Closed Frozen [Una Tanta]

[Noblesse]

74th day of Summer, 513 AV The northern skies of Taldera were beginning to darken as the clouds were threatening to release snow, heavy within its bowels, upon the vast expanse of white below. Zulrav’s winds howled all throughout the barren tundra; a storm was slowly brewing across the horizon. Things were starting to look grim - especially so for a hapless polar bear stranded in the Northern Reaches. It had been careless in treading upon the ground of an extremely territorial breed of animal. Now it was backed into a corner with no other choice than to face the dangerous aggression of about twenty-something Stoneback badgers. A distraught roar boomed across the icy plains, accompanied by the loud crash of waves against the Reaches’ frozen shores. The huge polar bear fell on its side, helpless, as the cete of Stonebacks rammed it into the ground. Before it was able to stand on its feet, the Stonebacks had already started their onslaught of attacks against the bigger beast. Large chunks of ice lying on the coast flew all over the place as the fight ensued. The Stonebacks clawed and relentlessly sank their fangs on their prey, their attacks quick as a lightning. The polar bear let out a desperate yowl. It swung its massive arms at the vicious creatures, to no avail. Size was overwhelmed by sheer numbers. A serious bite on the bear’s shoulder left one of its arms hang limply to its side. Soon enough, the bear was no longer giving much of a fight against the Icestone beasts, which only spurred further carnage on their part. Originally white, the bear’s thick fur was now blotched with patches of dark red. Blood and gore had caused its hair to stick together, and it was already considerably weaker than its enemies. Knowing that it cannot win the fight, it tried to claw its way towards the sea. As it is right now, the bear would have no opportunity to escape the fierce badgers by land, but if it was by sea… Polar bears are very excellent swimmers. There is probably a chance for the bear to escape even when one of its arms was wounded. It was worth taking the risk. It pushed against the head of one of its assailants with its hind legs, madly dashing in the direction of the foamy waves. Escape was immediately cut short, however, when a badger vaulted on its back. Another had latched onto its legs, greatly slowing the polar bear down. At this rate, it would never be able to get away from its attackers. It would not be able to, unless something would distract the Stonebacks long enough for it to reach the sea. The bear looked on at the dark waves, all hope of living through the ordeal quickly dwindling with each pang of pain coursing through its body. To its surprise, there was a human-like figure peeking from between the waves. It may as well have been a mirage resulting from blood loss and pain, but it was the only thing a helpless being can hold on to in that moment of desperation. The polar bear yelped piteously, its voice beseeching, its dark eyes pleading. It tossed two of the badgers aside with renewed determination. At the same time, it felt another surge of pain from its side as it received yet another brutal bite from the cete. The bear let out a feeble cry, throwing another miserable look at the sea. It was at the end of its tether. The polar bear cannot do anything now but beg for help from the gods, from Morwen their Queen and goddess, and Oriana their bear-mother.

[Una Tanta]

