{WSE} If you could throw me a line

Something was brewing in Koma's head, watching as Scout hurriedly tried to apply as much pressure as she could on Temper's wounds; the frantic panting and worried babbling roaring over her bond's laboured breathing after taking such an immense hit from the beast that stalked outside. One ear pricked and ready, aimed at the entrance to their sheltered spot amidst all this chaos in the ever growing chance that things were to worsen. Sure, the faint song of weapon and will carried on the wind from the rest of the expedition's many participating finley, but what if it were to be that those bravely fighting were to falter and fumble? To succumb to the Siren's charms and deceptions, giving it the prime opportunity to sneak into this very secluded cavern whilst the pair of them were trying their best to recover from the shock of the past few hours; creeping up on Scout whilst at her utmost lowest to wrap those horrid jaws and rows of teeth around her a second time-

They frantically shook his head, ruffling their pale fur before shivering. He can't think about that, not one bit, the girls wouldn't want them to after all; to give in to the Siren's swan-song of fear and regret was just about as bad as losing your life out there in the first place. He mustn't give up, for Scout and Tempers sake if not their own. Turning tail to that foreboding entrance yet again, paying an ear's mind to the quiet whimpering from the older nyulop he had started this journey with. Scout wasn't taking Temper's injury well at all, even less so that it all happened in an attempt to protect her; she just couldn't comprehend that her very own bond decided it was worth the risk to tackle their pale, serpentine, assailant with teeth born for bugs bared for war. It wasn't easy for them to listen to, even more so that Koma wasn't too sure of how to comfort her like this. The threat was still outside, ever present, the pulsing glow of blue in the midst of the storm only worsening his fears...

"...I'm gonna go out."
"Wh- What?"

Koma swallowed their nerves and repeated.
"I'm going to go out."
"Why? Koma can't you just- Y-Y'know, stay here?"
He simply shook his head, solemnly.
"What if it can smell your blood, what if it can smell Temper's blood." 

Turning their eyes back to her as she stared, Scout's sparky blue irises dulled with dread.
"Someone has to check its not biding its time, that's all."
She didn't look convinced, but that wasn't important right now; was it?
"You keep an eye on Temper, I'll be fine." 

This hurt, fuck this hurt. But like he said, someone has to check its distracted; if anything just to find one of the more medically capable islanders who were lingering around this mountain range. Just slip outside unnoticed and promise your safety till she could argue no more, soft yet aching paws stepping gently into the snow as the pale, sickly, light of the storm ahead lit their way. Seeing the odd flash of ghostly blue light, the whisps of smokey mist spilling over the battlefield as more vaguely coloured silohuettes charged into the fray; some were folk he knew, dare I say grew up alongside back in the West Isle Village, others barely even familiar bar the fleeting sensation of someone they may have met during the days the West communes with the East. Regardless, it felt like the youths of the whole island had come together in tandem to try and slay whatever beast Teles had warned them of, if Teles was even giving them warning.

Honestly, the further he slunk around the sides of the battlefield the less convinced they were that Teles was even with them anymore, surely if she was so worried about this horrid creature then she'd be fighting alongside us? Why would you lead a bunch of people you barely know that well up a mountain, promising tale of a beast primed to swallow the villages whole, only to dissapear at the sight of it? He just couldn't wrap their head around it, staring deep into the flurry of snowfall and skirmish as if that'd provide any well thought answers to such a question. 

None of this made sense.
The monster, Teles' dissapearance, all of it.

Barely holding back a retch as the metallic tang of freshly spilt blood hit his nostrils, certainly wasn't going to be a scent they were to enjoy in future, bow feebly grasped in the palm of their now scarred-over arm. He knew taking that weapon out wasn't the smartest idea considering the injuries, but they couldn't just go out unarmed right? What if the Siren took interest, what if his flying arrow was the very thing lying between life and death for another poor warrior on this mountain? Koma's mind was racing with posibilities of threats and follies, ears twitching feverishly at every noise that carried on the bone-chilling winds; spirits why did he think this was a good idea?? To abandon Scout in that sheltered nook to care for her bond alone, all to try and see if things had calmed down enough to get more help? What a great friend they were huh, reaaaaaaaaaaal smart.

Pale fur just barely blending into the snow... if not for the blue cloak that hugged his frame.
The sort of garb that'd catch unwanted attention, only their fear-heightened senses helping spare him from the sudden lunge from the shadow that loomed behind their shoulder. 

Stumbling into a dodge to turn to the assailant, only to freeze in horror.

The Siren.

