Force2reckon

  No. Stupid fuckin venomous monsters. Stupid fucking ‘stand your ground’ mentality. Stupid fucking Righ and it’s stupid fucking punishments! No, I won’t let it happen. You can’t take anyone from me. I will not allow it.

  These were the thoughts that ran through Pipucks mind as their body acted. [Fairy Light] to make a protective barrier. [Nature’s Bounty] to grab the right mix of herbs for more antivenom. [Fluid Idea] allowed them to mix the poultice instantly with a bit of heat and intention.

  [Potent Mixture] to enhance the antivenom’s potency as he gred at the two puncture wounds. Then mixing some [Living Earth] with the antivenom, they smmed each hand onto the wounds and pushed. They focused on the mixture and willed the Earth deeper into the wounds and the body.

  It rushed through Temate’s body, absorbing the venom so it could do no more harm. It took nearly ten minutes of focus and attention before Pipuck was confident the venom was gone. They sighed and willed the [Living Earth] back up and out, letting it slowly ooze onto the floor.

  The venom and wounded tissue came with it, the bluish green mud now bckened and red with destroyed blood. As it finished oozing out Pipuck willed the [Living Earth] to leave soft pster barriers in the pce of damaged cells. The body would remove and repce it naturally as time went on.

  Pipuck fell back on their legs and sighed looking up to see the two girls in front of them. They smiled as they retrieved a small wooden tub from a satchel slung on their shoulder.

  “‘E’s fine. Go’ the venom ou’ bu’ we shoul’ ge’ ‘im to a–” Pipuck cut off as they finished spreading the poultice onto Temate’s shoulder and he shot upright.

  “FUCK.” Both of them shouted at the same time. Then Temate grabbed his shoulder and grimaced.

  “Ah, sorry Pip that was…” Temate grunted as Toni barrelled into him wrapping her arms around him.

  “Careful ss! The sealin’ is rough.” Pipuck shouted. “Let’s ge’ ‘im outta ‘ere and to the ‘ealin’ fields.”

  Pipuck didn't so much push the girl off of Temate. Afterall, despite not being able to see her face through the horrid mask the three wore, she was clearly upset. After some light pushing from Pipuck, and Temate's assurances he was very much still alive, Toni got off of him. She and Pipuck lifted Temate off the ground, he grunted and waved them off once he was steady.

  “My legs are fine, I can walk.” He did look surprisingly stable on his feet. Pipuck looked the big man up and down carefully, then nodded.

  “Yeh, you look goo’ enough to walk a’ leas’.” They said, despite that assurance Toni still stayed close to the big man. Hands half out just in case he stumbled as they began to leave. A small gremlin stopped them with a shout.

  “Wait! Power!” The group turned back to see Surrender, hand on the giant spider's body fearlessly as if it hadn't just been trying to kill them. Pipuck realized what she meant after only a moment of thought, but it was Toni who replied first.

  “Oh right! That thing you did with the Nitha! We can do that with spiders?”

  Surrender nodded. “Anything alive.” Then she frowned, looking at the spider. “Anything was alive. If not want eat.” She grinned at the group. Pipuck saw Toni shiver and ughed.

  “Could someone expin what you’re talking about?” Temate asked, looking between the three. Once again the mask prevented Pipuck from reading his face, but clearly he was confused. That just made Pipuck ugh some more. Damn it, it wasn't even that funny.

  “So we can absorb the Power by touching a body and willing the power out of it? And holding hands like this allows us all to share the Power?” Temate confirmed with Surrender after her rough expnation. Pipuck saw the girl nod rapidly, excited about sharing what she knew.

  Sure, Pipuck had figured that out and could expin, it was what they did as a Spiras, exploring new realms. Or old ones, or really wherever they wanted, afterall Spiras were free spirits. Regardless, figuring out how things worked and adapting to the differences in the realms, was Pipuck's natural specialty and skillset.

