Monster Huntresses

It could be fun, but Adeliza raised a good point. "Yeah, they're supposed to be pretty docile. Wouldn't be a good fight," she said. After missing the fight with the Kelbi, she was itching for a decent challenge. If they weren't hired to go after them anyways, they could leave them be. No need to kill creatures that didn't need to be. "Let's keep moving on, we'll have more fun fighting something a bit more aggressive," she said with a grin, following after them as they kept going. She pulled out her blades to give them another once-over, ensure they were nice and sharp before sliding them back into their sheathes.

Catherine nodded, Liza raised a good point and Cat wasn't that bothered about fighting them or not. "Well then, guess on to our main target." She said with a smile, heading towards the caves and to the lair of the Jaggi. She pulled out her bowgun, getting ready to take the beasts on when the three encountered them.

Stepping out into the clearing, the aptonoth remain peaceful as the girls begin to make their way towards the caves. They watch warily but neither approach nor shy away from the huntresses, content to live and let live so long as they are not the ones being stalked. The shadows at the edge of the clearing move more frantically for a time and a few Melynx can be seen peering out of the bushes for brief instants before scurrying away but despite their typical eagerness to approach humans they seem reluctant, as though frightened of something.

A few moments later, just as the huntresses approach the center of the clearing, the aptonoth seem to acquire oddities in their behavior too as they begin to stamp at the ground, hooves digging into the soft earth as they toss their horned heads. The small herd begins to turn, as though making to flee, but the huntresses espy yellow eyes in the shadows of the caverns ahead and while the herbivores are clearly forewarned in some manner that forewarning is not enough as a trio of Jaggi accompanied by a Great Jaggi come bounding out of the caves towards them. They are fast, the pack of raptors leaping and slashing at one aptonoth to bring it down in a matter of seconds while the larger one simple bulls his shoulder into another, knocking it to the ground before his head darts down to tear the creature's throat out.

In the space of ten seconds only one Aptonoth remains, fleeing the Zone in a panic while the Jaggi give warbling cries of victory. For the moment the huntresses are unnoticed by the raptors but one can be sure they will be spotted soon enough.

Cat curses under her breath and quickly makes for some cover, bringing her bowgun to her chest. She hoped the trio weren't spotted by the raptors, preferring not to be forced into an encounter before they were prepared. "Okay, good news, Jaggi... Bad news a Great Jaggi." She mutters, glancing from her cover at four beasts, aiming at them should they have noticed the girls. "Well, what do you think our chances are against them?" She asked, looking to the other two. Despite the threat the Great Jaggi posed, even the smaller ones being dangerous, she was oddly eager to fight it. Not the best attitude to have, but she couldn't help but want to fight these beasts.

Anya looked around as nature seemed to get louder, the aptonoth starting to get rowdy, sounds coming from the caves they were approaching. Her eyes narrowed, hands resting on the hilts of her blades when suddenly the jaggi tore out toward the herbivores. She dove after Cat, finding a large rock nearby with her to cover and plan out their move. Sneaking a peak, she watched the deadly reptiles make short work of two of the larger creatures. "Well there's three of us and four of them, not too bad in numbers. If we're smart, Ade and I up close and you covering us from afar, I think we can handle it. What about you to?" she said, a slight smirk on her face. That same desire to finally fight and have a challenge was within her as well.

"I think we could take them, I'll do my best to cover you two." Cat replies, turning her sights of the Jaggi. "If you are both okay with this, I'll open up when you're ready." The gunner adds, aiming her sights for the closest Jaggi, aiming to hit it in the neck when she got the go ahead, still waiting on Liza to see if she was okay with this idea.

Adeliza was surveying the area around the Jaggi, looking for any possible way that both herself and Anya can get close to them. "If we can take out the three Jaggi quickly, we can all gang up on the Great Jaggi." Liza suggested to them quietly as she kept looking for some way of getting the drop on the Monsters.

"Yeah, exactly. We take the grunts out fast, and we can focus everything on the Great. You and me in close, Cat covering us with the bowgun, we got this!" she said, grinning as she slid her dual blades out from their sheathes again. She kept quiet, but there was tension in her words from the excitement. Her first real hunt out of training, Anya could barely help herself. "We can give it a three count, you open fire and we charge them?"

