Elora cut into the lizarmen that moved to flank her, with<em>‘Mehgen'</em>demanding a bloody price from the creatures as they boxed her in between their massive scaly bodies. She had thrown herself into the breach to protect Deon,<em>her Deon</em>, and even Beatrice who was still shackled in her witches collar and cuffs, and basically helpless. While the Lizardmen were focused on clawing away at her, Deon brought his heavy mace down from behind, cracking scaly skin and bones. When he moved in, even Beatrice felt compelled to act. The priest had taken away her spellbook – and with her shackles and collar it wouldn’t have done her all that much good anyway – so she did what she could with her hands, connecting an exceedingly lucky strike that actually produced a groan, and an angry swipe back at her, from one of the lizardmen.<br/><br/>But, despite her companion's spirited contributions, it was Elora’s fight and Elora’s victory when the last Lizardman fell in front of her blade. She moved up the wooded hill a little more to get a better vantage point with Deon helping Beatrice along with gentle force.<br/><br/>Suddenly, a hand touched her from behind, caressing her exposed waist and reaching around to drink in the soft skin of belly. Elora jerked. All her sense were still in ‘combat mode’ and being touched on exposed, unarmoured skin was not something she expected in battle. Instead of letting the elf go when she struggled, Deon pulled her in close until she melted in his embrace, dropping her guard. “You are wounded.” He said softly and began whispering words of healing and comfort in a language that Elora did not understand – a prayer to his new god, no doubt. The numerous but shallow scratches she had sustained fighting the lizardmen quickly faded under her lover’s healing touch.<br/><br/>“Thank you, Sir!” Elora whispered as the pain faded. The touch had brought her back to her ‘watch’, her alone time with Deon, and she was ready to swoon in his arms, pressing and wiggling her body against him. But instead of a tender touch, the elf got a stiff smack to her ass with Deon’s mail gloved other hand.<br/><br/>“Focus! There is still a fight going on!” Deon chastised her. In the distance, he could hear Misty’s mad screams and threats as well as the low chanting and stomping of cheering lizardfolk warriors. Apparently, someone had taken the barbarian girl up on her challenge. In the forest directly below them, darting through the dense woods, Lune was approaching them fast. The scout was dodging and weaving, easily keeping a whole group of lizardmen occupied chasing her. Another smack with the mailed glove to her ass roughly propelled Elora forward. “Go get them girl!” Deon ordered as if she was an attack dog and took up his shield and Mace again, preparing to charge in right after the paladin, had broken their ranks with her magic sword.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>“Catch me if you can, you stupid landwhales!” Lune screamed as she loosened another arrow and ran, taking up a new position between the trees. Again, a virtual<em>wave</em>of thundering feet and scales, fangs and claws crashed up against her position as she stopped to knock another arrow, accompanied by the occasional whistling of a barbed throwing dart as it sailed past her. But the bulky lizardmen had trouble in the forest, stepping on each other’s toes as they tried to catch the elusive scout. She wasn’t going to win this fight anytime soon, but she wasn’t going to lose it, either. In the distance, Lune could see Elora’s glittering robes and armour. Deon was by the elf’s side. Deon. The guy that Lune kinda…<em>liked</em>.<br/><br/>Lune briefly looked over her shoulder at the gnawing, howling horde behind her and shot another Lizardman an arrow into the softer scales of his belly. If she led the enemy right up the hill, it would put Deon in danger. But then the priest picked up his shield and mace again, and Lune inhaled sharply at how<em>manly</em>he looked in his battle gear. It was three of them (four if you counted Beatrice) against five of the Lizardfolk. Besides, Elora was a highly trained swordswoman and Lune was a superb marksmen. Between the three of them, those were pretty good odds indeed. Lune adjusted her trajectory, running directly up the hill towards her friends. She was not endangering Deon, she was delivering him the<em>prey</em>.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>The ranks of the shuffling, indecisive lizardmen broke and a huge lizardman chieftain pushed his way to the front. His bright red collar of articulated skin flaps rose menacingly as he approached the barbarian with a decorated greatsword in his hands that seemed utterly out of place compared to his otherwise primitive gear and equipment.<br/><br/>“About time!” Misty growled and raised her greataxe. The remaining lizardmen honoured the duel and took up positions around the combatants, chanting a battle hymn in draconian and thumping their tails on the ground in a rhythm that echoed through the forest while sword and axe clashed.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Combat</div><div class="spoiler_body"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br/><strong>Elora</strong><br/>Turn 1<br/>Elora ⚔ Lizardman = 8dam<br/>Deon ⚔ Lizardman = miss<br/>Beatrice ⚔ Lizardman = 2dam - provokes attack of opportunity (unarmed) = miss<br/><br/>Lizardman ⚔ Elora = moves to flank, miss<br/>Lizardman ⚔ Elora = 2dam<br/><br/>Turn 2<br/>Elora ⚔ Lizardman = ☠<br/>Deon ⚔ Lizardman = moves to flank, 7dam<br/>Beatrice ⚔ Lizardman = miss - provokes attack of opportunity (unarmed) = miss<br/><br/>Lizardman ⚔ Elora = 4dam<br/><br/>Turn 3<br/>Elora ⚔ Lizardman = ☠<br/>Deon ⚕ Elora = +7HP<br/>Beatrice move<br/><br/><br/><strong>Lune</strong><br/>Turn 1<br/>Lune ↗ Lizardman = scoot into unflankable position, miss<br/>Lizardman ⚔ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman ⚔ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman ⚔ Lune = 3 dam<br/>Lizardman Ranger ↗ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman Ranger ↗ Lune = miss<br/><br/>Turn 2<br/>Lune ↗ Lizardman = tumble success, scoot into unflankable position, 9 dam<br/><br/>Lizardman ⚔ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman ⚔ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman ⚔ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman Ranger ↗ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman Ranger ↗ Lune = miss<br/><br/>Turn 3<br/>Lune  ↗ Lizardman = tumble success, scoot into unflankable position, miss<br/><br/>Lizardman ⚔ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman ⚔ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman ⚔ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman Ranger ↗ Lune = miss<br/>Lizardman Ranger ↗ Lune = miss<br/><br/><br/><strong>Misty</strong><br/>Turn 1<br/>Lizardman Chieftain ⚔ Misty = approach, 5 dam<br/>Misty ⚔ Lizardman Chieftain = miss<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/><br/>Turn 2<br/>Lizardman Chieftain ⚔ Misty = 13 dam<br/>Misty ⚔ Lizardman Chieftain = rage, 20 dam<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/><br/>Turn 3<br/>Lizardman Chieftain ⚔ Misty = 12 dam<br/>Misty ⚔ Lizardman Chieftain = 10 dam<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/>Lizardman = Cheer<br/></span><br/></div></div><br/>