Reinforcements [Open]

[Elicia]

Elicia narrowed her eyes at the two-squirreled move. Nice, nice... She thought, a hint of admiration seeping through the cold. I couldn't do that... The Lt. Col. shook her head and padded to the tree Enon was heading for. Her feet were light, and made very little sound. A tiny fleck of dust landed on her saber and she flicked it off with a flourish. She stopped below the tree and cocked her head, listening for the slightest sound.

[lorki]

((I'm going to write this out assuming Enon's move worked and she is now flying through the air towards the tree. Go along with it, it makes this much cooler ))

Estlin turned a sliver of his face around the tree trunk just in time to see the carcass of the slain Hare crumple on the ground near the trio. Moments after that he took note of the strange move the squirrels seemed to be setting up. He leaned out further, curiosity pulling at him as he watched.

Suddenly he understood and just as Enon ran towards Brush he too bolted from hiding out onto the large lower limb that faced the group. He flung himself from the tree just as Enon propelled herself from the ground, his bloodied face grinning fangs as he broke from the leafy coverage out into plain sight and fell directly towards the launching Squirrel.

In the split seconds that followed he rolled sideways in the air and swiped and kicked all clawed paws, both front and back, at the squirrel. This was more in an attempt to ruin her landing and possibly cause a greater injury in crashing than it was really to tear her up with just his claws... but either outcome worked well enough for the Wildcat.

He landed on all fours, hardly a few feet from where the group stood. He took a short moment to glance there way, a dangerous gleam flickered in his eyes before he turned and bounded towards the forests coverage. He sprinted away from them, not at all with the intention of leaving them.

Chases where a game to Estlin, if he were the runner or the chaser never mattered much. They were an effective way of breaking up groups, pulling creatures away from protection and even running down a meal. Rarely did a chase mean anythign over than an advantage for him, if these beasts played along it would only serve him.

[Tirael]

[[I'm not fully certain what the move goes like...I'll do the best I can.]]

Brush glanced back as Enon examined where the hare's body had fallen. Poor thing...Eastpaw had been too young to die. And whoever had forced him to go die that way deserved to go an even worse way. Justice was justice.

"Brush!

Turning, the squirrel realized what was happening and dropped, performing the stunt as practiced. It worked; Enon went sailing up toward the treetop, hot on the trail of the cannibal. However, as he turned himself over, Brush saw something unexpected: Estlin and Enon on a collision course. "ENON!" he yelled in alarm, scrambling upright as she landed. Looking to the right, he caught a very odd and hostile look in the wildcat's eyes, returning the look with one just as hostile. At the ready for a fight, he was confused when Estlin broke the gaze to turn and run. That made no sense, and he distrusted it.

But before he could pursue the murderer, there was something else to do. "Enon? You alright?" he asked anxiously, trotting over to her.

[[Not good. But there.]]

[Elicia]

Elicia saw the cat drop from the trees and slash at Enon. His eyes looked weird...like he had something intended for them that wasn't all together pleasant. Elicia glanced to where Estlin had run off to, and then back to Enon. The hare knew that the old Long Patroller would be alright, but she hesitated for a moment, saying "You stay wit' the old gel, Brush! Catch up when ye can, wot!" Then she took off into the woods after Estlin.

Eli's paws were soft on the forest floor as she stepped into the trees. They avoided little sticks and leaves that were sure to crack, causing her to move in an odd, irregular pattern. Her saber was held back at her side when she ran, and the officer gripped it loosely. The basket hilt covered most of her right paw, and the protection made the leather damp and sweaty. "Here, little kitty..." She whispered. "Here, kitty kitty..." She looked around, and pressed her back to a big tree. Now her back was protected-but she didn't lose form. She looked up, around, and back with narrow eyes.

"Here, kitty...here, kitty kitty..." Elicia's voice was soft and cold. Eastpaw had died-and this killer had to be punished. There was going to be a certain pleasure for her in cutting down this vermin...

