We start the chapter with a summarized view of events from Tav's perspective. Then a detailed one from Nyx. I am forewarning so that you can keep better track of what I've done as I'm not too sure how well I handled it in the writing. Enjoy.

Karlach is the literal embodiment of a hot head, Tav thought as she drew her weapons after Karlach initiated combat.

So much for a peaceful resolution.

Karlach flung herself at the pretender-paladin named Anders, leaving flames and smoke in her wake. Tav saw Nyx dive behind a tree, after Nyx had drawn the attention of the pretender archers, allowing the rest of them to fully engage in the melee combat. Tav started to sing, sending her magic to Karlach, Wyll and Lae’zel, who were each squaring off with a pretender. Gale was far to the left of her, conjuring up magic from a safe distance to support Wyll.

Shadowheart joined Wyll's side, and they attacked their chosen opponent together. To her right, Lae’zel’s battle cry echoed off the surrounding cliffs while she swung at another pretender.

Astarion was taking advantage of any openings Lae’zel provided, driving daggers into the opponent as Lae'zel kept them occupied. Tav focused on assisting Karlach in front of her. She shot off bolts at Anders, between the openings of Karlach's great axe blows and flaming spires.

As the pretender to Tav’s left fell, she heard a blood curdling howl. She froze.

She looked up, past Karlach to the pretenders' archer’s line. They were overrun with hyaenas and Gnolls! Wide eyed she watched as some of the beasts pushed on ahead, past the archers, towards them. 

“Nine hells,” Tav uttered under her breath at the unravelling scene.

Tav saw one of the leading hyaenas fall when Nyx’s arrow struck true. After Wyll, Shadowheart and Gale brought down their common foe, they sprinted to assist Karlach. Tav returned her attention to Anders, who was now surrounded by more opponents than he could match. Lae’zel cried once more after she felled the other pretender, and zealously rushed forward to meet an incoming Gnoll. The Gnoll pack had spread out as they ran, its members zigzagged across the ground, likely in response to Nyx’s efforts. Astarion darted to engage another hyaena that was on an intercept course with Lae’zel.

Karlach’s rage-fuelled cry also joined the fray when she charged another Gnoll, just after Anders had met his demise. Tav followed Nyx's initial example; shooting down hyaenas that dashed in and out of combat, harassing the others and distracting them from the Gnolls.

A yelping hyaena retreated from Gale, who sent some more magic missiles after it, but did not kill it. Gale returned his efforts to support Shadowheart and Wyll fighting off another Gnoll. Tav shot a coupled more bolts into the hyaena she was already busy with. It collapsed dead, then she heard snarls behind her.

She turned to face the incoming hyaena. Unfortunately, it was closer than she anticipated. It rammed into her legs sending her somersaulting over it. She sprawled across the ground, losing her crossbows along the way. The hyaena lurched around, back towards Tav, and grabbed her by the leg. Tav cried out as it dragged her.

Strong mandibles drove teeth into flesh and bone with a sickening drawn-out crunch. Another howl sounded and the hyaena released her mauled leg. It perked up its ears. Then snarled and bounded after Nyx, who looked to be engaged with the source of the howl.

--- --- ---

Nyx barely had time to register what Astarion said before he was gone in a blur of daggers. She took aim at the furthest pretender-paladin archer. She wrapped her magic around the arrow and let it fly. She immediately moved to duck behind a nearby tree watching as her arrow hit its mark, but it did not down the opponent. She had effectively put a target on herself, when the archers' heads snap to her position, drawing their arrows along with it.

Nyx heard the first set of arrows impacting the front of her tree. The battle was in full swing with the clamour of metal and flashes of magic coming from the others, who engaged the main group of pretenders in melee combat. Nyx had her sights set on the group of archers from the start; successfully drawing their attention to her. She aimed around the tree lining up another shot and sent it to the same target. There was a glimmer of magic as an arcane shield intercepted the second arrow.

Abyss take you.

Nyx moved back behind the tree while another set of arrows thudded into it. She repositioned herself to brace against the tree. She peeked out from behind the tree checking on her target's position then lined up another shot. A stray arrow came her way, and she smacked it out of the air with her magic. She wrapped more magic around the next arrow and off it went. This time it had enough force to push through the assailant's shield. The intended target's silhouette fell. Yet her small victory was brief as more silhouettes darkened the horizon, coming up behind the archers. The outline of which she recognized, and it was enough to make her hairs in her neck stand on end.

