Interrupted Celebration [job/solo]

Job Overview: The young women of a small nomadic tribe have been captured by slave traders looking to turn a nice profit. With most of the men of the tribe too injured in the scuffle to go after them, they’ve turned to you in order to bring home their daughters and sisters. There are six women in total, ensure that none of them get injured in the rescue.

Spoiler:

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It was nearly time to leave the peaceful village she and Onyx had called home for weeks, and Lexiara found herself saddened by the thought. She could almost picture trying to make a home with these villagers and the quiet, accepting ways. But still, deep in her chest, strings tugged her to find her tribe and reestablish her home with them. They had made many friends in the village during their stay, even if Onyx was still not happy with the attention Alex showed his sister. The night before they were going to leave, the village had a small celebration, a way to thank the siblings for their help during their stay and also to wish them good luck in their coming journeys, understanding the desire to return to their own tribe.

Alcohol and food were plentiful during the celebration and Lexi found even Onyx was enjoying himself as he dragged her up to dance to the flutes being played. By the end of the night, most of the villagers were quite inebriated, including Lexi. Onyx and Alex snickered and giggled as they dragged the jaguar-spotted girl back to the small hut, Lexi squirming and meowing to try and get away to return to the celebration. The boys finally managed to get her into the tent, Onyx plopping down behind her and wrapping her tightly in cuddles to keep her from escaping. The siblings drifted off into a drunken slumber.

It could have been minutes or hours later, Lexi could not be sure, when they were awoken by shouts and sounds of outrage from outside. Scrambling from the hut, Lexi’s eyes widened. The village was being ambushed by several men equipped with swords. Lexi ducked back into the hut to grab her new bow, Onyx following her out with hazy eyes. The villagers were fighting back viciously, but their drunken state did no favors against the sober men. It did not take long for Lexi to understand the goal of the invaders. They were bypassing valuables and instead aiming for the villagers themselves, snatching up young women and girls as they fought off protective mates and siblings. Lexi soon joined the fray, standing back and firing off her arrows as fast as she could, her own inebriated state decreasing her effectiveness. Leo was doing what he could, pouncing and tearing through the slavers as Onyx attempted to pummel the men.

As quickly as it started, it was over, the men retreating with several of the young girls of the tribe. Around her, many of the villagers were bruised and bloody from their attempt to defend their home. Alex had a broken arm and was trying to drag his little brother to their tent, the young boy’s face bloody from being struck in the temple with the hilt of a sword. The short battle had done wonders to sober her up, though the world still tilted when she turned her head too fast. She helped to bandage the injured villagers, her mind focused on the most immediate issue of keeping people from bleeding to death. Alex’s face was hard, wanting to charge off after the men and Lexi understood the impulse but knowing he was in no condition to pursue the slave traders. When she found Onyx, her breath caught in her throat, his shoulder in an odd position and blood pouring down his face. Her face became a mask of anger and revenge as she ordered Alex to find someone to relocate her brother’s shoulder, Alex’s own arm in a splint. While the redhead went to follow her orders, she stalked over to the hut, grabbing up her quivers and securing her bow across her back before she whistled for Leo, the tiger crashing through the brush to stand in front of her. The tiger had been chasing the men and his muzzle was covered with fresh blood. Lexi knelt in front of him, her voice soft but laced with anger and concern.

“Show mommy where they went, Leo. Time to hunt.”

The tiger didn’t understand most of what she said, but he knew the word ‘hunt’ and he immediately turned and began to sniff out the blood trail he had left on his return. Lexi wasted no time, following after the tiger as he moved through tall grass and the trees at the edge of the woods. Her eyes were sharp, the effects of the liquor now gone from her system as she ran beside Leo, the tiger bounding along the trail of blood. Whatever he had done had slowed some of the traders down and it did not take too much longer for Lexi to see why. As she followed him, he paused beside a body, one of the slave traders the tiger had caught. His body was covered in deep scratches and bites. Rubbing the tiger’s head, she grinned at him.

