Prelude
Ari bit down hard on the undead tyrannosaurus rex's neck and thrashed her head from side to side with the sickly hide in her mouth of razor-sharp teeth. The feathered plumes on the top of her own tyrannosaurus head ran down her long neck and into her back shaking wildly with the motion. Grappling with the monstrous tyrannosaurus rex she didn't notice the giant orange tiger at her feet, clawing and biting in a frenzy at the undead creature. Arrows whizzed past her to explode against the dinosaur's chest and head, one arrow taking out a section of yellowed razor-sharp teeth. Ari let loose her grip to try to catch the tyrannosaurus rex closer to its head but the monster evaded her bite and came around with a headbutt that sent her reeling to the ground with a thunderous boom, the sudden jolt knocking her back into her elven form.
Scrambling to her feet Ari narrowly avoided the jaws of the undead tyrannosaurus rex as it clipped the base of her robes as she rose, tearing off feathers of green fabric. Glancing back Ari saw Onika the giant tiger leap up at the dinosaur's head and swipe her claws against its eye and down its face. Another volley of arrows careened overhead and exploded into the predator's head causing it to take pause and let out a thunderous roar of aggravation. As it did Ari stopped and turned to face it, weaving her slender hands in front of her as she recited an incantation in a soft melodic elven tongue. In a whirl of wind and loose foliage the ground around the rotting dinosaur began to flex and rise, breaking up out of the undergrowth to trap the rex in earthen shackles that bound it in place. It roared out its rage as Ari wove her hands in a different pattern, her soft voice calling out the chant of the spell. In a flash a thick beam of moonlight shot down from the heavens to rip through the tyrannosaurus, rotting flesh burning away under the radiant light. Ari focused the beam to remain on the dinosaur as Riri hit it with another volley of magical arrows, this time striking with radiant light that seared into the target as they found their home.
Behind the undead tyrannosaurus rex Onika was traversing up the tail, claws digging deep into the translucent flesh as she found her way to its neck and head. Onika bit down at the base of its skull with ferocity, sharp teeth rending through soft flesh. Riri came up alongside Ari as she fired off another arrow hitting the rex in the roof its mouth as it roared loudly.
"Cuttin' it a little close, yah?," joked Riri in her light island accent as she pulled another arrow from her quiver. Nocking the arrow she took aim and assessed the undead beast. "Will dis beastie eva go down? I feel like we been fightin' him all morning." Letting out her breath slowly she released her arrow into its chest as it exploded on impact.
"Him seems ta be vulnerable ta radiant attacks," Ari replied in her thick island accent as she let off blasts of radiant magic at the beast, the tyrannosaurus roaring with each hit as it struggled to break free of its earthen manacles and the moonbeam that was searing him. The young elf druid began weaving her hands once more as Onika bit again into the neck of the dinosaur. As the big cat rend loose more rotten flesh a magical wash came over her as she let out a roar of her own. Pouncing back up to the base of the creature's neck Onika opened wide and chomped down as a magical blast of lightning blasted out from the bite, splitting the tyrannosaurus open at the base of its skull and knocking the beast senseless. The giant dinosaurs body hit the ground like a few tons of brick and shook the jungle with a loud thud.
Ari released her spells and made her way over to the dinosaur to make sure it was dead. Her brown leather boots moved through the undergrowth as if it wasn't there. Riri took the arrow from her bow and slid it back into its quiver as she slung the weapon around her torso and followed behind Ari. Onika sat atop the fallen beast in a victorious manner, licking her paw clean. "Good girl," called out Riri to Onika. "Ya got di killin' blow again. We not eatin' dis one dough."
"How many more ah dese do ya tink are left in di jungle," asked Ari as she looked over their fallen prey. Riri scratched her head as she thought back to what she'd heard throughout their journeys.
"Dere haven't been too many sightins reported so I imagine it shouldn't be many more," the ranger replied.
