Nazi-huntin'

It was day three of a five-day journey deep into the heart of the Malaysian jungle, where Gringotts had received intelligence that a safe haven was to be found, after Grindelwald's defeat, a band of his followers had fled Europe for the safety of the Malaysian jungle, where they constructed a stronghold. As if that wasn't problematic enough, they had taken large amounts of gold, silver, and other priceless valuables snatched from their victims' homes and vaults, a gross invasion to be despised. Calixta and her collegeauges were tasked with seeking out this stronghold and returning the stolen treasures to their rightful owners, the descendants of Grindelwald's victims, who were in return spending quite a lot of gold to fund the expedition and pay them all for their time.

Naturally, as the most senior member of their team, Andy Davidson was officially in charge, but the easy-going wizard was perfectly content to hang back in favour of training his successor, Calixta. The "Nazi-hunting" expedition, as Cali jokingly called it, was to be Andy's last, after which Cali would be taking the reigns, much to the chagrin of her fellow curse-breaker and eternal pain-in-the-rear, Trevor McDonelly. As they were the closest in age, he'd taken it upon himself to make them out to be rivals of sorts, although no one who knew them could ever bestow that title upon the pair. Trevor was...well, in a word, incompetent, and so Calixta did her utmost to ignore him.

Ignoring Trevor was rather difficult, however, when he was keeping up a steady stream of complaints from his position at the rear of the party. Despite its being the most protected spot, and much easier and slower going than the front, he managed to find a thousand and one reasons why heshould be leading the charge rather than Calixta.

"Trevor, you can't be serious," she'd responded, exasperatedly stopping the group's progress to whirl on her colleague. "With all of the enchantments, those packs weigh seven pounds, how on earth d'ya mean to tell me you're tired because it's too heavy? Katerina doesn't seem to have any problem with hers," Calixta pointed out. Katerina merely shrugged, not particularly wishing to be put in the middle of one of their rows again. Andy and Max, in the middle position, also didn't have to carry packs, and had the advantage of not having to fight through the foliage to clear the way when the trail was blocked, though Trevor wouldn't dare say anything about the expedition leader.

"You must not have done the enchantment right, then," Trever retorted, and it was all Calixta could do not to roll her eyes at him.

"Much like you didn't do the enchantment right a few weeks ago, when I broke my arm thanks to your faulty protective spells?" Trevor's nostrils flared at this and before he could do more than open his mouth to respond, Katerina hastily stepped in.

"Actually Calixta, I had some questions for you anyway..." she interjected -- a feeble excuse they could all see through, but the sentiment was right, in any case. They were all sick of Trevor's whining and he would probably grow weary of leading the way within an hour, anyway.

"Fine. Trevor, give me your pack," she commanded with a smirk, knowing full well that Trevor hated having to obey her orders, but that he couldn't reasonably refuse. After all, he'd been complaining about carrying the pack and it was the responsibility of the team members bringing up the back to carry all of the gear. Looking sullen despite having gotten his way, Trever slung the pack off and thrusted it towards Calixta, who caught it with ease, as it was lighter than even she had suspected. He'd snuck a good deal of gear into Katerina's pack, no doubt, but the good-natured witch rarely ever complained.

Without even waiting for the team to re-assemble properly, Trevor was off, prompting cries from Kat and Cali this time, to wait a moment.

"Just try to keep pace," he snarled at them, triumphantly, as he led them deeper into the jungle. They only endured a quarter hour of Trevor's reckless speed when he turned the corner, disappearing from view for about the tenth time in as many minutes.

"TREVOR, cut it out and do it right or it'll be your head!" Calixta complained, and truly, she had never spoken more accurately. She continued to complain about his protocol-breaking tendencies as they all rounded the corner, but there was no Trevor in sight.

"Trevor?" Katerina called out, more worriedly. 

"Cut it out, that's not funny! You're wasting time," Calixta yelled, whirling around in a circle as something moved around near them, disturbing the foliage that hide it.

