Luck Pt. 09 - The Hunt

The Hunt

----

Alanna resisted the urge to look down as her feet shuffled slowly along the cliffside, following closely behind Talos. They were only about forty feet above the ground, fortunately, but the height might as well have been limitless. She breathed a small sigh of relief as they reached a widened part of the cliff.

Talos had the bright idea to fight the monster in its lair; convincing her that his only chance to defeat it was to fight it where it couldn't fly. It made sense at the time. The problem was, up until now, a simple lack of access.

She looked over at him. He showed his naturally calm demeanor, loaded crossbow slung over his shoulder, longsword strapped to his hip. He had given her the simple instructions of staying close, but out of the way. She hoped she still had a brave face on.

Wails emanated from the mountain directly above them.

"Must be the lair," Alanna thought. Talos grabbed the rock six feet above them, lifting himself up. He paused for a moment, silently scanning the cavern ahead before reaching down and offering a hand to Alanna. She braced herself against the rock as he lifted her up, her worn travel boots pressing against the mountain.

In front of her was a large cavern, no visible light shining through on the other side. Talos was in a low crouch, prompting her to do the same as he silently drew his sword from its sheath. Realistically, Alanna was completely useless here. She would more than likely be unable to enchant the beast whatsoever, as she had no luck with doing the same to other animals. She was mostly present for moral support, she told herself. Alanna almost tripped on her skirt as she followed him into the darkness.

The piercing shrieks grew louder as they delved further into the monster's den. Alanna was barely able to hear herself think as Talos put up the palm of his hand, signaling her to stop. She crouched lower as Talos dove deeper into the wailing darkness.

Three loud cries, one after the other, signaled the end of the shrieking as silence dominated the cave again. She heard Talos' sword being extracted from rough flesh, then Talos came running back out to her.

"Well that was fast," she admitted to him, surprised.

"Just babies. Alanna, get back there and try not to move. The wyvern'll have heard that and will be here soon."

As if to confirm Talos' statement, a loud screech was heard off in the distance, outside of the lair.

"If I fall, you stay put and wait for it to leave or sleep before making your move. Go!" Talos seemed a bit nervous for the first time as he shouted his instructions, worrying her.

--

They only had to wait a ten minutes before the winged beast landed on the stone right outside the cavern. Talos crouched in the far corner of the room with his sword laying on the ground next to him, crossbow pointed at the cavern entrance. The wyvern shrieked piercingly into the cave, announcing its return as it entered.

Talos acted swiftly in the darkness. He fired the crossbow at the wyverns head, the creature responding by swiftly rotating its head on its long neck to look towards the offending noise as the bolt grazed off its scales. Talos picked up his sword and charged the beast, yelling as the creature wailed back at him.

The wyvern kept its wings closed inside the cavern, but displayed incredibly nimble motion as it used its winged appendages as makeshift forelegs. Talos struck first, feinting an overhead swing at the beasts neck then slashed swiftly to the right, cutting into the wyvern's left wing as it pivoted right, attempting to avoid the non-existant threat to its neck. The creature pulled its neck back and shrieked loudly as metal pierced its scaled flesh, then pushed its face forward in an attempt to bite its attacker.

Talos rolled left, under the wyverns maw and only inches from its fangs. He attempted to perform an upward sweep against the beast's side as he exited the roll, the sword banging against its scales but not piercing them. The wyvern swiped at the man with its right foreleg, Talos dodging it by rolling backwards and exiting in a crouch, sword at the ready.

Talos was motionless for half a second, allowing the wyvern to make the next move. It responded by lunging its neck out, attempting once more to bite him. Talos sidestepped deftly to the right, pulling his longsword into an overhead slash as the blade bit into the beasts neck. It took him one moment too long to pull the longsword from its flesh as the creature knocked the swordsman back with his left foreleg.

Talos was flung ten feet along the uneven cavern floors, then pulled himself back up into a crouch with only the forward momentum of his legs, sword still in hand. The creature was shrieking wildly now as it came to terms with the damage to its neck, and charged.

Talos rolled to the left at the last moment, the creatures fangs again missing his flesh by mere inches. He performed a forward slash against the wyvern's right leg, successfully tearing into it and hopped back before it could counter.

The swordsman didn't see the wyverns tail until it was too late, however, his wind being knocked out as it slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. The creature then opened its wide jaws and collapsed its maw on the immobilized man, biting into his torso.

Talos screamed loudly as he was lifted into the air, and used his last strength to bring his sword down on the beast's neck, driving deep into it as the it released him from its grip. The wyvern's death was instantaneous, collapsing to the ground as the life rolled from its slitted eyes.

He heard someone cry his name before the world went black.

