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Post by Scratchfur on Feb 15, 2009 13:01:20 GMT -5
OOC: Just FYI...but I'm gonna be gone for about a week, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to post much.
BIC:*Hearing the orders from 'Rina, the sea rat looked at Jack and, as if sizing the other hare up with his cold hard eyes, Scratchfur nodded as if in approval of 'Rina's match-up for the right flank. Checking once more to ensure that he had all of his kit, as well as his weapons were all accounted for, the rat moved up quickly to catch up to the leading hare, intent on keeping the intended formation. Glancing back at the group, the rat motioned for Jack to step into form, and get as close as possible to preserve the element of surprise in numbers. As he glanced back forward, he had noticed that 'Rina was indeed further ahead then he had thought. Kicking his jog up a pace, the rat finally found out that he was not in shape as much as he thought he was. It was a sad thing for a beast of the sea, he thought, to be trudging across forests and such. This is why he had originally signed up as a sea beast when he was younger. Less walking made for a happier sea rat, and this little bout obviously was not making for a very happy sea beast at all.
As he mulled through these thoughts of his, he found that in no time at all he had caught up with Commander 'Rina, who was presently staking out a potential waiting site. Grinning to himself at the site's apparent advantages for the Guardians, Scratchfur felt a surge of confidence about this, which was something he had rather felt lacking during the longer march out to the place. Maybe they would turn the tide of the battle on account of th....
Just then, 'Rina let out his valiant war cry into the night, as if challenging the Fates themselves. Being surprised by this, the rat frantically jumped down for cover and held himself down to avoid being seen by any potential viewers. After a few seconds of this, he glanced up and noticed that he was letting the formation flop a little, the rat began to crawl towards 'Rina, hoping that his movement would not be apparent to any other onlookers.*
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Post by aeroflyte on Feb 15, 2009 15:08:12 GMT -5
OOC: Wow. Sorry for my lack of posts over the past few days. I've been otherwise occupied... Oh, and no offense, Rina, but the name's Teylan, not Aeroflyte. I should've announced that or something... BIC: "Eulaliaaa! Guardians! Give 'em blood'n'vinegar!"Teylan's concentration broke and he stumbled over a root. "Blast!" he hissed through his teeth, grimacing as he rubbed his footpaw. He wasn't expecting the Commander to yell like that, least of all right here... But now, as he glanced around, it would make an excellent place to make a stand. Plenty of brush and fallen logs, a few scattered rocks for more cover... And the odd root to trip the enemy up, he thought wryly. He winced and pushed himself back to a crouching position, then scrambled (stealthily, of course) back up to Tass. "Sorry 'bout that, mate," Teylan muttered. "Rina certainly knows how to yell..." As Tass went up to get Rina's attention, he looked around for any place suitable to hide behind for the wait. A boulder with a slight hollow in it caught his attention and he crept over to it, then sat against the back of it. Reaching into his satchel, he rummaged around for a few seconds, coming up with a roll of thin, flattened plant fibers, which he bound around his footpaw with a slight wince. He then wrapped the centers of his paws with it, flexing his fingers experimentally. Grinning approvingly, he stuffed the the roll back into the pouch and drew out a sling, binding it around his staff in preparation. He frowned, undid the sling, and put a stone in it. After all, he would be fighting with ranged attacks first, from the rear... Teylan put his satchel back on, checking to see if the stones were readily accessible. They were, and he twirled his sling lazily, listening for the telltale rustle of vermin. Of course, with all of the movement around him, it wasn't an easy task. He sighed, and then crept from behind the rock, moving towards the front of the party slightly. He sighed again, muttering, "And so we wait..."
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Rinafera Woxwitty III
Ret. War Commander
Head Boundary Guardian
Head Boundary Guardian && Retired War Commander
Posts: 696
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Post by Rinafera Woxwitty III on Feb 15, 2009 16:53:04 GMT -5
OOC: Ah, sorry about that, 'Flyte. After I read the posts and am posting myself, I go back and look at usernames as a reference. My mistake. I'll post IC once Jack and some others have posted.
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Post by aeroflyte on Feb 15, 2009 18:15:39 GMT -5
OOC: Heh. That's alright. I can change my username, if it helps...