Cat gave a nod of agreement, setting her sights on the first Jaggi. "With any luck I can take down one or two before you two get in range." The gunner comments, confident in her abilities to take down prey. She gave another nod to Anyas last question and got herself prepaired. "On three then... One.." She lined up her shot. "Two..." She steadied herself. "Three!" As she called out three she opened fire, aiming at the neck of the closest Jaggi. She immediately began to reload and line up her second shot.

Anya exhaled slowly, moving from around their cover and picking one of the jaggi. "I got righty," she said, the small dino on the right being her target. They had this easy, Cat with her bowgun and the two dual-bladers slashing, they'd get down to the Great Jaggi before they even knew what was happening. Cat started counting, and Anya took another breath, her blades at the ready. At three, Anya started sprinting, charging her quarry, getting up and jumping to take a diving slash.

The Jaggi growled and crowed victoriously amongst themselves, the pack of smaller beasts eagerly tearing at the Aptonoth they'd brought down while the larger one took of his own kill. Caught up in victory and their feast, they remain distracted from the huntresses as they set up and only when the whip-crack of cord striking wood as the bowgun hurls it's deadly payload.

Jaggi scale is tougher than Kelbi hide and while the arrows strike true the wounds aren't deep enough to do more than make the smaller creature roar in pain. It's companions turn and charge in respond to the twin sounds of distress and weaponry, loping towards Anya and Liza with terrifying speed. They come in a loose 'V' formation, two Jaggi leading, their eyes set on the two women running to meet them, the wounded one lagging behind them with it's yellow eyes set on Caitlyn, eager to dispense some form of retribution for it's pain. The Jaggi on the right leads slightly and it jumps a moment after Anya does to meet the redheaded huntress midair, curved talons rising not to meet her blades but instead to slash at her stomach.

Behind it's smaller kin, the great Jaggi turns more slowly, as though angry at being interrupted in the midst of it's feeding. However, as it begins to charge as well the huntresses can easily see that it's just as fast -if not faster- than it's smaller kin, they'll only have a few seconds to deal with the little ones before the alpha is upon them.

Adeliza follow Anya moments after Cat gave the go, drawing her two short swords and readying them in her hands. But when they rushed out of cover and charged the pack, she notice how fast the Great Jaggi was moving in on them. The small pink hair woman grit her teeth as she sheath her swords and snatch two good size rocks, "I'll keep Mr. Grumpy and Grumpy Jr. occupied, kill yours then assist me." She called out to Anya just before the redhead jumped at the leading right-most Jaggi, while Liza jump to the left into the air to threw one of rocks at the Alpha's head as an attempt to make it angry at her. Once she landed after jumping, she threw the second one at Grumpy Jr. as she aim to hit its face as well.

Once she knew that her stunt got their attention, she sprinted off as she drew out her swords. Knowing she can out run the Great Jaggi due to her father's training, involving a mix of weights too heavy bracers and boots. Though she didn't dare look back as she could hear the series of feet stamping the ground behind her, follow with an series of various cries.

Caitlyn watched the Jaggi move for a moment, figuring the best course of action. She noticed that although the one she shot didn't fall, it was moving slower. Figuring she had some time she moved her sights away from the wounded Jaggi she decided to try and help out her companions. She let lose three shots in quick succession, each aimed at the two unfounded Jaggi and the Great Jaggi. Each shot was aimed to try and wound and slow the beasts down, allowing her companions to have an easier time with them.

While Anya and the Right Flank of Jaggi Clashed and caused Cat's fire to go wide as she attempted to avoid hitting her fellow huntress. The other two shots were fairly accurate and the Jaggi that was turning to pursue Liza as she darted to the left turned it's attention back to the bowgunner.

The Great Jaggi on the other hand, barely even seemed to notice the arrow that lodged itself in it's shoulder.

