[No doubt they've all fought worse than a pack of vine-covered wolves in their time, and Stephen is confident in the abilities of his companions. It isn't ideal--seven of them to contend with--but they can get through this. Quick-thinking will serve them better than even magic or steel, and after traveling together, he's sure they're not in want of that, either.
He's already pushing himself up to his feet with his free hand, his other keeping his shield raised in case the wolf trying to circle him feels emboldened again. The air is filled with the sounds of movement; blades hissing, shearing through flesh and vine, the sharp cries of animalistic pain, the shouting of his companions. Nearest to him, Thancred rushes forward, his gunblade brandished against two wolves now in his path. The two creatures are turned towards him, leaving their backs exposed to Stephen.
It's a risky decision, but shearing down their numbers is the best route available to them -- though it'll leave him momentarily vulnerable, he decides it's worth trying, and he twists his body to release his magical shield and send it flying towards the back legs of the wolves too busy focused on the gunblade. It rotates and explodes against one, and the force of impact is enough to push the other aside, hopefully leaving it open for Thancred to slice clean in two.
But with one opening comes a vulnerability; he hasn't forgotten about the wolf that was circling him moments ago, and hoped against hope that he'd have enough time to turn on a heel and intercept its inevitable attack before it can reach him. But there's a problem: these are not like the wolves on Earth. They're swifter, moving with a strange sort of agility, and the slightest miscalculation is just enough to make him pay for it. He's too slow, and whatever magic he had thought to cast to retaliate comes too late. The creature's already in a mid-air leap, its massive jaws open, and though Stephen tries to twist himself out of the way, teeth meet flesh.
Pain punctures into his side, jaws clamping down across his middle and pushing him back onto the ground with sprung momentum. This time, the wolf acts very similar to those on Earth, in that it clenches its jaws tight and whips its neck back and forth, to tear into the flesh of its prey more deeply.
Stephen lets out a yell of shock more than pain -- the latter's yet to truly register in his mind. His hands instinctively grab at the scruff of the wolf's neck, grasping only fur and leaves, his view jostling back and forth in a harried rush.]
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He's already pushing himself up to his feet with his free hand, his other keeping his shield raised in case the wolf trying to circle him feels emboldened again. The air is filled with the sounds of movement; blades hissing, shearing through flesh and vine, the sharp cries of animalistic pain, the shouting of his companions. Nearest to him, Thancred rushes forward, his gunblade brandished against two wolves now in his path. The two creatures are turned towards him, leaving their backs exposed to Stephen.
It's a risky decision, but shearing down their numbers is the best route available to them -- though it'll leave him momentarily vulnerable, he decides it's worth trying, and he twists his body to release his magical shield and send it flying towards the back legs of the wolves too busy focused on the gunblade. It rotates and explodes against one, and the force of impact is enough to push the other aside, hopefully leaving it open for Thancred to slice clean in two.
But with one opening comes a vulnerability; he hasn't forgotten about the wolf that was circling him moments ago, and hoped against hope that he'd have enough time to turn on a heel and intercept its inevitable attack before it can reach him. But there's a problem: these are not like the wolves on Earth. They're swifter, moving with a strange sort of agility, and the slightest miscalculation is just enough to make him pay for it. He's too slow, and whatever magic he had thought to cast to retaliate comes too late. The creature's already in a mid-air leap, its massive jaws open, and though Stephen tries to twist himself out of the way, teeth meet flesh.
Pain punctures into his side, jaws clamping down across his middle and pushing him back onto the ground with sprung momentum. This time, the wolf acts very similar to those on Earth, in that it clenches its jaws tight and whips its neck back and forth, to tear into the flesh of its prey more deeply.
Stephen lets out a yell of shock more than pain -- the latter's yet to truly register in his mind. His hands instinctively grab at the scruff of the wolf's neck, grasping only fur and leaves, his view jostling back and forth in a harried rush.]