They fell on them from behind spears leading as they charged into the backs of the enemies. Spears heads were coated red, the cries of the enemy spurred them as they drove forward if their foes had been mortal men they would have fallen overrun their hearts torn from their chests as they laid dead or dieing, but they were not mortal men they took the fatal charge and they rallied against their abusers. The course of the battles changed but the brave warriors still kept their momentum spears striking out against feet to inhibit movement, chests to break balance, and heads to confuse and distract. With broken cohesion the enemy hindered themselves more than they helped tripping over their allies, scrambling in confusion caused them to run into each other and their large bodies made it hard for them to bear their numbers in battle. Then it changed again as some form of tension that surrounded the fierce conflict snapped and like an arrow from the bow the foe flew. Then standing victoriously over a field of victory eight warriors stood their spears stood toward the sky like the fangs of some wild beast their blood stained tips glistening in the sun like a morning rose.

"And that's what happened" Andrew said over the walkie his group had calmed down and Lance and David were back in shape after their 'Murder mugging?' he could probably come up with a funnier disruption but he just didn't feel it right now mabe calling it a 'ruffle with Rafters' no he'd be the only one to get that last one.

"I see, well it's nice to see you're old melodramatic self, but for future reference 'standing victoriously over a field of victory is redundant it would be better just to say 'standing victoriously over the field' Don droned from the other end of the walky.

"well I thought it sound good" Andrew knew his objection wouldn't be listened to "besides I don't remember asking you for speech therapy."

"I liked the last part if it's any consolation Andy good reference to the old guild" Jace spook up.

Sighing at his wasted time Andrew decided to get to the real important matters at hand namely. Why did the enemy run away up till now they had foughten they bird's multiple times but they'd never run even when they were outmatched or close to dieing they never ran so what had happened now, why was now different? Well he had an idea when it happened he had yelled at 'IT' if that's what you could call it, the idea would have to be tested but they had no real time to do that.

"It's good that you guys got out of that predicament honestly we should have seen that coming" Don started.

"Obviously."

Don ignored Andrews deadpan.

"In any cass we got more reports we managed to break through at the crystal were heading back to base but we need you to pick up the other 'Kiting team' I don't know where you guys are at currently but they say they're at a tree that's the tallest in the forest whatever that means" Don finished talking as Andrew started to climb a nearby tree he slipped a few times and in the end he had to ask the others to help him when he got stuck hanging on a branch.

"Damn my luck I hate high places" Andrew muttered as Lance helped him up to the top of the tree.

"Hey Andrew?" Lance asked as the looked over the top of the trees they see pretty far a sea of green clovers sway in the wind in the distance the see a tree significantly taller than the ones around it a biting breeze cuts its way across the forest chilling Andrew to his bones the shaking of the leaves makes him think of the trees as shivering and he chuckles at the thought.

"Yeah what?" Andrew askes back looking at Lance as he climbs up next to him.

"Thanks I know you took a risk to save me I don't really know why I did that I mean it made sense at the time but when it happened ... I don't know I just didn't want to die and when I thought I was going to die I...I... and when Dave jumped in for me I didn't think that ... anyway I'm sorry I put my life at risk and I thought I was ready for that but I didn't think that I'd put everyone's life at risk like that, It was stupid and..." Andrew put his hand up to stop him

"Yeah that was pretty stupid and if I wasn't currently freezing to death and if I wasn't afraid of falling off this tree I'd kick your face in YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE but don't think so highly of yourself or maybe you should I didn't make anyone do anything we all wanted to save your two sorry asses that's all" Andrew said before sticking his hand out to Lance. Lance awkwardly to his head and shaked it before turning to leave only to feel his hand being pulled looking back Lance looked at Andrew awkwardly.

"Were you going?" Andrew asked.

"Uh.., What I was going down the tree" Confused and feeling kinda unsatisfied with Andrew's answer to his rather heartfelt apology Lance answer Andrews question.

"Help me down." Lace looked at Andrew strangely.

"What?"

"I'm afraid of hights" Andrew answered.

"Yeah I kinda figured that ..." Lance started.

"I can't move I need you to help me down" Andrew smiled at Lance in an awkward manner.

"Oh right so just put your foot here..."

It took much longer going down the tree than going up not having a good view of where he's supposed to put his feet was nerve wracking when he finally got back onto the ground he sat down and letting out a deep breath as he tried to calm his trembling hands.

He had always been afraid of heights with was surprising considering his love of roller coasters and ferris wheels. Really he was afraid of heights without obvious safety measures ever since he had fallen off a roof as a kid and broke his leg.

growing as he stood up and stretched his arms over his head as he looked over his little group.

