16385/Hunting Monsters...take two.

Hunting Monsters...take two.
Date of Scene:	22 June 2024
Location:	Northwestern Canadian Rockies
Synopsis:	Off to the Great White North. Harry, Willow, and Hellequin encountered a monster from Native American legend and disposed of it.
Cast of Characters:	Harry Dresden, Hellequin, Willow Rosenberg

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Harry Dresden has posed:
This operation took far too long and so many have fallen by the wayside. None are dead that anyone is aware of. They just aren't around anymore. Harry and Willow looking at this magical thing together, but she found and ace and brought in Hellequin. Three against a rumored immortal, cannibalistic, Native American legend of pure nightmare fuel.

Harry can't fly. That wouldn't be safe for anyone including him. So while Willow and Henri fly up and prepare for the coming conflict, Harry and Mouse walk through the Ways Between Worlds, walking into the Never Never. The path is treacherous and there are nasty creatures to contend with so it takes time.

When they finally arrive, Harry lets them know from a legit payphone and then goes to the mountains where they decided to start. His arrival even to the hotel could have been chaos and expensive so he stays far from there as well. Not a camper by any means, but no high end hotels either.

Hellequin has posed:
As soon as the coordinates were received, Henri set out for the rendezvous point in the mountains. It was good timing as well, as since he and Willow started walking, the sun was ready to go down. Willow has seen it before, so when Henri turns into Hellequin, there is no surprise. The benefit is that they won't have to walk anymore, as the ethereal horse can easily carry them to their destination.

It might be more surprising for Harry, as the horse approaches his location. Contrary to his habit, the horseman isn't leading his mount high in the nightly sky, but keeps him closer to the ground, just above the trees. There is not thunder sound either, as if the Hellequin wanted to keep a low profile - if possible. Even the two mastiff dogs are running along, very quietly.

Soon, the horse comes to a halt, so Willow can get on the ground.

"Greetings," comes the Hellequin's low voice. "Shall we go a hunting? My companions," he gestures towards the massive dogs, "Might have found what you are looking for."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
It was a good thing that she had experienced Henri's change before. Not only was she prepared, but she tried to prepare Harry too. So once they showed at the meeting point, Harry should have an idea of what he was dealing with with Herni.

Besides, Willow wasn't afraid? Right. That made it easier to accept. That was the idea.

Slipping to the ground, she thanks Helle. And looks about. "So where do we go from here, Harry?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
When the two arrive, Harry looks up. Beside him there is a massive dog, Caucasian Sheppard massive. Though a moment ago he'd been lolling his tongue and panting a little, his mouth closes and his head cocks to one side inquisitively. An aura glows around the dog for a moment, then fades as he sees Willow and Harry pats him gently.

He nods to the pair as they arrive and looks at the hounds. His eyes move to the rider and says,"If they have a trail let's get a look."

He looks to Willow and replies,"Let's see where the hounds lead us. If we find it we'll contend with it. If they don't, we'll have to rethink it then. Mouse and I have smelled something in line with the scents they are legendary for, but it slipped away both times."

Hellequin has posed:
Since this is a hunting night, the Hellequin has opted for his full regalia, including the spear along with the long sword by his side. Once Willow dismounted, Hellequin does as well, his dogs coming to his side as they EYE "Mouse". Still, they do not stare for long, as by a movement of his hand of their master, they are directed to start hunting.

The hounds turn toward the mountains, and start in this direction, never leaving their master's sight.

"It should not be far," Hellequin says as he walks, following his dogs, "But the thing moves, so maybe we could go ahead and drive it toward you. Then you can attack it, then I can finish it." Thinking for a moment, Hellequin adds, "But you mentioned something about its hart. How can you do this?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Between Harry and Hellequin, Mouse and the HUNT, Willow has zero doubt that she is not necessary for at least this part of the hunt. And probably as giving them extra firepower when they needed it. Funny, she she didn't feel like the little sister that they had to bring along, whereas many times beforehand she felt like that with the Scoobies.