  For instance, becoming light in Temate and Toni’s Realm. Or maniputing their internal nature enough to trick the world into giving them [Powers] not necessarily suited to them. Admittedly they’d never had to get so much into the nitty gritty of a world; they’d always just been a passive observer.

  However, now they were, it was their job after all. The task given to them by the Righ, to serve as guide and watcher of Temate and Toni. To experience loss, which up until a few minutes ago, Pipuck thought they could get away with just not caring. This was supposed to be a safe job, a way to look more courageous without actual danger.

  Then Temate had taken that hit and now… Pipuck realized not caring might be a little bit harder than they’d originally thought. When he’d fought the goblins he’d seemed so strong, and the Nitha they’d only seen the aftermath. Watching that happen in front of them was…

  Better not to think about it. Better to think about it never happening again. Making it never happen again, and that meant gaining Power. Which Pipuck realized wasn’t happening right now as they looked at Surrender who pawed at the spider.

  “Somethin’ wrong?” They asked.

  Surrender was frowning as she looked over to them. “No Power. Is already… gone.” Pipuck blinked frowning as well.

  “How would that happen Surrender?” Toni asked.

  “Somebody took.” Surrender said then added quickly. “But only us here!” She ran over to one of the two bigger spiders, the train holding her hand following behind. She stopped and pressed her hand to it, and then Pipuck felt it.

  It spread through their body like fire, a warmth like summer sun filling them as the spider began to hiss. Pipuck felt Toni jerk back at the noise, almost breaking her grip with their hand.

  Then she shouted.“Why is it glowing like that?!”

  Pipuck had also noticed the dull glow from within the carapace of the skeleton. It was soft orange-red and flickered, as if a weak fme spread rapidly through the spiders interior.

  “Hmmm. That work.” Surrender said, ignoring the question as she headed back to the rge white spider and pressed her hand to it. After a moment she growled again and kicked the spider’s carcass.

  “Stupid spider.”

  “It might not be the spider.” Temate said. Everyone looked up at him at that, except Pipuck who started rummaging through information in their brain.

  “Whaddya mean T-Mate?” Toni stumbled over her words.

  He grunted and spoke to Surrender. “What happens when Power is absorbed from a creature Surrender, what does it look like?”

  Surrender didn’t need to think. “Like burn, but no fire.” She said.

  “Like what happened when I killed those goblins?” He asked.

  Surrender’s ears twitched and her eyes shot up as she replied. “Yes! You take Power then, you know!”

  Temate nodded and then turned to Toni to answer her. “Basically, though I don’t know how, when I kill things I just… take their Power.” He pointed to the white spider, then the other spiders.

  “I killed the big white one, finished it that is. You guys killed the others. So that’s why they have Power, but this one doesn’t. Or rather they should…” Pipuck’s eyes widened at what Temate had said, then they thought of why that might be.

  Temate grunted in his thoughts as Surrender pulled at his arm, dragging the whole group over to another spider. They csped hands again and Surrender touched the body, once more a hot midday sun’s warmth filled Pipuck and they smiled. That felt really good.

  “I think you migh’ be righ’ Mate, an’ I think I know why tha’ is.” Pipuck said after the warmth faded.

  “Really?” Temate turned to Pipuck who nodded.

  “The Righ sai’ they’d give you their blessin’ righ’? I’m guessin’ this is i’.” Pipuck waved to the white motionless lump.

  “But why not all absorb?” Surrender asked, then added. “Normally only bone remain.”

  “Spider’s have exoskeletons, the exterior of their body basically is all bone, or as close as arachnids and insects typically get. Chitin.” Toni added that thoughtfully.

  “So I absorbed its Power, and you all got nothing?” Temate asked, his eyebrows knit together in what Pipuck read as a concerned, or maybe frustrated, expression. Pipuck thought about that, and shook their head.

  “I don’t think so actually, or rather I think we di’ ge’ somethin’. I though’ i’ was jus’ panic or adrenaline bu’ I do remember feelin’ warm when you kille’ i’. Anyone else?” After a moment Toni nodded.