"Alright guys were going to be going to save the other poor saps that got into the same crappy situation that we did. Their off in that direction." Andrew addressed his group as he pointed in the direction he had seen "probably, In any cass it's time we get serious I've got a plan to fuck these birds up" Andrew started to tell his plan to his group he had no idea if it would work or not but no point in not trying not that hed tell the others that it would probably make the whole idea look stupid if he started saying all the ways it could fall.

'God, I'm acting like a politician aren't I'

It took the group a few hours to get to the tree it really shouldn't have taken that long but they kept getting lost and having to climb trees in order to get their bearings. They thought was a strong word Andrew just had Lance do the climbing after all he was the most suicidal of the group and while he said he was sorry for it sorry doesn't fix stupid also he was the best climber in the group. In the end they actually passed the tree twice before the entered a small shaded clearing the tree in the center was large and surrounded by massive angry avians. The clearing was littered the shrubs the thick trunk of the tree having crushed almost all other plant life in the area thick vines wrapped around the giant trees trunk in a vain attempt to choke it Andrew quickly made note of the area it was bland and uneven he couldn't think of any way to make use of the terrain. Taking a deep breath Andrew prepared to make his orders.

"Man if only we had a giant slingshot right now" Mark said as the tension that Andrew had been building up flew out of him.

"Really man you're going to think about that at a time like this" Daved whispered to Mark who just shrugged his shoulder "Well sorry, didn't know i couldn't tell a joke, jeez" Mark said before trailing of into a mutter.

"Wait what's the joke I don't get it" another member of the group whispers

"Seriously Ron I swear if I didn't know you I'd think you group up in a cave" Mark whispered back as the group moved in close to the birds

"No really what's the joke I'm curious is it because we have slings now or is it..." Ron started to speak when Andrew interrupted

"It's angry birds, the joke was bad, and were in range so start swinging."

Andrew had had the group make some rudimentary slings on the way their one of the reasons it had taken them so long to get to the damn place. The other reason lay wrapped around their spears it was a thick nest of dry plants it covered most of the pointy bits of the spear but they were mostly using them as quarter staffs now anyway since stabbing them didn't really kill them any faster than beating them, it was actually is main experiment here seeing if using fire as a weapon would decrease the time it took to kill.

As the group moved in close the started to spin their slings before letting loose on the unsuspecting birds.

it was a shoddy display the stones went flying everywhere even still a fair number managed to hit something. As the confused birds clamoured for their attackers they charged in flaming spears in the lead. Andrew once again tried to follow the pressure in his body the weirdness that connected him with whatever 'IT' was as they approached and when they impacted Andrews flaming weapon hit one of the creature's chest and the beast erupted in flame that covered its body in a second a stunned silence filled the air as the creature flailed about trying to escape the fire that ravaged its body.

Fire had always been a psychological weapon the fear it produces more devastating than the damage it can cause in this case it was a double edged sword as Andrew and everything on the ground was stunned by the unexpected violence but the team in the tree were empowered and with a scratch they descended on the backs of the birds. Their weapons were clubs lined with bird talons in a style that was reminiscent of the Aztecs. Andrew recognised the team vaguely as he saw them descend their clubs striking the animals backs the sharp talons tearing flesh each of them where duel wielding clubs probably to increase the number of hits they could do.

With some hesitation Andrew continued to fight slightly concerned that another bird would burst into flames like the first but while some of his attacks did start some creatures on fire none were as spectacular as the first. This held true for all the spear wielders and they fell into an odd rhythm with the club users, since the clubs were better at doing damage able to quickly get hits in and the spears had good control able to pin or trip up enemies with their superior reach. The two teams ended up fighting in a spear and club pair the spears would dissuade or disrupt enemy attacks and the clubs would utilise the distractions to do damage even Andrew found himself fighting with a club user as the battle swung in their favour the birds backed off and regrouped.

Panting heavily the now slightly smaller group of birds held together they glared at the two teams as they drunk the little mexican water that they had. Andrew tensed as he felt a shift from the birds they had done well so far based off of surprise but the spears had burnt out in the fighting and the healing of the median water was gone now as well he was unsure if the could fight with the remaining birds. He didn't get to make a choice as the birds charged searching at them as andrew and his team braced themselves one of the club users shouted out.

"NOW!!" and a large net made from vines and stone fell down on the charging mass from the tree. The clubs charged forward throwing out smaller nets that they had strapped to their sides into the leading birds completely disrupting the creatures charge but what shocked Andrew more than the well timed ambush was the fact that all the birds caught in the nets disappeared in a manner similar to how the bird meat disappears into the woven baskets. with that Andrews counter charge destroyed what little remained of the bird force and the two groups began to clean the area and talk.

