[Kalandra]

Ivmar

Having someone who was truly interested in what he was saying was very encouraging for Ivmar.  He told Taron about everything to do with his masterpiece; how he had flown over certain areas to insure he got their carving right, just how he had cut the water so that it looked like it would start flowing at any second, etc.  There was no chance that Taron was faking her interest either; interest as great as what she was showing could not be pretended.

"This one was especially difficult, the stand of trees here.  See, I had to-"an awful sound cut off the rest of his sentence.  First, Taron was screaming, but then a loud, hungry screech joined her scream.  Looking up from his work Ivmar saw, much to his horror, a huge eye looking at them.  Oh no...it was the Garudor he had heard earlier!  It wasn't so far away anymore...and did it ever look hungry!  Ivmar gulped and quickly hid his stones away, then ran to Taron's side.  "Well, if we have to fight that thing, we should do so together." Still, they were rooted to the spot with fear, fear of the monster that was eyeing them.

[Kalandra]

Sedra

It was as Sedra had feared: Taron and Ivmar were in trouble.  A large Battlefield Garudor was looking into the cave and appeared to be pondering how to get at the Stargoyles inside.  They needed a distraction so they could escape...or the Garudor had to be driven off, which was highly unlikely.  Garudor didn't back down from a fight that easily, let alone run.  The only other option was then to distract it so that Ivmar and Taron could get out of the cave and then defeat it in battle.

He turned to Rosto.  "Rosto, I know you don't like fighting, so stay back.  I'm going to try and get that Garudor's attention long enough for the others to join us out here, and then we'll fight him off...excluding you, of course.  You stay back while Ivmar, Taron, and I deal with that Garudor, okay?" Without waiting for an answer he dove towards the Garudor.  This would have to be done just right.  Sedra angled his dive so that he passed right over the Garudor's back, where he brought his claws forward and raked them across the feathers and skin.  The momentum from his dive carried him onward and forward, making it easy for him to make a swift getaway.  Would the Garudor pursue him and give the others the chance to escape though?

[Kalandra]

Ivmar

Another screech made Ivmar tremble, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Taron shiver too.  This screech was different though; it sounded...pained, instead of hungry.  Pain?  Why is the Garudor in pain? Ivmar thought, puzzled.  He chanced a glance at it, but the entrance was empty.  Wherever the Garudor was, it wasn't hovering just outside the entrance anymore.  Very slowly, very cautiously, Ivmar stepped to the entrance and looked around.  He spotted the Garudor quickly...and it was heading straight for Rosto!

A squeak of fear for his friend burst out of his mouth before he could stop it.  Shaking off the fright though, Ivmar turned to Taron.  "Come on, we have to get out there and fight!  That thing is after Rosto, and you know she won't fight it!  We can't just let her get eaten!" So saying he turned and took off, flapping his wings madly to get maximum propulsion from them.  He needed to get to that Garudor, and fast!

[Kalandra]

Rosto

Oh, why does he have to do things like this? Rosto fretted as she watched Sedra dive at the Garudor.  He's always got to go throw himself in harm's way, always got to pull of some crazy feat.  What's wrong with trying to his hide in one piece from time to time?  There wasn't anything she could do though, as she refused to use force and that was the only way to stop Sedra.  She watched as he raked the Garudor's back and head, watched as it screeched in pain and looked around...watched as it locked its gaze onto her.

"Oh no..."Rosto whispered to herself.  The Garudor launched itself at her, cold fury in its eyes.  It must think I am the one that attacked it!  Well, not matter what the reason that giant bird was flying right at her, and as she would not fight it Rosto had only one option: fly for it!  She folded her wings and dove, only just managing to dodge the Garudor's beak.  She didn't hold the dive for long, quickly leveling out and using the speed to get away and flapping to regain her lost altitude.  The Garudor loosed a vicious war cry that sent shivers all through her, and Rosto turned.  She gasped.  Her friends had engaged the Garudor in battle!

[Kalandra]

Taron

Fear had frozen Taron where she stood, but that fear lessened enough for her to move once the Garudor flew off.  Hearing Ivmar, she took to the skies, soaring just behind him.  Sedra was coming up from below and to their left, while in front of them Rosto dove to get out of the way of the Garudor's attack.  Now was their chance, while it was confused and trying to see where Rosto had gone.  She called to Ivmar, telling him to follow her lead.

The big bird had its back to her, an easy target.  Taron flew in as close as she dared, spinning at the last second to land a heavy blow with her tail.  There was a sickening clunk! as her tail smacked against the Garudor's back.  A bit of the shock went into Taron, and she used the force to help her fly out of reach quickly, so that the Garudor wouldn't have the opportunity for a counterattack.  Okay, there's got to be a better way to do this... she thought as she circled, watching the Garudor closely for its reaction.

