She hadn't expected him to say something so sincerely humble. They'd certainly got off on the wrong foot, but when united against a common enemy, she was surprised to find that they worked very well together. Certainly they didn't operate in perfect harmony, but for their first fight, neither knowing anything about the other, they were doing well for themselves.
"You couldn't have predicted it would do that if you hadn't fought it before," she reassured him with a quick smile, readying another arrow. "Let's finish this."
Natalia gave him one quick nod before breaking away, holding her bow horizontally as she unleashed her arrow to bury it deep in the soft tissue of the monster right beneath one of its limbs. It was a good shot, and it served its purpose in attracting the crystal ochu's attention. But that attention came a little too soon. Natalia hadn't had a chance to get as much distance between her and the monster, and it barreled after her faster than she could run.
Desperately she backpedaled, firing her arrows at its gaping maw in an attempt to slow it down. But if anything, it enraged the beast further, and it lurched toward her savagely. She had no choice but to turn and run.
She only made it five steps. A thick limb lashed around Natalia's waist and legs, snatching her up off the ground with a startled gasp. Struggle as she might, she was no match for the creature's strength, and it was squeezing her tighter and tighter. Her ribs creaked, and the thorns dug into her legs as she kicked and twisted.
But as vulnerable as she was, she recognized the value of the opportunity. It would never be more focused on Natalia than it was now, leaving Yuri with the perfect chance to strike it down as long as she didn't call attention to him.
She reached back to grab another arrow, but rather than fit it to her bow, she grasped it firmly and stabbed at the tentacle with all her might, dashing the steel tip against the fleshy vine over and over. The monster was just too close for a fired arrow to be of any use, and she might hurt it enough to force it to drop her.
Instead its other tendril snaked around her, binding her arms to her side as it squeezed, hard. A strangled gasp of pain escaped Natalia's throat as it dragged her closer to its mouth, and the rows of jagged teeth...
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"You couldn't have predicted it would do that if you hadn't fought it before," she reassured him with a quick smile, readying another arrow. "Let's finish this."
Natalia gave him one quick nod before breaking away, holding her bow horizontally as she unleashed her arrow to bury it deep in the soft tissue of the monster right beneath one of its limbs. It was a good shot, and it served its purpose in attracting the crystal ochu's attention. But that attention came a little too soon. Natalia hadn't had a chance to get as much distance between her and the monster, and it barreled after her faster than she could run.
Desperately she backpedaled, firing her arrows at its gaping maw in an attempt to slow it down. But if anything, it enraged the beast further, and it lurched toward her savagely. She had no choice but to turn and run.
She only made it five steps. A thick limb lashed around Natalia's waist and legs, snatching her up off the ground with a startled gasp. Struggle as she might, she was no match for the creature's strength, and it was squeezing her tighter and tighter. Her ribs creaked, and the thorns dug into her legs as she kicked and twisted.
But as vulnerable as she was, she recognized the value of the opportunity. It would never be more focused on Natalia than it was now, leaving Yuri with the perfect chance to strike it down as long as she didn't call attention to him.
She reached back to grab another arrow, but rather than fit it to her bow, she grasped it firmly and stabbed at the tentacle with all her might, dashing the steel tip against the fleshy vine over and over. The monster was just too close for a fired arrow to be of any use, and she might hurt it enough to force it to drop her.
Instead its other tendril snaked around her, binding her arms to her side as it squeezed, hard. A strangled gasp of pain escaped Natalia's throat as it dragged her closer to its mouth, and the rows of jagged teeth...