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Rinafera Woxwitty III
Ret. War Commander
Head Boundary Guardian
Head Boundary Guardian && Retired War Commander
Posts: 696
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Post by Rinafera Woxwitty III on Feb 17, 2009 19:24:54 GMT -5
The calm before the storm was always the most unbearable. Even in his old age and his experience, the sullen, silent wait for the enemy still bothered the hare greatly. Eyes fixed on the trees that the vermin would soon spring forth from, drew his saber and gripped the basket handle as a boy would cling to his mother. The protection, the source of life - this was his blade. Older than Rinafera himself, the Woxwitty blade had been passed down, and soon, if the hare were to die or to abdicate from the post of War Commander, it would be passed to Fourth, or rather, Rinafera IV. He remembered the awkward time before his father died when everybody called him Third. He felt nothing but empathy for his son and that dreadful name. Despite his wife's, Daisyblade, wishes to end the tradition and to name Fourth something different, possibly from her side of the family, he was named what he was. Rinafera told her that if they had another child, then she could name him.
Daisyblade, being seven seasons younger than her husband, was now recently pregnant; the elderly hare had lived up to his side of the bargain, and the hare-mother would name the child as she wished. The War Commander's thoughts drifted through the skies of imagination as he pictured his newborn, whatever be the sex of the hare. However, he was sure he would love it just as much as he loved Fourth. . . "Sir, what should we do now?" The voice of Tass startled the hare as he awoke from the slumbers of thought. He turned rapidly, recovering from his minor shock. A little annoyed at the lack of battle knowledge of the Guardian, Rinafera cleared his throat, and -- as he was now the War Commander -- refrained from mocking his insolence. "We wait, Tass. Either for help. . . or the enemy." Despite the annoyance, he was a little grateful that his mind could now return to the task before him. Victory.
This was the first true test of his strategic abilities, as well as his troops' ability in battle. He simply refused to fail. He refused to retreat, and he refused to be defeated. This stubborn attitude was most likely what kept him alive through all the battles he had fought over his lifetime. Rinafera's thoughtful face formed into a grimace as he scowled at the absence of the vermin band. Perhaps these vermin were too large of cowards to fight them directly. They were too skinless; they were most likely used to hit and run, cowardly fighting. A small skirmish, retreat, and repeat. Thin the opposition's numbers, nothing else. That was not war, that was not battle. It was cowardice. The hare hated vermin and all of their species, with a few exceptions, of course. Brisk, Crystal, Rikian, and some others were all respected by Rinafera. Finally, as these thoughts danced through the ballroom of his mind, the vermin appeared in the woodlands.
"Hellsteeth. . ." Rinafera uttered only that word before the onslaught of arrows began. The vermin clearly predicted that they would outnumber the Guardians, and thus they transformed many of their soldiers into archers. They will stay back while we charge and die on the front line. They number about a score, and we number about seven. Pleased with his choice of sending Brisk to find the shrews, he stayed low behind the trunk. Finally, as there seemed to be a small break in the pattern of arrows that were flying toward them, he stood up, but crouched slightly. Running low behind the tree trunk, he sheathed his saber and pulled out his sling. With his other paw, he picked up a large, smooth stone and loaded. Rinafera stood at full height and whirled a stone into the woodlands, striking a stoat in the forehead. The thrill of battle had returned to the Guardians, and Rinafera, now and elderly creature, was on the front line.
"Eulaliaaaaa! 'Tis death on the wind!"
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Post by Tass, Nathan and Brine on Feb 18, 2009 7:54:07 GMT -5
Tass felt A immense stabbing pain in his leg, he looked at the arrow sticking out from it. He cursed under his breath and hit the ground, he crawled behind A rock and examined his wound, It was not that deep and would have no lasting effect on his health. He used his stilletto to pry the arrowhead out, he then applied A simple poultice for wounds he had learned at Redwall, it was to absorb the blood from the wound. That done he focused on the task at hand. He ran, stopping behind other obstacles sometimes, to A rock very near to the treeline. He saw A fox behind A tree with his bow, Tass just could not resist this target that fate had given him, alas, fate is oft deceiving, and Tass was just about to find that out. Tass charged the fox, his claymore drawn, he slashed at the fox and the fox side-stepped and slashed Tass's leg with A dagger, suddenly A arrow hit Tass in the side. He saw the person who had fired it slink away into the tree's. Tass saw he was losing his battle against the fox, and decided to end it. He zig-zagged all the way back to the rock because he did not want to get hit by more arrows. Behind the rock he examined his new wounds, the arrow had only hit loose skin and the dagger slash would not kill him. Then A thought came into his mind.
"How much trouble will I get into for my charge, I mean I would've been praised if I were Shard or Raiden, but not me, no I will just get yelled at."