It really made a difference to allow each member to do their expertise. Right now? It wasn't her.

Walking behind them she took up the rear, allowing them to focus on the trail.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"I can't shake the feeling with the multiple hits on scrying that we are hunting something that might have a lot of family, but the lore doesn't indicate it. They always seem to be singular, but again the multiple hits."

He lets Hellequin take the lead on the hunt and Mouse falls beside Willow, maybe a half step behind. Harry takes his blasting rod from his duster and admits,"If all else fails I will blast it with fire until the heart melts, but I am open to suggestions if you have another idea. We're hunting a legitimate nightmare and all the aces we have would be well and good to know ahead of time."

Hellequin has posed:
"We will move a bit more, then see," the Hellequin states, not one to be very talkative during hunts.

The walk lasts for a moment - maybe 30 minutes? - that seem like nothing to the Hellequin since he's actually already dead. Which doesn't mean that Willow and Harry appreciate the hunt, at night, in the cool Rockies.

As the group reach the summit of a small mound, the opposite slope leads to a small creek bordered by a rocky wall. A darker spot in the granite seems to indicate an indentation, maybe an opening.

The hounds stop on their tracks, glowing eyes riveted on this darker spot, but they remain silent - no need to alert the prey!

"It is in there, holed up," the Hellequin says almost in a whisper. "I can go in and drive it to you." Glancing at Harry and Willow, he gestures for his dogs to reposition by their side, "They can stay with you, defend and attack when it runs out. What do you think of this plan?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Turn the heart to stone." Willow offers that, as though she always knew it. When in fact, she couldn't pinpoint where she got that idea. It just.. appeared in her memory..

Willow doesn't look on the outside that she was confused? Worried? At that thought. But on the inside? Oh yes. Very much so. She mostly definitely ignored the laughter in her brain. ~Poor Willow. You hold yourself back. No wonder your friends pity you.~

"I.." Willow caught herself in time. "I was thinking, it can't beat if it were stone." Now that she had the thought, she could see the advantages. If she could turn living (undead?) flesh to something else.. That was the question.

Harry Dresden has posed:
The smell. Oh the smell. The smell in the air is foul, like dead animal and something worse combined. The air is permeated with it. A sickly sweet smell that can almost be tasted.

Harry looks up at the opening and nods,"Stopping the heart in any way probably would put a stop to it, the burn is the only thing I read. These legends were written when magic and technology weren't a thing."

His attention goes to Hellequin and he nods,"Flush it out. Take your hounds incase something goes wrong. Chase it out and we'll catch it in a pinser attack. Three to the front, three to the reat. Maybe we can take it down without too much issue."

He looks to Willow and nods,"You have the capability of the stone heart? It is a good idea and not something I have really looked into before. If I thought we could get away with just trapping it in the cave I'd be all for that, but somehow I think the dreams will come back if we do."

Hellequin has posed:
Hellequin seems to hesitate for a moment. Bringing the hounds with him would lessen Willow and Harry's defence. It is mostly for the young woman - his friend - that he is worried about.

In the other hand, the hounds would ferret it out faster and more efficiently than if he was alone in the cave with it. Then Harry has his dog - strange dog if any, but can it fight?

The decision is made and, with a silent movement of his hand, the hounds move back to the Hellequin's side. Hunter and hounds then move - floating slightly above ground - toward the entrance to the cave and soon disappear inside.

It doesn't take long for the most awful sounds to echo from the cave. Surprise, anger and pain-filled cries can be heard, along the ethereal barking of the hounds as they zoned in their prey.

Suddenly, there is movement at the entrance of the cave. Elongated shadows appear on the granite wall, as some tall creature appear to fight back as it moves out.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Hellequin and Harry made a plan.

But oh! That smell.

"Is that what it smells like." Willow caught herself after she asked. "Ah. Probably dead things." That made more sense. She was nodding to herself when Harry her if she could do the transmogrifying. "Uhhh.."