"Well dis one was a lot harder ta fight den di zombies we been huntin out ere. Him took a lot ah spells ta defeat," Ari said as she pulled her pack back on and tightened the straps. Sweat glistened on her mocha brown skin, her lithe frame still breathing heavy from the fight. Ari was a small elven maiden of dark skin and dreadlocks, gold clasps and trinkets adorning her dark brown locks. In contrast Riri was taller and had a more athletic build to her. She was human and dark skinned like Ari, both being natives to the island. Riri's dark hair was soft with big loose curls, pulled back into a lazy bun that spilled out in all directions. The ranger called Onika to her side as she too picked up her pack and slung it over her shoulder.
"Time ta push on an find more undead ta kill," Riri lamented to Ari as she began to walk with Onika further into the dense jungle. "It's startin ta feel like dis gonna take foreva ta accomplish. I wouldn't mind getting back ta di tower for some relaxation. We been at dis fi months now an I barely feel like we made a dent!"
Ari followed behind, glancing back at the motionless tyrannosaurus rex as she went. "Well di jungle is infested wit di undead, so ya, it'll take foreva," Ari replied as she rewound her dreads up into a sloppy bun, individual locks sticking out everywhere. "If Kingstown would mobilize deir army maybe it wouldn't take as long, but fi now it'll just ave ta be small adventurin companies like ours."
"If dere were more ah us dis problem would be dealt wit inna week," joked Riri as she climbed onto the back of Onika, holding her hand out to Ari to help her on. Pulling Ari onto the giant cat Riri squeezed her booted feet against Onika's side and the three disappeared deeper into the jungle.
The evening found the ladies in a shallow cave that rose twenty feet above the jungle floor. From their vantage point they could see anything approaching from the front and sides. Within the shallow cave nothing on the ground could see them so they started a small fire. Onika curled up alongside it while Ari and Riri went about pulling off their boots and socks to change them out for the day.
"Notin like a fresh pair ah socks ta make ya feel warm an cozy," remarked Ari as she pulled the cotton fabric over her feet and up her shins. In the distant jungle a roar went up into the evening sky, the stars blinking against the darkness of night as wisps of clouds danced by. The wind was soft and tropical trees blew gently in the evening wind.
"We should keep watches posted," said Riri as she laced up her brown leather boot. Pulling the laces taut she tied them in a quick knot and looked over to Ari. "Which watch do ya want, girl? Di first one or di second one?"
Ari thought for a moment as she looked about the cave. Stretching out she laid on her side next to the fire crossing her feet and propping herself up on her elbow. "Mi take di second watch. Betta ta be up wit di morning den wakin up ta it." She smiled at Riri who just smirked and shook her head as the ranger pulled her second boot on and laced it up quickly. Slapping her feet on the ground the ranger shot up from her seat and wiggled her toes in her boots smiling. Looking over to Ari she thought for a moment looking over the frail elf.
"I'll set a spell ta alert us of any intruders troughout di night. If ya ave any wards or spells dat'll keep us safe ya should cast dem now." Riri picked up her bow and stepped away from the fire to head towards the entrance, Onika sauntering behind her. "We should probably kill di fyah, too," she added with her back to Ari and the flames. Ari rolled up to sit upright and waved a bored hand in front of the small fire, a splash of water appearing out of nowhere and dousing the fire with efficiency. Tucking her feet under her as she sat cross-legged Ari wove her hands in the pattern of a spell and recited an incantation Riri had heard before. As she did vines began to grow over the cave entrance to conceal their presence.
"How am I supposed ta see ta keep watch wit all dese vines an plant in di way," Riri squawked as Onika paced the entrance with nervous energy. Ari smiled as she gently waved a hand in the direction of the entrance. Slowly numerous vines grew apart to form arrow-slits in the entanglement. Riri smiled wide watching the battlement grow and form. "Now dis I like. Remember dis fi future fights," Riri said to Ari.
Ari laughed lightly. The druid was now digging in her pack for her bedroll. Pushing her boots aside Ari stood and unrolled her mat. Kneeling down she reached into her pack for her blanket and laid down pulling it up over her shoulder. She looked up to Riri who was now sitting knees bent by one of the natural arrow-slits and nodded, "Mi make a note ah it. See ya inna few hours," she said as she smiled and closed her eyes, head drifting down to her waiting arm, curled tight to cradle it.
