}-Aero {Head Hunt} Echo-{

The Duke looked at his wall of trophies, a frown creasing his brow. He was something of a collector, and it showed in his choice of decorating scheme. In this particular wing of his castle heads of various dead creatures were forever caught in looks of deep contemplation. His trophies ranged from the typical deer buck all the way to the ferocious visage of a large dragon, it's claws and horns decorating the plaque upon which the mounted skull sat. There was something missing however, something that he hoped to remedy very soon.

There were whispers that a griffin had made an appearance in his countryside, and of course he was eager to get his hands on the head of such a creature. The species had long evaded him, what with having this annoying habit of simply flying away when trouble presented itself. His old age made him even less able to claim the prize, and a slow thought began to invade his head. What if, what if... A devious smile crossed his face and immediately the Duke began to walk toward his personal study. A head hunt would be conducted for him, the first to bring him the head of the griffin to be rewarded richly... yes, it was a good plan.

*~*~*

The sun was warm on his feathers down here on the ground, a welcome change from the bitter chill of higher climates. Leo stretched his crimson wings out, head laid over crossed talons as he absorbed the heat of mid-morning. It had been a relaxing week, very different than what the wandering griffin was used to in his hectic life of finding evil doers in the world and tracking them down as quickly as possible. This side of the country seemed to be rather crime free, actually, and so he didn't feel the need to worry about being attacked by a random band of brigands. Not like he'd seen such a group on his fly over anyway. People were easy to spot in a land that wasn't heavily forested, and aside from some random travelers that he had spotted some miles away from his current resting spot, Leo was under the impression that he was quite alone.

So, hew was around here, was he? Thought the worlds greatest hunter, tapping his crossed arms and looking around silently. It was pretty, to say the least, which meant that at some point some prince or duke would build a tackt tower here, complete with climbing vines and at least three spiral staircases that led to nowhere in partucular. But, at the moment, it was nice enough, and it seemed a perfect spot for a sizable creature to rest.

Of course, that was exactly what he was looking for at the moment. He was one of many who had acepted a rather curious head hunt, and was one of one who had actually thought to ask around for information instead of riding off into the sunset to try their luck at the nearest mountain range. But Kagan played it smart: He spoke with every group of travelers that came his way, and after hours he found some information: a small group of travelers had seen a great flying shape in the sky, too large to be a bird and only a little larger than a lion. Just the right size. He got from them all he could, and was even able to figure out the direction it was flying in. So here he was, an imposing goblin here to hunt for his dinner. Okay, maybe some weed too. Okay, maybe only weed, but he could do what he wanted, couldn't he!?

Kagan trekked forewards for a time, stopping once or twice so he could smell the flowers (he couldn't smell a thing, surprisingly), and after what seemed like hours, but was in reality only one or two, he saw a shape in the distance. A wide grin contorted Kagan's face, as he thought about how this would play out: Would he go ninja and kill the beast before it could see him, or have some fun, really earn all the gold he would get? Well, nobody would play with me when I was a kid, so let's play now!

((Sorry for the zero interaction, I couldn't think of anything.))

A great yawn came from Leo as he tried to settle in for a mid-noon nap. Something caught his attention, some minute change in the air that made him pause and perk his ears. It smelled like... burning plants? Curious, the griffin stood and stretched, his fur and feathers fluffing up as he did so. What strange creature had stumbled onto his resting spot? Whatever it was, it was keeping him from sleeping so he went to go investigate, following the smell of burned plants. Why in the world should anything smell like that? He wondered to himself as he sniffed around the forest, wings folded against his flanks. Perhaps it was a traveler lost in the woods? It seemed like the smell was only coming from one body, so it couldn't have been a band of brigands wandering the woods. No need to be alarmed. As the smell grew stronger Leo began relying more on his eyes, looking for movement. There was something odd sticking out of a tree a little ways away that he spotted, something that obviously had no business being in a forest and he paused. "Lo traveler! Show yourself and be accounted for!" He called into the forest, his intent gaze not wavering from the place near the tree.

So it can talk? Kagan felt as if he should be surprised about this but, then again, he had already seen some pretty funky stuff already. He lifted an arm and waved, switching to cheery-traveler mode. "Very well, friend! One two three four!" He was a bit confused as to why it asked him to count to for, but hey: Different customs for different people. He strode closer, sizing the creature up: Much larger than he, bird head and wings and a feline body. He's the one, no mistake. Once Kagan had came within a few feet of the creature, he emptied his pipe, stowed it, and made an over-courtious bow. "My name is Kagan, member by birth of the Knirunkni clan. And who are you?" Many people wondered why the villans in all of the stories were so loose with information, saying it was useless banter, but Kagan knew why: It was the funnest part of the plan.