“Good boy, Leo. Now let’s find the rest, hmmm?”

The tiger bounded off again, the blood trail becoming less and less obvious the farther they traveled from the village. Luckily, his nose was excellent and it took less than an hour for them to catch sight of the remaining traders ahead of them. The traders were still on the move, though their steps had slowed as they increased the distance between the village and themselves, feeling they were safe. Lexi snapped, Leo immediately returning to her side and plopping his butt on the ground, waiting for Lexi’s commands. Lexi quieted her steps, moving into the woods that lined the path the men were on, her feet silent as she avoided stepping on branches. Leo made even less noise, knowing Lexi’s posture indicated it was time to hunt. The pair approached the group of men like shadows in the night as Lexi took stock of how many traders there were.

There were only four men left in the group, the rest had been defeated by the villagers or by Leo’s powerful attacks. Two men were at the front and two were at the back, six girls tied between them, wrists constrained with thick rope. The girls were crying and trying to tug free and when one fell to the ground, she was roughly yanked back to her feet, making her cry out again. The traders were being careful, each of them looking in a different direction to make sure they would not be ambushed.

Lexi pulled her bow free, drawing the string back before launching Straight Shot II for one of the men in the back, the attack taking him by surprise and causing him to fall to the ground with barely a grunt. Leo gave a loud roar as he leapt from the woods beside the two men in the front, immediately biting one of them as the other tried to back away. The man in Leo’s jaws gave a loud cry of pain as his leg was shredded, the tiger abandoning his prey to circle the other man leading the group of girls. The girls had huddled together, recognizing the tiger and Lexi, hope in their eyes. When the second trader at the rear of them tried to snatch up the rope dropped by the first man, they yanked the rope back. The man had not been prepared to have them fight back and stumbled as the rope was ripped from his hands. Lexi took advantage of the stumbling distraction to launch a single basic arrow at the man.

Her hard work in crafting a new bow paid off as the arrow struck the man in the side and buried between his ribs, making him fall to the ground with a groan of pain. She looked to the other two men, arching a brow as she saw Leo circling the last of the traders. The tiger swiped at the man, but his claws were Parried away. Lexi gave a sharp whistle to draw Leo’s attention, the tiger immediately backing away from the trader as Lexi loosed a Multi-Shot at the last man. All four arrows were aimed for him, each arrow striking a limb, ensuring he would be in no condition to give chase. Moving over to the man screaming on the ground with a shredded leg, Lexi glared down at him, her normally friendly face covered in a scowl of hatred.

“You are a disgusting human.”

“And you are a freak.”

Lexi ignored the words, moving to untie the girls and carefully load them onto Leo’s back, the tiger handling the weight without complaint before carefully jogging back to the village. Lexi was about to follow him before her face hardened and she drew another basic arrow, launching it at the trader that had called her a freak, the arrow lodging in his eye. Without flinching, Lexi returned to following Leo and the girls back to the village, eager to check on her brother. She and Leo were greeted with cheers and thanks, the Elder approaching to embrace her.

“You have saved my girls. I thank you, young Kimeer.”

“I would never leave them to be taken by slavers, Elder. But you are welcome. They are unharmed, though frightened.”

A bevvy of women rushed over to collect the kidnapped girls, tending to the tears and rope burns with words of love and gentle hands. Lexi smiled warmly at the Elder before returning to Onyx’ side, his face now clean of blood, though there was a slash that might scar across his cheek. His shoulder had been relocated and his arm was now in a sling to make sure the muscles and tendons would heal properly. His voice was tinged with worry as he reached out to cup Lexi’s face.

“You had me worried, Lexi. Don’t run off like that without me again. I could not bear to lose you, especially to traders.”

Lexi’s face was full of apology, knowing that after his own experience with slavers, he had probably imagined horrible things in her absence. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, ruffling the hair between his wolf ears before giving him a small smile.

“Do not worry, brother. I will always return to you. Always.”


[1693/1500]
[Stamina 200/250]
[Ammo 13/15]

Abilities Used: