Murtagh's New Story

They had just set up camp and had just begun their sparing. The camp was in a rocky outcrop many miles from the last town until they reached the elves, which was Bullridge. Open plains surrounded them on all sides. It made Icenia a little uneasy but their rocky nook was the best they could get at that point.

Just then a loud roar came from the dusky light outside of camp: more followed.
“Fuck! Urgals!” Icenia cursed as she spun around to face the direction the noise came from.
She released the blunt spell on their swords. Passing Regaris to her tail she whipped out her bow and knocked an arrow. They stood alert, swords, bow, fangs and talons at the ready. Twelve huge Urgals charged into the came, large horns curled out of their temples. They carried grotesque swords, axes and clubs.

There was something strange about them. They were all from different clans yet were working together. The Urgal clans always fought bitterly and they should have been at each other’s throats. Their eyes were also dull and lifeless. She had spent some time with some of the clans and this was far from what they should look like. They were always bright and calculating and they lit up in battle. There was something very wrong but there was no way she was going to stop and ask.

Icenia shot the lead Urgal in its forehead. In a second she swapped her bow for Regaris and her tail replaced it back in her quiver. She let loose a replying, whooping battle cry as Aquasari roared and Murtagh gave his own. They returned charge. Icenia ran up a smallish, ramp shaped rock launching her into the air, Regaris shown above her head. She brought it down on a large Urgal head, splitting his skull and scrambling his brains. She landed on the corps’ back swinging Regaris and gutting another Urgal.

Murtagh was fighting atop Aquasari when she looked over at them. It was a magnificent sight but it was a bit off because it should be a red dragon instead. His sword blazed and was dripping with Urgal blood. A fierce snarl disfigured his face, his eye shown with anger.
An Urgal snuck up behind him on her side and raised his “sword”. Icenia screamed a warning while her tail drew and threw Skulblaka. It buried itself deep into the back of his skull but she was a moment too late. The weapon slipped from its slain master’s hand and fell. Carrying the speed it fell on Murtagh’s thigh leaving a long, deep, gash. A cry of pain escaped his lips. Blood was fast staining his breaches.

Her friend’s distress instantly unlatched the cage on her feral, animal other half. This was rare but not unheard of for her, only when she was in deep shit did it usually come out.
Hot rage flamed through her veins. Murtagh meant a lot to her as a friend and possibly more and he was hurt. Her animal self felt stronger than she did for some reason, which was something to think on later. She felt the snow leopard spirit flow throughout her body and mind. The animal was awake and enraged and when that happened there was no stopping her*. She*, for that’s what it was, wanted blood.

Icenia felt her teeth extend to fangs, her nails to claws. Smokey colored fur with black rosettes grew across her body. A once Elvin body became feline. Her jaws extended into a short muzzle and her eyes changed. They now started around the outside as a yellowish and ended at the pupil in blue. She* was now a snow leopard mind and body. Feathered wings that matched the rest of her coat came out just behind her shoulders. Special armor covered her body except her wings and lower jaw. The rest of the Urgals would pay for their comrade’s foolishness with their lives. She* would make damn sure of it too.
A vicious snarl erupted from her throat as she leapt on an Urgal who was planning to use

Murtagh’s weakened state to kill him. Warm blood ran into her mouth as she sunk her fangs into his throat. It was metallic and bitter. Pushing off with her powerful hind legs she launched herself off of him, taking his throat with her. She landed on all four paws swinging Regaris over her and spitting out the bit of Urgal. The armor on her tail ended with a knob that held her weapons. With a flick of her tail she could change weapons or let fly an arrow.

Get him out of here Aquasari!, Icenia said as she let out another snarl.

The dragon hesitated, But you…

Go! I will be fine. Just get him out of her before he bleeds to death, Icenia interrupted
her.

Aquasari looked at her again since most of the Urgals were focused on Icenia.

Now my friend! Go now!, she cried.

Aquasari shook her head and killed the two Uragls around her with a swipe of her huge talons before leaping into the sky.

The remaining six Urgals circled Icenia roared and banged their metal chest plates. She gave them a return snarl. One broke the circle and came at her with his axe raised. He swung at her and she nimbly dodged his blow. Regaris sliced through his unprotected neck like a hot knife through butter. Her tail flicked once and an arrow replaced Regaris. She sent it flying into the head of another Urgal. Changing back to Regaris as she leapt upon one and ripped out his throat, while she swung her sword behind her and decapitated another. The last two tried to flee. She shot the leader with an arrow and caught the second Urgal. She sprung onto his back and went for his neck where his spine was. With a powerful bite she broke it and he dropped dead.

She padded silently over to the only thing they had had time to unpack which was the stew pot sitting on the fire. With a quick spell she put out the fire and cooled the pot. She unfolded her spotted wings and took off. Grabbing the handle on the pot between her forepaws and flew away in the direction Aquasari took.

How is Murtagh?, Icenia asked.

He is bleeding pretty badly. I think some muscles were damaged as well. You had better get here soon, she answered as she sent Icenia a picture of the cave she had found.
Icenia bared her teeth in frustration, I’m almost there.

The animal side was quite now and almost back to normal. She* was a little more present in their mind than usual but that was partly because hers* was the current shape. Cigmun, the name of the other being in Icenia’s mind that was the word in the Ancient Language for snow leopard, was pleased and most content now that her justice was served. They sometimes didn’t agree on Cigmun’s often bias sense justice or on other things but they always worked it out by compromise. Cigmun was just as strong minded as Icenia and it was a good thing they agreed on most things. Usually she left everything up to Icenia and just watched. She gave her opinion sometimes and Icenia always saw things in a more animal like way than others. When in intense times of rage or pain or when she or someone they cared for was in trouble she took over. That was their arrangement and it suited them well.

Icenia found Aquasari at the mouth of the well-hidden cave. Landing next to her dragon partner she set the pot down. Aquasari picked up the handle in her jaws and followed Icenia in. Icenia had lopped into tend to Murtagh. He was sitting on the floor with his shirt pressed against his wound to slow the bleeding. There was blood around him and he looked pale. There was an alarmed look in his eyes when he looked up to see her. She was slightly hurt by this until she remembered whose shape she was in and shifted back. Using magic she clothed herself. She knelt beside him and he peeled the blood soaked shirt off his leg.

“This is going to hurt and itch like a son of a bitch”, she said handing him a piece of cloth.

“No thanks. It’s just an itch” he replied.

Icenia pulled off her right glove, set her on the wound, then went into a complicated spell. She could see the muscle knitting back together and then the skin. Murtagh groaned a little and balled his hands to keep them out of the way.

When it was finally over they were both tired. She was a bit sweaty from the spell.

“Murtagh can you hear me? How are you feeling?” she asked as she set his head in her lap.

“Better”, he said a little weakly.

She breathed a small sigh of relief.