X-Men: Walk on the Wild Side

[Narrator]

With her flight cut short by the sudden onset of, well, cat-thoughts for lack of a better term, Nailah lands in a crouch, back arched and wings splayed up and out, her tail floofed up to easily twice it's normal volume as she hisses at the advancing lion. And then she leaps, aiming to land on the larger cat's back and sink the claws of all four of her limbs into it.

The lion roared and tried to swat Nailah away, as the two wrestled over their territory.

[Haley Crusek]

“....nice doggy?” Haley whimpered, realizing exactly what her plan had brought into her face. She slammed a wave of telekinetic force forward to buy her some seconds to think outside of biting range.

Maybe...I can try to control her?

[Tereza Rozanov]

The man squeezed off one final shot, but it went sailing wide as the experienced werewolf grabbed the puny secret agent operative.

The wolf slams the man back repeatedly into a tree, tossing the crumpled body to the side as she turns to begin assessing.

Listen, they're messing with us. We *have* to work together.

She looks around, trying to figure out where the voice is coming from, but the gunfire distracts her and sends her tearing off after the other threats that she can readily identify.

[Narrator]

“....nice doggy?” Haley whimpered, realizing exactly what her plan had brought into her face. She slammed a wave of telekinetic force forward to buy her some seconds to think outside of biting range.

Maybe...I can try to control her?

The Phoenix was clearly not operating on all cylinders at the moment as the fog damned her senses, so Haley might have a chance.

Then again, the PhoenixWolf was quickly tearing through her telekenetic force waves, so, you know. Frightening!

The wolf slams the man back repeatedly into a tree, tossing the crumpled body to the side as she turns to begin assessing.

Listen, they're messing with us. We *have* to work together.

She looks around, trying to figure out where the voice is coming from, but the gunfire distracts her and sends her tearing off after the other threats that she can readily identify.

The gunfire coming from the distance was probably Tereza's best bet. They were still trying to shoot down Cowl, who smelled awfully familiar, and awfully like panicking as it fluttered around, avoiding volley after volley of gunfire.

[Nailah Weaver]

Nailah claws at the lion as they're tumbling and it's only when she finds herself biting it (with very little effect beyond getting coarse lion fur in her mouth) does she come to her senses a little bit. With a lion right up in her face and she does the only vaguely sensical thing that occurs to her: Try to grab it's maw to keep it closed while she kicks the snot out of the rest of the animal with her legs.

[Tereza Rozanov]

The gunfire coming from the distance was probably Tereza's best bet. They were still trying to shoot down Cowl, who smelled awfully familiar, and awfully like panicking as it fluttered around, avoiding volley after volley of gunfire.

The wolf growls, tearing off in the direction of the gunfire.

You have to listen to me. This isn't us. This isn't *you*.

The wolf hauls up short, ears flicking at the 'sound'.

Threats.

I know. But we need to do this together or we won't be able to help anyone.

Together?

Yes. Together.

The wolf closes her eyes and a gentle sort of fog starts rolling off her fur as small ice crystals form in it, giving an odd shimmer to the pelt. "No one makes us prey. Now we hunt." She melts into the fog, approaching the gunfire at a stealthier pace.

[Narrator]

Nailah claws at the lion as they're tumbling and it's only when she finds herself biting it (with very little effect beyond getting coarse lion fur in her mouth) does she come to her senses a little bit. With a lion right up in her face and she does the only vaguely sensical thing that occurs to her: Try to grab it's maw to keep it closed while she kicks the snot out of the rest of the animal with her legs.

Nailah was barely keeping up with the lion. It took all she had not to get thrown off by it's bucking.

The wolf closes her eyes and a gentle sort of fog starts rolling off her fur as small ice crystals form in it, giving an odd shimmer to the pelt. "No one makes us prey. Now we hunt." She melts into the fog, approaching the gunfire at a stealthier pace.

In a clearing at the end of the forest was a bunker, embedded into the ground. Four Black Air shock troops were standing outside of it, shooting at the owl that was just barely keeping ahead of them, dodging and weaving.

They did not immediately notice Tereza's approach.

