singillatim | ( open ) i'm guessing that i've grown horns

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( open ) i'm guessing that i've grown horns

Who: Bigby and you!
What: If there are animal tracks anywhere in the area, you know the big dog's got to chase them down.
When: During April.
Where: First prompt outside the populated areas towards the rockier areas in the wild, second prompt back in Milton.

Content Warnings: Nothing in the log itself, if anything comes up in a thread there will be a warning in the header!

( 1. outside town )

[ Maybe you decided to go along with Bigby out on a little trip - or maybe he invited you along, if he knows you. Maybe you even came out here by yourself, and Bigby ran into you.

Either way, you're standing here now together, out in the rockier area between the mining camp and the ravine - staring down at some tracks in the snow. Even if the fog constantly hanging around is making visibility more of a problem, at least it's still very much possible to just look down and stare at the rather feline tracks in the snow. ]

See? [ Bigby points out to you. ] This is what I was talking about. I haven't seen this here before, but.. judging by the looks of it, that's got to be one big cat.

[ More than just a cat, really. That's why the man's eyebrows are drawn together into a concerned frown as he stares at the tracks, but then looks back up and over at you. ]

It's usually not been a good thing when new tracks appear around here.

( 2. in milton )

[ Running around in the wilds seems to have done very little for actually managing to find whatever animal is out there.. and instead seems to have done a whole lot more to Bigby himself.

After all, with the weather being the way it is, it feels incredibly exhausting to be out there. Let alone going out day after day, since he's so determined to find that thing. And between that and everything that's been happening the past few months, and the stress of the situation and the worries about the Darkwalker..

.. well, Bigby isn't doing so great.

It might become obvious when you see him coming back into Milton after another day of futile tracking. It's like he has to drag his feet to keep on moving as he's walking across town to head back to his place, lines of exhaustion visible in his face. But apparently he's not exhausted enough to no notice someone staring at him, since he'll lift his head to look over at you after a few moments, noticing you there. ]

.. Is something up?

[ For once he doesn't even sound gruff as he's saying it.

Bigby just sounds tired. ]

( ooc: replying with either brackets or prose is fine! i will match! c: )

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[Look, Bigby may have put a cork on this discussion, but Ruby's definitely going to be bringing it up with him in the future.

Instead she takes his question into consideration. She knew she wasn't the one in charge here, but she pretty content with getting a choice in how they approach this. She does have the range to keep the creature at bay and so that's the option she goes with.]

I've got the front.

Once it's preoccupied with me, get in there and show it who's boss.

[And just like that, she's starting to inch toward it. Raising the scythe and giving it a twirl to establish her range and reach at the moment.]

[ There Ruby goes. Bigby doesn't make a sound of confirmation, considering Ruby is already off to the races - which means he'll have to start moving too, or they'll end up on the same side of the creature regardless.

Instead the man moves to take the less obvious path towards it. He'll let Ruby take the straight line so she'll end up taking the front, while he moves more off to the side. Even in this human form Bigby still has enough of his wolf instincts to know how to cover himself between the trees, to know how to approach without the wind letting the creature catch his scent.

He moves off to the side, waiting for Ruby to engage the thing first, but he's already shifting the axe in his hand in preparation for what's to come as he keeps a close eye on it all. ]

[Ruby keeps her focus on the creature, and gives her scythe a few twirls to show that just up and approaching her might not be the best idea. She shifts a few steps in the opposite direction Bigby's going, to give him a little less distance to cover.

On the bright side the bobcat's focus does stick to Ruby, but it doesn't move to strike immediately. Instead it backs of a few steps before coiling up and preparing to pounce.

The ground proves to be a touch uneven on Ruby's next step forward and she puts more pressure on her injured leg than she had expected to, causing a wince. The bobcat catches that and quickly leaps off the ground.

Ruby's quick to raise her scythe up to block the mix of claws and teeth coming at her, but leg sears with pain, and it looks like it wont take much for it to give way.]

[ .. wait, what?

Something unexpected happens. Sure, something unexpected can always happen in battle, but this is unexpected on a level that Bigby didn't even imagine. He's been in enough fights and has seen enough injuries to immediately know what's going on, but-- even then it doesn't make sense. Ruby couldn't possibly have injured her leg on the spot just by stepping forward. It didn't even look like she had a misstep or something.

God, was she injured? He doesn't think he noticed anything like that on the way here, but-- Ugh, Ruby.

Realising the girl is definitely on the losing side here, the man leaps out of the bushes while letting out a growl that sounds far too animalistic for his human throat. He slams his axe against the creature, but uses the blunt end, just so he can knock the giant bobcat off Ruby by sheer force of the weapon, the wildcat flying off to the side. ]

What the fuck, Ruby?! [ Bigby can't help but use that moment where the wildcat seems stunned by having been knocked aside out of nowhere to yell at the girl. His eyes aren't their usual colour anymore, but instead a glowing golden, the whites of his eyes having grown completely black. Even his face has shifted to look more vaguely animalistic. ] Are you injured?!