Coughing up a mouthful of snow and dirt with a hissing-snarl, having missed its newly chosen target much to its dismay. 
The very same frightened Nyulop from earlier, staggering backwards with feet that felt like stone in some attempt at forcing distance between them; he had no other choice after all. It was stand there staring it down with the risk of death, or sparing their own life by disengaging even just a little bit. Fumbling for his arrows as they raised his bow, wincing at the pain that shot down their nerves as he strained to ignore it. The focus, their focus, was to get this beastly grey prick to back the fuck off.

Nothing simpler than that, right?
Drawing back a quiverring arrow as it prepared another dastardly strike, calming his nerves to the best of their abilities before letting it fly as the siren lunged yet again. Huh, seems this time his legs knew how to move in time with its attacks? This wasn't something Koma was used to at all, normally they'd just bugger it and fall face first; but this? He'd nimbly missed yet another of its attempts to dig its teeth into their tense flesh almost as if it was simple instinct, it almost filled him with a sense of hope even. Maybe if they could use this newfound footwork to his advantage... maybe there'd be a chance they'd get out of its crosshairs alive? 

Scout would want him to take that chance, Koma knows she would.
She's been trying so hard to bring up their confidence since the very day they'd met.

...She'd love to watch him like this, wouldn't she?
Sprinting with adrenaline roaring in their eardrums and bow raised to fire with every leaping bound.

Turning what to him was battle into what felt like almost some fearless dance to the finley who watched on, half in dread and half in shock and awe. The actual fuck was this lucky nyulop thinking??? Letting loose arrow after arrow without even a care for if they hit so long as their next step wasn't his last, barely even acknowledging the gnawing ache from keeping up such a charade with an already ailing arm; they could handle it, it'll fix itself once they're off this blasted mountain and back home surely. Monster and archer locked in some frightening display of cat and mouse that seemed to never cease, the siren would always make an attempt only for Koma to prance out of its way almost as if on cue. It was enraging for it, why won't this lanky pale thing just give in already?

Roaring in anguish as it lashed its long tail in rage, kicking up snow and even other warriors in its wake...
But what mattered most was how it caused the once triumphant young nyulop to lose his footing.

To wobble and trip over a slither that had caught their ankle, barely having the time to restabilise before going face first into the snow with a thud and a grumble. There went his moment of glory I guess, firing peircing arrows into the hide of the great serpentine creature with fanciful footwork like no other; only to have fallen to the floor. Pushing themselves up with both arms, the pain of his already strained right only being aided by the shared pressure on their left, gazing around at the battlefield as faces of what once were cheering encouragement against this mutual adversity turned to muted horror. 

A shadow loomed above him.
Long and winding in nature, casting their softly coloured fur in foreboding darkness.

It didn't care for the force it gripped his face with. Nor for the way onlookers began to shriek and scream.
It didn't even care for the way Koma stared at their bow, now cast aside just barely out of his reach. It had already found a weakness to exploit for that, a weakness it was already coiling its tail around with a strength that felt almost suffocating to watch.

Rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth descending lower and lower as the pale blue glow from inside illuminated their face, giving light to the pain Koma found himself in as the siren began to squeeze the life out of their right arm; just barely glad that it was the arm and not the throat. Still gazing at that lonely bow of his with a sliver of lingering fight, the leftover adrenaline-fueled courage from dancing with death itself, if they could just reach the tip then maybe... Maybe there was a chance to fight back? He could see it in their mind now, fingers just barely nudging the bow into his grasp to shove it into whatever beastly hide they could have access to from a situation like this; which in all fairness wasn't really that much, the best he could really do was use it to pry open the tail constricting their arm. 

...Its not like there was much other options to try.
Koma could feel the claws digging into his cheeks as it forced them further and further to the floor.
The way the siren's tail tightened further and further in ways that made his very fingers feel numb, cutting off the circulation as it coiled. 

All they could do was reach, digging fingers into the earth with a painful groan as he tried. Palm outstretched and feebly grasping for any part of the bow they could muster the strength to grab, something that felt so close yet so very cruely far; as if it was almost a punishment for being so daring for once in his anxious and pathetic life. To try and be the hero of the story, for Scout's sake if not for theirs, only to fail in a way that one could deem a terrifying exhibition for those onlookers still alive and fighting.

He could feel their very bones hitting breaking point, letting out a pained scream as something in that dear old right-arm of theirs snapped.

Panting and heaving in tears in a distressing display of weakness, face shoved further into the snow to silence his sobs.
The siren, stood there as it relinquished its grip around Koma's arm only to move that tail to tease at their throat, like a hunter taking a sportsman's pride in their latest prey.

Staring at those around as if asking for a challenge, who dared try to save the life of this archer turned snivelling kit?
Well... Was anyone willing?