Andy Davidson merely arched an eye a the bickering going on with his co-workers, he didn't say anything, they were all adults... though he had to wonder how on earth Trevor McDonelly got to be a curse breaker to begin with... the man was a selfish idiot. When the two ladies came to a stop and Trevor was no where in sight, an odd feeling started to loom in.

"Trevor get your whinny arse back here" he called out, wand out hoping it was only a small animal.

Max the most junior of the group followed Andy's example, and said the thing that was on everyones mind..

"Trevor if that is you, cut it out" he said looking around for any sign of his Co-worker.

The manticore had heard them from several miles away. They were foreign to be sure. The locals knew how to maneuver in the jungle. They knew what lay deep in it. They knew to avoid the hunting grounds, they knew to be silent when near it. No these people were loud, noisy. They couldn't blend in. They stuck out like red in a sea of green. All she had to do was pluck them out one by one.

She found an opportunity with the noisest one. It was leading the pack. It didn't seem very smart. The manticore headed forward and decided to ambush the human. As he turned the corner, he met her. He didn't even have time to react - the manticore tore off his throat. Then she dragged his body away.

She returned to stalking the group. She had a large family to feed and one human who was foolish enough to wander into their territory was not enough.

Calixta was the first to draw her wand; something just felt wrong. Trevor was a whiny arse, that wasn't to be doubted, but he always listened to Andy. In fact, Andy was pretty much the only one he answered to, so when Cali didn't see Trevor's tell-tale ginger hair heading back towards them from the trees, she assumed the worse. Now that she took a moment to really observe their surroundings, the rustling sound nearest them was the only sign of life they'd really heard within the last half hour; this area of the jungle was curiously bereft of any kinds of creatures.

Shining her wand along the narrow sides of the trail, something shone in the light. Partially obscured by a leafy branch, Calixta uncovered the edge of silver, which turned out to be one of the tags from Trevor's I.D. necklace -- something like dog tags which they all wore, just in case. It has clearly been ripped away from the rest of the necklace, which had gone missing along with the rest of him.

"Andy!..." she cried out, panic creeping into her voice. Katerina's eyes widened as she realised what it was that Cali held in her hand.

"Shit!" Almost in unison, the witches began hastily constructing a magical barrier, but even as they circled the tight area, the rustling grew louder -- no doubt whatever was out there was attracted by the light cast by their wands.

"Help us!" Calixta urged desperately, not wanting to see whatever it was that had gotten Trevor until they were all safe behind a nice thick protective wall.

Andy's eyes narrowed from the look of things they had walked into a ambush, and it certainly it wasn't by any rabbit. "Cali! Kat! stick together, stand back to back if you have to, whatever you do, don't panic" He instructed nearing them, knowing if they ran or acted as if there heads were cut off they were finished.

Max having this be his second mission only was overwlemed with the change and jumpy.. at a movment from a bush he cast the first hex that came to his mind, a cutting hex..

"Max wait for contact first.." Andy remined, watching where Max had sent the hex, almost hoping it had been Trevor, having gotton away from whatever got him.

Max Swallowed and nodded waiting for whatever was out there to show its self... yet dreaded it as well.

Andy turned his head slightly to Calixta, "What do you think Cali? Kat? Should I send out a distress signle? even if I do it now it will still be sometime before help arrives.." he asked it was still early... but a member of his team was missing possibly dead. That qualified as a emergency...

The manticore prowled and stalked her prey. The humans were afraid, she could smell their fear. Fear made them stupid, fear made them reckless. Fear made them taste better. 

She rounded them, making sure to rustle a few leaves here and there to ensure their fear. Then one of them got extremely close to hitting her with a spell. Ah so these were the people of magic. That would explain why they dared to venture off so far away from safety. The people of magic were arrogant, they thought nothing could stand in their way. Ill-advised they were. She decided to take the trigger-happy one. Quick as lightning, she pounced and enveloped her prey. Surprise attack, he had no choice. The slow eyes of the humans wouldn't have shown them much. Just a quick blur and a disappearance of another one in of their number. 

