Coralian merely continues to scan their surroundings in every direction, bow string taut.  She hopes Dr. Lewis will take the hint.

Rebekah, through the brush you can see a thin, pretty woman with dark hair bending over your fallen hadro, who has been slashed badly on the flank.  Standing over her is a tall, competent-lookin woman dressed in scuffed leathers, with an arrow on a string.  An ankylo with a saddle and saddlebags, and a large struthiomimus, also saddled, idle next to them.  Behind them is a tough-looking man, also in well-worth leathers, with a softly growling 'raptor at his side.

At that moment, rustling from ahead resolves into a large pack of raptors in diamond formation that come rushing down the path!

OOC: No one is surprised, you have one action before the raptors are upon you.

As the predatory pack emerges in formation, Coralian's hand instinctively leaves the bow string and begins a powerful throwing motion.  With concentration straining her features, a metallic object constructs itself in her hand as she moves.  She releases the cypher at just the right moment, hurling it forward and connecting with the lead raptor.  The unwitting carnivore stops moving instantly, held in stasis.

"Leave that one alone.  It won't bother us."

Rebekah studies the people curiously, her gaze lingering longest on the dark-haired woman, trying to ascertain their motives. Then she hears a familiar sound of mixed snarling, chirping hisses, and the rapid-fire beat of clawed feet on the jungle floor. She knows it all too well.

Dromaeosaurids. "Raptors," colloquially, to the masses. Perhaps the most dangerous predators of the age. They don't have much time. The hadrosaur might be doomed.

Not to mention those people.

Bek moves quick, darting into the clearing with her hands held high. She has to bank on them being decent folk, or at least waiting to be the indecent kind until after danger has passed.

"Blue, take up a guarding position! Hemon, let's make as much noise as we can. A hunting pack expects wounded prey; a variety of noisy and dangerous creatures should hopefully make them rethink."

Following Rebekah, Hemon jumps from his cover hands up. After a brief wave of the right hand and an awkward "Hi!", he nods the head and, more than happy to not rely on lethal force (that would be a waste of life), he starts to gesture like crazy and make as much noise as he can. In the middle of all his weird acting, he tries to contact Tap, ordering him to fly down to afraid the Raptors.

Roam whips around and snaps a shot from his laser.  The air sizzles as the beam passes over Coralian and Kerensa.
Unfortunately trying not to hit the two ladies and the new noises being made by the newest entries means his aim was higher than he liked.  The Raptors unfortunately are able to duck under the beam.

The small Rex and Pteradon entering the fray also catch his attention.  "Alright T, gotta protect the ladies".

Coralian's hit is square, and the lead raptor freezes in place, as if suddenly made into a lifelike statue.



From out of the brush come four newcomers, a young woman with her long dark hair caught back in a tail, wearing utilitarian clothes, accompanied by a small T-Rex with bright blue eyes that takes up a guard position.  However, despite Rebekah's command for Blue to guard, Blue instead goes to check out Foozle and injured hadro, snuffling them all over.




Also coming out of the brush is a slightly older man with a lithe build and bright orange hair, aviator's goggles upon his head.  He sends up a racket worthy of a three-man band, while calling out another command to a truly impressively large tapejara circling above the trail.  The tapejara, however, seems to be paying attention to a lovely set of billowing seed pods of some sort that are drifting above the trees, and is distracted from the chaos below.




Roam's hit does indeed go high, and in the confusion, Tarla doesn't hear his command.  She instead starts to snarl at the newly-arrived tyranosaur, hissing and posturing at this interloper.


Kerensa practically throws herself over the hadro to protect her charge from worse damage as Tarla snarls at Blue.  Her eyes are wide as saucers at the sudden influx of people and strange and possibly hostile dinosaurs.  She shouts, "Foozle, help me out!"

Foozle jumps forward to his friend's aid... and promptly trips over his own feet to land in an ungainly pile of legs.  Kerensa merely sighs a bit despite the stress.

The remaining raptors scream and run forwards towards the noisy group, and now everyone can see the glint of metallic cybernetics between the raptors's feathers, tiny diodes of light blinking.  Two each swipe at Blue, slicing her, while two more claw at the downed Foozle, who barely manages to writhe aside in time.


Another pack of four raptors runs in from the opposite direction of the Rebekah and Hemon, this time slicing at Ajax, as he is by far the biggest target.  The big ankylo takes a small slice across his flank, but his armor deflects most of the damage.

Coralian lashes back against the flanking attack. "AJAX!"

Another throwing motion follows.  This time, it almost looks like a net erupting from her hand.  It enlarges very quickly in the short distance it travels.  Soon there is a massive wall of electricity between the western raptors and the wounded ankylo, "erecting" itself right around the predators' noses.

