hadriel_logs | Event Log: The Stampede

Entry tags:

Event Log: The Stampede

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for Stampede event
Where: All over the city
When: December 26th-December 28th
Warnings: None

There's a rumbling sound in the air early in the afternoon on December 26th. Whether you're new in town or you've seen it all, something like this hasn't happened before. Is it an earthquake? It feels kind of like a small one, and that might be endurable if not for the sudden snarling and gnashing of teeth!

As it turns out, these yet-unnamed apex predators are overrunning the city, ignoring their previous apprehension to barrel right through anything- or anyone- that stands in their way. Seemingly spooked by something, they are aggressive and violent and won't hesitate to tear anyone they meet to pieces... after trampling them underfoot, of course. They're so large and muscular that they may even take a few portions of buildings with them- how would you like to see one of these monsters crashing through your living room?

At least it's only these weird mammoths, though... right?

► This log covers December 26th-December 28th.
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[ Unfortunately on both ends, that he won't push it. He's just hoping she can handle herself as well as she's proven to before, despite the emotional state. It makes him a better fighter, sometimes, after all. ]

Right, like a cattle prod. Okay... we should set up like I have been, on a wide intersection they can be diverted in another direction. Nobody's organizing enough to chase them out of the city properly, they seem to just be freaking out and running around but we can keep them from the important areas -- they took out huge chunks of the shops banging into walls and we need housing intact.

[ It's a logical explanation that she probably could've come to on her own, but he's slightly in leader mode now even with Kyna. And needs to fill the silence with something, for both their sakes.

The ground beneath their feet is starting to rumble. ]

--I think they're coming back around.

[She doesn't mind the leader thing, actually. She's certainly never been the leader at Counterspell, so it's an easy back and forth to fall into. Besides, Wash is far better at strategy than she is.]

Okay. I'll stick behind you?

Yeah. Behind and off to either side, not directly behind me. You need to be able to see in case we have to dodge.

[ He can hear the stampede now, the rapid stomping of mammoth feet coming their way, and turns to face it. ]

Aim for their sides, not head on, we want them to get spooked and turn, not totally freak out and plow past us.

[ Again, it's obvious to him, but might not be to others. He pulls his magnum, as it's the louder gun. It's a good thing he's been stockpiling ammo for the past year.

Then the time for talking is over, and three mammoths come careening around the corner. Oh boy. ]

[This isn't a walk in the park, but Kyna has dealt with far bigger and hungrier things than this, so it could certainly be worse. She positions herself where Wash suggests, waits until the monsters are in the right place, and then sends another bolt of lightning crackling towards them. It isn't full strength, because that's a very fast way to tire herself out, but it's enough to spook them into turning away.

Most of them, anyway. One of them splits off from the group in the opposite direction, putting it on a collision course with them both. Before Kyna can consider the intelligence of her instincts, she's stepping forward, yanking Wash backwards and putting herself right in the line of fire.]

Look out!

[ Wash holds his fire to see if the lightning will work, since actually getting hurt will likely enrage them and he wants to be ready to take the shot if they charge. Which one does. That's fine, he stands his ground and takes careful aim, ready to call out the command to move once he fires -- but before any of that careful plan can happen, Kyna is grabbing him and putting herself in the animal's path instead.

That was the actual opposite of the plan, Kyna, and he's lost his shot. Doesn't really have time to take one now, because he has to make sure she gets out of the way. Is she planning to use a shield? Another lightning bolt? This one was too spooked by the first one, it's a bad idea. God fucking damnit, Kyna. ]

What are you doing? Kyna, move!

[The great thing about this master plan is that Kyna doesn't have much of a plan at all. At the last second, she tries to zap the thing, and it just barely works. The mammoth veers, but not before clipping Kyna's shoulder with its teeth. She's thrown backward, and in an aborted attempt to catch herself before falling, she lands on her arm in a way that instantly feels wrong. Pain lances up to her shoulder, and she cries out.]

[ Wash hates improvising. Hates not having a contingency plan, not knowing what's happening, and so he grabs for Kyna when it's clear she's not using her shield but he flinches away from the lightning. Something he won't forgive himself for easily, just like he won't for not grabbing her when she yanked him back and took point.

He can only watch as she gets clipped, is flung past him and lands badly, arm snapping under her weight. The mammoth runs after its buddies, sure, so technically that worked, but she's hurt. Bleeding heavily from the creature's teeth as well as however many places she just broke her arm in. Wash curses a blue streak and rushes to her side, kneeling beside her. ]

What the fuck were you thinking?! I said zap from behind me and dodge if we got charged! Fuck, I don't have--

[ His armor's been out of biofoam for ages, in his armor he doesn't have anything he could take off to staunch the bleeding, fuck fuck fu-- wait. He's never actually tried to heal before but there's no time to learn like a crisis situation. Sink or swim. ]

Hold still. Shit.

[ Despite how harsh his words are, his hands are firm but gentle as he lifts her weight off the busted arm and holds her. It's not comfortable with him encased in metal, but he focuses hard on the bleeding, on making it stop. He'll set her arm and get her to the clinic after she's not gushing blood. ]

[Kyna doesn't do contingency plans at the best of times, and that's why in any other situation, she would have followed Wash's lead. Right now, she's still reeling from Harlan's death, as much as she's trying not to think about it. In the back of her mind is the fear that Hope might never come back and Harlan might never be revived. In what little thinking she did before jumping in front of Wash, all she cared about was making sure nothing happened to him, regardless of the consequences for herself.

