( closed ) the wild dogs cry out in the night

[periastron]

WHO: Alex, Cosima, Newt, Val.
WHAT: research nerd exploration mission
WHEN: mumbles vaguely
WHERE: Arbor Wilds (strictly non-plot relevant zones)
NOTES: giant nerds, giant spiders, giant disasters (also feel free to make your own starters and just have ridiculous backtagging fun)

"Respect nature." An old cliche, one she's sure they can handle. Some animals, yeah, potentially on the giant and dangerous side, but they're mostly sensible. Waterfalls and forests and ruins, all very cool, just gotta make sure you don't act stupid or take unnecessary risks, and there you go. Sorted.

It's not like this is a team of people with massive curiosity and poor impulse control, or anything.

Comments

[somethingwild]

Newt can too easily imagine how a creature such as this bear would wind up with a name such as "Woodsman's Death"; he's seen grisly deaths before.

Still, from what he can tell of the injured creature before them, this bear seems closer to its own death than to killing any of them.

"I might be able to move them with magic," Newt suggests, glancing at the rocks in question. "Maybe not all of them, depending on how much energy the spell requires. But at least it's a start."

Newt remains where he is, following Alex's lead, for the most part. He doesn't want to startle the poor creature, not when it's hurt as it is.

"I might also be able to do something for the pain, if only briefly," he offers. He doesn't know if casting Felix Feclicis on a giant bear will even work, but it's something he can try, at least.

Newt knows no fear for himself; just obvious empathy for this injured creature.

[youwonscience]

"OK, to move something heavy, those of us without magic are going to need a lever of some sort." Cosima considers, then turns to Val. "What are the odds of finding a pretty sturdy tree branch around here?"

She really doesn't think this is a great idea, but she thinks the quicker solution will be to help rather than try to talk either Alex or Newt out of their decision to help.

[degenere]

"Free it, so it might be renamed 'Inquisition's Death'?"

This is mostly toothless sarcasm. Val is not deaf to the pain of the beast. If anything, it should be freed--but of its misery, horrific injury that will no doubt spell its death in the end. All life ought to be preserved, but if it cannot be, there might be something to be learned after the death. That is just practicality!

But: the beast is not dead yet. Val casts around for the tree branch, and then points to a large arborcedar that stands above the other trees in the area. The underbrush obscures most of the ground around its base, but the tree looks weathered, and will have branches close to the ground, if not dropped branches they can pick up.

"Here--this way!"

SORRY FRIENDS FOR MY SLOWNESS

[periastron]

Alex climbs up another rock, bringing herself - with some considerable effort - up to the height of the bear's snout, gently laying a hand against its cheek for a moment. "Hey." Her voice is very quiet, very soft, and she starts to murmur to it in a language that might not be terribly familiar to the others, unless they're well versed in slightly clumsy Greek with a mangled accent. Asking the bear questions that it can't answer, offering it reassurances that it'll be okay.

And, realising the others are helping, and not digging their heels in at the insanity, she flashes a surprised, grateful smile. (These good, good nerds. She'll keep them forever.)

"See? We got you," she assures the bear, and— oddly, perhaps, it does seem a little calmer, though it's leaning its head against Alex slightly, and though she'd love to think its affection, exhaustion is the far more likely answer.

"Newt, uh— yeah, pain relief sounds amazing." Patting him on the back, as she hops down from talking to bear, and starts to crawl down to get a better look at the rock situation. And then, to Val and Cosima, "It looks like there's a couple big ones around one of the hind legs that are keeping him stuck. See, he can tug forward a little bit, and maybe that's what's bough more smaller stuff down, but there's something keeping him from moving forward."

Sorry guys for my own slowness! I just saw this tag now oops. >.>

[somethingwild]

Newt watches as Alex fearlessly brings herself up to the height of the bear's snout. Much as he would love to join her, he doesn't want to overwhelm or distract the poor creature; the bear is suffering enough already. He does, however, move closer, listening to the words Alex speaks to the bear. Greek, perhaps? He thinks he recognizes a phrase or two.

He, too, is glad when the others actually agree to help; he expected much more resistance, given his own past experiences, and he finds himself endeared to the whole lot of them for it. In these dark times in Thedas, it really does feel amazing to find such goodness and kindness in other people.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do," he nods to Alex, moving to the side of the creature, but trying to remain in its line of sight. Again, he doesn't want to distress the poor beast.

"It's alright," he assures him with a soft voice and as much of a gentle smile he can muster. "I'm going to try something for the pain, alright?"

In another moment, he has his wand out, and, in another, he utters the words for the Episkey spell. It's meant for minor injuries, but it should take the edge off of the bear's pain, at least, momentarily. Provided Thedas lets the magic work.

"How are you feeling?" He asks the bear a moment later. From what he can tell, it seems to have worked; the bear seems less tense; he seems to relax more. Hopefully, he accomplished something.

[youwonscience]

Cosima follows Val's lead, muttering "Damnit, I'm a microbiologist, not a physicist," a joke Alex might actually get if she were close enough to hear it. But when they find a likely specimen, she says to Val, "We're going to have to use something as a fulcrum, too. The arrangement might be tricky. With any luck, Newt will keep him from turning around and taking a swipe at us while we try to figure it out."

Oh my god, what are we doing, she does not say. Out loud.

[degenere]

"I detest a reliance on luck." Val, grumbling, is still Val, useful. He nods back the way that they have come, as he picks up one end of the large and solid branch. "There were plenty of rocks close to dear Woodsman's Death. We might use one of those, and save ourselves the work of hauling one back--but I suspect the larger part of our work will rely upon brute strength. And I detest, too, that we are having to labor over here, while over there, anything might be happening--motivation, I suppose--I am not motivated by rushing--"

The branch is solid enough that it does require some effort. He leads the way back from where they have come, trusting Cosima to carry her end of the branch. The pained noises of the great bear have changed in tone, which means that either Woodman's Death has become Alex-and-Newt-Death, or they have done something to assist the creature.

As they come around a swathe of underbrush, the scene is made clear. Newt, performing some magics. Alex, with her hand pressed to the bear's face. Riftes, Val thinks to himself, are very stupid and foolhardy. Bless them.

"A branch," he calls out, "as instructed! The larger rocks toward the back, did you say?"