Riri awoke on her bedroll to Ari gently shaking her awake. Rubbing the sleep from her almond eyes she sat up and pulled back her blanket. Grabbing her boots she pulled them on one by one and laced them up while Ari gathered her things up around the camp. The druid had already let down her wall of vines and the sun now shone in as it floated just on the horizon, the jungle teeming with the sounds of life all around as the denizens of the island wilderness began to awaken.
"We should head east today, see wha di undead threat looks like out dat way," said Riri as she stood and collected her things, rubbing Onika's belly so that the giant tiger would wake up. She purred with pleasure as she slowly opened her golden eyes. Letting out a big yawn the large cat brought herself up on all fours and shook the sleepiness away. Riri smiled and tossed her a thick hunk of dried meat from her pack which the cat quickly scooped up and devoured. While Onika ate the meat Riri pulled a miniature set of armored barding from her pack.
"Wa dat," asked Ari curiously looking at the tiny armor set. Riri just smiled and moved to set the armor down. Laying it on the ground the ranger spoke a few arcane words and the set of barding grew to a size to fit Onika in an instant. Riri then went about strapping on the armor to her giant cat while Onika finished the dried meat, not paying attention to the armor being placed on her. "It's a little trinket I picked up along mi journeys," Riri said in response. "I try not ta put it on her if I nuh have ta, but afta dat undead tyrannosaurus rex I'm not takin any chances wit mi baby here."
"Dat's fair," chimed in Ari as she tightened the straps to her pack watching Riri fit Onika with the barding. Ari admired the bond between Riri and Onika, wishing that she had that kind of bond herself. She had Poe, her wild companion, but it seemed the raven was uninterested in bonds or relationships. Perhaps it was because she summoned him so infrequently. More likely it was because the nature of their relationship was one of servitude as Poe was bound to do her bidding. Ari wondered if it was possible to foster a close bond with the raven and decided that the next time she summoned him she would try.
Riri slapped the metal barding as Onika finished the dried meat and looked over to Ari. "Ya ready ta get on wit di day," she asked as she guided Onika to the cave entrance, her own pack strapped to the back of the barding. "Dere's droves of undead out dere waiting for us. Betta get ta di slaying."
"Deir not goin anywhere, Riri," Ari remarked as she followed Riri and Onika out of the cave entrance and down the rocky path that led up to it. Carefully navigating the loose stones, the three cautiously picked their way down until they were back in the jungle undergrowth. Once in the dense foliage Riri swung up onto Onika and held a hand out to Ari, motioning for her to get on.
"We'll cover more ground dis way. Dun worry, Onika dun mind at all, do ya girl?" Riri patted the giant tiger on her helmed head and the cat let out a pleasing growl. Ari shrugged her bare shoulders and took Riri's hand, the ranger easily pulling the lithe druid onto the back of Onika as the beast pawed at the ground waiting patiently.
"Dis isn't mi first time on ya tiger, ya know," said Ari as she held tightly onto the barding behind her. "Just yesterday ya took mi onto Onika ta get ta di cave."
"Den ya should know dat dis barding adds ta Onika's speed considerably," Riri responded as she leaned forward on the cat and squeezed Onika's side with her boots. "Try ta hold on, girlie." In a flash of orange, the three set off into the jungle heading east, Ari holding onto Riri tightly, face buried in Riri's back.
After about forty minutes Riri brought Onika to a stop. Sliding down off the cat Riri stalked her way to a series of bushes while putting her hand out in a hold signal motioning for Onika and Ari to stay put. As the ranger crept over to the bush she pulled her bow around from her back, sliding an arrow out of her quiver slowly. Crouching down Riri eased into the brush, using her nocked arrow to push some foliage out of the way. Leaning forward she scanned the jungle ahead through the peep hole. Several meters out a robed figure milled about in the undergrowth with its back to her and its head down though the tips of three tails poked out of the bottom of the robe. Riri trained her bow on the figure and watched carefully.