[Treble Tiderunner]

Enon took a running leap, stepped in Brush's interlaced paws and was buoyed up, body flying towards the tree. She'd meant to land on a large lower branch, but suddenly the cat was there, bloody maw open as he launched toward her, claws outstretched. She pulled in all her limbs in an attempt to avoid the cat, and ruddered her tail, flipping herself around as his claws flailed out to grasp at her. She'd gotten away safely, or so she thought, until razor-sharp pain blazed a short trail through her left shoulder. Enon grunted, more surprise than a real reaction to the pain, and then she was out of range. Now she stretched her limbs again, slowing her fall.

She landed lightly on the ground, footpaws stumbling but gaining her balance swiftly. Awkwardly she explored the back of her left shoulder with her right paw. Although bleeding, the gashes were not deep, a glancing blow, then. Inconvenient that it had been her left, but Armsmaster Aidan had forced her to become proficient with both paws. She switched paws with the strongest weapon.

"Enon? You alright?" he asked anxiously, trotting over to her.

"Just scratched." She said, wiping her bloody paw on her tunic.

"You stay wit' the old gel, Brush!" Then she took off into the woods after Estlin.

"Absolutely not!" Enon snapped, turning to Eli. "He wants us seperate, Eli! Colonel?" She called after the rapidly disappearing hare. "Dark Forest, we'd better go catch up wit her." She told Brush.

[lorki]

Bushes and twigs blew past Estlin as he darted in between them, weaving his way about the forest like he could see what was around the next turn before he made it. In truth, Estlin had planned this route while he'd hidden from view in the trees, carefully sketching out the perfect circle he could make -if needed- to return to this very spot... but when they followed him to the correct location it would be far enough to be out of range of any other help that might be coming.

Being a very careful and calculating killer he slowed and stopped, his sharp ears swiveling towards the sounds of pursuit behind him... only one. One must have stayed behind to held the Squirrel he'd knocked from the air... perfect.

He spun around and dropped low to the ground, they sound had stopped and a voice carried over the underbrush.


"Here, kitty...here, kitty kitty..."

Estlin gripped a large rock and stalked in perfect silence towards the voice. He flattened himself to the ground, fully concealed with the forests shadows. He could hear Eli's breathing, see her shifting shadow in the dappled sunlight. Carefully, slowly, he moved around so that the tree separated her from him.

Quickly he pelted the rock to the left, letting it snap through branches and scatter leaves. Just as soon as the stone had left his paw he jumped forward. In a few short paw steps he swung around the tree, one gauntlet guarding his head from possible attack if the hare wasn't fully distracted. His other paw clawed out, in keeping with his constant movement it slashed at her lower abdomen and legs.

Just as he threw himself towards her kept his momentum going and rolled his body along and away from her, ending a good ten steps from the hare. He paused and raised his eyes to look over the colonel calmly, "Yew left yer friends back there, huh? Decidin' t'do the gallopin' yerself... jus' like yer friend," his voice growled as he thought back momentarily on Eastpaw.

[Elicia]

Elicia's head snapped to the right. The noise to the left had been far too small to be the 'big cat' that Enon had been talking about. She saw the paw swinging out to meet her legs. She stepped back neatly, and managed to get completely away except for a few stray hairs that swayed and fell to the ground. She tightened her grip on the saber hilt, but stayed in a relaxed position.

"Beggin' yer pardon, cat" Elicia spat the word out like poison. "I'm nothin' like my friend!" Her face was a mask, showing little emotion as she had been taught. "I'll thank ye not to compare us! He, unlike me, was young. I'm a seasoned warrior, and ye'll not take me down easily!"

The Lt. Col. stepped back slightly. She knew that Brush and Enon were coming after her-the way she had left made sure of that. She just hoped they would arrive soon.

[Tirael]

"Just scratched."

