Fandom The Night Unfurls [Bloodborne]

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

Briar has slowly grew more aware as the fight went on although she wish she hadn’t. Her eyes widening as Odric tore through Ada’s right upper torso and lifted her up high. Two shots rang out, however, before the beast and the hunter collapsed, one of them eventually moving towards her rather clumsily.

She hurt, but most likely not as bad as Ada did right now. Standing when she was tugged to her feet, the two wounded women began to move their way across the bridge and toward their intended goal, the sound of the alerted mob not far off.

They manage to get a decent ways away from the bridge when Ada collapsed onto the street, Briar nearly going down with her. Ignoring the forming bruise on her torso, she would help her in leaning up against the wall of a nearby building, the wound she had sustained still looking awful even after the vials of blood she had used.

But that isn’t what made Briar’s heart sink.

With her cloak parted, she had a clear view at her belt. The spot where she had kept her vials, empty.

“W... we’re almost to the Cathedral Ward...” she tried to say, the false optimism weighing heavily in her tone, clearly worried about the injured hunter.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

Ada didn't remember collapsing and blacking out, but she most certainly did, as when she woke all she could see was Briar's concerned expression. She was utterly cold, entire body wracked in pain. Her head lulled about looking for her cane and pistols, seeing that all she had left on her was one lone pistol and a handful of bullets. She had used the last of her blood vials when she got up. Ada groaned in pain as she shifted, blood cascading from her as she accidently reopened the wound again.

"Ohh," Ada grunted as she tried to support herself on the wall. "I've gone and... Botched everything huh? And so close... Dammit, I'm sorry Briar."

Ada needed blood, and badly. She knew that she was certainly dead without it, and if she died here she knew that Ada was likely a goner too. Her desire to live had turned from instinct to ravenous hunger as her mind played its feverish games with her. Though she could not see or feel it herself, her canines had begun to elongate, her eyes had become foggy and her twitches of pain were followed by reflexive snarls. Ada was losing to the beastly scourge.

"Briar..." Ada looked directly at her, but her eyes seemed to look right through her. She was no longer seeing her companion for the night, but a meal. "Blood, I need blood. Any blood."

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

Briar’s eyes were laced with concern but also nervousness, as she had caught a glimpse of her teeth sharpening and the snarls that escaped her lips clearly weren’t of human origin.

Maybe she had been right before...

Pushing those thoughts aside she had been about to respond to her apology when instead the topic of blood came up. Ada needed blood... well, seeing as she was still alive it was worth a shot, right? Seeing another person turn tonight, especially the same person that had saved her life twice now... Without much further thought she would begin to search the surrounding area for something sharp.

Coming across a long empty bottle, she would smash the end on the wall before carefully taking a large shard. “This’ll have to do....” she muttered while rolling up her sleeve and making a large and deep enough incision for blood to freely flow.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

In a blur of movement, Ada practically pounced on Briar as soon as she saw blood in her fading vision. Ada's body screamed in pain at the sudden strain, and the massive wounds she had sustained threatened to break her. To her instincts, it was all the more reason to imbibe in the blood. Ada sank her teeth into Briar's arm, feeling skin and flesh break as blood splattered into her mouth. And just like that, it was like she had hit a brick wall. The moment she had made contact with Briar's blood, her body went slack and she melted into a heap beside her. It was as if her blood had assailed her mind with things she could not comprehend with words, sending her entire body into a state of paralysis.

It might have been a few seconds, or a few minutes, Ada could not tell. Her eyes fluttered as she tried to wake up, even though she knew she was already awake. It was like her body was caught in between consciousness and unconsciousness, though her mind was fully cognizant. What she did know for certain was that the pain had disappeared entirely, and she did not feel as if she was going to shatter at the slightest touch anymore. Her eyes had cleared, her wounds had closed, but her canines remained. The beasthood within her had receeded -- for now.

"B-Briar?" Ada finally managed to sputter. The once-stalwart hunter was floored and dazed, soaked in blood and grime.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

When Ada flew from where she sat and fell onto her, Briar didn’t move, the taller women not taking any time in biting down onto her forearm where she had made the incision. She gave a cry of pain as her teeth broke skin, closing her eyes and hoping this didn’t make her bloodlust worse.

Yet the complete opposite happened, the hunter going limp and simply rolling off of her. While Briar was confused, she didn’t spend much time lingering on this, untangling herself from the rest of the taller woman that hadn’t found its way to the street, finally inspecting her wound.

