alea iacta est [C]

The day was young, the sun not quite visible in the sky. The deep black of night had faded into the dusty purple of dawn, and slowly, the stars winked out of view. Soon, amber light would spill across the hills, lighting the moor on fire with its glow. It was hard to appreciate the beauty of early morning, though, when what had him awake plagued Adderpaw's mind.

Immediately following Goldenpaw's discovery, Shrikestar had given orders. Organize patrols, find the threat. And that had been done, though it'd taken some time, and more suns than Adderpaw had bothered to count had passed. Now, it was just to kill them– or simply drive them out of the territory, though the apprentice quietly wished it would be the former.

I'm not even supposed to be here, Adderpaw thought gloomily as he sat in wait. He wasn't, and he knew that– an apprentice had no right to march with such a dangerous patrol. But that knowledge hadn't been enough to keep him from insisting, nearly pleading, that Coyotegrin let him come. Even if she had turned him away, he would have only followed. But now, he was the first one of their three to wait.

Adderpaw watched silently as an equally small band of warriors disappeared across the moor beyong. Scouting ahead, or something He only hoped they didn't find the foxes first.

Coyotegrin joined her apprentice at the entrance to the camp, her face fixed with a hard look of determination. Both Adderpaw and Daisybreeze had both begged her to bring them along on their own patrol- a revenge patrol. With Adderpaw, Coyotegrin was worried that he was too young still and too inexperienced to fight a fox or two. With Daisybreeze, she was terrified she too would die and she would lose yet another child. She relucted though, though she'd preferred Hawkheart to join them. But here she was, waiting for Daisybreeze to join. She sat next to Adderpaw and glanced down, blinking with her wide eyes. "Remember when I said there's times to use your claws? If we do find the fox, now is one of them. But let them target me. I can handle a few hits." She blinked again, then turned to stare out to the moors.

Daisypaw soon joined the patrol. A look of anger and determination on her face. I’m ready. Let’s go kill these things she meowed quickly as she stalked the moors with her patrol mates. She was gonna rip these foxes apart when she found them. Their orders from shrikestar was to kill or drive out?? Hmm in her mind the first was the only option. She would make them pay for what they did.

Coyotegrin was first of the two he was waiting on to approach, and Adderpaw flicked an ear in her direction in acknowledgement. "Yes, I know." He muttered, flexing his claws to press into the springy earth as he spoke. Soon enough, Daisybreeze joined them, and the apprentice nodded to her, as well. It seemed they were all in silent agreement that the foxes laying in wait for them would have to die; losing their home would not be suffering enough. With the three of them gathered, it was time to set off.

As they padded across the moors, the sun slowly rose beside them. The dusty light of dawn gave way to the bright gold of first light, and it stained the heather amber and red- fiery, blood colored. By the time the single stump that marked their territories propped up into view, the sun had almost fully risen. But it wasn't completely light yet, and that meant foxes were still active. Hunting. And that they were; as the patrol drew nearer, Adderpaw could hear the sounds of their strange yipping cries. It sounded like a pair, not just one of them. That made a tremor of fear run through him, and his own death flashed through his mind as the yaps grew louder. I am not going to die here. I won't let Flutter go through that grief. Feeling more resolute, yet no less scared, Adderpaw looked to the warriors accompanying him and marched along.

It took nothing except their presence to draw attention to them. The high barking turned to chittering, then the foxes were all but shouting at them. Adderpaw could see one of them, perched on top of the stump, watching their approach. Where the other one was, though... he could only hear it. His paws stilled for a moment, allowing his patrolmates to pad past him. The heartbeat it took for them to walk beyond was enough for him to look around, sighting the other canine. "Are we hunting, or being hunted?" He mewed, nonchalant. Golden eyes stared hard at him, and the openness of the moors did nothing to hide the russet fur.

In an instant, the barks turned into a hungry chorus, and the foxes raced out of their places to descend on the cats that had come for them. Adderpaw crouched as the one stalking them drew nearer, collecting his weight in his hind legs. If it wanted to charge them, then he would meet it halfway. Waiting just a moment longer, the small tom shot forward with a furious cry and claws outstretched, attaching himself to its side. The yelp of shock and pain gave him a thrill of satisfaction. While he wrestled with the one, the fox that had been watching from the stump rushed for Coyotegrin, teeth snapping and spitting as it pounced for her. It dove, and its teeth dug into one of her forelegs, bearing down with as much weight behind its jaws as it had.

