Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

Toxic Tales: Chapter 13

Into the Woods

"Once this is all over feel free to come back," called Moirae.

"We will," shouted Asclepius, "I promise."

"And if not I'll see you in the stars above," Moirae replied. The three of them walked into the woods, all of them were as quiet as possible and alert.

"Do you smell that? It's a stego, Asclepius, you go behind it incase it turns around, Achelois, you flank it and scare it towards me, I'll catch it," said Elpis as she crept in front of the others and got in position. Achelois leaped out of the undergrowth and shot a ball of acid next to the stego, which ran in the opposite direction. Elpis lunged at the stego, grabbing it's neck in her jaws. The stego flailed it's tail, hitting her wing. Elpis collapsed to the ground, seeing this, Asclepius ran at the stego, biting down on it's neck until it stopped thrashing.

"It's her wing, Achelois, what's wrong with her wing?" Asclepius shouted.

"I'm fine," Elpis said as she stood but the second she put weight on her wing she collapsed again.

"It looks broken," Achelois said, part of her wing jutted out from where it should be.

"What do we do?" Asclepius asked, "I can treat a wound but I've never treated a broken wing."

"We make a splint," Elpis said, "find a straight stick, wrap the wing with a layer of bandages with the stick under it, that should let it heal properly."

"I'll find a stick, you put a layer of bandages as padding, if you don't it could irritate her scales," said Asclepius. Achelois began to dig through her pouch until she found a small spool of bandages.

"I'm going to start wrapping it," she said, Elpis whinced Achelois started wrapping her wing.

"I've got one," mumbled Asclepius. Achelois finished making the splint she heard a twig snap. The three's heads shot up and Elpis hobbled closer to the others. Suddenly a small pointed projectile flew by, "What was that?" Asked Elpis.

"It's one of the those pointy twigs that humans shot, watch out, there's usually a pack of humans instead of one," Asclepius said, sounding panicked. More of the pointed twigs flew from the undergrowth, this time majority of them hit Achelois, who felt dizzy after they hit her side.

"We need to run, they always attack the biggest threat first," Asclepius said.

Achelois picked up Elpis and took flight, "What is it there shooting?" Elpis said, "and Achelois, you're flying is really unsteady, you almost hit a tree."

"I just don't feel to great." Achelois responded. More projectiles hit Achelois, who fell out of the air, dropping Elpis in the process.

"Are you alright?" Asked Asclepius.

"I think so," Elpis responded, "but is Achelois?" Asclepius walked over to her and leaned over the wyvern.

"She's alive, but out cold," he responded. More projectiles flew out and hit his sides. He wobbled back and forth for a second before collapsing. Elpis tried to hobble away before the humans emerged from the undergrowth, shooting more projectiles at Elpis. She desperately tried to hit the with her acid as they continued to attack. Eventually, she collapsed, staying barely conscious as they slid a muzzle over her, Achelois, and Asclepius. The small creatures continued to chirp and squeak at each other before Elpis lost consciousness.

- Sol