She hadn't won, not exactly, but the fact that it was a near tie still imbued a strange sense of pride into the half breed. She barely had enough time to bask in this, however, when she was keyed off by the jaguar's rumpling snout, ears folding back in classic feline distaste. She followed its gaze up, up, to find the shifting thing, that did blend quite well in with the trees, but was clearly apart from it, her strange oblong head turning sporadically in one direction then another.
She wasn't sure if the paw over her hand was meant as reassurance or a warning not to move, but Tinnok certainly hadn't been planning on it, even though her fingers itched to grab her bow. Did the Ya'tago know that everyone was moving into place, was she intelligent enough to realize all of this was an ambush, or because of their limited vision, was she simply waiting for the creature from before, presumably her mate, to return?
Her gaze as she hopped one branch lower, answered Tinnok's mental inquiries in part, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling as she tried, and generally failed to keep her breathing even. The female's eyes were clearly focused just where everyone had hoped, on the grouping that remained on the ground as bait.
There was a moment, where Tinnok was unsure of what to do. A single bird whistle could warn the party below that the creature was near and approaching, but it might also sacrifice her own life and that of the jaguar man. But what if this ambush was turned on itself, or a few died in the clearing before having a chance to assess the threat?
She inhaled slowly, and exhaled, her worries, her fears, head tilted above she waited, watching the female Ya'Tago slowly pull herself out onto the outer limb of her branch, open her wings, which fully functional or not, would succeed in a powerful jump from up on high, and poise for her jump.
The half breed's whole body tensed, ready. As far as she could tell, only the two of them knew what was happening. She waited, heart thumping, feeling the heat so much more acutely than usual, waiting, until its back legs had pushed back the full weight of its body and begun to leap into the air.
Then the whistle, from overly wet lips escaped her throat, a high pitched distressing trilling that would alert all to the eminent danger approaching. The female as if in answer gave that inhuman chittering click and dove straight down towards the bait, and it was only a second later that the second form, the male from before glided from the direction in which he had left, set up in his own tree not far away, also diving down upon the 'unsuspecting prey' in the middle of their breeding grounds.
The half breed wasted no time, Her bow was dragged so hard over her shoulder she'd find a red mark from the string later. An arrow was notching, and her body shifted, pushing her torso up straight, supporting her posture on one knee, the other leg pushed back to maintain her balance. Despite the somewhat accuracy of her posture, Tinnok rushed the draw of her bow, in such a hurry to relieve the poor souls that would soon be stuck between two Ya'Tago. She pulled the bowstring back 3/4's of the way, then released without properly aiming, the shot strong enough to make the clearing, but completely overshooting the entire fight commencing below. Krisha, she noted, had stayed below her longsword in hand, already leaping into the fray.
Tinnok drew another arrow, her logical mind forcing her to take her time with the next shot.
She wasn't sure if the paw over her hand was meant as reassurance or a warning not to move, but Tinnok certainly hadn't been planning on it, even though her fingers itched to grab her bow. Did the Ya'tago know that everyone was moving into place, was she intelligent enough to realize all of this was an ambush, or because of their limited vision, was she simply waiting for the creature from before, presumably her mate, to return?
Her gaze as she hopped one branch lower, answered Tinnok's mental inquiries in part, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling as she tried, and generally failed to keep her breathing even. The female's eyes were clearly focused just where everyone had hoped, on the grouping that remained on the ground as bait.
There was a moment, where Tinnok was unsure of what to do. A single bird whistle could warn the party below that the creature was near and approaching, but it might also sacrifice her own life and that of the jaguar man. But what if this ambush was turned on itself, or a few died in the clearing before having a chance to assess the threat?
She inhaled slowly, and exhaled, her worries, her fears, head tilted above she waited, watching the female Ya'Tago slowly pull herself out onto the outer limb of her branch, open her wings, which fully functional or not, would succeed in a powerful jump from up on high, and poise for her jump.
The half breed's whole body tensed, ready. As far as she could tell, only the two of them knew what was happening. She waited, heart thumping, feeling the heat so much more acutely than usual, waiting, until its back legs had pushed back the full weight of its body and begun to leap into the air.
Then the whistle, from overly wet lips escaped her throat, a high pitched distressing trilling that would alert all to the eminent danger approaching. The female as if in answer gave that inhuman chittering click and dove straight down towards the bait, and it was only a second later that the second form, the male from before glided from the direction in which he had left, set up in his own tree not far away, also diving down upon the 'unsuspecting prey' in the middle of their breeding grounds.
The half breed wasted no time, Her bow was dragged so hard over her shoulder she'd find a red mark from the string later. An arrow was notching, and her body shifted, pushing her torso up straight, supporting her posture on one knee, the other leg pushed back to maintain her balance. Despite the somewhat accuracy of her posture, Tinnok rushed the draw of her bow, in such a hurry to relieve the poor souls that would soon be stuck between two Ya'Tago. She pulled the bowstring back 3/4's of the way, then released without properly aiming, the shot strong enough to make the clearing, but completely overshooting the entire fight commencing below. Krisha, she noted, had stayed below her longsword in hand, already leaping into the fray.
Tinnok drew another arrow, her logical mind forcing her to take her time with the next shot.
c