Nyx ducked momentarily when the last batch of arrows battered into her tree. Then she fully stepped out from behind the tree. She watched as the archers noticed the encroaching danger, but it was too late.

Screams, snarls, and barks carried across the outcrop while the archers were torn to shreds by Gnolls and hyaenas. Three Gnolls and two hyaenas kept running past the archer line. The initial members of the pack continued attacking the archers. Their telltale jitters and yaps rung out as the excitement of battle spurred them on, muscles rippling while they ran on all fours. The main battle had ceased momentarily, and all eyes turned to the Gnolls.

Nyx had already let another arrow fly, hitting a hyaena in the head as it came straight at her. The impact sent its body into a rolling fall, since its momentum kept carrying it forward. The lead Gnoll howled and commanded the others in their guttural, snarling language. The running beasts fanned out and started to zig zag as they ran, kicking up turf.

Abyss take them.

The Gnolls were fast and agile, but the hyaenas were slower and more gangly. She shot another front-running hyaena in its side, as it zagged, bringing it down as well. By this time, the Gnolls had covered too much ground. The Gnoll leader, had her, in its sights.

She discarded her bow to the ground. With a sweeping downwards motion of both her arms; she drew all her throwing knives in one motion. She continued the movement of her arms directing her hands forwards. The knives whirred through the air, aimed at the impending Gnoll leader's exposed face. It yelped when the knives dug into its ugly maw. The sounds of battle had changed from a clamour of metal and magic to snarls, barks, and battle cries from both sides. The archers too were dead, which brought the remaining Gnolls to them as well.

The Gnoll leader stopped running after Nyx buried her knives into its face. It reared up onto its hind legs while it slowed down. Large hind claws digging trenches into the soil below. It regarded her from a few paces away, with a menacing stare, sizing her up. Her hands were still stretched out in front of her. She pulled them back, fisting her hands into her chest. The knives ripped from the Gnoll's face, drawing bloody strings in the air. It howled again.

With directed, simple motions Nyx carved at its face and neck. Her knives slashing through the air by way of her magic. The Gnoll tried to swat at the flying knives, but soon gave up as the fallen knives would simply respond to her next gesture. It turned on her, eyes now glowing furious with blood-rage. It crouched, ready to lunge itself at her.

An Astarion-shaped blur leap behind the Gnoll. He sunk his daggers into the Gnoll's back. It yelped, stood up and reached backwards for him with raking clawed arms. Astarion ducked, dropped to the ground behind it and slashed at the Gnolls ankles sending it flailing backwards, howling. Suddenly, Nyx heard another snarl close by. She snapped her head to her left, and disengaged her magic, and with it her knives.

A hyaena lunged at her; gaping maw and blood-soaked teeth. She ducked backwards. Falling in the same direction as the animal's momentum. She gripped her hunting knife, in the small of her back with her right hand as they fell. Her left hand grabbed underneath the animal's lower jaw, at the junction of its neck. She shoved its head upward.

They hit the ground and the hyaena landed on top of her. Its head still held upwards by her left hand, snapping its jaws in the air. She reinforced her arm with magic to keep its snapping head away from her while they struggled.

Its front legs were off the ground clawing at her face, neck, and chest. She stabilized herself under the flailing legs, ignoring the blood its claws drew from her exposed skin. She plunged her knife into its throat, followed by its chest and then its belly.

Each strike targeting a vital organ. Each strike yielding more blood and yaps. Each strike lessening the flailing and snapping.

She pushed the animal off her and pinned it down on its side with her one knee. Driving her knife through its eye, reinforced with magic, for good measure. It stopped moving and she looked up to see Astarion retrieving his daggers from the dead Gnoll leader.

She stood to watch as the rest of the team also finished off their respective assailants, either singly or in groups. The combat was over, and the noise of battle faded. She looked down at the dead hyaena. I hate killing animals this way. Senseless death.

An anguished voice rang out.

"Tav!"

---

Nyx saw Shadowheart rush to Tav where she lay on the ground. Nyx also darted to her side and kneeled onto the ground next to her. Tav had been mauled by one of the hyaenas. Nyx followed the blood trail on the ground to the hyaena she had killed. Her knife still lodged in its eye where she left it.