[Kalandra]

Sedra

Cursing the dense Garudor, Sedra sped back towards the spot where Rosto was hovering.  Before he could get there though, Rosto had dived out of the way.  Well, that was one problem solved.  Unfortunately, another problem sprung up to take its place as Taron and Ivmar flew out to meet the bird's assault.  Ivmar hung back a little, while Taron sped forward towards the Garudor, slammed her tail against its back, and then retreated.  Sedra shook his head at her antics.  Fool.  She'll get herself killed if she tries stunts like that!  Funny, you wouldn't think a Bronze Stargoyle was capable of such folly, but Taron's gone and proven it's possible.

A few quick flaps of his wings brought Sedra within hailing range, so he began shouting out orders.  "Taron, that was extremely foolish!  You should know better!  Now, here's what we're going to do.  Taron, you're up first.  Try to keep the Garudor's attention focused on you.  Ivmar, you're with me.  Together we'll fly around to the sides and then quickly fly into his face.  It's our job to try and slash him with our claws, be it the ones on our forefeet, back feet, wings, or heads.  Let's go nail us a Garudor!"

[Kalandra]

Taron

What?! Taron thought as she listened to Sedra's plan.  And he though my idea was foolish!  Gah...I don't like it, but he's the leader  Which was true, even if Sedra didn't agree.  He took it upon himself to watch over his three friends and he always knew what to do in situations such as this one with the Garudor.  He might think otherwise, but he was the leader in the group.

Taron turned her attention on the Garudor, which had snapped its head around and was looking at her with a look that all too plainly said You're lunch meat now!  Gulping nervously, she tried to fly from side to side, weaving snakelike patterns in the air.  The Garudor's head followed her movements, making it appear mesmerized.  Perhaps it was, for a second later the Garudor shook its head and screeched.  Suddenly it flew straight at her!  Yelping in fright, Taron dipped down and felt the wind blow over her as the Garudor flew past where she'd been mere seconds ago.  Come on guys, now's your chance, Taron thought as she waited, ready to fly in case the garudor came after her again.

[Kalandra]

Rosto

From a nearby tree Rosto was watching the battle.  After her close call with the Garudor she felt she was safer beneath the action, where the Garudor hopefully wouldn't notice her.  Fear for her friends coursed strongly through her, but there was nothing she could do to help them, except be on stand-by in case one of them got hurt and fell.  Unless the battle became desperate she was staying out of it.  When the Garudor went after Taron she squealed and turned away, her eyes closed.  She couldn't watch...

Her eyes opened before she turned her head and she found, to her surprise, that she was in the tree from which Taron had been observing the Albie.  That bunch was only just waking, stretching their muscles and yawning.  A few suddenly stopped and started making excited sounds at their neighbors while pointing out something above.  Rosto whipped her head around and saw that the Garudor was chasing Taron, while Sedra and Ivmar soared away...where were they going?  They must have a plan! she thought, hopeful once more that they might win.  Silently she wished them luck, hoped that their plan would work.

[Kalandra]

Ivmar

Ivmar followed Sedra's lead, gliding on the gentle breeze to a spot that was to the Garudor's immediate left.  Personally I'd rather use my wing claw for a flyby attack of sorts.  It would drag my wing back for a second but I think that would work best for keeping momentum that I could use to make my getaway.  Once he was in position Ivmar hovered, waiting for Sedra's signal.  As he watched, Taron suddenly ducked and the bird soared over her and continued on for a ways before pulling up to look around and figure out where she'd gone.

Just as Ivmar finished steeling himself Sedra gave the signal.  It was time to go, before the big bird found Taron and went after her again.  He pumped his wings hard and shot forward, zipping straight at his target.  Its head suddenly turned his way, as it was still trying to find Taron.  Those cruel eyes narrowed; it knew something was up.  Ivmar slowed his pace waaaaayyy down.  There was no way he could hit it while it was watching him so closely!  What to do now?

[Kalandra]

Sedra

Not good; now that Ivmar had lost the element of surprise he couldn't attack!  However, as it was watching him it didn't see Sedra, who again brought his feet forward.  This time though, he raked them across the Garudor's face instead of its back, feeling them cut through the mask on the Garudor's face and clipping his right eye.  It didn't manage to do any real harm to the eye, but all the same it caused the Garudor great pain.  Its pained screech was proof of that.

The Garudor turned to look at Sedra now...Big mistake, he thought grimly, for now Ivmar could easily attack from its other side.  This Garudor...it was larger than the Stargoyles, but it was being outsmarted with incredible ease.  Ivmar was hesitating, but Sedra nodded his head vigorously.  Yes, yes, come on!  He's looking my way now, get him! Sedra screamed in his head.  As if he could read Sedra's thoughts, Ivmar picked up his pace again and slashed the bird's left eye.  This attack hit home, thus rendering the creature blind in that eye.

