#odyssey

It works! Reaching the surface first, he was trying to grab a breath of air - watching for her to come up under him, but not alongside! A small tidal wave swamps over him, and he is rolled over in the spray. He DOES manage to fill his lungs, but he is disoriented!

Great, time to rip off a selkie flipper, or at least mangle. She chomps and holds on

If she can hit

He reorients as she misses - and knows that it's time to end this. He makes a reckless dice in, jaws gaping, to try to grab hold and tear whatever skin he can reach.

If he's committed to strike, she can try to counter... weaving at the last moment then whip lashing him in the head with her own... if it works.

He dives for her and tries to connect - but the Orca's side is broad - it's like trying to take a bite out of a beachball - he can't find purchase. Before he can shimmy down to a flipper or fin where he CAN grab hold, she spins, and is on him, her jaws closing on his rear flippers!

There is a burst of bubbles in water in a scream that doesn't make it out of the water, and Gwen's mouth fills with the sweet, coppery taste of blood!

She is SO tempted to finish this asshole off, but hospitality holds her in check, and that whole 'right to life'... mom would be dissapointed if she murdered antoher kithain, even an a A hole. Besides, if she kills him, he won't learn nothing.

Shouting from the surface now! The blood has floated up and been seen!

She lets go, to see if he uses his mangled tail ,or a healthier fin to slap the water.

But keeps her echolocation locked on him if she can, blood gets in your eye, but the echo can 'see' the way

He squirms and flounders towards the near surface, writhing - perhaps trying to wriggle free of his skin? But before he makes it, his body goes limp - passed out.

Annoyed, she rises to lift him to the surface. If this is a trick she'll get bit, but damn it.

Blood flows, and coats her head in rather a gruesome appearance when she surfaces. Saoirse looks stricken for a moment, but she maintains her position, and calls - "Victory to the Challenger! Healers, attend!" There is a hesitation - none of the selkie seem willing to approach the blood streaked Orca - instincts are a tough thing.

Saoirse looks about to jump in herself, when one of the others snaps to attention and casts a hopscotch, and Omario is flung to the shore. This seems to break the stalemate and he followed by several others to see to his wounds.

The orca moves before Thistle, and dunks her head in a nod, almost a bow. This is THISTLE's Victory, and the selkies will remember that.

THe dunk nod bob and rise also helps clean some of the blood off, which is a perk

Thistle looks... agog.

(Nonplussed!)

Aoife, Seamus, and several others manage to marshal their courage and remain in place as Gladiorca approaches - which is good, because otherwise Art and Thistle would have either been dumped in the drink or hauled away with them.

Art is wide eyed, and shaking Thistle by the arm. "Can you imagine? If we'd had a submersible, we would have seen the entire thing!"

She gingerly pats Gwen's nose... muzzle? Snout?

Whale sounds come out, which if anyone spoke they'd know meant ("I'd like to be a troll again, please")

And she makes her way closer to the shore with a twist, so that when she changes she won't sink drown...

which would be rather anti climatic

She makes it to shore, where Vittorio awaits - only once she has rolled up onto the shallows does he pour a flask of cool freshwater over her head - leaving her returned to Troll form, dripping, yet triumphant.

...it is only a moment before she is swarmed by Selkies - this one looking to shake her hand, this one congratulating, all asking questions at once. She may miss the fearful deference she received as a killer whale.

"I.. yes, thank you I... no I don't know I should have had him earlier actually.... yes yes i appreciate it..." A blink "Well, I'm glad you made money off my blood sport, sure.." A nod "Yes, you may buy me a drink but I'm under age ... wait, is that a thing here? If I knew he was going to use cantrips and that was legal, I might have used a few myself. ANyway later , please. I just lost a lot of weight... and it's a bit... shocking." Shake shake , nod nod, no no thank you gotcha.. she looks towards Omario and makes her way towards him

Thistle slides off of Aoife when she feels confident that she can his the bottom under the waves. "Thank you."

Omario has had his skin stripped off, returning him to human form - where his legs are quite mauled, one foot hanging at a bad angle. He has awakened, and his eyes are in danger of rolling back, sweat beading on his forehead, from the effort of not passing out once again.

A somewhat portly, yet still elegant in motion, lady is carefully wrapping his wounds in both bandages and some sort of kelp or seaweed, working a healing bunk.

She waits for the healing, then looks at Thistle and Art "You two okay?"

Art looks... well, good, he can't help it. His hair has grown out of "Artie's" unfortunate bowl cut, and now hangs in damp locks that frame his features in a fetching manner.

Thistle looks more like a cat that got a bath.

"We're fine, sure. Damn that was vicious."

"You nearly ripped his legs off." Impressed.

"Almost more vicous than you know" She says "The coward tried to use spectators as a shield" She is NOT quiet when she says this . Let anyone listening know "He darted in betwen and behind childlings among others at the 'edge' of the boundary"

The healer is skilled, and under her hands, flesh and bone, sinew and tendon knit and become whole.

SCOWL.

Still sweating from the strain, Omario barely gives a glance in Gladiola's direction. " If one is so foolhardy that they cannot guard their attacks nor tell friend from foe, perhaps they are a poor choice for champion. In any case, Fate decided the outcome. There are yet two challenges that must be overcome."

"Clearly, I was not a poor choice, but even if I were, I would not sink to putting my own at risk in hopes of garnering false victory, Omario. You could win or lose a hundred challenges, and I would know your worth... and it is not much." A snort

Thistle rolls her eyes at Omario's taunt.