--

Talos lay motionless on the ground as Alanna rushed over to him. "Talos!" she screamed, not getting a response. She collapsed on top of him, her heart pounding as she shook him.

Getting no response, she ripped off his chest armor and unlaced his leather jerkin to access the bite wound which had pierced both. The fight had lasted no longer than thirty seconds and she had struggled to track his movements, but she had seen the wyvern tear into him at the end.

"No!" she audibly exclaimed in disbelief as she examined it. The veins surrounding the bite were coursing a sickly purple, the poison clearly working its way through his system. Too close to the heart.

She lifted one hand to his chest and gave her energy to him, casting the strongest restoration spell she knew. She wasn't an experienced restorer, and the spell wasn't of the antivenom sort. She stupidly missed that lesson at the college.

The spell had done something, as Talos' eyes opened and he started to choke on air. She saw him reaching for his sword lying next to him and put her hand on his arm.

"It's dead, Talos! You killed it! Please, lie still," she implored as she knelt over the wound. She had heard an old wive's tale of fighting bite toxins, and lifted her skirt as she pissed directly where fangs pierced flesh. Talos groaned in pain, Alanna not knowing if that was a good or bad sign.

"Al...", he coughed, "Alanna. You need to cut off its head and bring it to Rinoc. There-", another cough. He was strugging to get the words out. "There the Grey Sun Company should pay eighty crowns for it."

Alanna raised her eyebrows as she watched his mouth move. "Shut up and lie still!" she exclaimed again. She couldn't believe he was thinking of her at a time like this.

Talos coughed on air for another two moments and uttered, "Leonard Thorn..." before drifting back into unconsciousness.

Alanna removed her shirt in a flash then unwrapped the cloth covering her breasts, tying it tightly around his torso. She had seen a nurse do it with bandages at the hospital in Catriona. She put a hand on Talos' chest once more and cast the same restoration spell, feeling quite light-headed once it was cast. She looked down at him, eyes closed but chest still rising and falling. Still alive.

She cast the spell a third time on his heart, her eyes fluttering shut. She drifted to sleep on the cold, hard floor next to him.

--

Talos awoke in the dimly-lit cave, groaning then choking on blood in his lungs. He felt his guts churning as he rolled over, puking onto the stone.

Feeling the worst had passed, he found Alanna slumped against the nearest wall, tired eyes opening. He tried standing up, but only managed to sit up before collapsing once more. She rushed over to him on her hands and knees.

"Hey! Are you okay?" she whispered hurriedly, eyes darting over him. Talos thought it a rhetorical question and asked another.

"How long was I out...?" he croaked. He was delirious, tired, and extremely thirsty.

"The second sun fall just passed. You've been asleep for almost two days," she answered foggily. Alanna gently lifted herself onto her knees as she placed her hands on his chest and arm.

"We need food and water," she explained, "but I had to make sure you woke up first. I'm going out there." She pointed out the cavern entrance, the night sky visible through the opening. He noticed she had a lit torch next to the wall where she was resting.

"Yeah. Okay," he replied between stunted breaths. He looked down to his chest, large splotches of blood visible under his makeshift bandages. He unwrapped them slightly to have a look, sighing approvingly as he saw the flesh hadn't rotted. That would have begun by now-if it was ever going to happen-when dealing with wyvern venom. How did she...?

"Restoration spells," Alanna explained, clearly invading his thoughts. "And maybe some pee." She smiled sweetly as she gathered the crossbow next to her, then grabbed the quiver and backpack.

He hadn't known she was capable of such intricate Restoration magic and wondered if he'd ever find a chance at revenge for relieving herself on him. He was fairly certain that piss couldn't combat toxins. Talos lay back down, too weak to continue sitting.

"Thanks, Alanna. I suppose this makes us even," he wheezed as he closed his eyes.

Alanna smiled brightly in the torchlight as she stood up. "Sure," she replied, "Now don't you go anywhere."

Talos coughed out a laugh as he drifted back to sleep.

--

Alanna had returned in the morning with half a boar, filled waterskins, and even some firewood. Talos was simply astonished by the transformation of his companion and thanked her profusely.

"Stop thanking me and start eating," she giggled, pointing at the skinned and cooked boar leg to his side. Talos finished chugging his waterskin and dug in, feeling inspired by the small campfire.

She sat as close as possible to him as he devoured the cooked hog, knowing she had proven her usefulness to him. She'd never be the expert marksman that he was, but hunting and killing a boar, chopping it up, then carrying it forty-some feet up a mountain had to count for something.

Plus, she did save his life after all.

Alanna pondered how strange life could be. When she first met Talos, he mentioned something that stuck with her; the only people that grow old were the lucky, the boring, or cowards.

