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With fire to keep us warm, and tools we made from rocks and bones
Gaucho saw the patches of red blossoming on Rikyn's side even before his fire bears found him. Despite the numb connections that his body experienced a few moments prior, the dun had genuinely thought that his body slam had missed the unicorn. So what was the cause of the blood? Perhaps magic comes at price, he thought distantly, not really caring one way or the other.
What he did care about was the flaming trio attempting to bury the unicorn beneath their fire. Rikyn side-stepped the first bear, and Gaucho wasn't unsure whether it was Vorsa's accompaniment or mere proximity that allowed the second bear to attack. But attack it did. The dun couldn't tell if the unicorn's anguish came just from the bear, or from the secondary tactic of super-heating his armor - perhaps neither. For while the boy seemed to stagger, he did not cry out. Given his impish response earlier Gaucho did not attribute any sort of warrior's-spirit to him, or indeed any real training at all.
However these thoughts were dispelled as Vorsa - harmlessly circling above - suddenly screeched. Her orangey-red body began to twist in the air as if she had been lassoed by some invisible cord. Perhaps what Rikyn didn't know, for there was no companion with him, was that Vorsa's mind was not just her own.
The phoenix shared all of herself with Gaucho, and he with her.
Vorsa, easily the most tempered and peaceful of the dangerous trio - who had never attacked anything in her life, fought with all of her strength as well as the strength she siphoned from Gaucho - against Rikyn's attack. Her beak opened and she screamed pitifully as her body flit around the sky, resisting with every iota of strength that she had. The bird felt her muscles clench, felt ligaments pull against the strain, but still her mouth was open, her eyes bright and shiny with panic, screaming for it to stop.
Her strain transferred into the Wildfire, and he felt his own muscles tensing wildly with phantom pain. Her body flit back and forth like a kite caught in a strong breeze. Through their connections, Gaucho could feel the invisible hands gripping her mind, trying to thrust her down at him. Through sheer will he thought that he could snap the connection, but worried about what would happen to Vorsa in the process. His mind might have been primitive, but his determination was indomitable, and he wasn't sure if the same zephyr could withstand the defence he wanted to raise for her.
So instead, he let her come for him.
Gaucho's wings spread from his flank as Vorsa's body suddenly angled towards him. Fire blared from her body in bright streaks of panic as she was guided towards Gaucho's breast. The dun spoke words of love and reassurance into her half-mad mind. Gaucho be fine. Come, and magic will stop. He held himself in place so that Rikyn's magic would have no reason to offer any more control over the bird than was strictly necessary. Though her body was on fire, Gaucho knew the flames would not - could not - hurt him. Her beak and talons were another matter. Vorsa trilled just before her body struck his - pleading her apologies and warbling her maddening confusion. Blood gaped from where her claws had slashed away at his blue-striped muscles but the dun forced his teeth to remain clenched. Though he knew his companion could feel the swell of pain radiating from him, he would not force her ears to hear it as well.
The dun hissed in a breath, once again mentally whispering forgiveness and love to the bird. His wings had folded around her as if welcoming the impact, but now they spread. Blood glistened on his chest as Gaucho began to stampede forward.
No one hurt his companions. No one.
Gaucho charged looking more and more like the Wildfire that he was. The flames on his wings licked higher as a fresh wave of fire arced outwards, directed at Rikyn. Gaucho followed wildly in its wake. His neck was curled so that his antlers pointed defensively outwards. Despite the ache radiating out from his chest, the dun attempted to slam himself directly into the younger male from the front. He would rake at his face with his antlers, hopefully gouging Rikyn's chest with the sharpened bone spiked collar he wore, and if nothing else, might shove the unicorn back with his bulk and speed.
Through his anger and despite the fact that he knew her to be gone, Gaucho could feel Ampere's eyes on him. He could practically see her scowl and hear her voice, You see? You see what happens when you bond? They are the ones who end up hurt!
And she wasn't wrong.
WC: 798
Attack: 3/4
Summary: Allows Vorsa to come at him. Sustains chest injuries from her talons. Charges at Rikyn - throwing an arc of fire and then trying to body slam/bone-collar attack/ and horn-attack him.
Sorry for the wait Bunnie!!
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Oh I'll get some | Rikyn Challenge