Tass was awakened from his thought's by the appearance of A rat just inside the clearing, he was crawling, covered in leaves and with A wicked looking knife covered in mud to stop it from shining. he had The thing that gave the rat away was in his leaf camo disguise there was A branch that stuck up and was clearly visible even in the night. Tass decided to pretend that he had not seen the rat and made himself an easy target...or so it appeared. In reality Tass was gripping his stiletto tightly with his hand and hoping for the best. The rat asassin could not resist the target he saw and lunged at Tass with his dagger. Tass was ready for the rat and A fierce battle ensued, Tass lunged with his stiletto only to have it paried by the rat. In the end the rat was the loser, he slumped down, the stiletto in his heart. Tass was in shock, he had never killed someone before, well now he had and he felt horrible for A minute he forgot the other vermin out there and stood up, he payed for that second, his head poked up from behind the rock and A well placed slingstone from A vermin knocked the squirrel out.
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Post by Jack Southgris on Feb 18, 2009 23:36:13 GMT -5
Jack hated strategy. Yes, it won battles; yes, it saved lives; yes, a plan was better than nothing, but however sensible the tactic, he hated it.
Three paces left... or was it right? And, who was he supposed to stick by? If he managed to survive the first segment of this dreaded tactic, what happened next? Would he run, yelling like a hooligan, just to be smitten by a salvo of razor-sharp metal? Jack shook his head. First things first- Scratchfur. That was his name. Now... Rina. That's what they called the hare... but should he say Rinafera, out of respect? Or Commander? And what if—
Jack realized that everyone had stopped. They had been marching all along, and Jack subconsciously followed orders...
He gave a start as arrows hissed through the air, and gave a start as Rina let loose a savage warcry.
'Tis truly death on the wind, thought Jack, as a few arrows found their marks, followed by a following volley of slingstones and arrows from the small allied ranks. But not for us...
Jack prepared himself for the charge, drawing his twin swords. He took a calming breath, quickly blocking the reality that he was about to kill. Vermin, nonetheless, but they were living, breathing creatures who feared death... Better them than us, he thought, and braced himself for the command...
Jack sprinted to the enemy ranks as he heard the command. To his left, he saw Tass go down, fighting a fox. His vision narrowed as adrenaline flooded into his body. Now it was only him and the filth before him.
A weasel met Jack head-on, slashing at him with a jagged rapier. In a bold move, Jack hammered the weapon with his superior steel, shattering the rapier. Jack then belted out a quick uppercut, knocking the weasel senseless. With a shudder, Jack ran the weasel through, groaning inwardly as steel scraped against bone, punctured tissue, and severed arteries. With obvious shame, he then withdrew his sword. His knees buckled.
Not now! Keep fighting! He struggled to stand, and finally realized what position he was in. One down, but who knows how many more to go...
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Rinafera Woxwitty III
Ret. War Commander
Head Boundary Guardian
Head Boundary Guardian && Retired War Commander
Posts: 696
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Post by Rinafera Woxwitty III on Feb 19, 2009 18:09:37 GMT -5
Rinafera stood in the back, still firing volleys of stones at the enemy's front line. He stood poised, back straight as an arrow, slinging stones and facing the consequences of being hit by an arrow. Finally, as an arrow struck the ground to his right -- clearly, the vermin who were not used to being archers were forced to shoot arrows -- he decided it was time to join the battle. The hare was an experienced, seasoned warrior, and over the decades he had become an expert with his saber. There were few among the ranks of the Guardians that could challenge him in a duel -- most likely Crystal or Raiden -- and he was ready to teach the enemy a few lessons in sword techniques. He charged in, his cuirass hardly slowing him down; after seasons of using the heavy armor, it simply felt like an extension of his chest. The hare advanced, ducking every now and then as he saw an archer pull back on the string, poised to fire.
A weasel had pulled out a small dagger, possibly a dirk, and beckoned Rinafera to fight him. With his saber now unsheathed, the hare went into traditional fencing position, squatting low, taking long steps with his front paw, and lunging when he saw the opportunity to strike. His first attempt failed and the weasel easily deflected the saber. However, this was all part of the plan. The newly appointed War Commander wheeled around the weasel and turned to face him from the backside; the vermin spun around, but the hare had already lunged and he wasn't quick enough with his dagger. As the weasel had been clutching his paw after it being stung when he blocked Rinafera's saber, he wasn't ready for the attack, and soon found a blade through his chest. The hare removed the saber from the weasel and saw Tass in the small clearing, down on the ground, either dead or unconscious.