Foxes appeared!
Adderpaw used Jumping Strike on Fox 1, dealing 9 (6+3) damage and costing 7 SP.
Fox 2 used Iron Bite on Coyotegrin, dealing 17 damage and costing 30 SP.
Moor Runner is active for this fight. -1 damage for the party.

Adderpaw
20/20 HP
53/60 (-7) SP

Fox 1
51/60 (-9) HP
180/180 SP

Fox 2
60/60 HP
150/180 (-30) SP

Coyotegrin
43/60 (-17) HP
140/140 SP

Coyotegrin walked with the silent patrol through the territory. It didn't seem like anyone really wanted to talk, and neither did she. The foxes came to view, and the experienced warrior halted the patrol to wait. Usually, she'd call the group off, but this was different. This is what she was here for.

Even with her speed, the fox was too fast and it gripped into her shoulder. Letting out a shriek, she ripped herself free from its bite. Her eyes shown with rage as she prepared her attack on this beast. She wouldn't die to kill this creature, but she'd come darn close to it to enact revenge for her son.

Blood pouring from her shoulder, she ignored the pain and lunged for the fox's tail. Before it could react, she snapped down on its tail and took off running in the other direction and yanking the fox off balance.

Coyotegrin used Tail Yank for 15 SP and caused 9 damage. Fox #2 is stunned for one turn.

Adderpaw
20/20 HP
53/60 SP

Fox 1
51/60 (-9) HP
180/180 SP

Fox 2 -- Stunned
51/60 HP (-9)
150/180 SP

Coyotegrin
43/60 HP
125/140 SP (-15)

Daisypaw was focused as they approached the foxes she glared at them with pure hate.  They were the reason her brother was dead. She would stop at nothing to kill both of them.  She would give no mercy to them as none had been shown to her brother. They would feel the wrath that she held and she would enjoy every second of dealing it to them.  If they ran she would chase them down and claw their backs until they bled out below her paws.  In her mind... Only one of them would be walking home by the end of this and she fully intended on getting back to her nest by sundown.


The fight was off in an instant.  The two enemies attacked her mother and Daisypaw growled angerly, no more of her family would be hurt by these vile things.  She would shred their pelts off and spit on their dead cold bodies.

Launching herself at the first fox she pushed it hard over feeling it flop under her wieght.  Although still an apprentice and looking like her mother, she had alot of her fathers size.  She held it under her paws clawing away viscously at its red fiery pelt.  By the time she was done with it, it would be red for a different reason.

Daisy uses Leap and Hold for 6 dmg 15 sp targeting FOX 1

It was very efffective Fox1 stuck for 2 turns.

This is for killing my brother you good for nothing crow food beast.


Adderpaw
20/20 HP
53/60 SP

Fox 1 [Pinned unable to do anything 2 turns]
45/60 (-6) HP
180/180 SP

Fox 2 -- Stunned 1 turn
51/60 HP
150/180 SP

Coyotegrin
43/60 HP
125/140 SP

Daisypaw
20/20 HP
45/60 SP (-15)

The member 'speedy' has done the following action : Dice roll

---

'Effect Dice' : 5

A shriek hit Adderpaw's ears, and he slid off the fox he'd been wrestling with out of shock at the sound. He turned– and something deep and frightening flickered in his mind to tell him that was a stupid idea, but he turned anyway. Just as he did, Daisypaw went rocketing past. Beyond her, blood had soaked into the fur along Coyotegrin's leg. But she looked fine, pulling the fox off its paws by the tail.

We're going to be fine. The private assurances did little to ease the adrenaline pounding in Adderpaw's chest. Turning back around, he saw that Daisypaw had not only thrown herself into the fox, but she had wrestled it to the ground. Maybe I lost that spar honestly. Shaking his head, Adderpaw dove forward again, raking his claws over the fox's muzzle. It hissed at him, and, petulantly, he hissed back.

Adderpaw used Front Paw Strike on Fox 1, dealing 6 damage and costing 7 SP.
Fox 1 is pinned for two turns.
Fox 2 is stunned for this turn.

Adderpaw
20/20 HP
46/60 (-7) SP

Fox 1 [pinned 1/2]
39/60 (-6) HP
180/180 SP

Fox 2 [stunned]
51/60 HP
150/180 SP

Coyotegrin
44/60 HP
125/140 SP

Daisypaw
20/20 HP
45/60 SP