[It was more difficult than she thought to mangle the creature's legs; the powerful tendons were as tough as steel cables, and the Nuckelavee itself bucked and thrashed and made an irritating target.
But Kaede didn't need to kill it, just yet. She heard something small stir where Leslie fell, a thin but present voice. And a pained sound, one that got a bristling response from Kaede immediately. The shadows pooled together into a more coherent shape, with white antlers spreading from its head and hackles raised like so many prickling feathers.]
I know what they can do. I've killed them before. [Kaede's voice echoed from the shadow-thing, though its jaws didn't move.
The gangly forearms of the shadow-thing sprang free as the Nuckelavee whirled again, threatening to bowl Kaede away from Leslie. That wouldn't do. The murky shape of Chimera dropped to all four feet instead, and let out a roaring, baying call that echoed too much to be a tiger's and crackled too much to be a hound's. But it got the desired attention--from the Nuckelavee now focusing on her instead of Leslie, and from the low whooping calls that answered further away. It'd take a bit of time for the hyenas to get here, but Kaede was already a bristling obstacle.
Some of the mobile shadows curled closer to Leslie, brushing her side like a passing bird, or a flicking feathered tail--the gentleness all out of sorts with her cold, echoing voice.]
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But Kaede didn't need to kill it, just yet. She heard something small stir where Leslie fell, a thin but present voice. And a pained sound, one that got a bristling response from Kaede immediately. The shadows pooled together into a more coherent shape, with white antlers spreading from its head and hackles raised like so many prickling feathers.]
I know what they can do. I've killed them before. [Kaede's voice echoed from the shadow-thing, though its jaws didn't move.
The gangly forearms of the shadow-thing sprang free as the Nuckelavee whirled again, threatening to bowl Kaede away from Leslie. That wouldn't do. The murky shape of Chimera dropped to all four feet instead, and let out a roaring, baying call that echoed too much to be a tiger's and crackled too much to be a hound's. But it got the desired attention--from the Nuckelavee now focusing on her instead of Leslie, and from the low whooping calls that answered further away. It'd take a bit of time for the hyenas to get here, but Kaede was already a bristling obstacle.
Some of the mobile shadows curled closer to Leslie, brushing her side like a passing bird, or a flicking feathered tail--the gentleness all out of sorts with her cold, echoing voice.]
Cripple the legs. Make it crawl.