Shadowheart cradled Tav in her arms. Tav was incoherent, her eyes rolling and her head lolling. Delirium would not be far away. Hyaena bites were foul and festering. It affects their victims' minds and bodies, poisoning their blood.

This is a disaster. Tav's wound is severe and even worse...

Nyx watched as Shadowheart started to treat the ruined, bleeding leg. Nyx touched her own bloody face.

We are all marked now.

Nyx took a breath and stood up.

The others have gathered around, worry and concern on each of their faces. It will be dark soon and they need to make haste. The battle was technically not over, simply delayed. The Gnolls would come looking for their missing scouts, and with it bring their reckoning. Nyx cleared her throat and drew their eyes towards her. Nyx needed them to work together, not only for Tav's sake, but for all of their sakes. If they were to continue to count themselves among the living.

"Wyll. Lae'zel.", she looked at each of them in turn as she spoke their names. "Would you mind scouting a camp site for us? Preferably, somewhere sheltered, and out of sight. Not the tollhouse, it is too exposed."

Nyx assumed this to be a reasonable request, but Lae'zel seemed to think otherwise.

"What makes you think that you're in charge?", Lae'zel asked her with disdain pointing a sharp finger Nyx.

---

Nyx regarded her coolly, putting her words together carefully. She was not interested in arguments or grandstanding. So, she will make herself very clear.

"I have no interest of being in charge.", she began evenly with no expression on her face. "Either you willingly help me, help you. And maybe we all make it to see tomorrow morning.", she stated motionlessly, only frowning slightly.

"Or?", Lae'zel challenged her again.

Nyx was trying very hard to remain calm, seeing as how little consideration Lae'zel had shown for Nyx's own life on past occasions. Nyx had no loyalties here. She would do what she could to help Shadowheart and Tav for the kindness they had shown. However, Nyx saved them at the crash site just as much as they saved her. So as far as Nyx was concerned, she does not owe them anything.

"Or", Nyx emphasized the word retaining her cool composure even though she was shaking internally with anger and adrenaline. "I leave.", she leaned forward slightly. "And you face whatever fate the Gnolls bring to you tonight alone. Maybe you'll get lucky, and they'll only kill you.", she heard some of the others shift uncomfortably at that.

The last statement hung in the air for a while. Lae'zel narrowing glower directed at Nyx. Nyx held her ground.

Gale asked in a small voice, "What if we get unlucky?", while Nyx's eyes were still locked with Lae'zel's.

Nyx turned her head slowly to Gale, "They drag you off for their own personal... use."

She chewed on the last word. She could see Gale's eyes widening with all the things he could imagine this 'use' would potentially entail.

"Fuck that!", Karlach jarred everyone from their thoughts, and rather effectively diffused a lot of the building tension. She spat, "I didn't fight my ass off through the hells to become some dog's pet.", flames sprouting from her to punctuate her statement.

Gale turned his head, "Hyaena.", he corrected, receiving a questioning look from Karlach and he added quickly, "I fully agree with the sentiment though."

"As do I.", Astarion confirmed followed by Wyll's, "I second that."

"Stay", came Tav's weak voice and Shadowheart shushed her telling her to save her strength.

Nyx set her jaw and looked back at Lae'zel.

"Chk! Speak then.", she relented begrudgingly.

Nyx let out her breath, relieved.

Nyx explained briefly that they all have been marked by coming into contact with the hyaenas and Gnolls. The rest of the pack would come looking for their comrades. Any wounds that were made by the beasts would amplify the bloodlust and the need for the Gnolls to hunt their group down. Thus, she would prefer not remaining in this exposed outcrop.

Nyx requested they follow her instructions carefully to minimize the chance of the Gnolls coming after them as they inevitably would at nightfall. She followed this up by lightly healing any bleeding wounds that any of them had. She was no Shadowheart, but her healing along with healing potions should cover most of their injuries without using any additional magic from Shadowheart. Shadowheart could focus solely on getting Tav back onto her feet.

Nyx called to Lae'zel and Wyll as they left towards the three-pronged fork intersection, "We need something that provides us as much physical cover as possible!" They returned waves as confirmation.