Now two Jaggi were charging at Cat, both of them slower than they had been but fast enough that Cat would be hard pressed to take them both down before one of them was upon her. Meanwhile the great Jaggi pursued Liza, it's greatbulk working against it as it's momentum kept it from turning as quickly to follow the pink-haired woman as she darted in a zig-zag pattern across the western side of the clearing. Frustrated, the larger beast changed course, curving slightly inwards and trying to force Liza into a corner rather than simply trying to catch her on her own terms.

"Geese I sure ticked him off," Liza exclaimed as she did her best to keep herself from the Great Jaggi's reach, while keeping her footing as she uses her smaller size to out maneuver the big brute. Whose larger body went against him whenever she made sharp turns, zig-zagging as wide as possible in order to avoid being caught in it jaws.

But as she kept running, Adeliza took quick glance to notice the monster changes course in attempt to force into an narrow dead end. Dead being the word as she would be trap and wouldn't be able to escape, but she picked up speed when they reached the narrow dead end path. Reaching the wall just in time before the Great Jaggi would too close for her planned, as she started using her momentum run up the rocky wall and jumped off over the monster back. Back-flipping as Liza had her blades raised over her head, ready to impale them into the monster's skull as she descended down towards it.

Caitlyn took her aim once more, glad her plan worked somewhat. At the same time she regretted now having to take on two raptors, but she'd work with what she got. Taking aim she began firing at the closest of the two Jaggi, aiming to try and bring it down. She began backing away from her position, knowing that if they reached her she wouldn't be able to fight them off in such close quarters.

The Jaggi suddenly came up to block her attack, talons flaring as Anya came down with her blades. She twisted them as they came closer to each other, moving to block the sharp dagger-like claws. After blocking the talons she rolled to the side, casting a glance to Adeliza as she called out to her. She distracted the other Jaggi so Anya could handle this one, the red-head appreciating the assistance. She was also very glad Cat was backing them up with her bowgun, none of them would be able to handle this alone, green as they were. Anya leaped at her Jaggi, trying to distract it with a flourish of her left blade, while moving in with a deadly jab with her right.

The first Jaggi began to falter under the hail of bowgun fire, almost halting to try and flee before it reached her only to crumple to the dirt as the weight of it's wounds finally dragged it down. Cat could only move so fast while maintaining her ability to aim though and the second Jaggi was closing now. She could hope for a lucky shot that would bring it down in one fell swoop or she could run but the raptor was about to leap at any second now and once it did she would be out of time to choose.

Anya and her target tumbled in mid-air as they connected, then parted with the force of each others' blows. The huntresses may have been new but it had been generations since humans with the means to truly fight back had been on the island, and these Jaggi had never experienced combat with this sort of prey before so as the Jaggi landed delicately and gave a raucous cry before lunging back into the attack it darted at the shimmer of steel in Anya's left hand without realizing the danger that came from the right. The speed with which it lunged was impressive and so while the Jaggi closed it's teeth about Liza's left blade it managed to avoid the deadly strike from her right hand. The blunt blow to it's head that ended up being delivered instead was enough to disorient it for a moment though, even if it was not enough to make it let go of her sword.

As the huntress ducked into the little alcove the Great Jaggi -sensing it's chance- leapt in after her with a victorious cry that became an almost amusing squawk of consternation as Liza made her move at last. Not yet appreciating how it's prey might have just become a predator, the flock leader simply went on the attack again, twisting as it jumped upwards, it's jaws snapping as it lunged upwards to try and snatch the huntress from the sky!

"Last shot girl..." Caitlyn muttered to herself as she took aim at the Jaggi. She had stopped and took as much time as she could before the creature pounced, aimed at the most exposed vital area she could see. As she let lose the shot she dropped to the ground, pulling out her dagger, knowing now her bowgun wouldn't do her any good if that shot didn't kill.

Adeliza knew that it would try that, which was why she flipped vertically and not spun around. Doing that gave her an escape plan as she kick at the Great Jaggi snout as hard as she can, it wasn't to harm it, but to actually launch herself away from it as she spun around. Slashing it snout to leave an minor flesh wound that would only give it an scar, and maybe tick it off even more than it did before. After leaving an mark on it snout, Liza slid down along its tail as she shouted out "Yabba Dabba Doo" cheerfully. Then flew off from it tail as she started running after the second she landed on solid ground, leading it back to the others for extra help.