Thankfully Ada hasn’t had enough time to tear too deeply, or a chunk of her flesh off entirely. But it still continued to bleed, she mumbling curses while trying to roll her sleeve back down and use the cloth to staunch the flow and conceal the wound.

Minutes had passed with the woman sitting on the ground and leaning on the brick wall beside the dazed Ada, Briar about to begin worrying when she began to stir. After speaking her name, she would hesitate for a moment, finally responding after a second had passed. “Ada? How.... how are you feeling?” She spoke with genuine concern, however she didn’t move towards the hunter. Just in case...

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

While Ada was coming to, and rationalizing what she had just done, she tried to mutter a few words of apologies but they never came. She jerked away and retched onto the street beside her as a wave of overwhelming nausea hit her. Something wasn't right -- even though she had taken some of Briar's blood, it was healing her just as well, if not better, than the blood vials provided by the church. Her wounds were closing rapidly, and all the feelings of desperation, hopelessness and fear had melted away as well. They were replaced with utter confusion, as Ada could no longer tell what she was feeling.

What she did know, however, was that her weapons were mostly gone. Her pistols and cane had been discarded in the scuffle with Odric and only one pistol remained in its holster. Though they had survived,
their chances were not good if they encountered any more resistance on the remaining trek to Cathedral Ward. Ada managed to finally compose herself, righting herself against the wall and wiping the spit and sweat from her face.

"I-...We need to go," Ada rasped and sputtered. Without another word, she began to hobble down the street, using the walls of the buildings for support. "Are you well enough to move?"

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

Briar would turn her head away as Ada decided to empty the contents of her stomach all over the street, being more than aware of what she had consumed a few minutes ago.

Standing and walking after Ada, ignoring the soreness from where the barrel had hit and the lingering discomfort from the wound the hunter had caused, she nodded. "I am..."

While following behind her, she couldn't help but notice that the woman was indeed walking (or at least trying to) after sustaining an injury that looked rather severe. She had seen her use a few vials of blood but they hadn't done much, the wound even tearing open when they first had stopped. Yet now she was able to think coherently and carry herself? Did it have to do with the beastly disease she was afflicted with? As Odric seemed to be doing the same when he had found them.

Consumed by these thoughts she didn't notice how she gently ran into Ada's back, not having been paying attention to the speed she was walking.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

Ada was struggling to focus and put one foot in front of the other because of how much of a haze her mind was in. Everything that was once reflexive was a chore on its own, and it was like Ada was learning how to move her body again. All of her mental strength was far too focused on operating, that she could hardly keep track of her ever-present dangerous environment. If she were caught unaware, no, if they were caught at all -- there was no guarantee that Ada would survive this time.

Ada herself was deep in her thoughts and concentration when she was suddenly bumped from behind. It was like a twig snapped in her brain, sending every primal instinct to sic whatever had touched her like defenseless prey. She found herself whirling around seemingly without thinking and snarling right down in Briar's face, fury and the Hunt in her eyes.

"What? Has the Hunt blinded you?" Ada growled, then almost immediately softened into confusion and regret. She slunk back a step, conceding the ground to Briar and bowed her head slightly and muttering an apology under her breath.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

Before Briar could even begin to try and apologize, her words caught in her throat as Ada spun around and snarled down in her face. Her vision blurred and dimmed for a moment as she leaned on the wall they were walking near, unsuspecting of such a reaction which was only chipping away at her rather fragile state of mind.

Briar barely even heard the woman’s apology as she collected herself eventually muttering “Let’s continue...” holding back a retort that the hunt actually might have blinded her instead.

Soon the scent of incense was nearly overwhelming, hanging in the air like a think smog. Finally, they reached the Cathedral Ward. Yet as they finally moved to enter, they saw that the main chamber was utterly crowded. Men stroking decorative weapons they’ve never used, women trying to quiet frightened children. With all the commotion it should’ve been simple to blend with the crowd, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

A woman that didn’t seem to be with anyone dressed in white church garb would’ve forced her way through the crowd, seemingly looking directly through Briar and focusing directly on Ada. “Well I’ll be damned, you’re still alive looking like that.”