[Kalandra]

Rosto

The cry of pain was terrible.  It hurt Rosto's ears and left them ringing.  She could only imagine how much worse it was for the others, who were closer to the awful sound.  Once it had faded away, which was quite a long time, it left Rosto's ears ringing.  Ivmar, she knew, must have hit the Garudor hard, perhaps in a soft spot like near its eye.  Maybe- though she shuddered to think of it- he'd actually hit the eye itself.

From below she heard whimpers and when she looked she saw the Albie wincing and cringing.  They didn't much like the cry that the Garudor had let out either.  Maybe...maybe the Garudor was just hungry, or trying to find some food others.  If that was true, than perhaps some food would appease it and stop the terrible fight.  Rosto flew out over the valley and quickly spotted some fruit and nuts.  She didn't know if Garudor liked fruits or nuts, but she had to try.

Gathering up as many as she could, Rosto launched herself into the air and flew towads the Garudor at a furious pace.  It was looking about wildly now, trying to see with its one good eye.  That eye found her and the Garudor turned around and screamed at her.  Instead of backing off, as she could hear her friends yelling at her to do, Rosto slowed as she neared the great bird and held out the fruit and nuts.  The eye that was watching her blinked...and then the Garudor very slowly, very tentatively reached out and grabbed a piece of fruit.

[Kalandra]

Taron

Ai-yai-yai!! Taron cried out in her mind.  The noise that Garudor made when Ivmar's attack hit it was horrible!  She screwed her eyes up at the sound, which felt as if it were tearing apart her ears.  Eventually the cry died away, but shortly after gasps from Ivmar and Sedra caused her to look.  Rosto was slowly approaching the Garudor, holding a bunch of fruit and nuts.  Taron joined Ivmar and Sedra in calling out to her, trying to tell Rosto to stop, to get away from the Garudor.

She didn't listen to them though and offered the fruit and nuts to the Garudor.  Incredibly, the Garudor had reached forward and grabbed a piece of fruit.  Instead of eating it though the Garudor ducked its head and stuck the food in its talons.  Apparently that was just what Rosto was waiting for, as she dropped a little and held the rest of her fruit and the nuts just under the Garudor's feet.  For one heart-pounding moment all was still, then the Garudor slowly grasped all the fruit and nuts in her talons and flew away.  Taron just stared, dumbfounded.  What just happened? she wondered.

[Kalandra]

Ivmar

"Aaaaaaaarrrrrrg!" Ivmar couldn't help himself, when that terrible cry broke over him he had to scream too.  That cry shook his poor little body, rattled the bones under his skin.  The sick feeling of warm wetness on his wing told him he had gotten the Garudor's eye, as did that awful cry.  Once he recovered enough, Ivmar looked around.  The most incredible sight met his eyes: Rosto was handing fruit and nuts to the Garudor!

If that wasn't enough to confound him, the Garudor took the proffered food and left.  Was it possible that the Garudor had been looking for food and was perfectly happy to accept fruit and nuts over Stargoyles?  Perhaps Rosto's idea of avoiding conflict wasn't such a bad one.  Even if overall it was, Rosto's idea of offering fruits and nuts in place of her and her friends had gotten them out of a tight jam.  Shaken, but otherwise okay, Ivmar glided over to the others.  "Maybe we could rest in the cave now?"he asked the group.

[Kalandra]

Sedra

Sedra was fuming.  Sure, Rosto's idea had worked, but it could very well have not worked; she could have been killed!  It sickened him to think she'd risk her life like that!  There was nothing, nothing to stop that Garudor from ripping her apart or grabbing her instead of the fruit and taking off with her!  Trembling with the force of his anger, he flew up to her and started yelling:  "What did you think you were doing?!  That Garudor could easily have ripped your head off or taken you with it instead of the fruit!  Why do you insist on pulling off stunts like this?!"

[Kalandra]

Rosto

That warm, glowing feeling lit Rosto up inside as she watched the Garudor fly off.  After all the fighting, all it had wanted was some food.  Sedra wasn't too thrilled with her though, she could see it written on his face.  Once he started shouting at her, she knew he was really ticked off.  At first she just listened, but when he told her off for pulling off "such a stunt", she snapped.  "Excuse me Sedra, but you just got done doing quite a few stunts of your own.  I'd like to know why only YOU can take risks, only YOU can try something, only YOU can save the day.  There are four of us Sedra, not just you, and we can all take risks, try ideas out, and be the ones to save the day.  Back off, unless you're willing to stop doing those stunts of yours."