Gale had moved to hovered over Shadowheart. The last thing Shadowheart needed was a worrying Gale over her shoulder. Nyx walked up to him pulling her last scroll of Prestidigitation from her pack. She held it out for Gale, gently instructing him to use it on Tav to remove the Gnoll's scent from her while Shadowheart continued to focus on healing Tav as much as she could.

As Gale took the scroll from her, she asked him whether he knew which herbs assisted with blood poisoning or hallucinations. He confirmed that he did, and she suggested to him to start gathering these to make poultices/potions for Tav.

Next, she turned to Astarion. He smirked at her all the while she asked him to find the most pungent plants he could get his hands on, so that she could add them to some smelling salts she had. The resulting mixture should throw off the Gnoll's tracking ability. Lastly, she approached Karlach.

"Soldier.", Karlach greeted with a wide smile. Nyx smiled up at her and Karlach asked, "What do you need from me?"

Nyx decided that Karlach's previous imperative suited the situation perfectly, "Mess this place up. Start with burning all the bodies and blood to get rid of as much scent as possible."

"Done.", Karlach's eyes started to sparkle with manic delight as heat poured from her.

"Next, do whatever you feel sends the message: 'Don't fuck with us.'"

"Fuck yes", Karlach repeated with a face-splitting, shit-eating grin while hefting her great axe.

Nyx nodded and watched as a renewed fiery Karlach literally started to tear the place apart.

Hell hath no fury and all that.

---

Nyx retrieved her throwing knives, hunting knife and longbow. She walked down to the river for a quick clean up of her equipment and herself. She promptly returned to the vicinity of Shadowheart and Tav. She removed her mortar and pestle from her backpack. While she dug around for her smelling salts, Gale returned with herbs. He set himself up next to Tav, opposite of Shadowheart and proceeded with a similar ritual to Nyx's.

Nyx added the salts to her vessel and systematically ground it into powder. She was still shaking from the battle, and the social confrontation. She decided to walk it off in a wide circle while grinding away at the salts, trying not to pace. She watched as Karlach torched each of the bodies in turn. Karlach seemed to be deriving a disturbing amount of joy from the entire process. Regardless, Nyx grinned at the spectacle for some reason. Which reminded her to grab a pinch of the soot from the ground that was once blood before Karlach got to it. She added it to the mixture. Just as Nyx was wondering where Astarion had got to with the herbs, he appeared at her side.

Nyx almost gasped when she saw what Astarion brought her.

"Perfect.", she breathed taking the eucalyptus branch flush with leaves from him.

"Why thank you, my dear.", he said brushing a strand of hair from his forehead, looking mightily pleased with himself.

"I meant the eucalyptus.", she said flatly.

"I'm sure you did darling.", he cajoled.

She snorted at him. "In that case, thank you for the eucalyptus, by the way.", she humoured him.

She plucked leaves from the branch and added it to her mixture. Astarion eyed her concoction while they watched Karlach run around the area like a rambunctious child, either destroying or setting things on fire.

"Disgusting", Astarion said next to her. Crinkling his nose at her mixture. She had worked it into a globulous black paste and proceeded to add more salts until the consistency became coarse.

She grinned to herself.

Another opportunity to gather evidence for Clive's vampire theory.

She set the mortar and pestle down to let it rest. She could smell the nasty odour coming from it, which was unpleasant but bearable. Soon it should 'set' and she would not be able to smell the mixture anymore. However, to preternatural predators it should have a very distinct effect.

Nyx crossed her arms and waited.

"What now?", Astarion looked at her askance, "We just stare at it?"

"It needs to, cure. Then I start sprinkling it around the area.", she said amused.

"Oh, so no explosions then.", he gestured.

"Uh, no. Not that kind of mixture.", Nyx smirked at his expectation.

"Quite dull really. I was hoping for a show.", he lulled looking bored.

Nyx hooked a thumb to Karlach, "There's the show.", and as if Karlach heard what she said something got pulverized. Sparks flying.

"I suppose.", he relinquished with an unimpressed sigh.

He turned around and strolled towards Shadowheart and the others.

Nyx watched Karlach continued her rampage, the place looked like a proper war zone by now. Which was kind of the point. Nyx hoped it would be enough.

Someone chocked, and she smiled.

Gotcha.

"Ugh, that is vile.", Astarion said covering his mouth and nose, shooting an accusatory glare at Nyx.

