Odyssey of Downfall

Źhaķké stood on his toes, perched on a high rock. He had just finished eating a large meal for the night, and the fire he made to cook with blew out in the wind and snow. The avian anthro perked his ear, grabbing his bow. He could hear someone in the distance, coming his way. He figured whoever it was saw the smoke, and was either coming up for food and shelter, (which is why he did not nock an arrow right away,) or a hunt...

(Posted for Fireclaw, as she was unable to access the forums.)

Cinfyre walked along, scimitar drawn. She had seen the smoke and was moving in to investigate. The dragoness anthro came across a high rock, she looked at the figure standing on top of it, then her eyes fixed on the bow.

Źhaķké perked an ear toward the dragoness anthro, listening to her feet as the crunched in the snow. He stood still, not facing her.

Cinfyre stood still too, only moving her eyes as she looked the avian up and down, deciding if he was a threat or not.
The only sounds now were the trees rustling and a squirrel nibbling on an acorn, as Cinfyre's breathing was too quiet to be audible.
She moved again, sheathing her scimitar and leaned back against the high rock, arms folded loosely, eyes closed.

Źhaķké stepped down from the rock, pleased to have someone who was not going to try hunting him. He stood over by the fire, poking at the ashes with a stick. "If you're looking for food, I'm sorry... I'm all out. Search around the mountain, and you're bound to find something." he began, "but be aware of the large group heading this way from..." he perked an ear. "...that direction." he continued, raising a claw slightly West from North. "There is also less movement that way, but it's farther away." he finished, moving his wing so he was pointing Northeast.

Cinfyre opened one eye and looked at Źhaķké silently.
"What's your name?" she asked finally, her voice low.

"Źhaķké..." he said after a short pause.

"I'm Cinfyre" she replied, quietly "Nice to meet another anthro out here..." she continued, emotionless.
Cinfyre's stomach growled, she opened both eyes.
"I'm going to get food" she said, and walked off in the direction where there was less movement, scimitar drawn.

"Lookie 'ere. Now, Lester! Get 'er!"

Suddenly, two large humen jumped out from a bush and grabbed the scimitar. One had a sword of his own and attempted to stab at Cinfyre's belly. A third man snuck up behind her and put a sword up to her throat.

"Now see 'ere, either you co-operate with us, or we'll paint this 'ere snow with yer blood!" he demanded loudly, in her ear.

Cinfyre pretended to be helpless, secretly knowing that only magic weapons could penetrate her scales and underbelly plates.
"I'll co-operate! Just don't hurt me!" she faked a frightened voice.
"Call the other anthro filth" th human who had the knife to her throat said "so we c'n catch 'im as well"
"Aye, an' divvent try anythin' funny, lass, or ee'll be kill't, ye ken" the other said.
Cinfyre, still faking helplessness, called out:
"Źhaķké!!!"
She said it in a way that would tell the other anthro that there was trouble, and to be careful.

Źhaķké knew there was trouble and he walked down to where Cinfyre was.

"Grab 'im now!" one of the men called. He heard both men and with one swift movement, punched the guy with the sword to her throat, grabbed it and cut the other's head clean off.

(changed Cinfyre's description slightly)

Cinfyre flicked her mane out of her eyes.
"Thanks" she said to Źhaķké, smiling for the first time since they met.
Her eyes perked up suddenly and she turned around slowly.
"Crap, more are coming" she growled, picking up her scimitar.
Sure enough, about 50 humans surrounded them both, all armed with swords, spears and torches. Cinfyre kicked a woman in the belly, causing the human to double over, then the dragoness anthro shoved her knee spike into the woman's chin.

Then all hit the fan.

Cinfyre jumped around cutting humans down as they attacked.

Źhaķké pulled out his bow again and started raining arrows in every direction he heard a flat-foot sound.

Cinfyre continued to bite, kick, punch, stab, slash and scratch the humans. Sword blades shattered as they hit her, completely useless against her natural armor. she wasn't injured.

Until an enchanted arrow hit her in the belly.

Cursing, she pulled the arrow out and rammed it into the human who had fired it. Humans now started aiming for that temporary weak spot.

Źhaķké slowly made his way back up onto the rock he had previously been standing on. He curled his toes around it while continuing his arrow fire. He faced straight ahead, not where he was aiming. He picked off the other human archers in the back first, before protecting Cinfyre from afar.

Cinfyre roared as a sword cut through her wing membrane - the only place a normal weapon could.
She incinerated some of the humans then, knocked all the others over the side of the mountain to their certain deaths. Sheathing her scimitar, she stood still, ignoring her bleeding wing and belly.
When she was sure no one else was coming, she stole all the humans' food and brought it back to the high rock where Źhaķké was.

Źhaķké sniffed the air. "You're wounded..." he said to her, in more of an offer to help rather than simply pointing out the obvious.

"Unfortunately, yes" Cinfyre replied, shrugging.
She put the food on the ground and examined it.
"Humans eat a load of crap" she said in disgust.

Źhaķké tiptoed over to Cinfyre and lifted his blindfold a bit, but kept his winghand covering his eyes from her sight. Bloody tears ran down his face, off his chin and onto her belly. Before long, both wounds were completely healed.

Cinfyre wiped a bloody tear off her belly with her finger and sniffed it interestedly.
"Phoenix tears have healing powers..." she recited the legend.
Cinfyre turned to face Źhaķké with a small smile.
"Thanks" she said.

Źhaķké nodded slowly, barely discernably. He sniffed the food and felt around for the firepit, to try lighting another fire to cook the food.

Cinfyre tilted her head in sympathy and blew a few sparks of fire at the firepit, it caught alight at once.

Źhaķké felt for the warmth and walked around where he could shield the fire with his wings while Cinfyre cooked the food.

Cinfyre finished cooking the food and halved the pile between herself and Źhaķké. She sniffed some of the meat that she had cooked.
"Ew! Vegetarian chicken!" she growled "it's hardly 'chicken' if its made o' mushrooms"

"You eat what you want. I'll have the rest." Źhaķké replied, not wanting to waste any food. He was already full, although they would have to eat it all before it got frost burned and he also had to continue bulking up for the cold season.