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

It was not short of a miracle that the two of them made it to Cathedral Ward without incident, but a miracle Ada was not willing to second-guess at any rate. The sheer fact that they had made it allowed Ada's mind and body to breathe a collective sigh of relief as she no longer needed to be on immediate guard. With nearly the last of her strength, she was able to reach the massive doors and slam the door knocker three times as she put all her weight onto the frame of the door.

Once they were in the Ward, Ada blinked away the tears that had formed from the pain and hazy incense that burned outside. She had never seen this many people in Cathedral Ward in a long time, especially on the night of the Hunt. Most elected to stay in their homes with a stockpile of incense. Were there homes no longer safe? Was incense in short supply? Ada grumbled the thoughts away as she pushed through the crowd and towards the hunters quarters, though, she and Briar were stopped by a friendly face.

"And not a speck of blood on you at all, Grace," Ada huffed, still clutching the closed wound above her chest. "Is it the night of the Hunt after all? Or had I been mistaken?"

Grace, the doctor, gave an honest laugh audible over the loud chatter in the Ward, "Come, Ada, let me get you cleaned up." Grace offered with a smile and a gesture towards the hunters quarters where a handful of hunters were gathered around a lit brazier. She also peaked past Ada and directed her gaze to Briar for a moment with a curious tilt of her head, "Ah, is this a friend of yours? You two certainly look... well-traveled. She is welcome to come as well, of course."

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

Briar followed behind Ada and the church doctor who's name was apparently Grace. When she commented on being a possible friend to the hunter's, she wouldn't bother responding, knowing that labeling them as 'friends' was a bit of a stretch. Perhaps more of unlikely acquaintances that now have an unspoken common goal of getting her home.

But, once again she noticed how Grace didn't address her directly, it being a bit of a running theme. But Briar pushed this thought aside to being nothing more than a mere coincidence.

As they approached the hunter's quarters, she seeing some hunters lingering about, most covered in blood and some wounded, it momentarily caused her to consider her own injuries. But, she felt as if the barrel hadn't collided with her and the pain in her arm had vanished. This was... odd... But she didn't bother checking the wound just yet, Ada clearly needing attention first and foremost.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

"You certainly are in luck, Ada, dear," Grace piped, perhaps too cheerfully. "I have been saving some saint's blood for a special someone, and it appears that someone will be you tonight."

With a smile, Grace dug into one of her many pouches and offered Ada a quaint blood vial, sealed with a cork and a square of lavish silk, "Here you are, darling. Will you be returning to the streets tonight to join your fellow hunters?"

"Regrettably," Ada mumbled as she took the vial from Grace and injected it into her leg. The blood was as pure as the church offered to the closed public. It soothed both Ada's mind and body, and sealed the wounds that she had sustained throughout the night for good. Before long, Ada was feeling nearly complete again. Nearly. Still, an itch seemed to scratch at the back of her mind. It was a mere mosquito's buzzing in the chaos of the world around her, but it was there and she couldn't quite grasp her thoughts around it.

"Will you require anything more, then? I see you are lacking some of your most signature tools," Grace folded her hands idly in front of her where she stood.

"A new cloak, some replacement pistols, another cane and some blood vials for Briar here would be appreciable, if you can spare the burden," Ada unclasped her shredded cloak. Under the torn and bloodied leather of her church attire, bare skin could be seen fully healed. "I have never seen this many people in the Ward."

"But of course, Ada," Grace turned and popped open a large trunk of supplies and equipment, digging around. "Word spreads quickly when the laymen become desperate. Cathedral Ward offers unbiased protection and care for the flock of Yharnam. It is only natural for refugees to seek us out. Thus, it is only natural that hunters of the Church like you and I oblige and serve." Still with a beaming smile, Grace withdrew a fresh black cloak, a spare pistol and a threaded cane much like Ada's old one. "I'm afraid blood vials are in short supply, but you are welcome to these." She handed the equipment topped with two meager blood vials to Ada who respectfully accepted.

After draping the new cloak around her shoulders and holstering the weapons, Ada held both blood vials out to Briar, "For your injuries. You shall need them more than I, I think."

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

The exchange between them was interesting, Grace who didn’t appear much older than Ada almost speaking to her like a child. But after she was healed and asking for replacements for her equipment as well as blood vials for herself, she seemed a bit releaved they weren’t going to be going back out completely defenseless.

Nodding in thanks for the blood vials, she didn’t use them right away, however. First Briar would tug up her slightly bloodied sleeve, expecting to see an awful wound when her eyes narrowed slightly at the sight she saw instead.