The day had been drab when Una had awoken that morning. She had spent so long above water that she longed for the vast expanse of the ocean and had set her fins toward shore and her breast toward the crests. So much had happened in one season she mused. She had gathered the FrostHawk for Lavira and had been planning to return to the warmer water of Thunder Bay. But what purpose would she have there? Never before had purpose so heavily weighed on her conscience and as she wiggled through the water her mind wandered. Soon she found herself out of sight of the land and putting the heavy thoughts away flung herself towards the sky, flipping through the air and giggling she jubilantly cried out to the resounding waters. Feeding from the depths she nibbled on the tips of salty seaweed, the white glow of her skin turning pink with the delight of it as she laid on her back stretching her fingers out and wiggling them until ripples stretched out from her body. She knew so far afield she was being reckless. The sea was as untamed and dangerous as the wilds of the land she had tread so carefully this past season. Here, however, she felt so at home she couldn't bring herself to peek and peer as if danger lurked. A scream broke her from that reverie. She had swum nearer to the frozen shores than she had guessed and heaving like a great creature from the deepest depths was a pod of black beasts.Una peered closer and made out the panting polar bear beneath. The pool of black badgers looked like a might claw had dug out the earth. They were vicious creatures called Stonebacks. Una had read about them in the Avanthal Library. Many poems and tales had been woven in recent literature about them and their ferocious temper. Just as many poems wrote of pity and sympathy for the creatures who must be being driven mad by the ice born on their backs. The crash of the waves echoed in Unas ears as she heard the deafening screams of the bear beneath them. More than anything in Avanthal Una loved the bears. More than the bird of Wind Reach, or the books in the library she loved the great beasts that protected the empire. They were as graceful on land as the sea and in the wild a greatly feared predator of the Charoda. Fighting back the massive fangs and claws only forced the badgers to move nimbly aside, making way for attacks from other badgers at different angles. Surely, the bear was more powerful than they. But as any Avanthal would assure you, strength in numbers is the greatest strength of all. Kicking against its assailant it wiggled like a fish on land toward Una who couldn't help but grin. If it could just make it to the water she knew it would be safe. Leaping on its back and burying its fangs in the back of the bears neck while another grabbed a hind leg the Stonebacks held their prey back from the water. Una swallowed. She had to do something... Its dark eyes locked on hers. They were as endless as Cys and as deep and black as the depths of the ocean. Her breath caught. Her pink pupiless eyes gazed back. Each feeble cry made her start toward him only to halt lingering in the safe depths of the water. At a loss Una watched as the beasts began to tear the creature apart. There was nothing she could do. She had no clothes, no weapons. Fighting back a cry of frustration Una dove beneath the waves unable to watch. The calmness of the water quieted her mind and time slowed as she strained for a solution. They would not be so easily distracted from prey so nearly caught if she went down the shore and hollered at them, nor could she foolishly dive in amongst them to help the bear. She needed to think faster. She could find a fish and kill it, already dead prey may distract them? The idea of having to kill made Una nauseous and she didn't have enough time for such a plan, especially when it wasn't full proof. Unable to think of a reasonable idea Una swan closer to the beach grabbing ice chunks along the way. Peering up out of the water Una hurled the hard icy chunks at the creatures vehemently. Yipping and screeching at them wordlessly she watched the badgers flinch when her ill-aimed rocks managed to hit their sensitive snouts or eyes. As she ran recklessly towards them flinging rocks, extremely conscientious of how long it would take her to get back to the water she hoped desperately that it would be enough to distract them. If it wasn't, She wasn't sure what else she could do besides fling herself back in the water for safety and leave the polar bear to its face. But if she did that...could she ever forgive herself? could she ever forgive the Stonebacks?

[Noblesse]

Upon taking the brunt of Una’s frenzied ice barrage, the Stonebacks writhed, a mass of black, white and icestone undulating violently in a cacophony of shrieks. The chunks of ice Una had so fervently thrown had knocked against them, some were hit on their sensitive snouts, most on the mineral growth protruding from their backs. It wasn’t supposed to be, but the badgers seemed to be heavily impaired from having had their protective armor of ice hit by ice as well. The cete which had previously been mauling the lone bear had turned to one another in a bizarre show of clawing at the others’ backs. It was an unreliable chance of escape since the badgers could resume their attacks as soon as it saw the slightest of movements from its prey. For the Polar Bear, it was a chance nonetheless. It let out a low, rumbling growl through ragged breaths. Lifting its heavy limbs, it pushed itself forward and limped towards its strange savior. A trail of dark red was left in its wake. That was the first time it had seen a creature such as Una. She was both beautiful and exotic. Most importantly though, she risked her life just to create a diversion for her, and for this the bear was most grateful. In an attempt to show her gratitude by way of a smile, the bear pulled the corner of its lips back and bared its bloody fang. And with a gesture that very much resembled a nod, it walked beside the Charoda towards the raging black sea. The bear dove right in, wincing as the freezing waters came into contact with the more severe of its wounds. Ignoring the surge of pain through its system, the Polar bear turned its head to make sure Una was still with her, and proceeded to propel one of its arms (for the other was already seriously injured) to push it forward against the water. The thick layer of blubber helped in keeping it stay afloat, but swimming with just one hand proved to be a momentous effort for the young bear. It does not matter though. The bear will do its best to return to Avanthal, no matter how long it takes to do this. On the other hand, the Stoneback badgers had finally snapped out of their mad episode and realized soon enough that their prey had already gotten away. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of their violent tempers. The beasts had scattered, each one had their twitching noses against the frosty ground in search of their target’s scent. It did not take long for them to catch the scent of blood leading towards the sea. Plenty had jumped into the waves after the fleeing pair, while others seemed to hesitate following the more reckless of the cete, pacing along the frozen shores and choosing to give chase on land. Stoneback badgers are, surprisingly, strong swimmers in their own right. While the icestone growth on their backs heavily weigh them down, their strong leg muscles help them more than make up for it. It was now a race between the Polar bear and Una, and the vicious Stonebacks of the Northern Reaches.