A goblin? Here? Really was stunned by the revelation when the creature showed itself. He was half-ready to leap into action and pummel the creature when it waved spoke to him. He was thoroughly confused, especially when the creature began counting. Usually goblins that he met had lurked in the high craggy places of the world and in other deep tunnels that only the foolhardy or desperate delved into. He never expected to have seen one in a forest. Furthermore, it could count and wasn't swinging around some sort of weapon yet. Usually any goblin he met started hacking and asked questions after it's quarry was dead, so the griffon's state of perplex only grew the more the creature talked and acted strangely for it's kind. When it bowed to him, he was very thoroughly astonished and couldn't help but to simply stare at the creature for a long moment, ignoring it's question. Manners snapped into place after a few awkward seconds of gaping however, and he fluffed his feathers and fur, stirring himself out of the reviver. "Leo, traveler Kagan of the Knirunkni. You may call me Leo…" He examined the goblin for a few seconds more, then decided that a question of his own was in order. "I don't mean to be rude but… where did you learn manners? I've never met a goblin that didn't want to cut me down as soon as it laid eyes on me."

Wow, he must know more about goblins than I thought. Kagan thought, noting the genuine surprise on the griffin's face at his people skills. But then, was it common for a griffin to be able to talk the common language? And how was he supposed to not take offense at L:eo's question? It was as if he thought that his entire clan was a bunch of brainless brutes... which they were, but still. "Well, that's an interesting tale, and I could tell it in excrutiating and needless detail, but I won't. You see, I am the 'link', you could say, between my clan and the world: whenever we need something, I get it. The manners were something I picked up along the way." He picked at his teeth, stared at what he had found, then flicked it away. "What are you, ah, doing here? I didn't think that griffins were migratory."

The goblin's explanation of his presence of manners was… interesting, to say the least. He knew that goblins had a hierarchy of sorts in their society, but to have a moderator between themselves and the outside world? That was something he had truly never heard of. He was slightly mystified by this Kagan fellow and would have very much liked to hear just how it was this creature had come to be intelligent but was asked a question in turn. Straightening slightly Leo cleared his throat, wondering where to begin. "We're not generally. The flock stays on the mountain. But some of us younger ones go out and make our own way for a time. See the world and learn what it's about before returning home…" He stared at Kagan for a bit longer as if trying to decide if the goblin was a figment of his imagination or not. "That's what I'm doing here. Seeing things…" And would he ever have a tale to tell when he got back! A goblin that talked and reasoned, huh!

"Ah, I see. Wanderlust, is it?" He commented, eyeing Leo over once more, but with a slightly different purpous than usual: He was still tense, but was definently starting to drop his guard. But, to be honest, he was getting bored of the griffin's surprise at almost everything he said, like a lion with wings and a bird's head with the ability to talk was commonplace. "So you've got alot of stories to tell, then?" He let his hand drop, casually, to the hilt of his knife, and then he pulled the knife out slowly, eyeing the gleaming blade. "That really is too bad, those stories will never be told. Such history lost, but oh well..." And then suddenly, he striked.

Blade drawn in, he dashed towards Leo, free hand held out foreward to help him connect with his target: The air right beside his neck.

Leo shouldn't have been surprised by the sudden attack. In fact, he did expect something just like this from just about every goblin he had ever met in his long life. However, the creature's intelligence had made him let his guard down and he only just barely managed to skitter out of the way in time to avoid a fatal blow. If the goblin would have aimed properly, he would have probably scored a devastating blow, but as it was the griffon wasn't even missing a feather yet.

Narrowing his eyes, Leo bristled and extended his claws and talons, fully ready for a fight with this creature. He didn't know what the creature was after, but if it involved killing him, then there was no way that Leo was simply going to fly away and let this dangerous being wander around unchecked. Gathering himself, he leapt forward, all talons and beak and aimed to kill. He didn't enjoy long drawn-out battles and wanted this one over with as quickly as possible.

Reaction speed: admirable. Estimated strength: above par. Estimated intelligence: seriously lacking. Leo's attack, which would admittably be lethal to headstrong neanderthals, was easily dodgable by Kagan, who simply jumped away from the charge at the last moment with surprising agility. He spun on his heel where he landed, flourishing his dagger above his head as he did, then, in an obviously defiant gesture to natural laws and science, pointed his new fencer's foil at the griffin, the blade strikingly similar to the dagger he had wielded not but a second or two ago.
"En garde."