The bite mark was almost completely healed, only being able to see a faint layer of torn skin.

“I... might not need these...” Briar responded hesitantly, a frown tugging at her lips. Maybe this wasn’t related to the disease after all.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

"Odric and Emilia are dead," Ada leaned in close to Grace after she had handed Briar the blood vials. Her voice was steady and just loud enough for Grace and possibly Briar to overhear. "Both of them turned, but a mob of hunters got to Emilia before Odric could. He lost his not too long after finding her body strung up and burning."

Grace gasped, placing a gloved hand over her mouth, then shook her head in disappointment, "Of all hunters, those two should have survived the night... I pray for their souls."

Ada was about to respond to Grace when Briar interrupted. She turned to see exactly what she was talking about and squinted at the healed-over wound on her arm that she had sunk her teeth into no more than hour ago. It had scarred over and healed, though she had not seen her use any blood vials on the way to the Ward. That, and the two blood vials she had given Briar were still full and unspent, yet somehow she had miraculously been healed.

"What do you mean?" Ada seized Briar's wrist and inspected her forearm closer, indeed seeing no sign of punctures or lacerations. "How did this happen? Did you have blood vials this entire time?"

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

As Ada grabbed her wrist to inspect her arm, she didn't protest, shaking her head as she accused her of having vials on her the entire time. "I had nothing on me when you found me, and seeing as they are in short supply, I wasn't able to find any." Slight concern was growing in Briar's voice. This was clearly unnatural yet, when Ada had bit into her arm to draw blood, her wounds seemed to have healed as if it had been more effective than the healing blood vials she had used after the fight with Odric.

Was that possible?

"I'm not sure how it healed so quickly..." Upon saying this, Grace who stood beside Ada was growing curious, listening in and trying to get a glimpse of what the other hunter was looking at.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

"What do you mean you don't know how it healed so quickly?" Ada hissed, yanking again on Briar's arm. "Wounds don't just --"

After realizing she was getting a little carried away, she calmed herself with a deep sigh and gently let go of Briar's arm. The itching, scratching feeling in her head had grown stronger in her little outburst, but she was able to quell it before she made a scene in front of the whole Cathedral. They had already drawn some squalid stares from some nearby refugees, especially waving around precious healing blood in the open. "I apologize. Rest while you can, we should go soon."

"Yeah, you'd better! A crusty old woman nearby sneered in Ada's general direction. "You hunters are no use here of all places, using up all the blood. We're dying, and you're getting all the blood? Disrespectful."

"You had better hold your tongue should you wish to stay in this Cathedral, madame," Grace deadpanned, hands still folded in front of her. Somehow she still remained elegant in her scolding. With the elderly woman pacified, Grace turned back to Briar and Ada. "I will leave you two to talk, I wish not intrude. You are free to stay, of course, but if you two insist on returning to the streets, we will not stop you. Ada, please be safe. Briar, it was a pleasure meeting you." With one last smile and bow, Grace sifted back into the crowd.

Without another word, and clearly frustrated, Ada stormed off to the nearest empty stool and began to stitch her inner garb shut.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

With her hold on her arm, Briar's heart began to race as it seemed Ada was going to lose her temper as she had when she ran into the back of her. Thankfully she soon let go of her, apologizing and retreating to an empty stool, Briar tucking the small blood vials away on her person before rolling down her sleeve. It most likely wouldn't be that smart of an idea to try and speak to the hunter now, but with how crowded the Cathedral currently was, losing her was also a possibility.

Briar didn't have time to make up her mind when a female hunter from the small group lingering nearby approached her. She wasn't as tall as Ada but still had more than enough height on herself to be a bit intimidating. "Did Grace give you those last two vials?" The woman asked curiously. "I would pass them this way."

Seeing as they were going to be returning to the streets, Briar frowned. "Its going to be best if I keep-" "I wouldn't think so." The unknown female hissed, taking a step towards her. "Excuse me..." the much smaller woman would mutter, beginning to move towards Ada.

Not wanting to let those vials get away too easily, she reached forward and tried to grasp onto her, but Briar was able to be quick enough for the cloth to simply slip through her fingers, she reaching a seat near Ada.

