[ Keith's sword skills are impressive, even beyond the knowledge that he's fought a couple of these things before. The stab is clean, and even as the kelpie shakes around the blade, Keith pulls it out as if it's nothing at all.
Christ, though, if the thing isn't an ugly motherfucker. Instead of saying that aloud, however, Chris only says a quick "yeah" at Keith's question and fires a bullet into the bits of muscle and flesh that keeps the kelpie's head connected. It lands wetly into the blood at its feet, and for a moment its body goes haywire: its nails turn into claws and pull back, its left foot lengthens and stays that way, its right leg grows and hair like a horse's mane seems to burst from the base of its neck down along a fraction of its spine. All the while, its pseudo-human skin ripples and bubbles before the body finally collapses.
The head had kept its mouth open all the while, and though a lack of vocal chords keeps it from screaming, the wideness of its inhuman eyes and the bloodshot colour of its sclera gives its panic away. ]
It's still alive-- [ Then, louder: ] Keith, roll!
[ Because if he fails to, another one of those bastards-- a tall, lanky manthing with fingers like straws-- won't just run at Keith from behind, but will throw its whole weight into a tackle. Even Chris' shot to knock it back won't do enough work; while it tears through a knee and gushes blood in its wake, the creature's still got enough strength in its other leg to go jumping. ]
cw: violence, decapitation, blood
Christ, though, if the thing isn't an ugly motherfucker. Instead of saying that aloud, however, Chris only says a quick "yeah" at Keith's question and fires a bullet into the bits of muscle and flesh that keeps the kelpie's head connected. It lands wetly into the blood at its feet, and for a moment its body goes haywire: its nails turn into claws and pull back, its left foot lengthens and stays that way, its right leg grows and hair like a horse's mane seems to burst from the base of its neck down along a fraction of its spine. All the while, its pseudo-human skin ripples and bubbles before the body finally collapses.
The head had kept its mouth open all the while, and though a lack of vocal chords keeps it from screaming, the wideness of its inhuman eyes and the bloodshot colour of its sclera gives its panic away. ]
It's still alive-- [ Then, louder: ] Keith, roll!
[ Because if he fails to, another one of those bastards-- a tall, lanky manthing with fingers like straws-- won't just run at Keith from behind, but will throw its whole weight into a tackle. Even Chris' shot to knock it back won't do enough work; while it tears through a knee and gushes blood in its wake, the creature's still got enough strength in its other leg to go jumping. ]