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A Rescue: Part 2
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this is turning into a bloody saga
Leofric sat, waiting and watching, and the only thing keeping him from pacing nervously - or worse, charging the camp single-handedly - were decades of martial self-discipline. He'd sat down, worked out the whole plan in advance, made absolutely sure it would work, and yet... And yet. The younger man - Jeska, he'd said - was his, now; Leo was responsible for him. And he'd just sent him back into a pack of Nedetakaei, to get himself grabbed by a wild monster and hauled off.
It wouldn't be that bad, Leo reassured himself for the dozenth time. He'd turned off his new Kept's ability to feel pain, for the moment, and he'd heal him as soon as the others were sufficiently convinced he'd been killed, but it was still... uncomfortable.
He was never, ever, going to tell Cya how he'd done this.
The creature at his feet stirred and he murmured another Working at it, soothing it back to a lethargic calm. Not yet. He had to wait for Jeska to wander to the edge of the camp; if the creature ran in too soon, it would just get killed and he'd have to figure out a back-up plan. If Cya were doing this, he thought ruefully, she'd have at least three back-up plans already set up. But this was his rescue; if he was going to Keep this Ned... Shenera Osera into not being one anymore, if he was going to be responsible for another person again, then it seemed obvious to him that he should be responsible from the beginning.
And his plan, it turned out, meant sitting silently and invisible as he watched the Nedetakaei bastards, whipping his Kept. He wanted to blame himself - he could've caught something for him, to make up for scaring off all the game - but the calm, reasonable part of him pointed out that they would likely have found something else to blame him for. And if he charged in there now, he wasn't sure he could take them. Not by himself.
The welts had turned into bleeding stripes by the time it stopped, forcing Leo to murmur another Working at his captive monster as the scent of blood started to reach his hiding place. Soon, it had to be soon... There.
Jeska limped over to the edge of the camp - which from everyone else's reaction was perfectly normal for him - and settled down, just at the border of the firelight.
Leofric made himself count to thirty; it would be suspicious if it happened too soon. He hadn't counted on there being a blood-scent in the air, but... well, that worked in his favor, he pointed out to himself. They wouldn't question him being the target at all.
With that, he murmured another Working, backing away from the creature. He'd already stealthed his scent trail, but having it attack him would put a serious crimp in his plans.
It leapt to its feet, snarling, then scented the air and took off.
Now for the hard part. Leo followed, as quickly as he could without making sound, ignoring the rocks and sticks poking into his bare feet, flinging Workings after the creature as quietly as he could manage, watching the camp through another Working, keeping up all six of his invisibility Workings... (After this was over, he was going to go home and do nothing for an entire day.)
The camp was hit with a sudden flurry of activity and a moment later, the creature roared into view and pounced on Jeska. Angry, not too angry, not murderous, hostile - thank the gods, Jeska was defending himself, that was helping - and then the creature grabbed him and dragged him off into the darkness by the leg as he screamed.
It was an act, Leo reminded himself. He'd ordered him to act exactly like he would if he could feel the pain, it was an act.
Skirting well clear of the camp itself, Leo caught up to the monster before the - ha - other monsters did, skidding to a stop and panting out Workings - this time on Jeska. He was already feigning dead; Leo hastilly Worked the rest of the disguises on him. No pulse, his throat gouged out, there was already enough blood everywhere - and that was all he had time for before an arrow flew into the beast's back.
Leofric held perfectly still as the Neds took down the creature and investigated the body of their young halfbreed. They seemed to fall for it; Leo was relieved, then felt a pang of consternation as they started stripping down the "corpse". He should've thought of that... Well, he could Work his own shirt longer and give it to him.
Finally, finally, the looting bastards dragged off their monster carcass, making cracks about Jeska having gotten them dinner after all, and disappeared back towards their camp. Leo waited a little longer - he had to make sure it was clear - then crept over to his Kept, murmuring healing Workings, undoing the anti-pain Working, dropping the disguises, before leaning down and murmuring into his Kept's ear - furry, pointed, like a husky.