With how agitated the hunter was, Briar didn't speak, but she felt a bit better sitting beside her, the female hunter watching from a distance with potent disdain in the glare she passed her. Hopefully they would leave soon, as her home wasn't far now.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

Ada was well aware that Briar had found refuge beside her, but neither spoke a word as Ada finished stitching her torn clothing together. It was that few moments of unspoken tension between the two that Ada had some time to reflect on just what had happened throughout the night so far. She had some awfully close encounters that normally, would not have bothered her in the slightest, but couldn't help but blame because Briar was around. When she stalked the streets alone, there was no one to rely upon but herself, but no one else to care for but herself. Sure, Briar had been proven to be able to hold her own in a pinch, but she was no hunter after all. Above all, Briar was a distraction, yet Ada could not find it in herself to just simply turn her back on her anymore. Ada would not be willing to concede that she had softened up in the matter of a hours, but why did she have to convince herself that Briar was nothing special to her? Ada nearly scoffed aloud at the thought of making a friend of all things on the night of the Hunt.

"The choice is your's," Ada finally said, wrapping her simple sewing kit up once more. "I cannot stay here, but the same cannot be said for you. It is safe here, but it is not your home. If you step back out onto the streets with me, you risk your life once again. I will not blame you if you wait for dawn here and return to your house in the morn, in which case, this is where we part ways. You can keep the vials, regardless."

With that being said, Ada pressed against her new cane and stood, placing her hat back on top of her head. With a final check of her equipment, she was ready once more to rejoin the Hunt.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

Once Ada finally began to speak, Briar already had her mind made up, standing as well. It had been one hell of a night so far, but with being so close she was sure they could make it. "My home is only a few more minutes away. There would be no point in staying in such a crowded place." She could've just been tempting fate now, but she couldn't resist.

Eventually they would make their way back outside, following the street that Briar had directed them to. It would take them nearly the entire way there, although it was rather open and a main pathway.

They would begin walking for a short while, however ever so slowly, the feeling of being watched began to occur to her. It was subtle, she first brushing it off as paranoia. Yet she couldn't help but glance over her shoulder every now and then, expecting something to leap out from the shadows.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

Ada couldn't say she was surprised when Briar decided to venture back out into the night. She had to give Briar credit where credit was due, she was certainly stubborn. There was indeed a point to staying in a crowded place. It was safe, that's why it was crowded in the first place. As for Ada, she couldn't stay -- if this itch, this beasthood reared its ugly head again in the confines of the Ward and she couldn't control herself like when she attacked Briar, it would be disastrous.

They walked follow Briar's directions for a while, but Ada could sense that they were not alone once again. Her footfalls were shadowed by muffled ones from the shadows and hundreds of nooks surrounding them. Hunters, no doubt, no one else was that thorough in their movements, especially when stalking prey. And as Ada and Briar had been seemingly so many times that night already, they were prey once more. Without getting too much farther, Ada tugged Briar gently by her sleeve until the two of them were nearly touching. Carefully she let slip a pistol from her brace and into Briar's hand before whispering,
"Whatever happens to me, you sprint the rest of the way to your home, got it?"

"I shouldn't think she'd be needing that, don't you?" An unfamiliar female voice called out from further down the street, a hunter armed with an axe and a blunderbuss strode confidently down the center towards Briar and Ada. At the same time, two more hunters emerged from the shadows from their rear flank. They were effectively surrounded.

"We know the short one has blood vials, we're here to repossess them," the lead female hunter called out again. She was only a few feet away now with the other hunters closing. Ada herself peeled away from Briar, leaning on her cane and free hand resting in her jacket, hearing what the other hunter had to say. "Church business, you should know."

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

Briar couldn't protest after Ada had slid the pistol into her hand before the hunters revealed themselves. While Ada was familiar with them, she sure was, it being the same female hunter that tried to take the blood vials from her behind. The female didn't appear to be injured but if she were ready to hunt them down for the blood, it was safe to say she was desperate for them.

Her grip on the handle of the weapon was tight, but she slowly reached and retrieved the vials, not wanting to risk a fight. "Take them." She would reply a bit nervously, holding them out in the female hunter's direction.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

The itch of violence shuffled its way to the forefront of her mind knowing that they were surrounded. Even so, Ada had no intention of giving up those blood vials, knowing full well that they could be the lifeline that allowed her to maintain her humanity if, or when, the time came. With her free hand, she lowered Briar's hands and moved slightly in front of her in the same motion, shaking her head, "I'm afraid she is not the one to decide that. Those are my blood vials. Should they not end up used, she will return them to me. Church business, you should know."

