Originally Posted by Noel Laurent

With his strength in his right arm dwindling, Noel used his feet to try and push himself up, scraping them against the tree’s trunk to find some little crevice or dent where he could do just that. With his foot finding a little knot on the side of the tree, he angled his foot onto it, pushing up to the point where he could use his left arm to pull himself up all the way.

Halfway there, and he wasn’t expecting the sudden pain in his back and neck. He had been expecting the bowtruckles to attack, but with the small delay in their ‘arrival’, his mind had been completely focused on climbing the branches; until now. Swatting at the pesky creatures, an involuntary wince would appear on his face every time their sharp fingers clawed at him. A particular slice to his shoulder caused his left arm to go, and not being able to grab anything with his right since it was already damaged beforehand, he fell back down to the branch below him with a thud and groan. He did however, pain or not, hang on as tightly as he could so he didn’t fall completely to the ground.

If he thought a moments rest would be granted from the bowtruckles, he was surely wrong. The sting and cuts he felt all over his body. His back, he arms and shoulders, hands…face… Growling, Noel whacked and swiped at the creatures as he stood up on the branch once more, trying to get them away from his hair and face. He’d actually like to make it out of here NOT bald and with his eyesight.

Having enough of this, his eyes moved back to his wand before running to the tree trunk, taking one step on it and pushing himself up to the third branch, using all his strength to get himself onto it. With a quick sigh of relief as he was finally balanced onto the third branch, he doubled over slightly, holding the side of his face close to his right eye. A sharp claw had come dangerously close to it, slicing him near his eyebrow but with a few rapid blinks, he realized he was still able to see. Even if it was in this dark cave, it was still the same vision and scenery as before. Shaking his head, he held up his arms to protect his eyes, gasping as he kicked his way down the branch and jumped up to the fourth.

Swatting at the creatures as he pulled himself up, he kicked and swung with his legs, and with any luck, they’d strike a few of the tree dwellers that were causing his life to be a nightmare at the moment. Breathing heavily, more out of frustration and anger than in pain, Noel took a quick check to see where his wand was and how far he needed to go…

Even in the midst of the battle he was in, anyone could have noticed the second group of bowtruckles guarding his wand. Their dark outlines against the tree and even in front of the glowing light did not pass him. "NO!" he shouted, irritation crawling under his skin as he punched his arms and fists through the air, running down the branch towards the tree trunk and jumping to the fifth branch. He was getting his wand.

NOW! These creatures weren’t going to stop him. "Get away from me!"