Could she?

The laughter in her brain sounded louder, and then disappeared.

Or so she thought.

"The theoretical, yes. But I haven't done that before." Telling her alter-ego that ~Sure, you give me answers without how to do them! Not fair.~

Her brain was silent.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Things happen and fall out ensues. When Hellequinn and the dogs go into the cave they discover a lot of dead human bodies, most stripped to their bones of flesh. A few are a little more fresh. What's worse, there is a cage and two women and a man are held within. All of them look weak and even emaciated from hunger.

The tall, horrific looking and smelling creature is near the cage, like trying to make them sick from a cold. It is surprised by the arrival of the dogs and the mounted ghostly warrior. Anger cries before the dogs get at him. Then the pain.

Rising and moving at the dogs, the spindly creature with the deer's skull on its head tries to get past them and out of the cave. Too tight in here. More room to use the woods to its advantage. It swings at them and goes out of the entrance.

Harry nods to Willow and tells her softly,"If you want to try to figure it out on the run you can, but probably we should just concentrate on melting its heart and learn more later. It's not in my wheel house either."

When the creature appears at the cave entrance, energy rises all around mouse. He's shrouded by mystical waves of power. The single bark that comes from the big dog echoes off in every direction for miles or until swallowed by trees or mountains.

Hellequin has posed:
He must follow the creature outside, force it out, but the Hellequin hesitates for a moment. Should he free the poor captives? By the look of it, they would not go far. The cage might be a better protection for them at the moment.

The creature has swung at the hounds, even to himself, but since it is not of a godly nature or of the highest magical level, its blows do not to any damage. But Hellequin and his companions, in return, can inflict pain. The hounds' teeth, although ethereal, do real damage, just like the spear that hit the creature' side. All seems to be done in order to push it out of the cave, not to kill it.

Hellequin is good sport, and will share the kill. Besides, by what Harry has said about it, this thing cannot be killed so easily. The loud, almost deafening bark from outside reassures the Frenchman that both Willow and Harry as defended. So Mouse, it seems, isn't a living room doggie.

For now, the Wendigo is just slightly hurt, and mostly angry. Very angry.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow was up in the air. She doesn't know how, and frankly, given to time factor and the Wendigo and what Harry has said about it, she doesn't think it would be a great idea to guess and by golly a solution. At least not until she has a better place to try things.

Running it is!

Mind you, she is looking for a place to actually do some magic in. That burning the heart out? Shew think it was the same as force lightning? Right? Right??

But first she needed a place.

In the back of her mind was the laughter again. ~Poor little Willow. You are pathetic.~

Harry Dresden has posed:
Nothing that tall should move that fluidly. Especially not under attack. Harry takes his blasting rod to hand his right hand. He shakes his left wrist and a bracelet of shields falls to the edge of his hand,"All right you ugly bastard..." he mutters darkly.

Mouse growls again and steps between Harry and Willow. He isn't heading into the fray yet, but he isn't letting the thing slip out of detection to the wooded area. Another bark echoes through the night and the creature looks towards those it is being driven towards and makes a scream of its own. It is terrifying to those that haven't looked death in the face. For those that have, it's still less than comforting.

Noticing Willow's withdrawl, Harry nod and settles. The critter is coming fast and so he levels the blasting rod,"Fuego!"

A fireball leaps at the monster. Aiming at that range is questionable. Still, the fire licks the monster's legs and gives Harry a standard to measure. Mouse goes with Willow, but watches Harry as well. Protecting both of their backs. His bark can warn Harry and his presence with her makes him able to watch her blind spot.

The beast runs from the hunter and his hounds, trying to assess his situation being plunged towards them. The fireball gives the monster a staggering pause as it stumbles and then plunges forward.

"Defendarius." Harry mutters and the shield bracelet comes to life, making an energy field to protect him.