Ari carefully slid in place next to Riri with a questioning look. "Wa dat," she whispered quietly trying to look through the peep hole over Riri's shoulder. The ranger leaned back away from the peep hole and relaxed her bow as she slid over for Ari to take a peek.
"I tought I told ya ta stay wit Onika," she whispered back as Ari scooted forward and leaned up to where Riri had made a peek hole. After a moment her body jolted ever so briefly as she spotted the figure that Riri had seen. As the druid assessed the figure it stood up from its work and revealed the head of a lizard, its three tails swaying as the figure caught the scent of something on the wind.
"Dat's Raz out dere," said Ari in a soft voice. "Him a friend ta di Oakdell Circle. Mi tink ya just aven't met him yet." Ari stood up from her spot behind the bush and began to wave over to the lizard man, calling out his name. Riri scrambled to dash out of the bushes and back to Onika not knowing what to expect. Reaching her giant tiger that now postured for a fight seeing Riri's reaction, Riri took a defensive position alongside Onika and trained her bow on the one called Raz. Riri watched cautiously as Ari moved through the undergrowth towards the lizard.
"Raz, ya old ragamuffin, wa ya doin all di way out here," Ari called out as she approached the lizard man. Raz stopped his searching for the source of the scent the moment he heard Ari. Rolling his eyes to himself he picked up his woven basket and began to move towards the tiny druid. "Are ya killin undead like Riri an mi?" she finished as she met him in the thick of the jungle ground foliage.
"Mhm, yes, Ari was it," the lizard man hissed as he came near. "I do not concern myself with such things as trivial and trite as the undead in the jungle." He held out his basket filled with herbs, flowers, and other various items of the jungle floor. "I'm gathering components for spells here in an area I thought isolated but clearly I was mistaken." Ari chuckled at the lizard's bitterness. She always found it amusing. "This must be Riri," he hissed as the ranger approached with her giant tiger.
"Raziri Natombé" Riri said as she offered a warm smile and extended a hand to the lizard wizard. Raz looked down at her hand then up to meet her gaze where he stared at her blankly for a moment.
The wizard lightly scoffed and said to the ranger, "So which is it, then? Raziri or Riri?" Riri blinked in surprise for a moment, taken aback by the rude wizard. She wondered for a moment how this creature was an ally to the Oakdell Circle.
"Riri be fine. Are ya always dis rude," she asked with her hand on her hip, her gaze penetrating deep into his as Onika came up alongside her and lightly nudged her. "Dis be Onika, mi faithful companion an friend."
Raz nodded lightly as he sized up the giant tiger. Living in the jungle he'd come across rangers and their pets before, but never one so large as this cat. Had it not been for his frequent run ins with dinosaurs he might have been intimidated by the giant tiger. As it was he still found the cat impressive. "Is your cat that large due to magic," the lizard wizard asked curiously.
Riri shook her head. "Nah, all natural. Onika is part dire tiger which be what lends to her larger size." She was scratching under Onika's chin now, the big cat purring loudly with her eyes closed as she enjoyed the touch of her companion.
"Yes well, I best be getting along to finish gathering spell components. You'd do well to get along with hunting your quarry," the wizard said as he stepped away from the two ladies.
"It was nice ta see ya again, Raz," called out Ari as Raz made his way away from them. He glanced back over his shoulder and sneered, hunching over to hide his frustration with running into them. He mumbled something and disappeared into the dense jungle, his tails waving behind him as he went.
"Him was rude," Riri said to Ari as they went back to their packs and pulled them back on. Onika laid down to make mounting her easier as the two climbed back onto the cat. "How does him fit inna de circle, exactly," Riri asked as she settled into her seat on Onika's back.
Ari chuckled. "Him always like dat. Him give us quests and sends us all trough out de jungle ta find tings and people. Him once sent us inna astral space." Ari slid into her seat on Onika's barding and wrapped her slender arms around Riri's waist as she anticipated the fast take off of the cat.
"Well him could use a lesson in etiquette an how ta talk ta people," Riri replied with frustration. "I hope we dun bump inna him again anytime soon." Squeezing Onika's side the cat stood, stretched out, then bolted off into the jungle, continuing eastward into the wild lands beyond.