[Haley Crusek]

The Phoenix was clearly not operating on all cylinders at the moment as the fog damned her senses, so Haley might have a chance.

Then again, the PhoenixWolf was quickly tearing through her telekenetic force waves, so, you know. Frightening!

Haley screwed up her face in concentration as she divided her attention between keeping a steady push with her TK to keep the advancing werewolf at bay and pouring energy into a mental command.

"Sit!"

[Altamira Vazquez]

The PhoenixWolf looked at her with a...bemused? ... expression...and took another step towards Haley.

Slower steps. And smaller steps. But still...steps.

[Tereza Rozanov]

In a clearing at the end of the forest was a bunker, embedded into the ground. Four Black Air shock troops were standing outside of it, shooting at the owl that was just barely keeping ahead of them, dodging and weaving.

They did not immediately notice Tereza's approach.

Tereza drops to all fours, moving slightly behind them, looking for the 'sick gazelle'. Picking one in the back, and with all other eyes skyward, she charges, looking to snag the trooper's boot in her teeth and drag him into the woods. If he collides with a few trees as he's dragged away, that's not a problem... for her.

[Diego Zapata]

Diego's not-fire seemed to brighten as his berserker wild side took over, then vanished as he shot into the shadows. He quietly crept out of the underbrush behind a soldier and formed his blade before rushing and slashing at the strange fire-spitting stick he wielded.

[Narrator]

Tereza drops to all fours, moving slightly behind them, looking for the 'sick gazelle'. Picking one in the back, and with all other eyes skyward, she charges, looking to snag the trooper's boot in her teeth and drag him into the woods. If he collides with a few trees as he's dragged away, that's not a problem... for her.

Tereza is successful in grabbing the trooper, and yes, he does in fact smash into a few trees.

This is not silent, however, and the remaining guards whirl and try to fire at her...

Diego's not-fire seemed to brighten as his berserker wild side took over, then vanished as he shot into the shadows. He quietly crept out of the underbrush behind a soldier and formed his blade before rushing and slashing at the strange fire-spitting stick he wielded.

...which means they were not looking when Diego came rushing out of the underbrush, slashing and gashing several of the remaining guards.

[Diego Zapata]

He kept up his furious attack, heedless of the continued life of the enemy but not going for the kill either. He was playing with his food.

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza is successful in grabbing the trooper, and yes, he does in fact smash into a few trees.

This is not silent, however, and the remaining guards whirl and try to fire at her...

A few bullets graze her skin, drawing blood before Diego appears to distract them. Tereza slams the agent into a tree one more time, hopefully mercifully unconscious now as she begins assessing threats again. Diego was messing with the remaining agents. Cats playing with their food. The wolf rolls her eyes. Someone around here had to be in charge. Humans were like that. These agents had been talking to someone. She pats down her prize, looking for that thing... the thing that made noises... radio. That's right, radio.

[Narrator]

A few bullets graze her skin, drawing blood before Diego appears to distract them. Tereza slams the agent into a tree one more time, hopefully mercifully unconscious now as she begins assessing threats again. Diego was messing with the remaining agents. Cats playing with their food. The wolf rolls her eyes. Someone around here had to be in charge. Humans were like that. These agents had been talking to someone. She pats down her prize, looking for that thing... the thing that made noises... radio. That's right, radio.

Tereza did in, fact, find the noisy squawk box!


The voice that came over it was not particularly helpful.

"They've broken the perimiter! Go to Phase 2, Phase 2!"


And with that, the weather started to change. Rain started pouring down, with ominous looking storm clouds gathering in the sky...

The rain might disperse a bit of the fog, though not all of it.

[Diego Zapata]

The rain cleared his head just enough to allow him to dissolve his blade and deliver a knockout punch to a trooper.

[Nailah Weaver]

Nailah, still brawling with the lion and trying to cling close enough not to get gored by it, tries to grasp around on the forest floor for a branch or a rock or anything, closing her fingers around the first thing she comes across and slams it into the side of the lion's head.

[Narrator]

Nailah, still brawling with the lion and trying to cling close enough not to get gored by it, tries to grasp around on the forest floor for a branch or a rock or anything, closing her fingers around the first thing she comes across and slams it into the side of the lion's head.