"Get ready to defend again, buddy.  That won't hold them for long."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:14, Wed 05 Feb 2020.

As the raptors turns their attention toward Blue, Hemon's reaction is instantaneous. Letting Tap does whatever he wants to do - he takes a mental note that he needs to improve his companion's obedience, the man draws his bow from his back and with a swift move and a great cost to him, he fires an arrow at one of the attacker.

15:31, Today: Hemon Kah rolled 1 using 1d20.  Shot an arrow.

As Coralian's web of electricity flashes into place, the western raptor run into it, scorching their noses and making them hiss in pain.  Ajax lumbers over a few steps and takes a defensive stance, lowering himself slightly and waving his tail in warning.

Rebekah and Blue realize that the 'raptors are likely being commanded, and Blue jumps to action as Rebekah gives her firm commands, tearing into one of the 'raptors as it tries to get past.  Rebekah holds out her hands, a pair of small metallic nodules appearing in them as a cypher comes to physical form, but misses trying to hit a raptor with one.

Hemon unfortunately fumbles his arrow in his haste.  Tap, on the other hand, finally seems to notice that Hemon is in possible trouble.  With a cheerful screech, he dives, pecking one of the raptors on the top of the head!

Roam fires off another shot from his laser, just missing the raptors, while Tarla snarls at the newcomers, lashing her tail back and forth in her ire.

Kerensa grabs her bow and tries to fire from her kneeling position on the ground, but has no more luck than Hemon.  However, Foozle manages to get his legs coordinated and goes to peck at the one that Tap had just hit, dropping one of the raptors!

The northern raptors swipe at Ajax and cannot get through the now-wary ankylo's defenses, while another swipes at Foozle.  He eels out of the way with all the grace of a falling log, but still too fast for the raptors to hit.  The last swipes at Tap, missing him by a hair!

The western raptors dash around the wall, diodes on their implants flashing red-blue-red-blue in rapid succession as they screech at you.

Coralian fires an arrow at the now-scorched raptors.

As he was unable to get a good shot, Hemon changes his mind and strategy. He calls Tap down with a single, quick whistle and prepares to mount it when he is close enough.

Coralion's arrow flies wide, but Ajax continues his sturdy stance, tail waving ominously at the raptors.

Blue continues to worry the raptor she had caught, killing it and flinging its body into the others' with a shake of her head.  As the raptors flinch, Rebekah manages to slap a nodule onto one of their implants. 

Tap dives to the ground and Hemon mounts in a single swift motion, wary of the other raptors circling around.

Roam's next shot from his laser goes awry, burning into the undergrowth, while Tarla screams a challenge to the raptors who'd had their noses scorched by Coralion's electric wall.

The raptors circle, one half going after Tarla, who screams defiance as she is surrounded, one half of the pack striking at her mercilessly! 

The remainder of the pack try to go after Blue, slashing at her flanks! 

Kerensa fires off an arrow on her knees, wounding one going after Tarla, and Foozle leaps to her aid with enthusiasm, finishing off one of the raptors!

Coralian wasted no time and let fly another arrow, this time aiming at one of the scorched raptors that turned on Tarla.  The arrow flies true and a quirk of a smile just touches the Pteryx's lips as she surveys the battlefield.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:29, Fri 14 Feb 2020.

As soon as he is on Tap's back, Hemon gives him a small tap on the flank with one of his foot to tell him to fly away. "Fly close to the ground my friend. You need to look tasty to those Raptors. But not too close as I don't want you to be hurt."

While the Tapejara starts to fly, Hemon produces a guttural call that attracts the attention of a part of the attacking Raptors with the idea to lure them away from the group for some time. "I will send them away for a moment." he cries to the others. "Good luck in dealing with the remaining ones. I won't be long."

"TARLA GET THEM!" The roar of blood in his ears was overpowering at seeing her bleed.  Without thinking he raised his carbine and shot.  The beam hit instantly turning feathers and flesh into a scorched mess.
Tarla swung head low and snarled.  Red blood dripped off her black features.  Tarla saw the beam hit and tried to bring that beast down. Ripping at it with claws and talons, it seemed not much came loose but feathers.

Coralian takes out one of the westward raptors as Ajax grumbles and growls, keeping himself as a bulwark between his friend and harm.

Rebekah directs Blue at the raptor she hasn't tagged with her cypher, and Blue bites at it savagely, the raptor's body dropping into the dirt, dead.  The last northern raptor now has a small receiver module, the mate to the control interface in Rebekah's hand.  Suddenly that raptor becomes docile, crouching in front of the group as if awaiting something.



Hemon manages to get the attention of the three westward raptors easily, but while Tap does fly, it's a bit lower than Hemon might have wanted as Tap tries to get a better look at the running raptors below.