Was she lucky to be sharing a dank, smelly cavern with four wyvern corpses, fifty feet above the badlands?

No. She wasn't lucky for that. She was lucky for sharing that exact moment with Talos, a man who made her cry within ten minutes of meeting him. He molded her into an accomplished adventurer, improved her, and forced her realize what was important in life. Most importantly, she loved him.

She gazed at the man, him washing the boar down with the remnants of his waterskin. She fished another out of the pack and handed it to him, smiling as she did, his deep green eyes shining in the firelight.

"Yes," she thought to herself. That's why she was lucky.

Alanna turned towards him as she lifted one foot over his waist, shifting her body to mount him. She decided not to let the surprised look on his face remain and pushed her lips to his, locking the two in a passionate kiss. He pushed her shoulder playfully, their lips parting.

"Really? Now?"

"Yes!" Alanna exclaimed before diving on him, aware not to put pressure on his wounds. They kissed deeply, lips parting and tongues wrestling together. He lifted his arms to her neck, causing them both to fall to the stone floor. Talos groaned as his back hit the ground, Alanna gasping in worry for a moment before his hand pushed her face back towards his. They made out on the floor for several minutes before Alanna pushed her torso up, still straddling him.

"I figured, um, since I had you as my captive audience and all..." she started explaining lustfully, her arms grabbing the shirt Talos had loaned her and pulled it over her head, throwing it somewhere. Her voluptuous breasts rose with the fabric, then fell heavily with a jiggle.

"Only fitting you pounce on a helpless man, I suppose," Talos replied with his smirk. She loved that smirk.

She scooted down his legs, unbuttoned his trousers and pulled his under trousers down, revealing his half-hard prick. She spit in her hand and rubbed it, bringing it to full mast in an instant. She pumped on the shaft for half a minute before spitting in her hand again and rubbed her palm over the head.

She rose onto her knees and moved up his body so her juicy slit lined up with his lubricated cock. She held her skirt up and slowly lowered onto him, the bell-shaped head pressing against her pussy. She was absolutely soaking already, her body reacting to love with lust. Her other hand held the base of his shaft as she gently worked him into her, her knees supporting her weight.

Her pussy stretched accomodatingly around the head, and she moaned deeply as she worked another inch of him into her slit. She knew he was well-endowed, but his member felt positively monstrous inside her. She painfully slid another two inches inside her, her pussy wrapping around the shaft tightly. The head of his tool had soon bumped up against an unknown barrier within her, and she wondered if this was all of him that she could take. She wiggled her hips for a few seconds before pushing down hard, and sank three inches down onto him, her lips parting as a painful cry escaped her and she felt an immediate wetness in her slit. She bit her lip and shut her eyes tightly as Talos, other than moving his big, calloused hands to her hips, remained thankfully motionless. They moaned together as she took another inch into her sopping wet cunt, the heat from it radiating onto the hand holding his prick. She released him and raised both hands to his shoulders, her slitted skirt falling around them and her back bending forward to better reach him.

She couldn't help but squeal as she bottomed out on him, the last agonizing inch entering her, and the head of his cock pressing against her cervix. She opened her eyes when he moaned and pushed her lips on his tightly, his entire length buried deeply within her and filling her to the core. They locked lips for half an eternity before Talos started to lift her, raising her slowly up his shaft as she moaned uncontrollably in his mouth, and pushed her back down painfully at the same rate, filling her fully once more.

Alanna took the hint and grabbed his hands gently, moving them to her massive tits hanging heavily above him. She raised and lowered herself on his massive member at her own slow pace, eyes still shut tight, sighing consistently in lustful pleasure as she did so. His cock managed to find a special spot inside her that, when she moved on him, caused her to shudder with pure pleasure. Talos' hands were groping and playing with her tits, fingers and thumbs flicking her rock hard nipples. She felt herself rising towards an inevitable orgasm, hoping Talos wouldn't be mad if she went before him...

She squealed loudly towards the roof of the cavern as he pinched her nipples gently and the strongest orgasm of her life flushed through her body. She felt tingly all throughout as she completely lost herself and started rising and lowering on Talos' massive pillar faster and faster. She found him pushing up and meeting her hips as she rode him with reckless abandon through three more orgasms.

Talos started groaning faster as his hands slid back down to her hips and he started to lift. "Alanna... get off, I'm going to..."

"Cum... in... me!" she exclaimed like a slut as the tidal wave of her fifth orgasm flowed through her. She heard him groan loudly right when he shot, his cock pulsing deep within her body as it erupted.

Alanna fell on top of him, panting wildly on his chest, her massive tits squished against him. She had forgotten all about his wound and landed on top of it. Talos had, too, forgotten.