Hellequin has posed:
First making sure that the Wendigo did not return to the cave, Hellequin was guarding the entrance. If the creature returned inside, there is no telling what it might do to the captives. For this reason, the wraith stays closer to the entrance. He will intervene if the situation gets dire for the other two. Even from some distance, Hellequin can attack the Wendigo from behind, using the spear as a javelin, which thrown with force and skill, finds its target right in the back. Nothing to kill it, but sure makes for a momentarily distraction.

Since he is guarding the entrance and cutting any chance of retreat there, the huntsman directs his canine companions.

"Allez les petits, amusez-vous!" And on this command to go and have fun, the ethereal hounds jump forward, their powerful jaws closing on the legs, keeping the creature where it stands, making for a perfect target for Willow and Harry.

The Wendigo is far from being down, anything else would be dead by now.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Once she has taken herself away - just a bit she plants herself and takes a look at the damage. ..There is the Wendigo. There is Harry. Hellequin. Mouse and the Hunt..

And her.

"I can do this.." She mutters. To herself. and to Mouse. But when she drew her magic to her, a funny thing happened.

Time stood still. At least for Willow.

~Like this.~ The formulations ran through her mind.

~How do I know you aren't evil?~

~Oh, my poor, poor, pathetic girl. Do it or not. You decide.~ And then she was real time again.

"Like this?" Willow placed her hands like *so*. But there was no response. Either she tried it.. or she let Harry and Helle do the deed.

tick.. tock.. tick..

With her eyes beginning to shut, she let out the magic she was shown.. go. It hit the Wendigo right in the chest. Not that Willow saw. She held her eyes closed and prayed.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Trusting Willow to do what she will, Harry starts to line up another shot against the monster. Willow's spell goes past him and hits the monster in the chest. It staggers and the area around its chest seems to change in texture.

From behind him, Hellequin hears a scream, the sound of someone being attacked or killed even. Whatever is happening in there it can't be good.

The monster is held in place by the hounds. It struggles to function as hte heart comes to a stop at least for the moment. Energy around the area starts to spark and something is trying to counter the stone heart, but the monster falls forward to its hands to the ground as well and tries to rise again.

Hellequin has posed:
With a quick glance at their master, the hounds keep at their task of holding the Wendigo in place. The Hellequin, alerted by the screams from the depth of the cave, reaches for his long sword and turns on his heels. If anyone is stupid enough to attack the captives, they are no better than dead.

Leaving his hounds and companions to take care of the Wendigo, the French wraith re-enters the cave, ready to slay whoever or whatever needs to be slayed. There will be no quarter given.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
What she manages to do isn't /quite/ the way she had hoped. But she did hold the Wendigo in place, with his heart trying to break free of her spell.

"Somebody kill it! Or something! I can't hold onto this very much longer!"

Whether or not Willow /could/ stop it permanently is a moot point. Willow believes she can't. At least that the Wendigo is fighting her magic.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Inside the cave, Hellequin will find the man has blood all over him, his eyes wild. One of the women is pressed against the back of the cage, the other is on the floor and bleeding from her neck. The man seems to have succumbed to the curse of the wendigo and the first act of cannibalism locks him into the life of the monster. Eternal hunger."

Outside Willow's directions gets a nod from Harry and he lines the blasting rod,"Fuego!" he shouts again and the blast hits the monster square in the chest,"Fuego!" and another blast hit the monster, breaking the stone and incinerating skin,"Fuego!" Hell fire melts the monster's heart, the heat more intense in the last blast.

The monster buckles and falls forward to the ground again. One last scream and then it expires.

Hellequin has posed:
This is an abominable scene if any, but the Hellequin has seen worst, like witches burnt at the stake. Still, this is horrible.

Hesitating for a moment to just kill the mad man - it would be so easy - the huntsman grabs him by the neck and throws him against the rocky wall, maybe not killing him, but sure rendering him unconscious for a while. Despite trying to attack the wraith, the man is no match for the Hellequin.

That being taken care of, the wounded woman is quickly attended to. Well, as much as possible because ethereal clothing doesn't stop blood! Returning to the now unconscious man, Hellequin tears part of his shirt, "Tu n'en n'auras plus besoin."

