Exton

Stoney stands back from his easel and stares at the gargoyle he has drawn. A soft rumble echoes in the back of his mind and he wonders at the reaction to his sketch. He can't think of a single being that it closely resembles. The soft growl comes again and Stoney closes his eyes, focusing. Tomas?

The young boy shows his father what he sees. The sound of Laila's voice filters through the boy's mind to his own. Pencil forgotten, he is out the door of his workshop, shifting on the run. Wings held low, Stoney thunders along the path, watching the proceedings through his son's eyes.  Pride and horror war within as Tomas launches himself into the ghoul's face in an attempt to divert it from his LaLa. He breaks from the trees in time to see it slap his son into a tree, thanking the Goddess that Tomas had shifted partially to stone.

The ghoul reaches for Laila. Stone jaws clamp around the wrist and the creature finds itself lifted from the ground. Stoney growls, shaking the creature as a dog worries a favorite toy. Claws scrape against his head, raking along the hard surface of Stoney's skin, seeking something to injure. Frustrated, the creature plants its feet in his chest and jerks hard.

Freeing itself, the ghoul twists away. Dodging around Stoney it heads straight for the group at the tree. Stoney roars and cuts the creature off from its goal. The canine gar rises to his full seven foot plus height, wings beating in anger. Clawed hands strike at Stoney, managing to score furrows on the stone hide. Maddened by the scent of his son's blood, Stoney snaps at the ghoul. He misses. The ghoul laughs, choking off as sharp talons grip its shoulders, nails digging in as it is lifted off the ground.

The sound of women's voices, his wife's sobbing, feed the rage burning in Stoney's eyes. The ghoul sees his end and twists frantically, trying to rip itself from its captor. The harsh sound of hissing laughter makes him redouble his efforts. There is a small ping and two figures step from a bubble. Faces grim, the warriors place themselves between the ghoul and the group at the tree. Stoney growls again, drawing the ghoul's eyes back to him.

Low and rasping, the words are slowly ground out from between canine jaws. "You made a big mistake. No one touches what is mine. So... who sent you?" When the ghoul refuses to answer Stoney raises a brow "All right... if you won't answer that, how about if I just start biting off pieces until you DO talk?"

Stoney advances slowly, licking his jaws.