As a Boundary Guardian, he had been trained in healing minor to moderate injuries. A ferret was standing over him, evidently the one who knocked her out. She brandished her rapier and was about to stab Tass; Rinafera was too far away to lunge with his saber and wouldn't have time to pull out his sling. In a hurry, the hare found a rock on the ground and picked it up, throwing it at the ferret. It missed, as he didn't have the greatest arm, but it distracted the vermin from her intention. She whipped around and Rinafera charged, knowing that he had very little time to save Tass. The ferret stepped forward and swung her rapier horizontally; the War Commander almost laughed at her tactics. Never swing your sword, as your most likely to miss, but if you do manage to hit your target, it'll just slice your torso and do very little damage, he had learned over his seasons. His athleticism returning, Rinafera didn't even parry or dodge the blow; he was prepared to take the risk to save Tass. The hare lunged and let the rapier take a small cut on his shoulder, but his saber stabbed through the ferret's unguarded chest.
He removed the blade from the ferret and she fell to the ground, blood flowing from her torso. Rinafera quickly clutched Tass's paws and dragged him into the woods, leaving the clearing where the battle took place. The hare stopped behind a large rock and laid the ailing squirrel on some soft moss. There was no time to call Scratchfur, the medic, over, because the squirrel had evidently received an arrow to his leg and there was still some blood flowing from it. The Head Boundary Guardian now truly recognized what he and Raiden went through all the training for; Darter must've foreseen that these types of things would happen. Well, of course they would, it's war... Rinafera pulled out his pouch -- it used to only be used for stones, but as he became a Boundary Guardian, he had to bring along poultices and other items -- and dug through his items. He found a small herb used for stopping pain and grabbed a roll of some soft moss; he placed the herb on the wound and wrapped the moss around the squirrel's leg. The War Commander then took out another herb, used for helping the patient to breathe steadier and easier, and placed it on the squirrel's windpipe.
Rinafera knew there wasn't much more he could do to help Tass awaken, so he stood up. As soon as he saw a stoat archer pointing an arrow at him from the other side of the rock, the hare knew he was doomed. He immediately fell down intentionally to dodge, but it still struck his ear. Pain surged through his body and the agony began to increase; the hare gripped the arrow and pulled it from his ear, blood dripping on the feathery, white snow. The War Commander jostled Tass out of the way and leaned against the rock, unsheathing his saber and waiting. Hopefully, the stoat would be stupid and take the bait. He did. The stoat wheeled around the rock and tried to shoot again from close range, but the hare was ready this time, and he lunged from his seating position, his saber digging into his leg. The bow fell to the ground and the stoat yelped in pain, but Rinafera didn't stop there. He then pulled it out and stabbed him in the chest, scowling angrily at the stoat who had sent so much pain through his ear.
Finally, he could stand up in peace, now seeing that the vermin's numbers had been thinned and the vermin were in rout. Before the rest of the Guardians could chase after the now decrepit band of vermin, he yelled out to them. "Guardians, stop! Stay put and fall back! We have an injured to take back to the Fort; we'll take care of the vermin later. Their leader is probably now dead, so their scattered. We'll have some scouts sweep through the woodlands later and dispose of their residue." The hare stood by Tass and waited for someone else to help him with the squirrel. Hopefully, Tass would wake up before he would have to carry him back to the Fort. . .
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Post by Brisk Balvayne VI on Feb 19, 2009 21:35:42 GMT -5
Brisk dodged a well placed spear thrust, watching as some of his arm fur was shredded to nothingness. Scowling, he rolled under the next thrust and stabbed the beast in the kidney with a dagger, and then as it howled in pain he sent metal death into its spine.
Smirking in satisfaction, he continued his way toward the shrews. Unfortunately, he hadn't gotten back to the fort yet do to the vermin's own ambush parties set up along the way.
For all they knew, the shrews could be under attack as well. Rolling his eyes at the thought of this, he picked up the pace despite a wound he received to his knee. Stupid ambushes, I would've been there in back by now... He thought angrily.
His ears then perked and he halted in place, drawing his cutlass and twirling it expertly. Someone has been following me...
ooc: Yasmine said in a pm she was following me so *shrugs* = D
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Yasmine
Private
Don't expect something smart here from me...!c!Default
Posts: 26
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Post by Yasmine on Feb 20, 2009 7:22:12 GMT -5
OOC: Yeah, okay. You practically set it up, Brisk.