Nodding, Brush made a mental note not to listen to Enon's medical judgments in the future. While not exactly a deathly gash, the 'scratch' was a bit more than just a scratch. He'd just have to force her to see a healer later on.

"You stay wit' the old gel, Brush!"

"Absolutely not! He wants us separate, Eli! Colonel? Dark Forest, we'd better go catch up wit her."

"And fast." Grabbing Enon's non-wounded-side paw, he pulled her up and into a run, only letting go when they were both at pursuit speed. He didn't speak, however; they both knew what was going on, and there was no need to make any extra noise. With Estlin distracted, they might be able to sneak in and help Eli. And indeed, they came up behind the wildcat. Gesturing for Enon to take one side of the prey, he moved swiftly and silently to the other side.

If anything happened, they'd be ready.

[[Sorry these are so short...I'm no good with action posts ]]

[Treble Tiderunner]

"And fast."

"Brush! Let go!" She hissed in a low voice as they ran. "I'll lose my balance!" And she would, with her dominate side injured and reminding her of that with every muscle twitch, and with sight in basically one and a third eyes, with him pulling her along , she couldnt judge distances properly. He let go, and she could see where she was going once again. Leaves rustled ahead, and she slowed her pace, looking across to see where Brush stalked, eyes on the prey, but darting to her occasionally.

'I'm going up.' She motioned. It wasn't for nothing that she was a champion tree-climber. She clamped her teeth once more around her smaller blade and disappeared up the tree, to stalk silently from above.

[lorki]

Estlin chuckled at Eli's words. He smiled rather than reply, one paw going to brush at the dried blood that was splattered across his chest from Eastpaw. Narrowed black pupils gazed at the Hare, her back still pressed against a tree, defensive. He read the stance as anxious, intimidated. And he, of course, thought she ought to be.

He sniffed, the other two were moving in... exactly where he wasn't sure. But it wouldn't matter which was he went, speed would likely keep him from any harm.

His eyes wandered sideways, his paws relaxed, his shoulders sagged down with less intensity. His mind wandered and then... In the blink of an eye Estlin stormed forward, claws ripping into the forest debris below him. He took one bounding leap to Eli's left, using what he knew of others reflexes to predict she could swing her weapon in that direction to meet him.

His legs slid out, his body turned and at the last split second he gained enough traction to shoot to the right rather then to the left. He struck out one more quick clawed grab, not much caring weather he snagged the Hare or not but still making a solid attempt at some bloodshed.

Just as he had before he let his momentum continue, streaking past with claws but continuing on to crash through the thicker foliage. leaping through a patch of ferns and under a freshly fallen tree Estlin bounded along under the cover of the forests shadows. He didn't worry about how much noise he made.

He swung around, now silencing himself and making more precise and quiet movements as he doubled back, stopping within view of the area he'd just left. He slunk into the open cavity of a dead still standing tree, his fur blending with the reddish hue or the wood and the shadows that engulfed the hole.

[Elicia]

Elicia saw the wildcat go lax-but she stiffened. She knew it had to be a trick...a trick to catch her, and a trick that she didn't intend to allow to complete its path. Something about Estlin's manner made her think that he would try a feint. She didn't know which side it was going to, but she knew it was coming at her. Still, she flicked her saber to the left instinctively as the wildcat headed for her side.

Where were the others? She had counted on Brush and Enon arriving by now. Eli knew they would follow her-but they hadn't arrived yet. What was keeping them? She wondered.

The hare ducked. That was all there was to it-she had to. She didn't have time to get to the left as Estlin headed to the right, nor fast enough to get to the right before he changed directions. So she ducked. The Lieutenant Colonel let her feet slide out from under her, and she hit the ground with a thump, mostly avoiding the attack.

Mostly.