The hunter across the street flared her nostrils and grit her teeth, gripping her axe tightly, "What's your name, hunter? I've never seen you around the Ward before."

"It's Ada Larkin," she responded, leaning on her cane for support. "I must admit these are not my usual hunting grounds. Would you let strangers pass, so we may all return to our Hunt?"

"Well, Ada Larkin," the hunter spat. "Perhaps you should wisen up like your girl here, and learn to respect hunters and their territory. We can't rejoin the Hunt until we get those blood vials you've got there."

"So, you will not let us pass?" Ada glanced to Briar, a look of understanding on her face. She hoped that in the next moment she would know to run.

The other hunter entertained Ada's question by raising her axe and charging head on towards the two of them. At the same time, Ada could hear two sets of charging footsteps from behind them as well. She'd have to act fast to create an opening. With a flick of her wrist, she transformed her cane into its whip form and lashed straight for the female hunter's ankles. The sections of serrated blades wrapped around and tore through cloth, skin, flesh and muscle as Ada yanked on the whip. Screaming in pain, the axe-wielding hunter was thrown off her feet and tossed to the side of the street in a groaning heap. With a renewed rage in her eyes and a less-than-human snarl, Ada twirled around to face the two other charging hunters.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

The fight began much more quickly than Briar had anticipated. While she knew Ada wanted her to run, she wasn't about to leave her. It was rather foolish but at least she tried to be of some help.

With the female hunter on the ground, she would turn to face the two that had been behind them. Ada's snarls worried her somewhat but she pushed those thoughts aside, being caught off guard by the hunter closest to her. He didn't waste much time in ramming into her, the vials clattering to the ground. But has Briar fell with them, she managed to squeeze the trigger of the pistol she had been given, it lodging itself in the leather that armored her assailant's collarbone.

He was momentarily staggered having been caught by surprise. Using this to her advantage, she scrambled for the vials before trying to stand as quickly as possibly.

 

[Coin]

Ada Larkin​

Seeing that Briar had successfully shot the hunter that tackled her to the ground, Ada shifted her focus to the last hunter standing and lashed out at him with her whip, the serrated edges seeking to immobilize him as well so they could escape. However, just before her whip could find its momentum, the other hunter brought up his pistol and shot Ada right in the gut. Though the damage was minimal, the force of the shot sent Ada off-balance and onto her knees. The sections of her whip clattered harmlessly to the ground. In the brief opening, the other hunter dashed forward and hoisted Ada up by her collar and jamming a wicked-looking knife in between the ribs of her left side. Ada let out a gasp before it twisted into a nasty snarl and unholstering her own pistol and paying him back twofold by shooting him in the gut at point blank. Blood erupted out of her assailant's backside as his grip slackened, falling to the ground shortly after in a still pile.

Ada looked down at the knife jutting out of her torso, and with two hands wrenched it out and let it fall to the street, blood pouring out of two new open wounds. Though crashing waves of pain faltered her steps, Ada's lips were curled into a bloodied grin, baring her elongated canines. After transforming her whip back into its cane form, she hobbled over to where Briar and the other hunter were tangled in a melee and delivered a swift kick with her iron-weighted boot to the side of his head. In one jerking motion, Ada yanked Briar out from under the unconscious hunter and to her feet. Words did not escape her lips, but it was more of a half-pained groan before Ada dragged Briar back on their path.

"You... you're a monster," the female hunter choked out, hands wrapped around the ribbons of flesh that remained of her ankle.

"Leave them a vial, Briar," Ada grunted as she passed by the maimed hunter without even so much as looking in her direction.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Briar Cowen

Briar allowed herself to be dragged behind Ada, although she did pause when she mentioned the blood, rolling a vial in the middle of the street. "You call her a monster when you just tried to steal what isn't yours." She would grumble, following after the standing hunter.

The wounded female hunter's words did stick in her mind, however. Ada's actions here only reminded her of what had happened after the fight with Odric. Briar hoped she would last, but by now she wasn't too sure.

They managed to get a rather decent ways down the street when it seemed whatever knife used to injure Ada had to have done some damage. Her face looked a bit paler than normal even in the limited moonlight, and the apparent pain she was in only enhanced her assumption of how bad her wound was.

"Ada, are you alright?" Briar would ask softly, not wanting to potentially attract any more unwanted attention.