Calixta only saw Max get dragged away from the corner of her eye, but that was quite enough for her. Not about to wait for them to get picked off one by one, she didn't ask Andy what to do this time as she sent a fountain of red sparks high into the air, beyond even the treetops. Unfortunately, taking that moment even to send a distress signal meant that she'd lost precious seconds to fortify their current location.

"Back to back!" she shouted, trying to make sure that none of them had their backs to the trees. A pair of eyes in every direction and a fortified shield would protect them, at least long enough for help to come, from whatever terrible creature was besetting them. Suddenly the mystery of how Grindelwald's little band of followers had survived so long in the Malaysian jungle all made sense; somewhere in the back of her mind that wasn't occupied with survival, wondered if they had anything to do with whatever it was that haunted the area.

She'd barely had time to shove the thought aside when Katerina started charging for the spot where Max had disappeared, looking almost deranged in her sudden distress. Calixta had a moment of illumination; it had never occurred to her to suspect her coworkers of dating, but the wild look in Katerina's eyes suggested that there were strong emotions in at least one direction. Max would never get to say his side of things, now.

"Kat, NO!" Cali shouted, lunging for the straps of her pack and pulling as hard as she could. Kat fought back, practically snarling as Calixta tried to reason with her. "It's too late for him now, getting yourself killed isn't going to solve anything! Andy, please!..." she cried, turning to him in desperation as she struggled with her colleague, who was labouring to free herself from her pack.

Max had had been at his side one second and snatched away the next, and into the bushes.. he couldn't have done anything, the thing, whatever it was moved to fast. Yet he swore, Max had been a young but good man, not at all deserving of his fate..

"Sorry Max.." he thought right before Kat broke away in a rage in Max's direction, Cali holding her back by the back of her pack.

It would be the death of them at this rate, Kat needed to snap out of it or they were sitting ducks..

He quickly manuvered himself over to the two stadning in front of Kat and taking hold of her arms to stop her stuggling, ".. Cali, I got her watch your back before our host comes back" he said to Cali before turning one eye to Kat while the other on the bush around them "Kat, you can't avernge Max by your self, to do so could mean all out lives. We need you to stay with us and help us all stay alive.. You understand, we can't let ya charge off alone" He said, for the normally joker wizard to talk so seriously yet calmly in the situation one who knew him had to know he meant every word.

Now he could only hope Kat would snap out of it before the predetor returned, he wasn't about to loose another team member to the jaws of the animal. In any case Kat was now in between him and Cali.

Things were slightly harder for the manticore now. Her prey had the the smartest thing they could, stick together. Shame. She preferred them running about, scattered and fearing for their lives as she picked them off one by one. Well, it certainly wasn't the end of the world. She could still get her prize. However, she would have to trade in stealth for a more intrepid approach. Not a problem. She waited a few moments, letting them really marinate in the fear of her incoming attack. She would rustle some bushes here and there, making sure they knew she was out there. Making sure they knew she had not left them alone. Then, she stopped and watched them. Who was the leader? The Alpha? Decided settle on the male. She waited a few moments more before striking. Out of the jungle green, out came the manticore.

As the she stood there, struggling against Kat with Andy while the jungle around them rustled ominously, Calixta would have given anything to know exactly what manner of creature it wast that was picking them off one by one. Once the manticore finally showed itself, however, she quickly regretted ever thinking such a thing.

A very unladylike stream of words left her mouth, and even Kat stopped struggling to stare in open-mouthed horror. This time Calixta didn't need to do any restraining -- Kat broke free of her grasp into a flat-out sprint in the opposite direction, leaving herself and Andy exposed. There was no time to think; half a second was precious in such a dire situation as the one they faced.

"RUN!" she yelled, only allowing the briefest moment of hesitation as she made sure that Andy wasn't left behind.

Andy blinked wided eyed at the creature, "Merlin.." he murmered right before Kat broke off into a run. "No! Kat!" he yelled about to chase after her. For the moment he thought running would only let the Manticore pick them off easier. It was much faster then them in this bush, it would be so easy.