They found 19 bird corpses that they started to butcher cutting throats and hanging the birds to bleed, Andrew didn't know why the other did that something about bleeding them the club users went out of their way to collect the bird's talons and feathers. Andrew watched as the club user next to him pulled a feather from one of the birds they were cleaning after making sure it was clean she braided it in her hair.

"So... What's with the features" Andrew asked as he examined the other team they all had rather light clothing not the thicker clothes that his group wore combined with the braided hair and the large feathers that they used as decoration made them look more feral.

"Well they look more tribal for one helps get into the mood you know but other than that they have softer down feathers under the larger ones were getting them so we can make something like a feather mattress or pillows." She answered her voice sounded a bit familiar to Andrew and he wondered if she had been a member of the guild "None of us had a sleeping bag in our bags and we don't feel like sleeping on dirt soooo..." she left the rest of the sentence in the air. It was honestly something Andrew hadn't thought of where were they going to sleep what were they going to sleep on this group had more foresight than he had thought, Andrew chuckled at himself for being impressed by bedding.

"Any way Axe you have thoughts on what happened with our nets over there" the girl asked, well that's one question answered Andrew thought as he made his way over to the nets as the two looked at them Andrew started to gather the ends of it.

"I think it might be like the woven baskets that Don showed me at the crystal I guess it's like that with the birds being trapped by the thing?" Andrew tried to wrap his head around it as he pulled the net up he found that it had some strange misty glow trapped in it that acted like a weight.

"Yeah we know about the baskets we made them but they don't work on living things at least not in the contents of 'living' you can put plants in it but whole chickens isn't possible." she argued as Andrew handed her the net.

"Oupf" she grunted as she took it not expecting the weight Andrew picked up the end of it awkwardly holding part of it up with his leg as he pointed toward another net in the area.

"Let's go check the others and tie the end of the net the last thing we need is a giant bird to pop out of this" Andrew grunted as he moved the heavy net the girl just nodded as they moved. Andrew briefly was impressed by how light the net was it had fallen on and 'captured' almost 20 birds and only two people were needed to carry it around with was super impressive. When they got there the bag was unceremoniously dumped on the ground and the two of them sighed in relief before calling the rest of the group towards them.

"Whats up Andrew" Lance asked as he and Andrews team walked up to them.

"Yeah what's up Emily" some guy from the other team asked as he and his group joined them.

'Emily, Emily Andrew knew an Emily if only as a small memory wait?'

"SIN YOUR SIN!?... UGH" Andrew's excited shout was interrupted by a sucker punch in the gut.

"SERIOUSLY ANDY I WAS YOUR SECOND IN COMMAND FOR LIKE A FUCK'N YEAR."

"Ugh... we never 'uk' ...never meet 'cough' in IRL ... didn't UH h h even now you 'AHHhhh' were in... my school" Andrew moand as he clutched his stomach in pain.

"Like that matters mister perfect vocal recognition" Emily dismissively stated as she glared at him.

"I lied... didn't want to admit ... terrible memory... god I think i'm going to throw up 'cough' why did you punch me in the gut" Andrew grunted still doubled over.

"Well obviously because it's the weakest and most painful place to hit and good I hope you puke blood asshole" the other member of the two teams stared wide eyed at the spectacle.

"UKH... That's not funny... Houdini died from a punch in the stomach... Ghana...I can't believe I was actually... happy to see you... I regret everything" Andrew continued to moan slowly falling onto his side.

"Good to see your still spouting useless trivia as always Andy at least some things never change" Emily said while frowning.

"Uh is he gonna be alright" A concerned David asked as Andrew rolled pitifully on the ground wailing.

Emily rolled her eyes as she answered "Yeah he's fine you guys are wearing some pretty thick stuff he just being melodramatic. Hey Andy rule of three man rule of three the first few times it was ok for a chuckle but your little jokes gone past funny and in to tiresome and annoying."

"Ugh... it wasn't all a gag that first part was really that punch fucking hurt and I mean who does that who just punches someone out of the blue pretty dickish Emily" Andrew complained from the ground.

"Not anywhere near as dickish as forgetting the name of one of your friends." She simply replied before sitting down "Now if you're done playing we need to start thinking up are next move, right?" As she replied the put upon expression changed to a manic grin that Andrew shared as they started whispering with each other. This left their two groups to nervously mingle as their increasingly scary bosses occasionally chuckled and giggled sinisterly.