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After their last encounter, Kraven had returned home to lick his wounds, both metaphorically and literally. Victor's claws had done a number on him, and when the bestial man had told him he was dying, he wasn't lying. Once he'd gotten away from the bar, the girl, and the Sabretooth, and all the way back to his lair, Kraven was practically bled out. But he wasn't going to die. Not that night, at least. It took hours, but he had the necessary ingredients on hand to concoct a healing draught, patch his wounds, and recover his injuries in a fraction of the time it would have normally taken. It wasn't without cost though, as magic never is. But he survived, and in fact, good as new. Recovered and refreshed, he analyzed everything that had happened, what had gone wrong.
Victor was an unexpected variable that he would have to account for, but he would do everything he could do avoid, at least for now. Victor was a trophy for another time, but one he would certainly be back for. He had known of the girl's powers before the encounter, but being on the business end is a much better learning experience than simply being told what to expect. He would adapt his strategy. Stalk his prey. Strike at the opportune time, rather than give her the chance to see her attacker coming. It was a point of foolish pride in Kraven, this wish to face his prey head on, for them to know who had come from them. But she knew now, certainly; there was no longer any need to make his approach in the light. He had been trailing her for hours, before she arrived at Madrox' apartment, and expected her to stay there the night. Because who visits a friend at this time of night and doesn't stay? So when she goes in, he sets himself up on a perch, a second-floor balcony shrouded in darkness across the street; his keen eyes have little difficulty seeing in the dark, or at a distance. And he'll patiently wait, and watch for her to emerge. Kraven will have his prize.
*
Lynette makes sure that the door shuts behind herself. She even waits, listening for it to 'click' into place. That's probably not all she heard, but shaking her head, she huffs a breath and starts moving down the steps. Back outside, she takes a moment to glance up and down the street, her fingers still brushing and rubbing at the key that allowed her free access to Jamie's place. Jimmy. Whatever. She waits, just 'feeling' the space around her. She was paranoid, sure, but for now, there's nothing pinging her on alert.
Watching the snows fall, she sighs out a wisp of air before pulling her scarf up and around her face and turning down the sidewalk. Key up, she looks at it, considering it. Perhaps it was time to return it to its owner.
*
Kraven was ready this time. Lynette emerges, and he's down from the balcony in a flash; silent and deadly, like the apex predator he knows himself to be. He keeps to the shadow, moving along the street between the buildings to keep pace with his quarry, and when he knows he as the advantage, he strikes. Not with a dart this time, or a knife, but a bolas. Two weighted spheres on a rope; a simple weapon, used for capturing creatures on the run. He hurls the weapon with expertise, and it wraps itself around Lynette's legs, binding them together. He's certain that she's on her own, with no guard dog to protect her. Kraven, however, is not. A sharp click of his tongue, and two enormous bull mastiffs emerge from the alley, teeth bared as they approach Lynette. He won't be making the mistake of showing himself directly until she's been subdued. And if she moves, the dogs will be on her like a piece of meat, though for now they're simply watching, growling low and deep at the girl.
*
Surprise, she never saw it coming. Her voice screams out into the night, not so much out of fear, but out of shock, surprise and the sudden sensation of something being wrong. The key flys from her hand as she reaches out to catch herself. She sides on the ground and hisses, feeling the sting of ice and gravel digging into her flesh. Then, the sounds of dogs. Big, dogs, causes the girl to look their way with doe like eyes. One hand out, she shows them her palms and smiles, nervously. "Easy now…Don' wanna hurt y'." She murmurs, as if they could understand her. Her legs twitch and wiggle, and she pulls at the ties only to slides along the ground ever so slightly. But at least it's in the 'away' direction of the dog.s
*
Each time she moves, even in the slightest, the dogs move forward, the growling becoming louder and more insistent. If they understand her, they don't seem to care what she has to say. Her hands move, and both dogs bark, loud and mean, and actually snap at her hands as if to bite, but they don't make contact. Not yet. The dogs circle slowly around the fallen girl, drawing nearer and nearer with each moment. Massive animals, likely made all the more fearsome from the perspective that Lynette has on them, looking up from the ground. Kraven, meanwhile, approaches cautiously from behind. He wasn't going to be caught off guard this time by her powers. If she moves, the dogs will attack. And he won't give her the chance to get a hold of his weapon this time. And if she does, well, the dogs will put a quick end to it; no chance she could take on both at once, right?
*
Can she? No. But she can try. That 'snap' is all she needs to drive the beasts back. Gritting her teeth, the massive dogs, at first, slide back, then back, before they go flying off and down the street. One slams into a building, as the other continues to fly until it lands somewhere down the street. She didn't know Kraven was there, at least not yet, but now with the dogs away from her, she sits up and starts digging at the bands around her legs.
*
The dogs are resilient beasts, and though the suddenness of her display of power takes the by surprise, and indeed sends them flying, they pick themselves up after only a moment. Angry now, and hurt, but still intent on carrying out their master's commands, they run full-speed back toward Lynette, snarling viciously as they barrel toward her. And if they reach her? Well, they won't just circle and intimidate.
Kraven breaks into a run as well, seeing his hounds so roughly handled by the girl's power. He knows they are strong, but he is still protective of them. He's the closest now, and while he could probably have chosen a more subtle means of subduing the girl, he launches himself into the air with a strong kick, practically pouncing upon her as would a jungle cat. Only instead of claws or teeth, Kraven wields a long wooden baton in both hands, and he aims to crack her over the skull with one, or both, and knock her out.
*
Dogs to the left of me, hunters to the right, here she is, stuck in the middle with, well nothing. Unmoving, she keeps glancing up toward the coming hounds only to feel that sharp, painful 'thunk' across her head. Copper and ozone fills her nostrils, and with a fluttering of her eyes, the petite doll flops down onto the side of the street. No more struggling, no more powers, just subdued breathing.
*
Kraven spits on the ground next to Lynette as he crouches beside her, watching for a moment for any movements. The dogs continue to run toward her, but with their master now at the girl's side they have no reason to attack. They will, however, hold a grudge. Kraven leans to hoist the girl up onto his shoulders, after taking care to bind her hands together behind her; not taking any chances, as she woke up from a tranquilizer that would have put a man twice her size down for hours. He stands, and the girl's scarf slips from around her to fall into the snow, not far from where the key had landed in fact. With another click of his tongue the dogs head off back into the alley, while Kraven follows. Time to take his prize back where he can keep her restrained and under control until she is to be collected.
*