"We have to stick together!" he tried, aiming his wand at the creature not turning his back from it yet walking backward to wards Kat.

"Cali! you run it will get you, it is better to stay and fight. Don't take your eyes off it" he said trying to keep an eye on his co-worker and the animal at the same time.. His heart beating rapidly.

The lion head of the manticore roared as one of her prey broke out into a run, the goat, laughed in mockery. It was just as she wanted. She leaped and disappeared into the jungle again, going for it's next kill. The woman was fast, but she was swifter. She started to close on the woman and at the last second she attacked, pouncing on her victim.

It was all happening much too fast; Kat ran straight into the manticore, skidding to a stop too late. The jaws of the lion had gotten her fast, but Cali kept running anyway, closing the distance by taking a running jump towards the pair. Her feet kicked at the goat's head as she scrambled to wrench Kat away, but her shoulder was locked in the lion's jaw.

"ANDY!!!" Desperately, she kicked away from the creature and blasted it with her wand. In the fraction of a second that the lion's jaws parted, she snatched the now barely conscious Kat away, attempting to shield her with her own body.

Andy ran after them cursing when it clamped down on Kat and Cali defend her.

"Oi! Ugly! Over here" he called out to the animal sending a bone breaking curse at it to get its attention, like wouldn't break any bones, but that was not his point, distraction of course was his aim. His hope to give Cali and Kat time to get away.

"Bet you can't catch me" he taunted waving his hand at the creature. He had hoped they were a proud as legand told them as..

The manticore cried out in pain as the witch hexed her. As the lion head was momentarily paralyzed, the snake end quickly attacked the witch several times as she used herself to shield the other.

Before the manticore had time to properly recover. The male human came to the rescue. He sent a particularly nasty jinx, but it merely deflected on the manticore's skin. However, it did what it was meant to, and the manticore's attention - well the lion and the goat part of it - was now at the man. The snake however, continued to try and render the two witches unconscious.

At first the pain was searing, burning her flesh with such intensity that all Calixta could do was desperately cling to Kat's unconscious body, blinded by the flames. Venom, she realised, feeling a dark cloud descend upon her as the poison burned its way through her blood. The pain was better -- it scared her more that she could no longer feel the lashes of the snake, which continued to fall upon her. It meant she was dying.

I'm going to die.

The realization came to her with startling clarity and calmness of mind. It wouldn't be much longer, now. The haze called to her, promising rest and a blissful respite from the fire which threatened to consume her.

Calixta's hands reached up for the necklace that still hung from her throat, its golden shine now concealed under a layer of blood -- her blood. The snake continued to strike, her body mostly unprotected now. She was aware of the sounds coming from the manticore's other heads, that told her Andy was still alive and fighting. He wouldn't come to her rescue -- couldn't. It wouldn't have mattered, anyway.

Her thoughts were thousands of miles away, with the man who had given her the beautiful locket she held in her hands -- the man she would have married, if she wasn't dying. It was too late to regret that now. She only hoped that when they brought her body home, someone would know to give the locket back to Bastian.

That was her last thought when her heart finally faltered and fell silent as she slipped into the darkness. After she lost consciousness, she was unable to feel what happened next -- the pulse of the locket, sending a wave of heat and light through her which jump started her heart, and sent the distress signal. Less than one minute later came their rescuers, a force 20 strong sent into the heart of the Malaysian jungle, heavily defended with Shield Charms. Their first move was to throw a strong protective shield between the manticore and the remaining three members of the team -- Andy, still battling, Calixta, who remained unconscious, and the nearly dead Katerina, showing no visible signs of life.

Andy glared at the animal, "Merlin I hate multi-headed animals" he muttered as he prepared to try and stop the attack on his firends. He then leaped at the animal to somehow rip its entire attention away from Cali and Kat... though from the look of Kat he regretfully thought she was already lost and Cali didn't seem much better..

But then he blinked at the light that came from Cali's neck.. a protection charm. His attention was then diverted back to the monster and there help that came shortly after.

"Get them Out of here!" he yelled for hope his firends could be saved.