Roam's blast with his laser eliminates one raptor entirely.  Tarla snarled challenge at one of the remaining two, ripping out some of his crest feathers but not much else. The de-feathered one snaps at her, but misses her by a feather.  The other, taunted by Hemon and Tap's tantalizingly close presence, claws at Tap's dangling leg, making her bleed. 

Kerensa bends her bow to the one fighting Tap and gets off a solid shot, the arrow burying itself in the raptor's flank.  Foozle surges forward and pecks it hard, finishing it off!

OOC: One hostile westward raptor near Tarla.  One quiescent raptor now being controlled by Rebekah. All others dead.

Coralian fires another arrow at the remaining hostile raptor.

Tarla instantly pounces as the arrow sinks into her prey.  Her teeth snap shut on the flesh of the aggressor and rip.  Blood and viscera hanging from her razor sharp teeth as she pulls away.  Her eyes fixed on her opponent, Tarla is ready should the doomed beast continue its attack before falling dead.

Roams eye is fixed down the sight of his carbine.  As Tarla's teeth sink into her opponent, he swivels and shoots the motionless raptor.  The blast takes it full in the chest with the flash of light.

While Coralian's arrow goes wide, neither Tarla's teeth or Roam's laser blast do, and the last hostile raptor is finally killed.  One last raptor stands like a statue next to Rebekah, blinking occasionally and breathing, but otherwise just waiting.  Rebekah holds a small mechanical nodule in her hand and looks at the others triumphantly.

"I have control of its implant!  I have some basic commands I can give it, to go home, to flee, to attack another, and to track.  This should last a couple of hours before it shorts out," she says with amusement.

Kerensa Lewis looks up from her position on her knees next to the wounded hadro, and gives a shaky sigh of relief.  "That was... a lot more exciting than I thought it would be."  Foozle thrusts his nose under her hand for scratches, and she scritches the 'mimus before bending back down over the hadro to finish dressing its wounds.  "She'll be okay!  I just need to seal the wound against infection and tearing, and she should be feeling much better.  Why did those raptors attack her?  She seems like a normal healthy specimen, but nothing indicating designer genes."

Roam checked over the fallen raptors, ensuring none would get up again.  Afterwards he slung his carbine and nodded at the newcomers as he walked to Tarla and ran his fingers over her.  He found her tender spots and started rifling through his kit for antiseptic.
"Ms. Lewis, most predators are quite happy as scavengers.  If they smelled the blood of the Hadro in the air, well it would be like a giant neon sign saying 'Free Food'.  They don't have to risk injury for a few bites.  I am surprised they didn't run after we put up a fight, but they most likely thought the numbers advantage would win out."
Roam watched Coralian as she checked her anklo.
"How is he?  Is he hurt at all?  We shouldn't stick around long.  The smell of blood is going to bring more animals quickly."

Rebekah shakes her head.  "We were guiding a herd and one of our hadros was separated and attacked. And these raptors have implants! Someone is directing them. This was no scavenging; this was something more direct," she says, looking around warily.

All the Raptors being now down or under control, Hemon directs Tap to join the group and to rest on the ground for a while after his injury. He then quickly moves toware Rebekah and Blue to inquires about their state. "Are you okay Reb? I tried to make some of them ran away but they were too many of them. Did you get hurt?"

Then, remembering they weren't alone, he turned toward the others. "Thanks for your help. As my friend said, we are in charge of these two Hadro. They fled from the rest of the herd and we need to regroup them now." Figuring he had not introduced himself yet, he stretches his hand toward the closest of the strangers and starts speaking. "I'm Hemon, by the way. And this is Tap and this Nerezza doesn't have a name yet." he adds while pointing at his Tapejara

Coralian looks over Ajax first before dealing with the humans.  "He got slashed a bit.  Nothing major, but Doctor, if you could see to him when you're done with the hadro, I'd appreciate it."  She moves to Ajax's massive head.  "Good job, buddy.  Thanks for hanging in there."

Coralian turns her attention to the two humans who came from the east, open and smiling.  "I'm Coralian, and this is Ajax.  That's Dr. Lewis tending to the mother.  We and Roam," she nods toward the hunter tending the raptor, "were heading north to help Dr. Lewis do some research.  Pure chance we came across you, although the controllers might suggest otherwise.  Might be worth a second look, at that."

She goes about collecting her arrows, those that are salvageable, and cutting the cybernetics out of a few of the raptors.

"You two don't happen to know of a time anomaly nearby, do you?"

Roam nods to the others as Coralian introduces him.
With so many injured, maybe we should stick together for a day or two before continuing north Dr.  It would give the injured a chance to recuperate a bit and strength in numbers.  Tarla and I can always see if we can track where the raptors came from.  See if we can get an idea of who’s controlling them.

Roam looks from Coralian to the doc gauging their responses.