[Ruby makes an effort to push back against the bob cat, but only feels a searing pain shoot up her calf in response. Fortunately before she can be overtaken by the creature Bigby pushes in and knocks the creature aside.

And yeash- She has never really seen the guy like that before. Or heard him talk quite like that- There is a sinking realization that she may have screwed up here.

But luckily she has a shovel to dig a deeper whole for herself.]

It's not that bad- I've got this.

[Except it's pretty clear she doesn't have this by the fact she may look a shade or two more pale, and there might be blood starting to seem through her pant leg.

To her credit- She does mask the pain pretty well.]

No you fucking don't!

[ He can smell the blood even before he sees it. His senses may not be as sharp anymore as they used to be, but blood is still a scent Bigby can recognize absolutely anywhere.

It enrages him so much. Why is Ruby here in this state? Who ever taught this girl that it's an acceptable thing to push yourself so far past your own limits? Especially in a situation like this, where it's quite literally life or death. These are exactly the sorts of mistakes that cost lives.

And Bigby is mad at himself too, honestly. For not realising this was a thing sooner. He could have turned her around, sent her back. By now it's too late.

Fuck.

When the creature moves back over to them, Bigby puts himself into its path. He holds his axe with both hands to use it like a barricade between himself and the mutated wildcat, holding it off even as it snaps at him. ]

Ruby, you get the hell out of here right now! You hear me?!

[There is a part of Ruby that knows that she's messed up here. The way Bigby puts himself between her and the monster is something she feels she should be doing.

She grits her teeth despite the pain in her leg and readies her scythe again.]

No! I'm not leaving you to do this on your own!

Not when it's my fault you're here in the first place!

[If she had of went back sooner. Had of been honest about her situation, he could have reliable back up instead of fighting this on his own.

She didn't want to abandon him now.]

[ He outright growls. It doesn't sound very human. ]

You're a liability right now!

[ It's probably a little mean to say that. It's likely he'll apologize for saying that right after this, but-- he has to get her out of the way. It's too likely that she'll get hurt here, and it's hard to fight off this thing while trying to protect her.

Though he tries. The idea that Ruby's life is on the line here makes him fight even rougher, managing to push back against the mutated wildcat until the latter ends up falling over into the snow, with Bigby right on top of the cat.

The axe drops next to them on the ground, but Bigby doesn't even reach for it. He doesn't need it.

Instead he leans down, his teeth sharper now his face is half-transformed, and he outright rips the wildcat's throat out with his own teeth until it stops moving, the blood and gore covering the wildcat's fur and the snow on the ground around them. ]

[Between Bigby's words, the way the cat topples down and it's throat ends up getting ripped out, Ruby just stumbles back a step or two before letting herself fall back on her butt.

The motion causes another shot of pain to go up her injured leg and she winces briefly at it.

She didn't really have the words to say here. She messed up. She knew it. She just didn't want to admit it right now.]

[ It's only when Bigby is absolutely sure the creature is no longer moving - or ever going to move again - that he slowly lifts his face again. His body follows, getting off the mutated wildcat so he can instead turn to look in Ruby's direction.

It's likely the one time he's looked most like the actual Big Bad Wolf around her, even in human form. His eyes still glow in that unnatural way, his facial structure rearranged to be less human, and blood is completely covering the lower half of his face and his beard, dripping down from there. He's still breathing heavily, like what he did just now wasn't an easy feat for him either, but it likely doesn't make the way he looks right now any more comforting.

For a moment he stares, not saying anything.

Then-- ]

It's dead. [ He simply says. ]

[Ruby is perhaps a little startled by the changes to his face. It's not exactly the first time she's come across something like this- and if anything it reminded her a little of how some faunus looked in her own world. The blood and the fierce expression though, those were a little unsettling. If only because it wouldn't have been as necessary if she had of been at the top of her game.

Her silver eyes shift from him to the gore, and then toward the ground as she feels a little worse about the whole situation.]

Yeah... I guess- Mission accomplished?

[ ...

He sighs.

Bigby raises up an arm, starting to wipe at his face a little. Sure, it means the blood is instead getting all over his sleeve, but at least there's a little less of it on his face now as the shape of his face slowly morphs back to the most human version of it. It's not like he needs intimidation anymore when Ruby clearly seems to have shifted from overconfident even in the face of terrible odds to something more dejected.

Which means Bigby mellows out too. Not all the way, sure, but-- a little bit, at least. Enough to not look like he's about to devour someone or something on the spot. ]

Kid, why didn't you just tell me from the start that this was going on?

[Ruby half watches as Bigy cleans himself off and half shifts back. She's not paying full attention though and is a little more focused on mentally kicking herself for not being at the top of her game.

The question ends up hitting her like a sack of bricks when he asks it. And it takes her a little to fumble out an answer.]

I don't know.

I didn't want you going out here alone or something-

No. I guess- I didn't want to feel useless because of it. I don't- I don't usually stop just because I'm hurt.

Who the hell told you that?

[ Because Ruby must have learned it from somewhere, right? Sure, she's a teenager, and those are unpredictable as hell. Bigby understands them even less than most other people, given how little experience he has with them.