The tip of her right ear still sat in the sight of the attack. Elicia couldn't do anything about it, so she let it pass, ignoring the light touch of blood that came from the slash. She would not lose any of her ear at all, but it was a fine cut indeed. It was neatly sliced, horizontally, and bled. She ignored it, though. As a seasoned Long Patrol hare, she had had much worse wounds-which, when she compared them- made this one sound pleasant. Elicia jumped back on her feet immediately.

[Grath]

Enon watched from her position in the trees, following the action below silently as she moved just behind the cannibal cat. Her eyes narrowed, analyzing his movements. The big cat liked to toy with them, always doing the unexpected. She ground her teeth on the dagger in her mouth and shadowed the creature as if she were his own shadow. He suddenly left the scene, crashing away through the brush. Enon leapt from tree to tree, but lost him. She descended the trunk of an elm partway, using all of her senses to try and locate him.

[Tirael]

As Enon seemed to have the treetop angle, Brush remained low, creeping silently through the undergrowth. It was time to do what he did best. Setting aside all other preoccupations, he studied the area, also observing how Estlin was attacking. For all the tactics he used, he might as well have been in a parking lot; he made no use of the environment around him in direct combat.

That might be useful later on, but not now, it seemed, as the wildcat was tearing off in the other direction. A flash of black above informed him that Enon was following.

"Lieutenant!" he called to Elicia, bursting out into the clearing. "Come on, we can't keep separating!" Somehow, Enon had forgotten that. Heat of the moment gave a creature strength and drive, but it tended to take logic and reason in exchange. With any luck, he could provide that for Enon, and they could beat this cannibal cat.

Once he'd caught up, he peered around, scrutinizing the area as he had a few minutes ago. Far off, there was a tall, hollow tree, to which Brush pointed silently. Clearly, the element of surprise was a problem with this cat, but he might not expect them to catch him this quickly.

Although 'catch' might be rather optimistic of a prediction.

[Elicia]

Elicia twitched her non-injured ear irritably in Brush's direction. "It's Lieutenant Colonel, if y'please, sah! There's a whole lot of ranks b'tween the two, and I'd thank ye not t'get them mixed up, wot!" She sent a directed whisper to the squirrel. The cut on her ear made her unpleasant and snappy-she wasn't in a mood to play any beasts' games. Eli narrowed her eyes at where Brush was pointing, then looked away, and took a few steps in the wrong direction. "I know, I know, I can see it, thank you!" She pointed vaguely somewhere off into the distance. Then, without turning too much, Elicia sent a meaningful glance towards Brush, and nodded towards where she was pointing. "Go 'long wit it!" She hissed at him, hoping that he'd get the idea and play along. This way, they could lure Estlin out into the open and get a better angle at him.

[lorki]

Estlin spread his legs out, sticking his arms out in both directions he sunk his claws into the soft red wood on either sides of the tree. He hoisted himself up and slowly began to pull himself through the upwards tunnel. As he continued he heard some murmurs from the beasts outside but they didn't concern him much. They were muffled by the wood and if they found him or not it wouldn't really make a difference, he'd gladly attack from any angle.

His claws slipped in the soft wood, bringing him down a few inches before he could regain his footing and pull himself back up. He continued his climb, stopping only where the tips of his ears stayed in the shadow, the top of the snag just inches over his head. He leaned sideways and took one paw from its place on the wood. Carefully balancing himself he reached back and clicked up the metal piece that held his short spear in place.

Estlin's spears never lasted long, and so they were fairly simple. A long well balanced stick with a deadly sharpened end, nothing impressive. But each was balanced in the exact way the wildcat needed them to be so that his throw was at its most effective. He would aim for the squirrel, not the black one he'd managed to take from the air but it's accomplice. Estlin had never had the desire to kill each of these beasts... no he only wanted to leave them with a very good impression of him.

Suddenly the cat popped out, bolting from the top of the hollowed dead snag to a nearby oak. As he made the leap his eyes scanned the trees, pinpointing the noise, catching the Squirrel he wanted in his vision. As quickly as he landed he thrust his arm forward, letting the spear fly towards Brush.