Kagan slashed and launched with his blade a few times at some invisible enemy, adjusting to the blade's weight and style, then went into the offencive fencing stance facing Leo, grinning and giving him a sly wink: Come and get me.

Truth be told, Leo was a bit impressed with the goblin's ability to move. What was even more impressive was the magical changing weapon that he held. By the time that Leo landed and dug his claws into the soft turf in order to make a quick turn and see whatever attack was coming next. If the goblin could change his fighting tactics as quickly as he could change his sword, then he was in for quite the fight and it would require him to be just as able to adapt to the new situation presented. He refrained from giving in to the direct challenge, however, knowing that his claws were at a disadvantage now with the smaller lighter weapon. It was made more for stabbing than it was slashing, but could probably deal a wound either way which was certainly not what he wanted. Instead, Leo stalked forward slowly, weaving a pattern back and forth. Before he got within sticking distance he leapt forward and sharply to the right side, making a feint for the goblin's legs and doubled back, swiping instead for the creature's midriff.

Oh, this griffin was so dreadfully predictable. Granted, the atack nearly cut Kagan to ribbons, and his hasty dodge to the left left his head spinning. In a manner that completely conflicted the fact that he was in a life-or-death battle with a beast at least three times his size, Kagan put his hand on his forehead and blinked slowly, eyes trained on Leo. "Well done, nearly got me." A flash of teeth. "But nearly isn't enough." In a sudden burst of energy, Kagan jumped the four feet between him and Leo in one bound, and drew black his blade. It was a wide open attack, and could have been easily blocked, had it not been for one thing: a split second before he would have had to thrust outward, instead he swung the foil back like it were much heavier, and a second ater a war hammer, easily 35 pounds at the least, was bearing down to Leo's skull. "Got'che." Kagan teased under his breath, grinning madly at the thought of an easy victory.

He had hoped to get something of the goblin's person in his claws, but when he wound up empty pawed the griffin looked up to find his quarry preparing to strike but his weapon had changed again, so it was time to forget about replying to the witty mid-fight banter. There was no indecision in his next movement when all of his muscles bunched and he lept not away from the gobbling, but toward him instead, his sleek cat-like body twisting around so that he could get more or less away from the swinging hammer inside the arch of its reach instead. The weapon was dangerous yes, but if there was an opportunity to make the one wielding it less of a threat then he was open for it. A screech emitted from his beak when he opened it wide, looking to bite the goblin's weapon-arm just above his elbow. His sharp beak would take care of anything he could get his mouth around, tearing through muscles and tendon easily.

Whoops! Twisting his hips and using the weight of his hammer to his advantage, Kagan spun in the air, moving his arm to where he barely escaped Leo's beak. "Better! I should probably fix that 'afore ya git me!" He taunted, the excitement revealing his accent. Kagan spun on his heel where he landed (a few inches to Leo's right, for you nosey people), and propelled himself foreward, thinking [i]If I ruin his wings, not only will he not be able to escape, but he'll be crippled with pain as well.[b] Using momentum to his advantage, Kagan first bent back with the hammer laying on his shoulder, then bent foreward, letting the hammer's weight swing itself on a collision course with Leo's right wing.

Leo only had a moment to panic and try and move out of the way before the hammer collided with his side, literally knocking the griffin off his feet and onto the ground, the blinding pain that erupted in his right shoulder enough to keep him immobile for a few seconds. He was left breathless, struggling to keep his thoughts from scattering and to get his feet back under him. The bones of his wing was shattered, he couldn't feel the appendage past the screaming white flash of pain that erupted every time he tried to move. What's more, his right forepaw seemed unwilling to cooperate with him, the head of the hammer glancing a blow to the bone of his shoulder enough to make it hard to put weight on the limb. Hissing with frustration and pain, he got himself to his feet, favoring his right side heavily, knowing that his chances to win this fight were quickly slimming down to very little as the fight dragged out. Already, the possibility of escape was all but gone to him.