She knows she screwed up. She fights the urge to flinch when he lifts her and fails, and she's about to start apologizing when she feels the telltale seep of magic into her wound. Oh. It's working, enough to dull the pain and stop the bleeding.]

Holy shit.

[ The absolute bear minimum is all he can manage: stop bleeding. There are still ragged tears in her shoulder someone else will have to handle, but they won't have to worry about blood loss at least. Wash goes very still when he realizes it did something, even if nothing's closed up. That's... that's more than he thought he could manage, honestly, and just stares in shock from behind his visor. ]

...did that actually work?

Wash, that was amazing.

[Amazing enough for her to forget about her screw up for a moment, pride plain in her voice.]

[ He's still too shocked to process it, and she's not fixed just. Not in danger from that particular thing anymore. The mammoths could come back, or more could show up, so-- ]

I don't even know how I-- [ No they don't have time for this shit. ] I'll be impressed later, we need to get out of here. Let me set your arm now so we can move faster.

[ It sounds like he's asking permission but really he's just warning her that he's going to do it. This isn't super up for debate. ]

Wait, what? You can't just set it now. How do you even know it's broken?

[It's totally broken, but she's wiggling away.]

Kyna, do not argue with me right now. It's bent, I need to reduce the fracture or every step is going to be agony. Calling a medic out into the open is stupid.

[ Running out in front of him was stupid, but he thinks he understands so he's not going there right now. Maybe later, when she's patched up by someone who actually knows what the hell they're doing. ]

It'll hurt a lot less and I know what I'm doing, I promise.

[Of course he knows what he's doing, and she trusts him, but that won't make it hurt any less. It's rare that he gets this no nonsense with her, and she can't blame him, but... still. Kyna bites her lip, silent for a second.]

Okay. Okay. God, this is going to suck.

[ Yes it is. He grips her arm carefully, tilting his helmeted head towards her good side. ]

Bite down on your jacket cuff or something.

[ Once she's done that, eyes distressed and scared, he looks back down at the task at hand. It's been a long time since he actually had to do this -- armor handles this shit, keeps all the broken bits stable -- but she's trusting him. And he remembers. ]

On three. One. Two...

[ Yeah he does it on two. The motion isn't as smooth as he would've liked but it only takes one pull and the baseline pain does improve from where it was at before, after the wave passes. ]

...three. Done.

[ Which means he can gather her into his arms and stand up to take her to the clinic to somebody more closely resembling a professional. ]

[She lets out a ragged, choked sound when he sets the bone, muffled from the leather sleeve in her mouth. It hurts just as much as she expected, and for a moment, she can't make herself do anything but stay completely rigid, breathing quick and shallow.]

Ow. Fuck.

[He doesn't actually have to carry her—her legs are fine. She's not going to argue, though, as uncomfortable as his armor is. Kyna swallows, but her voice still comes out sounding strained.]

I should have known you were going to do that.

Yeah you should've. But it worked, just breathe through it, it'll be better now.

[ Maybe he's carrying her because he can't predict what else she might do right now, if they run into something else. If he's carrying her, he can just book it. Wash sets a quick pace, keeping his senses open for another group from the stampede but also trying for the quickest path possible to the clinic.

It's only when they're nearly there that he speaks again, voice finally a little softer. ]

...you're gonna be okay.

[ Does he mean the arm? Hm. ]

[Kyna stays silent, just cradles her arm close to her chest to try to keep it from being jostled too much. She knows he's upset. He rarely gets this snippy with her, and worse, she knows she deserves it. It's only when they get closer to the clinic that she finally responds.]

I'm sorry. I know that was stupid, I just...

I get it. [ Said quickly, so she doesn't have to explain that it's tied to Harlan. Not here, not now. ] You don't have to play hero, though, okay? You're already mine.

[ He sets her down just outside the clinic so he can open the door for her, hold it and usher her inside. Hopefully they're not too busy. ]

Hey! We need some help!

[Lance is lurking in one of the back rooms, refamiliarizing himself with some of the supplies, when he hears Washington. It takes only a moment to place his voice, and so he's expecting to see him when he steps out into the main room but seeing Kyna is a surprise.]

Kyna? What happened?

[Sorry Wash, he's not meaning to ignore you, but he's totally focusing on Kyna right now as he gestures to a nearby chair.]

Here, sit down.

[Kyna is stunned into silence by Wash's comment, and then Lance comes out, and her expression shifts into that of someone who knows they're going to get yelled at. She sits, not quite meeting Lance's eyes.]

I, uh... Screwed up.

[ Wash pulls off his helmet now that he doesn't need his hands free, sitting carefully beside her and placing a hand gently between her shoulderblades. ]

She panicked and tried to protect me instead of sticking to the plan. I stopped the bleeding somehow but we need a real healer.

[ Is that Lance...? ]

[Lance will reserve any lecturing until after the problem is taken care of, kneeling to take a look at her shoulder without standing over her.]

Okay, um, bleeding being stopped is a good thing. I might be able to help with some of the rest of it with the healing spell I know, hopefully enough that you wouldn't need stitches or anything, but I can also find someone else if you want.

[Since Lance is not exactly a master healer, just someone meant to prevent anyone from dying while the better healers are unavailable.]

[Kyna doesn't look pleased by the use of the word "panicked", but all she does is wrinkle her nose.]

I don't want to deal with anyone else right now.

[ Wash catches that, but she's not pulling away from him so. His brow furrows a little between Lance's 'might' and Kyna's reluctance to deal with anyone else, because if they're all operating on the same healing spell... hmm. ]

It's not just the bite, her arm's broken. I only set it so we could run, do you think the spell could cover that too?

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