"Shit," Anya cursed through her teeth, gripping the blade in her left hand tightly as the Jaggi closed its teeth around the steel. She pulled back her right arm, aiming to go in for another jab. This Jaggi was starting to piss her off, mainly because it was supposed to be a quick kill while they all took down the Great. Now Cat was in danger of one closing in on her, and her bowgun wouldn't be much use up close. Her green eyes shot over to see Liza flipping over the Great Jaggi, taking it on herself. Time to get rid of this small fry and help them out. With a shout, she yanked the left sword down to pull the Jaggi with it, slashing down with her right with aim at its neck.

The Jaggi saw Anya's eyes flicker and gave a twisting jerk of it's head accompanied by an angry snarl, pre-empting her downwards cut by tearing that left blade from her hand to send it flashing and spinning away. Delicately, the Jaggi disengaged, jumping back to watch it's prey warily for a moment before leaping forwards again with a cry, aiming not to gut her as before but to close it's taloned feet about her shoulders and bring her to the ground.

The Great Jaggi roared in anger, then pain, twisting as Liza slid down it's tail. The motion whipped the appendage out from under her before she quite reached the end but her agility kept her from stumbling as she landed and took off again, the great raptor screaming it's hunting cry as it chased her again. It gained on the sprinting huntress slowly, not quite fast enough to catch her until she'd drawn level with Anya, when it's snapping jaws nearly closed about the pink mane of hair trailing behind her. She would know that she had maybe a few more seconds before the next bite actually caught her by her hair or by the back of her armour.

The Jaggi cried out as the shot struck home and tore into it's hindquarters. It wasn't the kill shot Caitlyn needed but it did cripple the creature as it leapt, it's launch into the air losing much of it's typical grace as the sudden injury weakened that leg. It flew awkwardly, and it's talons slashed shallowly rather than deeply, more likely to simply damage armour than really break skin.

Caitlyn knew she would get hit if this beast lived, she was anticipating this. Dropping to the ground to take the hit, she grimaced as the claws began cutting through her armour and clothes, however she wasn't focused on that. Her focus was on her knife and keeping her grip on it, as the Jaggi came down ontop of her she used its fumble to her the best of her ability. She lunged up with her blade as it came down, aiming to finish the beast right there.

The pink-hair huntress kept running straight instead of zig-zaging like before, mostly because it would likely just kept going straight and catch her for trying it. So Liza just ran as hard as she could, panting from playing "keep away" with the big brute. All the while she could hear it stomping its feet as the monster chases her, snapping it jaws as it tries to nab the girl with them. But she wasn't stupid and knowing she was getting tired, she decided to try and kill it as quick as possible.

So she began to count down to 3, while her pursuer continue snapping at her. The last one was pretty close to catching her hair, but Adeliza didn't let that worry her as she try to stay focus. Because when the Great Jaggi made another attempt in grabbing with it jaws, Adeliza jumped as high as she can just mere inches from be caught. Back flipping a bit as she soon landed on top of it neck, blades ready to plunge deep into it eyes. Which were the most softest part on it head. Giving out an battle cry, Adeliza attempt to execute the Alpha as her two blades descended toward its vulnerable eyes.

Anya let out an angered growl as the Jaggi countered her yet again. The reptile was quick, agile, just fast enough to slip away from each of her attacks. Her blade sang as it hit a rock on the ground, the Jaggi's tight grip with its jaws able to rip it out of her hand, leaving just the one in her right. The dino slipped away, their eyes staring into each other, watching for any weakness, any sign of what they planned to do next. Anya's green orbs quickly glanced to her blade, thinking she could reach to grab it.

Taking the chance, she moved, taking a few steps to grab the handle. The damn Jaggi seemed to know she was moving before Anya even did, snarling as it flew towards her. She gritted her teeth, fingers barely touching the handle of her sword before the curved daggers that were its talons wrapped her shoulders, feet pushing on her torso and weight bringing her to the ground. Crying out in pain as it came down onto her, she growled again and tried to stab it with the sword she did have, though with its feet on her shoulders she wasn't quite flexible enough to hit.