25. Take Your Hands Off Me!

On the palm trail, Isabella stopped and said:
- "Let's walk in a slower pace." - she looked at them - "Turtle Rock is not far and I think we can enjoy this a bit more, for a change."
- "Yay!" - said Caoilainn - "It's been too long since I've been to a beach."
- "Yeah, like twenty years for me" - Richard said:
- "Oh really?" - asked Caoilainn.
- "Yeah I mean" - he paused - "I am not too fond of the sea, it's too salty." - he looked down - "and the sand is coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere!"
- "But you used to live in the desert!" - Caoilainn replied, pouting.
- "Haha! You got me!" - he laughed - "that's just something my friends would laugh at if I told them. Let's say its an internal joke, but from my world haha!"
- "When we have more time, I would love to know more!" - Caoilainn said with her hands behind her back.
- "Yeah, sure!" - Isabella and Mazanlold paid more attention to the views during this conversation. Slowly, they walked and enjoyed the scenery, the fragrance of the sea and the humid heat.

They were interrupted, however, by loud thuds. Quickly, they went into battle stance and walked slowly, seeking cover among the trees. As the four went on and the noises got louder, they could see four large apes. They stood in a circle, striking long femur-like bones at some palms and on the middle of the circle were the fresh bodies of tapirs.

The four observed the apes thinking on how to act, when Mazanlold said:
- "Take a look" - pointed Mazanlold - "that ape might have sniffed us" - the ape in question had a silver back and was annoyed and trying to find the origin of the smell. It made a sign to the other apes and in and instant threw a big bone into their direction. Caoilainn and Richard jumped to the right while Isabella and Mazanlold jumped to the left. At the same time, the four apes advanced to attack, each ape picked one of them.

Richard was attacked by one of the apes and started defending with his spear. After two hits, he was able to take the attacking position and started to poke at the ape. The ape, however, moved back and deflected the hits with its bone. The ape only attacked to return to its position, taking a more defensive approach. With that, as he attacked, Richard was unable to help Mazanlold and Isabella, who he saw fight.

Mazanlold had to defend a flurry of hits from another ape. He used the handle of his morning star to defend from vertical, horizontal and diagonal hits. The monkey had red eyes and was really aggressive. Mazanlold repelled some attacks to understand the pattern and went on the offensive, going for a hit on its head. The ape defended, but flinched, giving the chance for Mazanlold to continue striking. The ape defended the hits, which Mazanlold chose as strong, not fast. With each hit, its bone made creaking sounds, until Mazanlold's morning star broke the bone in two with an overhead strike. Feeling the blow, the ape stalled, and Mazanlold took the chance to smash its head with his morning star.

At the same time, Isabella fought the silver back leader of the apes. This one was also very defensive. He moved very swiftly, mostly avoiding Isabella's hits. Isabella on the other hand, also went for a safer approach, striking effectively but not giving openings. With this they remained in a stalemate. Like Richard, Isabella was unable to help, nevertheless, able to see his fight and Caoilainn's struggle.

The ape that went for Caoilainn was very aggressive and also had red eyes. It went for many strong strikes with its bone. Caoilainn did her best to defend using her staff. The staff itself was resistant, the worry was Caoilainn herself, who felt the strength of each hit and was getting tired and off balance. As the ape unleashed hit after hit, Caoilainn tried to gain distance to cast a spell, but she panted and was kept on the defensive.

At the same time, Richard continued his fight, not noticing Caoilainn's struggle. Paying attention to every movement, he was starting to learn the ape's way of fighting. It was effective and strong, but very unpolished. Richard, on the other hand, was not that strong and was trying to win with his brain. After a stronger attack from the ape, Richard went for a series low pokes, which the ape promptly defended. But after those, Richard sent an attack that started low and raised mid movement. With that, he stabbed the ape's throat. As the ape fell, he turned to Isabella.

Isabella was now more aggressive as she saw Caoilainn's struggle, but the leader seemed completely aware of that and kept defending and blocking her way. It was uncanny how he seemed to act with intelligence. Nevertheless, Mazanlold came for a strong strike on its left. The ape defended, but was unable to protect his right leg from Isabella's cut. The ape knelt and was struck down by Mazanlold. Just then, the three heard Caoilainn's cry.

Caoilainn was struggling more and more, unable to keep up with the ape's strength and rhythm. At each hit, she panted more. It was then, that she took a deep breath and went for a strong strike on the ape's left with her staff. The ape easily defended the hit and took the opportunity to hit Caoilainn's right ribs. She cried, her voice muffled and she grabbed her ribs with her left hand. The ape got closer, touched her with its hand and prepared his bone to hit her head. However, she still held her staff with her right hand and was able to cast a small firecracker like explosion. The ape was scared and skipped back a bit. With that, Caoilainn went for it at full speed and cut its throat with a hidden dagger she took with her left hand. The others arrived right after that, and met Caoilainn kneeling and panting on the ground.

- "Caoilainn! Are you alright?" - Isabella asked. Caoilainn replied:
- "Well" - she panted - "Yeah, I'm oka...arrrgh" - she grabbed her ribs again. - "Hurt yes, but I guess no broken bones." - the others exchanged looks, trying to think. Isabella continued:
- "Do you think you can go on?"
- "Yes I can" - she coughed - "I'm in pain, but I can go on."
- "We can return and call it a day at the inn."
- "No, I'm fine" - she started to get up - "I will take herbs from my pouch, some to eat, some to put on the wound, and we will go on" - she was on her knees again. Now, Isabella sat by her side and helped her with the wound and the medicine. Richard and Mazanlold waited, until Isabella was able to help Caoilainn to get up and keep going.

The four continued their trail on a slower pace. Mazanlold, Isabella, and Richard took turns providing support for Caoilainn. As they went on, Caoilainn was getting better due to the effect of the medicine and was able to walk without help in the last stretch. Finally, and still during day time, they reached Turtle Rock.