But he's pretty sure that kids pick this up from somewhere, and he has no idea where Ruby could have gotten it. What kind of jackass adult is going to tell a kid to keep going no matter what?

He takes a few steps over until he's standing right in front of her. ]

Why would you have to be on the front lines all the time?

[Ruby's jaw goes slack at the first question. The amount of people who drilled that philosphy into her mind were numerous and figuring out how to put that into a list was more of a challenge than she wanted to admit.

Thankfully he steps forward and makes it a little easier on her.]

Because that's what a Huntress does- We protect the people until the bitter end.

[That slides off her tongue as though it was rehearsed. A mantra that she really did live by. With a little hint of uncertainty in it.]

And I guess- Well my headmaster at school was the one who really drilled it home. But- That's kind of idea of the work I do back at home.

[ Bigby already wasn't looking very pleased, but he doesn't look happy with this answer either. Not because of Ruby - since she did actually answer the questions, and it seems like she's being honest about it too - but because of her world. Because-- ]

That's fucking bullshit.

[ Sorry, Ruby. Not to critique your entire society here or anything, but-- no, wait, that's actually exactly what he's doing here. ]

I'm not saying you're a little kid, Ruby. But you're still young. The idea that you need to be the one to put your life out there on the lines ahead of actual grown adults is insane. Especially if they're forcing you to fight when you're not at your best. That shit could be your death sentence! [ He sounds angry about this.

And he is. Because he doesn't want to see Ruby die. Fuck that noise. If he didn't care, he wouldn't be getting this upset in the first place. Bigby is good at staying out of stuff that's none of his business.

This, however, feels like his business now. ]

[Ruby stares briefly before she fumbles the scythe back into it's carry mode and looks away.

She was aware that this way of life could lead to her death. It already had in a weird sort of way that she really had to take a little more time to unpack. Winding up here had put a delay on that.

She manages a bit of a half smile.]

Well- People my age aren't usually the ones that have to do this. I'm a little bit of a special case.

[She's pretty sure that doesn't make it sound any better, but there really wasn't a better way to actually put it.]

Look. This is something I chose to do. And- If I didn't stand up and do it, I don't know if someone else would.

You really think that's true?

[ That last part, that is. Sure, Bigby has no idea about what Ruby's world is like, but.. surely there has to be someone else who could stand up and do all of the stuff she's doing, right? Is there no one else in an entire world who knows how to fight?

Granted, maybe he isn't in the best position to argue about that, given his lack of knowledge.

But.. ]

Even here?

[ Look, Ruby. He's clearly out here fighting to keep the town safe too, isn't he? ]

[She considers that briefly. There is solid chunk of her that believes that people would stand up and protect each other if the going got tough. But that been chipped away a little after everything she had seen in Atlas.

She wanted to believe but she wasn't a hundred percent sure.]

I don't know, really.

I've seen what happens when they don't. And- I think I'm scared of not doing anything, and seeing a place fall apart again.

[ .. He does have a feeling that it's got to do with stuff back home. Sure, the people here don't always agree on everything, but Bigby has seen them pull together when it matters so far. He hasn't seen enough discord to assume that Ruby's assumptions have everything to do with experiences in this place, and her own words only back up that idea. ]

Look, I get that it sounds nuts coming from me. [ You know, the still-transformed wolf guy with blood all over his mouth and shirt at this point. Not exactly the most wholesome figure ever. ]

But you just have to trust the people here a little. You can't let your shit experiences back home color everything here. This place is fucking annoying in some ways, but maybe in others it's better than the place you come from.

[On the bright side when it came to adult figures in Ruby's life, Bigby actually fit right in with them. Her uncle only seldomly gave her advice while covered in blood though.

The thing that does catch her off guard is the content of the advise. It sounded so simple and familiar. She was really surprised it hadn't come out of her own mouth. Was she really that off her game here?

There's a moment where she looks to the ground and contemplates it before she looks up to him again.]

You're right. That does kind of sound nuts coming from you.

Maybe I should try saying it in a mirror instead.

I didn't mean to put us in danger here- I didn't mean to not trust you, I mean.

.. I know, Ruby.

[ About that last part, anyway. Bigby sounds a little tired as he says it, because he knows the fault doesn't lie with her, as much as it lies with whatever fucked up systems back in her own world that pushed her to think like this in the first place.

Guess things really are shitty in multiple worlds, huh. It's not just shitty circumstances in the Homelands, it's not just mundies sucking in the regular world. People are like this anywhere.

But it's the people like Ruby that still make even the Big Bad Wolf hold onto some hope.

The man exhales, then he kneels a little. ]

C'mon, get on my back. [ Yes, you're getting a piggyback ride from Uncly Bigby, Ruby.. ] You're not walking back to town like this.

[ Never mind the weird sight they're going to be when they arrive back in town with Bigby covered in blood and Ruby on his back, but-- whatever. ]

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( open ) i'm guessing that i've grown horns

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cw: gore, violence against animals

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