulder and help him to the carts as well. "Come on Love, ain't soundin' like folks wanna wait, an' I ain't blamin'em... Those two might be bringin' friends back with'em." The vixen giving a nod to Selena as she keeps a hand to steady the bit that had pierced her armor until it could get looked at.
Jera would have the most curious thing stuck on his talons, as it appeared the bandits had a crest on their clothing, depicting a crown cut in half with coins flowing from it. Givin this was on his victim's clothing, and on the one in the cart's, it's safe to assume they all had it as well!
Selena shakes her head a little, setting herself down next to Angus and Kalt. "I don't think I can do too much, but I can at least help with bleeding and cauterization if you need me to." She comments to the tigeress. "Shame we've had to meet under these circumstances; I'm Selena by the way." notes, watching the woman work and determining that now would not be the best time for a handshake.
"Kalt, Angus. Dulling potions?" She offers.
Rixo nods at Angus, before frowning. "Yes, I don't think we should wait around to check bodies. I didn't see anything notable on them at the time. That said, I travel along this area often and I've never encountered a highwayman raid so... Extensive. Usually just the lone straggler or two. Never something so organized, but they were not well equipped. I think they were just a group of desparate people."
Jera crawls meekly into one of the caravans and curls up. Thankfully his form isn't that large, enough to fit in. He flinches a bit as Kaelli guides his movements, stretching out his wing and revealing the badly bleeding wound under.
Angus glares a little at Kaelli as she tries to force him back to the cart, flashing her a tooth glare before he turns to Rixo, nods, and then moves back to sit beside Kalt. "Thank you Selena." He mutters as he takes the dulling potion but doesn't drink it. "It was to well planned, it would of taken time for them to scale the cliffside and get into position. Not only that, but it seems they specificly knew exactly how many carts we had. They were ill equip, desperate yes, but this entire thing was planned exactly for this caravan..." He mutters, throwing back his dulling potion.
Kaelli didn't seem bothered by the glare, her mismatched gave having an almost matronly cast to it as she simply accepted the ill-humor as necessary. She woman even gave Selena a smile and a polite nod despite the awkward circumstances. "Kaelli," she returned. "We met..ah..few times." Picking up the crest, the feline examined it for a brief moment before tossing it over to Angus for examination, to make up for being so brusque with him. Wincing slightly at Jera's discomfort, she got into the cart with the griffin and produced a rather odd metal box. Murmuring a verse under her breath, she opened up the unique medical kit and set to work removing and repairing the other's wing as best she could considering the circumstances.
As soon as all the persons were on board, another whip crack sounds and the carts get moving. A slow steady pace following them as they move through the remainder of the pass, taking note of the quiet and calmness as it seemed they were not in persuit. They do pass by the spot the guards talked about, and sure enough if the carts were running full speed through they would have broken the spokes and crashed rather painfully.
The vixen accepting a dulling potion with a nod of thanks to Selena as she chuggs it down and sighs. Moving slightly so she rested against Angus' side while waiting for them to come to a stop so her own wound could be seen to. "They were more organized than I've went an' seen before, but armed with shit for weapons... Figurin they were so desperate 'cause we're havin' arms an' armor right here. Food too." She gives a short nod to herself as she settles in.
Jera would be greated with a soothing numbing sensation as the round would find it's way free from his shoulder while the creator tech repairs him.
Selena shakes her head. "Something oesn't seem quite right about that though, Kalt." she notes, taking a close look at the odd crest as Kaelli holds it, rubbing her cheek. "Still, it's a shame we couldn't catch one of them to speak with a bit more about this. Trying to raid a caravan of this scale, especially after finding out we're here, is something that sounds like desperation." She notes solemnly, offering Jera one of the dulling potions as well as the battered gryphon makes their way onto the caravan. "You three need to stop putting yourselves in harms way, though." She notes, the slightest hint of teasing on her tone.
Rixo turns to look at Angus, chuckling under her helmet. "They were probably waiting on the ridge the whole time, silly. As for knowing how many carts... They probably just looked and counted as soon as they saw us, rather than knowing ahead of time. Despite the numbers, they really weren't all that much more than common rabble. If this was a professional job... I think we would've known. We would be in more dire straits, I imagine. And yes! They should stop getting hurt. Wear heavier armour. Like me!" She chuckles again, thumping her fist on her beastplate.
Angus snatches the emblem out of the air before the carts start moving, eyeing it curiously before he looks to Kalt and pockets it. "You feeling okay?" He asks her, ears flicking as he drags his musket up next to him. Turning to Selena he grins. "Asking me not to put myself in harms way is like asking me to stay home and twiddle my thumbs. We are lightbringers, it's our job. Be it Bandits, Cliffsiders, Shadows. Or even an Old one itself." Turning to Rixo he cocks his head to the side. "Heavy armor is all well and good, but it's to bulky and not flexible enough for me. Leather suits my needs, even if it can't fully stop a blade."
Kaelli devoted her full attention to Jera as she tended to the shoulder wound, mindful of the musculature shift that flowed into the wing. Humming a soft tune, the action seemed to be a reflex more than anything else. Once the treatment was done, the feline would check her patient over for any other injuries and tend to minor ills as well as the journey continued. Once they had a moment to rearrange she would see to Kalt and Angus if they wanted aid, of course - the tigress' manner returning to a calm and placid state now that no one was trying to cripple themselves with unnecessary activity on a skewered leg.
Kalt chuckles to angus and pats the area around the bit of wood still sticking from her armor. "Nuttin I can't go livin' with. An' Selena, I ain't good at shootin, or castin' spells an' such... 'Sides, this armor saved me from two crossbow bolts an' all!" She says with a nod.
The rest of the trip thankfully goes off without a hitch, the woman handing out payment when they had finally gotten through the pass, along with some small trinkets of metals and such for each person before giving a bow and carrying on her way.