"You can move now."
this is turning into a bloody saga
Leofric sat, waiting and watching, and the only thing keeping him from pacing nervously - or worse, charging the camp single-handedly - were decades of martial self-discipline. He'd sat down, worked out the whole plan in advance, made absolutely sure it would work, and yet... And yet. The younger man - Jeska, he'd said - was his, now; Leo was responsible for him. And he'd just sent him back into a pack of Nedetakaei, to get himself grabbed by a wild monster and hauled off.
It wouldn't be that bad, Leo reassured himself for the dozenth time. He'd turned off his new Kept's ability to feel pain, for the moment, and he'd heal him as soon as the others were sufficiently convinced he'd been killed, but it was still... uncomfortable.
He was never, ever, going to tell Cya how he'd done this.
The creature at his feet stirred and he murmured another Working at it, soothing it back to a lethargic calm. Not yet. He had to wait for Jeska to wander to the edge of the camp; if the creature ran in too soon, it would just get killed and he'd have to figure out a back-up plan. If Cya were doing this, he thought ruefully, she'd have at least three back-up plans already set up. But this was his rescue; if he was going to Keep this Ned... Shenera Osera into not being one anymore, if he was going to be responsible for another person again, then it seemed obvious to him that he should be responsible from the beginning.
And his plan, it turned out, meant sitting silently and invisible as he watched the Nedetakaei bastards, whipping his Kept. He wanted to blame himself - he could've caught something for him, to make up for scaring off all the game - but the calm, reasonable part of him pointed out that they would likely have found something else to blame him for. And if he charged in there now, he wasn't sure he could take them. Not by himself.
The welts had turned into bleeding stripes by the time it stopped, forcing Leo to murmur another Working at his captive monster as the scent of blood started to reach his hiding place. Soon, it had to be soon... There.
Jeska limped over to the edge of the camp - which from everyone else's reaction was perfectly normal for him - and settled down, just at the border of the firelight.
Leofric made himself count to thirty; it would be suspicious if it happened too soon. He hadn't counted on there being a blood-scent in the air, but... well, that worked in his favor, he pointed out to himself. They wouldn't question him being the target at all.
With that, he murmured another Working, backing away from the creature. He'd already stealthed his scent trail, but having it attack him would put a serious crimp in his plans.
It leapt to its feet, snarling, then scented the air and took off.
Now for the hard part. Leo followed, as quickly as he could without making sound, ignoring the rocks and sticks poking into his bare feet, flinging Workings after the creature as quietly as he could manage, watching the camp through another Working, keeping up all six of his invisibility Workings... (After this was over, he was going to go home and do nothing for an entire day.)
The camp was hit with a sudden flurry of activity and a moment later, the creature roared into view and pounced on Jeska. Angry, not too angry, not murderous, hostile - thank the gods, Jeska was defending himself, that was helping - and then the creature grabbed him and dragged him off into the darkness by the leg as he screamed.
It was an act, Leo reminded himself. He'd ordered him to act exactly like he would if he could feel the pain, it was an act.
Skirting well clear of the camp itself, Leo caught up to the monster before the - ha - other monsters did, skidding to a stop and panting out Workings - this time on Jeska. He was already feigning dead; Leo hastilly Worked the rest of the disguises on him. No pulse, his throat gouged out, there was already enough blood everywhere - and that was all he had time for before an arrow flew into the beast's back.
Leofric held perfectly still as the Neds took down the creature and investigated the body of their young halfbreed. They seemed to fall for it; Leo was relieved, then felt a pang of consternation as they started stripping down the "corpse". He should've thought of that... Well, he could Work his own shirt longer and give it to him.
Finally, finally, the looting bastards dragged off their monster carcass, making cracks about Jeska having gotten them dinner after all, and disappeared back towards their camp. Leo waited a little longer - he had to make sure it was clear - then crept over to his Kept, murmuring healing Workings, undoing the anti-pain Working, dropping the disguises, before leaning down and murmuring into his Kept's ear - furry, pointed, like a husky.
"You can move now."
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Awww Leo.
Awwwwww.
It’s honestly a good plan. Cya would not be horrified.
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And then she goes and gets crazy about him using a limb sacrificially THAT REMINDS ME. There’s a scene in Old Man’s War I gotta find for you.
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Throw it to me on gchat when you find it!
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He may not be willing to tell Cya how he did it, but I bet he's going to be very proud to tell Cya that he did it.
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