The brush barely slows him down, and he plows forward, lumbering up to the bushes where Lysander and Aerel were just hiding. He squints into the leaves, looking for their trail.
He spots it almost immediately and shoves through the branches - Aerel looks up and sees the brute standing at the top of the ravine, just a few short steps from him. Lysander scrambles up the ravine on the far side, just as the second ogre reaches the log and tries to push it the rest of the way aside.
She quickly moves up to try to follow the trail through the bushes.
With her massive companion visible beyond, the path is easy enough for her to find.
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Iteb looks at Bunko, then back to the unaware bull. "Aye, might be able to get a surprise on it, but still..." She shrugs, "I'd prefer to wait and see if others return. Maybe wait and see if it go away? If others return first we can try as group." She looks back to the Aurochs and then to her bow in consideration. It's clear her orcish nature wants the fight.
"I certainly wouldn't turn away a few extra bows," Bunko replies, unshouldering his crossbow, checking the weapon to be sure it's battle-ready.
Several long moments pass, then a stray shift of breeze carries your scents to the aurochs, which lifts its massive head to stare toward you. It lets out a whoof of air through its nose, causing swirling eddies in the morning mist, eyeing you warily for a few moments, then slowly turns and begins to trot into the forest.
"Oh...f**k it," Bunko says as the aurochs begins to leave. He raises his crossbow, takes aim, and squeezes the trigger...
...striking the beast square in its side!
Bunko's crossbolt almost vanishes in the bulk of the bull's hide, and the wound is quite visible.
Aerel attempts to cross the ravine, hopping from stone to stone and keeping his momentum as much as possible.
Aerel once again tries to resort to finesse on his way up the ravine, the presence of the ogres providing plenty of motivation. As he scrambles over the lip of the ravine, he sees Lysander and gasps, "C'mon! They're right behind me!"
Aerel tries to slip through the vines and on deeper into the forest beyond.
However, he has even less luck than Lysander in getting past the clinging foliage.
Iteb's hand shakes a bit as she looses - the relic of her empty belly - and the shot shoots just over the aurochs' shoulder. The massive beast turns back to face the orc and gnome, and with a booming squeal of rage, lowers its head to charge.
Bunko tries to roll out of the way as the aurochs bowls over the two of them, but ends up being clipped in the side by the creature's horn. He grimaces in pain as he reloads his crossbow and fires at the beast again.
Bunko curses as the shot goes wild, his vision hazy from the blood loss.
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Iteb screams back as she walks into the trample, all for the sake of a chance to hit the beast.
Afterwards, she drops the bow, stepping towards the large creature instead of away from it, as Bunko did (presuming as she's still using ranged), and quickly pulls a Bronze Light Pick at her side to her offhand. She attempts to get another pair of strikes on the beast.
The aurochs turns, grunting in pain, and lowers its massive horns, stabbing toward Iteb.
,
Now at close range, Bunko drops his crossbow in favored of his hooked hammer, and steps up next to the massive bovine. He swings his hammer, aiming to strike the aurochs squarely between the eyes.
The aurochs, now thoroghly beaten and bloodied, turns to flee its tormentors.
That time is even worse, and his sister? mate? both? snorts a high-pitched twitter of a laugh at the giant's expense.
Bunko quickly spins as the aurochs flees, hoping to bring it down before it can leave.
Bunko's hammer catches the bull in a kneecap as it runs past, sending it crashing to the ground with a loud crack. It hits its head as it goes down, then slumps entirely.
Lysander is able to easily dodge the vines then, with his decades of experience, recalls some tricks to slip through the clutches of the Wyvern that appears in his path.
Bunko stumbles a bit as the aurochs crashes to the ground, wincing as he clutches the place where the beast caught him. "That'll leave a mark," he says, pressing his hand to the wound to help staunch the blood. "You alright, Iteb?"
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"Ye'. Good fight." Iteb congratulates triumphantly. She seems to encourage herself being fine despite the clear limp she displays as she goes to fetch all of her weapons... planning to walk it off most likely. Moving over to the Aurochs, she looks through her bag for tools. "Same suggestion as before, wait for others and take little time to clean meat. Give them chance to catch up."
She has no better luck than her companion, shocking everyone.
Aerel struggles in the vines, actually going airborne for a moment, no doubt providing the ogres with more to chuckle about...
Furious, the larger ogre tries again to climb the slope.
[spoiler=Group]Replying in elven, "Not my best moment, my friend. These cursed vines have tied me up but good! Don't you come back and get caught - just let me know how you got through so easily!"
Sighing to himself, Lysander mumbles "I'm going to regret this." Then he tries to make his way back to Aerel.
Unfortunately, he can't seem to maneuver past the Wyvern.
Lysander holds, unable to find a way back to Aerel, is forced to wait and see whether his friend can free himself.
The ogres continue to struggle up the hillside. Finally, though, the female makes it up, looming over Aerel.
She pulls free the massive club on her back, and raises it threateningly.
Her companion climbs after her, or tries to.
Although when he finally makes it to the top of the ridge he has no weapon readied, it's all too easy to imagine what he might be able to accomplish with his bare hands.
The female ogre raises her club, then brings it down heavily toward Aerel. The archer tries to dodge aside, but the club catches him a "glancing" blow that sends him flying into a nearby bush, ribs shattered.
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"Lysander! Just run! There's nothing that can be done for me now! Avenge Phaendar and kill some hobgoblins in my name!"
The male ogre reaches out to grab Aerel, his massive hands large enough to circle and crush the elf's head. The ogre raises the struggling archer high into the air, laughing a hideous and guttural laugh, before beginning to squeeze...
Lysander remains rooted to the ground, watching from a distance. He glances back and forth a few times. I can't just leave him. I'd be a fool to try to help him. But I can't just run. But I'd probably die too if I go back. After what seems like an eternity, he comes to a decision.
Lysander dashes back, forgoing stealth but managing to use his knowledge of the arcane to slip past the Wyvern. "Hold on Aerel! I'm coming!