Gale looked up with confusion from his work. Took a whiff of the air and frowned, "I don't smell anything."

"Neither do I.", Nyx provided unhelpfully, smiling slyly. The fact that it did affect him doesn't prove anything definitively, but it was most interesting.

Astarion looked at Shadowheart who was working unperturbed as well, then glanced back at Nyx. He must have noticed her expression, because he promptly dropped his hand and wrestled to school his face. "Oh.", he started, looking for words, "I must have been down wind."

Nyx smiled as she turned back to the mixture. Must be that yes.

She reached behind her back and withdrew a pair of gloves. She picked up the mixture and walked over to Tav first. Astarion made sure to give her a lot of space. She started to lightly sprinkle the stuff in a circle around Tav with her gloved hands. Gale watched with curiosity; she could almost see the questions brimming from his lips.

"What is that exactly?"

"A mixture of smelling salts, eucalyptus and soot. Err, sooty blood more specifically.", she said, making her way around Tav and Shadowheart.

Gale asked, "How does it work seeing as most of us can't even smell it?", and Nyx smirked at the 'most of us' part. She will stick to that for the rest of the explanation too.

"From what I understand it generally affects the olfactory senses of various predators and monsters. Gnolls and hyaenas in this case. Mostly animals from the canine, feline and likely ursine variety.", Nyx scrunched her nose as she tried to remember more.

"So, werewolves, tigers and bears then?"

Nyx nodded. Gale glanced at his work for a moment.

"Does it mask our scent then, or just smells bad?"

"Doesn't really smell bad as much as it prevents the predators from being able to smell at all. Overwhelms the senses and then, nothing I suppose. Can't track anything at all afterwards unless they are a good distance away from the stuff.", Nyx finished her circle. She looked around for the next target to sprinkle and noticed that Astarion had disappeared. She systematically made her rounds to sprinkle each of the dead bodies; pretenders and animals alike.

The sky was becoming orange when Lae'zel and Wyll returned. Nyx was finishing up with the dead archers and the two brought good news. They had found a cave not too far from the tollhouse. All of the party members returned to Tav's location. Shadowheart had completely healed Tav, but Tav was still weak and lethargic, mumbling things to herself. Shadowheart had administered Gale's potions to combat the blood poison and hallucinations. Shadowheart and Wyll volunteered to carry Tav while Lae'zel lead the party to the cave. Nyx took up the rear to sprinkle their footsteps with her mixture. For the first time today, Astarion was not walking somewhere behind Nyx, but far ahead with Lae'zel. Much to her own amusement.

---

Tav had recovered by the time they reached the cave. While the others setup for the night, Nyx sprinkled the last of her mixture outside the two large entrances on either side of the cave. Tav walked out to watched her finish in silence.

Nyx turned to Tav and smiled, "Good to see you up and about this time round."

Tav grinned, "All thanks to you I hear. I do believe we owe our lives to you."

Nyx shook her head, "I appreciate the gesture, but you owe me nothing. I was willing to help. Besides we haven't seen the morning yet."

Tav shifted her weight and regarded her for another silent moment. "I'm glad you stayed.", she finally said.

Nyx heard the dual meaning in that statement. Tav was hoping that since she stayed to assist after the Gnoll attack, maybe she had decided to stay permanently. Nyx had not quite made up her mind yet, but the parasites were a nuisance, and she would very much prefer reversing her soon-to-be-squid potential. Staying was the most practical way of getting rid of the parasites. Tav silently watched as Nyx worked through her thoughts.

However, Nyx was placing both herself and the rest of them in harm's way by staying.

I will find you again, I always do.

She chewed her lip. She ought to tell Tav upfront about it, but Nyx was not ready to share her whole sad-sob story of her past. It's none of Tav's business anyway.

Let's see how it goes. I can simply leave later if things threaten to go poorly again. I always get some manner of forewarning, however slight.

Tav started to smile without Nyx even answering. She was far too perceptive, like Clive it seems.

"I take it you already figured my answer. Let's see how the hunt for a cure goes.", Nyx finished not making any promises.

Tav beamed at her, "Fantastic!"

Footnote

Disclaimer: I'm making up stuff with the smelling salts. Nevertheless, don't go recreating the mixture at home! Also, don't give your pets eucalyptus, it is literally, truly, really poisonous to them.