  “I-I think, maybe? It’s hard to tell cause I was… distracted.” She looked to Temate, who’s hand she was still holding. “But yeah, I felt a flush, kinda like the absorbing here but… softer.”

  “So when you kill somethin’ we all get a bi’ jus’ like if we di’ i’ this way, bu’ maybe no’ as strong. That’s real handy if ya thin’ abou’ i’.” Pipuck patted the big man's hip, since they couldn’t reach much higher. “So don’t stress abou’ i’ too much okay ’?”

  Temate nodded, but Pipuck could see he was still concerned over the notion. They didn’t really have any idea how to help, but thankfully they didn’t need to.

  “Rex Temate, all it means is you’ll be strong enough to protect us right? Maybe not getting absolutely trashed by the first thing to leap onto you next time?” Toni punched the big guy in the side causing him to grunt and grab his side.

  He ughed as he replied. “Here I thought you wanted me getting jumped by things.” He poked back at her and Pipuck didn’t need to see her face to know how bright her face just got.

  “S-shut up, let’s get out of here.” She pulled Temate along, gently as she could, while also rushing him. Pipuck just ughed as the group headed out and towards the healing fields. As they headed out the cavern Milis came up to them, looking over their shoulders.

  “What was all that? We heard loud roaring and what sounded like fighting but it was over so fast…” She started inquiring then saw Temate’s injury. “Forebears, what happened to you?!” She stepped in pressing one rge paw on Temate’s shoulder. Or rather she tried, and Toni stepped in the way.

  She gred up to the rger bear and snapped. “He got injured. Some of the spiders were clever enough to make a . We dealt with them but one got him good. We’re going to the healing fields now, so step aside and don’t touch him.” Pipuck blinked at the aggression, and was surprised as Milis sheepishly stepped to the side letting them go unharassed further.

  They stopped to look up at Milis. “Sorry abou’ tha’, humans an’ their mates eh?” The two ughed, Milis a little awkwardly.

  “Is he going to be alright?” Milis asked and Pipuck nodded.

  “‘E’ll be fine, it was a ba’ hi’ bu’ i’ was only one hi’.” Pipuck tapped their chest around where Temate got hit. “An’ it was on ‘is swor’ arm, so away from ‘is ‘ear’ which is where ‘umans are weakes’ to death. Eh, aside from the ‘ea’.”

  Milis nodded. “What other dangers are in there.” Milis gestured with her muzzle towards the spider’s cavern.

  “Nothin’ lef’. Far as we coul’ see a’ leas’. The spider’s we deal’ with were a’ the Nitha tunnel, so somethin’ else may be further in bu’ unlikely if they ‘aven’t come ou’ by now.” Pipuck replied.

  “Well, I better not keep you Healer Pipuck. Take care of Master Temate, we wouldn’t want such a powerful male to be kept down too long.” Pipuck nodded at her and began heading off. Their nod turned into a shake as they passed Milis and she led the bears waiting with her into the cave.

  Most of the smoke had cleared out at this point, enough for anything to safely traverse the space. That wasn’t what had Pipuck shaking their head though. It was the way Milis had growled that ‘powerful’.

  She was shameless to Pipuck, but then bears tended to have their one thing they were fixated on. Sgoinneil liked dirt, both the metaphorical drama kind, and the literal kind. Milis liked sex, especially ‘collecting’ people. Honey… Honey was actually still a mystery to the Spiras, but they thought he genuinely just liked meeting people.

  Regardless of what it is, Honey seemed like one of the rare good ones. One of the ones who hadn’t set them up as nameless pawns and pets. The them being the Goblins, Daog and the Seillean Pipuck passed.

  Nameless, near thoughtless, obedient and subservient. Their independence stripped, that was why Spiras and Fae hated bears. It brought back bad memories, and horrible history. Bear’s don’t steal names anymore Pipuck’s ass.