The moment Kagan felt his hammer connect with the fragil bone's in his opponent's wings, he knew he won. Jumping back to prevent any damage dealt from thrashing, Kagan watched the poor creature as he tried to regain his bearings. Oh, how his plan had worked to perfection! It seemed as if he couldn't even use one of his paws! Grinning darkly, Kagan's eyes danced with anticipation as he felt the weight in his hand switch from heavyweight hammer to lightweight dagger almost instantaniously. He tossed the blade around a while, keeping his eyes on the tip of the blade, then began the e ver-popular villan passtime: gloating. "Listen, I just want you to know that there was a reason for this." He began, stepping closer, but still a safe distance from the crippled griffon. "You see, I was, um, hired to hunt you down. Some duke or something is a collector, appearantly, and you're breed was missing from his little menagerie." He inspected his dagger, flicking the blade and tilting it so it caught the light. "Who knows, maybe we could have gotten along. But don't worry, I will not let you sink into obscurity." He flourished his hands, taking an imposing pose and projecting his voice for all to be heard. "I will spread the story of the great-! The, uh, great..." Kagan scratched his head and leaned in towards the girffon with a raised eyebrow. "Uh, say... what was your name again?"

Leo's eyes followed the movement of the dagger, a his issuing from his throat when the goblin revealed that he was being hunted for his head. As a trophy? Disgusting… "I wouldn't wish my name spread by such a filthy creature as you." Leo spat, flaring his good wing in agitation, the broken one hanging limply by his side. He hated this goading, his noble spirit of battle having never had much of a taste for crowing over a kill, especially when it hadn't been made yet. "If that means that I must go down in anonymity, then so be it." Gathering himself, Leo's whole body spring from his standing position, the claws of his good foreleg extended and beak open with a hawk-like scream, looking to maim the goblin before the creature could make him dead.

Kagan flinched away from Leo at his hurtful comment, hamming up his reaction. "Really, was that neccesary? For your information, I bathed last week... okay, last month. Okay, I was thrown into a pond, but that's close enough!" But he couldn't add much to that, as he was soon preoccupied with the split-second planning tht happens when something you don't expect happens, like a handicapped oe launching himself at you. One chance, make it count. He thought, steeling himself. Foregoing the fact that he was severely outstrengthed and outweighed, Kagan stood his ground and held out his blade, now a fencers foil, hopeing that the griffins own weight would impale his skull onto Kagans blade. One chance, or there would be green roadkill where he was standing.

It was over in a second. Leo saw the blade come up at the last minuet and had no time to swerve out of the way of self-impalement. There was a brief second of pain, and then nothing as the sword pierced through his brain, instantly killing him. his body went limp but the momentum of his leap carried through, claws falling limp and beak closing. Gidlyairaron was dead.

((Echo, there's a pouch around Leo's neck, feel free to have Kagan take it and use the stones inside if you'd like.))

It was over. It was over! He had defeated the griffon, and was going to get a huge payload! Kagan tossed his dagger from hand to hand, shook the loose blood from the blade, then walked slowly towards Leo's dead body, crouching down and pressing his hand against the creatures neck, checking for a pulse and finding... a string? Kagan tugged at the string thoughtfully, deemed it of some importance, then gently sliced it off with his dagger and found a small bag attatched. He weighed it for a second, then spilled its contents out into his other hand, after sheathing his dagger. "Stones?" He murmered, tapping one, then stopped: did a noise just come from the other one? Kagan plucked up one of the stones and mumbled something unintelligable, and the same noise came out of the other one, with only a split-second delay. What a score! Kagan tied the pouch to his rope belt, then stared down at the limp body of hi foe.

How was he going to move this?

~~~~~

"Thank you!" The man said to a sweating Kagan, looking over the griffons body with accomplished eyes. "Well done, this beast will go quite nicely with the rest of my collection!" The Duke gestured to a servant behind him, and the man came foreward and presented a loaded sack to the worn-out goblin. Kasgan took the bag, eyed its contents then, deeming them acceptable, slung them over his shoulder. "Thanks, he grumbled, then turned and began to walk away. But then, it seemed something had crossed his mind, as he stopped mid-stride and began talking over his shoulder. "You sir are, without a doubt, a despicable man. This 'beast' was a better man than you could ever be. He lived his life to the fullest, and was having adventures left and right. And, to top it off, you didn't even kill him yourself, you just hired a low-life goblin to do it for you." Kagan turned and looked the Duke strait in the eye, glaring. "I hope you enjoy this trophy of blood, for it will haunt you for the rest of your days." And, with that, Kagan strode off, leaving a flabberghasted Duke staring at the goblin even after he was long gone.

» A Game of Cat and Mouse ((Echo/Aero))
» Hunt at the Lake (For Intan and Eithne)
» The Basilisk's Eye .:{Echo x Apollo}:.
» The Garden of... Eden? (Apollo, Echo, Eldar, & Kevv)
» Height of the Hunt (Eldar & Nen)