Damn dirty apes! I mean bugs!

The bugs swarmed again.  This time, the party was ready (and allowed to roleplay!)

Quickly, Tribby launched a stream of magic missiles at a single creature.  Again and again the magic found its target - but the creature did not fall!

The blackness enveloped the group, and Tribby launched her magic cone of fire into the darkness above her, causing screeches to be heard upon occasion.

Manbearpig turned into a falcon and flew up into the air, surveying the situation.  Jay El flew up with him, exclaiming how magic was cool as he did so.

Together, they took in what was happening.  Some of the bugs were flying in, grabbing one of the helpless redshirts, er, that is, the valiently fighting escorts, and taking off with them back from whence the bugs had flown.  Others still, were flying in and ensuring that no battle got too out of hand.

Manbearpig steadied his wings and began an attack dive on one of the bugs.  Jay El yelled out a warning "NO!  They'll kill you!"  Manbearpig hesitated, and looked at Jay El.  "Fly to the Elven city!  Get help!  I'll take care of the survivors!"

Manbearpig looked at the situation.  Jay El was right.  There was nothing he could do here.  Although it pained him, he took flight.

Jay El hung there in the air, tempted on joining him, but, those below would need healing after this was done.  And leadership to get the heck out of here.

This battle was over quicker than the last.  The bugs had come more for meat this time, than the last.  As they flew away, he noted how they'd seemed to appear out of nowhere upon their attacks... they... had.  As he watched them scatter and leave, they simply shimmered and vanished from view in the horizon.

Something to look into later.

There were only a few of the guards left, now.  He tended to them, and prayed to his god for the power needed to un-paralyze the duckephant, and the strength he would need to guide it to the elven city.

Shibou had been trained well in the short time it had been in Manbearpig's company, and, having both already tasted the wrath of the flying hoard and being currently surrounded by the dead and dying, needed little encouragement to leave the warzone.