The rain cleared his head just enough to allow him to dissolve his blade and deliver a knockout punch to a trooper.

Diego and Nailah's attacks were enough to take down their various attackers.


And that's when the lightning started. Quickly, and repeatedly, attempting to hit the X-Team members. If they stayed out in the open for much longer, their gooses would be cooked.

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Bunker!" Tereza yelled, trying to cut through the booming noise of the thunder.

[Nailah Weaver]

Nailah pushes the lion off of herself and scrambles to her feet. Tereza doesn't need to ask twice and she zig-zags between the trees and towards the voice.

"Cowl! Where are you? Come here before you get zapped!" she shouts into the storm.

[Altamira Vazquez]

Mira's head snapped up at the sound of the other wolf, and strode in her direction, as if that had always been her plan.

She growled a little bit at Tereza as they saw each other.

[Will Stanton]

"Ha-woo!" 'Cowl' said, swooping in, with singed tail-feathers.

[Tereza Rozanov]

Mira's head snapped up at the sound of the other wolf, and strode in her direction, as if that had always been her plan.

She growled a little bit at Tereza as they saw each other.

Tereza growls right back, guarding the entrance to the bunker. "Behave."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Do you know to whom you speak, mutt?"

[Nailah Weaver]

"Cowl, stick!" Nailah says, holding out her hand to grab him and wave him between the two werewolves. It's probably not the brightest plan but she's not going to actively step in between them. That's just crazy.

[Altamira Vazquez]

The stick caught on fire, as the PhoenixWolf glared at it.

[Haley Crusek]

Haley stood panting in exertion for a moment after the fiery werewolf abruptly turned its attention away from her before she forced herself to move towards the sound of Tereza to get out of the lightning.

"Bitches! Same team!" Haley snapped as she jogged up to the dominance contest. She was crazy (stupid?) enough to get between them, all 4'11" of her.

[Nailah Weaver]

Nailah shakes the stick in the wind and rain to make it go out and takes a small step backwards, still holding the stick.

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza growls at Haley without taking her eyes off Mira, "I'm making sure *she* knows that." She bares her teeth at Mira, "I'm talking to the wolf who's been chasing her own tail. Now are you going to behave?" She moves, trying to put herself between Mira and the rest of the team.

[Narrator]

Mira growled one more time, but then backed down. Tereza's wolf was clearly the more experienced of the two, able to even get a fundamental force of the universe to tow the line for now.


With Mira in line, all that was left to do was get into the steel door of the bunker, somehow. They could hear Black Air agents setting up defensive positions behind it, so there would be a fight on the other side...but the bunker was only so big. The device had to be in there.

[Nailah Weaver]

"Hmm..." Nailah muses, holding the stick up to her shoulder so Cowl could shift back to 'normal' and running her other hand over the surface of the steel door.

[Narrator]

The steel door was made of steel, and was also a door.

Enough force could probably knock the thing off of it's hinges.

[Diego Zapata]

"We shoulda brought a Hulk. Or maybe a shark," Diego quipped with a slight growl still in his voice.

"Can you open it, cosmic fire werewolf?

[Haley Crusek]

“Hulk smash?” Haley smirked, winding up and punching the air in front of her, sending a blast of TK at the door.

[Narrator]

Haley's TK was enough to blow the door off of it's hinges, revealing four Black Air guards with sci-fi guns, standing in front of The Device.

"Fire!" they shouted, as they blasted the group in front of the door with gravitational waves, trying to pin them to the ground.

[Nailah Weaver]

Nailah tries to dive out of the way and roll next to the door and out of immediate line of fire.

[Diego Zapata]

Diego followed Nailah's example and made to take cover on the other side of the door. But his reaction was slower.

[Haley Crusek]

Haley was stuck front and center and was forced to her knees before she could push back against the attack with a wall of TK.

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza's driven to the ground as well, but luckily she doesn't need motion to make her power works as ice tries to race across the ground to attempt to grab at or jab into the troopers.

[Narrator]

Tereza's ice attack grabbed two of the four guards, immobilizing them.

The other two kept firing, but their spread was less thorough now, leaving holes in the increased gravity field.