With this piece of shirt wrapped around her neck, the woman has better chances of survival. Merely. Because, to be honest, the Hellequin is not quite the paramedic.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
And then suddenly..

The fight against Willow's magic is.. gone. She had stopped the Wendigo just long enough for Harry to do the deed and obliterated it. She doesn't even feel weird, or tired, or wore out. For doing the new magic, and thinking it was a fight.. none of the expected results were felt.

It felt no more stressful than lighting a candle across the room. Easy.

This didn't add up.

"I think Hellequin needs help." At least immediately beforehand he did.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry walks to the body, kneeling to study it. Two reasons. He wanted to see it and that much power exiting that fast takes a toll. Especially the Hellfire. His shield lowers as he sees the monster is down.

"Mouse..." he comments just sharp enough to be heard. As if reading his mind, the dog races at the cave energy wrapping around him as he dives into the cave. Unlike a lot of dogs, he does pause long enough to assess the situation before just biting. Seeing things are under control he goes to the woman pressed against the wall, energy fading and just a big fluffy puppy coming to help her. He's not a medic either, but he can comfort the survivor. Mouse eyes the man though, deadly intent if the man moves his way.

Hellequin has posed:
The dead Wendigo is also eyed, briefly, by the hounds before they let go of its limp legs. They too, run to the cave, to their master. And like most dogs, they do not stop to assess the situation. Soon, the hounds rejoin the Hellequin, on guard by his side. Their attitude shows their curiosity toward the large fluffy dog, and they slowly approach Mouse. Amazingly enough, they are not menacing - actually, their behaviour is often the reflection of their master's. They sit obediently in front of Hellequin, sniffing Mouse from a distance.

"Bons chiens," the huntsman says, "Did you have fun?" To which the ethereal hounds answer with a hellish howl in unison. Yes, they did!

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Whatever the situation was, it was no more. "That's.. it? And Hellequin? He's okay?" It seems so.. banal now. "There aren't anymore?" Willow turns around, and around again to check.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry looks around and shakes his head,"I don't think so. I don't smell one anyway. The stories say they are either solitary or with a single companion. There are probably more out there, but not here that I can see." He finally stands up, but he is tired.

Mouse encourages the woman to come out of the cave. He can't help with the body or the man, but the man will start to stir if given enough time. The curse is taking him over and he will have the hunger and blind drive when he awakens once more.

Hellequin has posed:
It would be easy to end the man's misery, one quick movement, and his head would depart his body. But this is not really Hellequin's mission. So instead, the huntsman grabs the man and tosses him in the cage, which is then secured. The elements will take care of him.

This done, the Hellequin exits the cave, followed by his hounds.

After looking with curiosity at the dead Wendigo, Hellequin nods at Harry and Willow.

"You are both well, this is good. The creature is dead, this is even better." He then glances up at the sky, frowning, "And I will need to leave soon, else I'll have to walk. If you want a ride back, Willow, you are welcome."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow nods. She know that the man will have to be dealt with, before he becomes what they had overcome: a Wendigo. That made her sad. If they had got here just a little bit faster..

She looks to Harry. "Should I come back with you?" After all, there wasn't any reason to hurry now.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry looks up at the cave and shakes his head,"Go on back. Take the woman out with you. Mouse and I will get rested up a little and start back towards home."

Mouse walks the woman to them and Harry considers the horse,"Assuming three can ride or someone can ride a hound or soemthing?"

Hellequin has posed:
Hellequin helps the woman on the horse - good thing that she's almost out of it and will put this on a nightmare. There is room for Willow if she chooses to.

As for Hellequin himself, the horse is not necessary, as he slowly ascends above the ground.

"Either way, I will return the woman to a safe place. Willow can ride my horse, he is a very steady one. I will remain by their side along the way."

So the ride back is organized and all should be returned home safely before the sun rises again.