Of course Yasmine was following Brisk. In her book, it wasn't polite to be a smart alek (or aleck?), mouthing off at someone and then just walking away. It doesn't work that way. So she followed, quietly and close enough to get a clear view on everything. All the ambushes, everything. She had wisely, or so she thought, decided that if she jumped in one of Brisk's battle all he would do is complain he could have taken care of it himself, so why bother?
Yasmine winced when a twig she stepped on snapped loudly, echoing into the forest and alerting brisk to the point where he twirled his cutlass (which seemed to Yasmine he was showing off). The mouse rolled her eyes and stepped into the open, holding her arms in the air in mock surrender. "Oh no, it's the fierce Head Rogue swinging his sword around like a monkey. Don't hurt me, I surrender." Yasmine smirked and dropped her arms, enjoying the annoyed face Brisk planted on. "Now, now, I only came to assist, believe it or not."
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Post by Tass, Nathan and Brine on Feb 20, 2009 11:33:09 GMT -5
Tass slowly woke up from his little "lie-down" with A bump the size of an egg on his head, he looked up at Rina and groaned.
"I am sorry I was A fool sir, I hope you will forgive me"
"Hope being the key word"
He staggered up and threw as much of A salute he could manage.
"I am okay sir, I can make it back to the fort. Oh, and my stiletto does not need to be retrieved, it is made to be lost. Now which way is the fort sir?
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Post by aeroflyte on Feb 21, 2009 15:27:55 GMT -5
OOC: Aw, snap. I missed most of the fighting... D: And I'd like to apologize for my lack of posts, I've been gone and otherwise occupied. And it's hard for me to make decent posts in a short period of time. I'll try my best to post soon. EDIT: IC: Teylan flinched violently as he heard an arrow ricochet against the boulder he was pressed against, almost knocking his rock out of his sling.. His hands trembled slightly. As much as he loved the rush of battle, the adrenaline and sweat, he hated going into it. It wasn't even logical, this fear, and he was at a lack to explain why he even felt it, but it was there nonetheless. He shuddered slightly, pressing tight against the mass of limestone one last time, and counted slowly to three. One...He checked his weapons once more, tightening his paw in his sling and getting a better grip on his staff. Two...Why hadn't he learned swordplay? A staff was good enough, but against swords it could be a liability. He took a deep breath, and tensed his legs. Three.He lept out from behind the rock with a hoarse yell, sling humming. He let fly at a distanced rat. It struck the archer with a crack, and the vermin collapsed, howling and clutching a fractured collarbone. Teylan sprinted to the side, fumbling slightly for another slingstone. He loaded it hurriedly, and hurled it at a dirty-looking ferret. The projectile hit him in the paw, and the mangy beast cursed audibly, then came towards Teylan with a scowl and a murderous glint in his eye, wielding a nicked cutlass. The otter mentally hit himself for his bad aim, then gripped his staff with both paws. "Weel, then," the ferret wheezed. "Thought yer might have a potshot a' me, didyer?" He grinned lopsidedly and swung the cutlass downwards at Teylan's throat. Teylan grunted and threw himself backwards, narrowly dodging the intended blow. Staggering slightly, he attempted a swing at the creature's crown, but instead missed and struck its shoulder. The ferret snarled, lunged, and managed to catch Teylan in the side. He gasped, pain spreading through his abdomen, triggering a burst of adrenaline. His staff was a blur as it arched towards the vermin's chest, and it connected with a sickening crack. Teylan followed it with a swing from the other side, which smashed against the ferret's skull, laying him out flat. Breathing heavily, he winced as he surveyed his wound, and then the battlefield. The vermin were scattering, the more cowardly already fleeing. Thankfully, most vermin fell under that category, and Teylan unwound his sling once again. Placing a particularly large rock in its center, he targeted another rat's backside, and made sure not to miss. He didn't. Puling out another stone, he was just swinging the sling when Rina's voice called out. "Guardians, stop! Stay put and fall back! We have an injured to take back to the Fort; we'll take care of the vermin later. Their leader is probably now dead, so their scattered. We'll have some scouts sweep through the woodlands later and dispose of their residue."Teylan winced appreciatively and did a painful about-face. Good ol' Rina. He certainly does pick good times to withdraw the troops...He limped quickly off towards the fort with a sigh, the dregs of adrenaline flickering through his mind. Now to find a real healer.-- OOC: Wow. That has to be one of my longest posts...
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