[Una Tanta]

Una sighed with relief as the bear took advantage of the distraction. The barrage has surprisingly made them turn on each other, raking their claws down each others backs. The mauling horde emitted the same pained sound the polar bear had earlier giving Una pause. Having spent her time near the polar bears of Avanthal Una had assumed the bear friendly but when it turned it's massive bloody form towards her bearing its teeth she felt adrenaline scream through her body like hot tea down her throat. A gentle nod and the lack of thrashing claws eased the fear but her hesitation was dangerous as the Stonebacks turned back toward them. The crests of water burst against their two faces spraying salt in their nose and down their throats. Slithering behind the bear Una kept her eyes fixated on the shore and the swarming seething sea of creatures that followed them in the water. They could swim?! Unas white skin was smeared with the polar bears blood and no doubt they would now follow her to if she was to try and make an escape without the colossal beast. Surely Avanthal didn't know about these creatures?! The djed storm had changed many creatures of the sea, Una had witnessed the changes and the increased ferociousness of nearby predators who suddenly killed to kill and not to eat, but these creatures crusted with ice, eyes wild with greed had turned on the greatest hunter in Northern Taldera. Bracing her shoulder against the bear Una swam hard her legs aching with the effort. Built with a long torso she was more adapt at weaving between the coral of Thunder Bay than the speed and strength swimming required in the open northern waters. Turning to brace her back against the bear she pushed harder her eyes fixated on the creatures drawing nearer. They weren't deep enough yet, the shelf of ice beneath them still shallow enough for the creatures to continue. They could only escape if they swam underwater. Releasing the creature Una slipped underneath her weaving between the propelling legs until she was a couple meters ahead. "Hurry!" She screamed at the bear. The ice was thinner here, those great talons might be able to carve out a hole for them to disappear through. "Dig here! Quick!" As she lumbered out to Una, Una swam behind the bear, kicking up her feet she splashed vehemently at the badgers. They might be able to swim but could they deal with the frosty salty water pelting their lungs and eyes? Una glanced for a moment over her shoulder to see if the bear had broken through the ice yet. The bears of Avanthal were part of what had lured her to the city, besides Cy they were what she loved most about the history of Avanthal. The great eagles of Wind Reach were infamous and well regarded across the entirety of Mizahar but the great beautiful lumbering bears were disregarded outside of Avanthal. Only in the frozen city were they honoured as they should be.

[Catastrophe]

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Una Tanta :

Skills

• Planning: 1 XP
• Observation: 2 XP
• Weapon: Ice Chunk: 1 XP
• Leadership: 1 XP

Lores

• Coming to a Polar Bear's Rescue
• Stoneback Badgers: Vicious Creatures

Loot

• N/A

Notes :

Sorry this didn't turn out fully. It looked like a really terrific plot was unfolding. I gave what I could, though, so I hope you enjoy your grade.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me through a private message!

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