01-13-06

Characters involved: Daclon, Akakios, Taye, Vorth, Jarril, Morpheus, Darklett, Newel, Rothal, Buckthorn, Cercris, Zeraph, Niveus, Wimble, Breaden, Oxeye, Terrance, & Gregorian.

Western Shore

It's an average day on the western shores. A chill breeze howls along the beach, muted slightly by the growling of waves hitting the beach nearby. The sand is cold underfoot, and the air smells of brine. Several ragged banners have been placed on poles, and these seem almost to be torn off by the winds. The vermin camp is mostly quiet, with two or three cookfires lightening the grayness.

Akakios sits on a dune near the camp, gazing out at the sea, an unstrung bow cradled in his arm. The wind blows the wildcat's ragged fur about gently, and he shifts his quiver to the sand in front of him, to provide some buffer from the wind hitting his footpaws.

Scouting ahead as runners are wont to do, Taye crests a dune and, for at least a full five seconds, is in full view of the vermin camp. Then, his eyes wide, he drops to the ground silently and crawls back to cover. As soon as this is done, he breaks into a run, to report back to the patrol behind.

Vorth is fiddling about with the dummy hare he made a couple of days back out of a few bags filled with sand and feathers for ears, after stuffing and re sowing up the stomach it's started looking a little fat.

Moving along stoned faced with the patrol, Jarril looks about with the other hares in silence, not speaking to anyone at all as he stops for a moment and looks down at something on the ground for a moment before moving on. Coming to a stop again, the major bends down to pick at a dry grass stalk and places it into his mouth, chewing it slowly as he carries on looking all around him.

A lone beast comes trudging in from the east, and here enters Morpheus, out on whatever dirty business he had been sent to do. The weasel seems only casually interested in making good time, more concerned with keeping his cloak close to his body where he's warm.

Darklett pads along the beach at the fore of the patrol, marching on the sand on his first patrol as a Major in the Long Patrol. His attention is kept ahead of him, the officer hare in good form as he kicks up little bits of sand a few inches behind him with every step. Then, seeing something running towards them, the major raises his eyebrows. "...Hm." Keeping an eye out -behind- Taye, he waits for the runner hare to get nearer.

Newel is situated with the rest of the patrol, the recruit having been issued a short sword and a shield for weaponry today. He yawns for just a moment. "I say..'re all p'trols jes' a walk aroun' the dunes like 'is, wot?" he pipes up softly, only loud enough for those close by him to hear, really.

Rothal returns from his run as well, coming from roughly the same direction as Morpheus had appeared from, albeit, further up the shore. While he's moving at a good clip, it's obvious nothing interesting had been spotted, or the hare would no doubt be dashing to catch up with the others.

Nearing the back of the patrol unit, a tall hare stands at ready, a shoulder pack slung across his chest, it's flap bearing the mark of a healer. Though his left ear remains ever-bent, the rest of him is full up and alert. Buckthorn breaks his concentration for only a moment, his eyes dropping to his belt in order to fiddle with the pouches of equipment and the handle of his rapier.

Cercris sits besides a fire, sipping a little at a small bowl filled with water. His normally creepy smile was drawn pensive, several things running through his mind.

Zeraph seems very much unaware of anything going on, not paying much attention. Only an ear turning in Rothal's direction would show that he has sensed the runner's return, seeming as he is closer to the back of the middle (if that makes sense), but other than that. Nothing.

Daclon sits on a rock near the center of camp, sharpening his hook against a roughstone. The ferret has prepared for another uneventful day, though the weather is somewhat worse than usual. Glancing about as another gust of wind blows by, he notices the sentry watching the mountain has fallen asleep. Muttering to himself, he stands.

Taye comes to a sand-spraying halt before Darklett, bending double as he catches his breath, not that he's lost much of it. "Sah! Vermin encampment ahead. Looks t'be fairly large, easily twice our numbah just of those I could see at a glance. They're just sittin' around their fires..."

Vorth glances up to watch Morpheus approach before adding a charcoal dopey grin to his dummy hare by way of a finishing touch, stepping back he retrieves his lance he left in the sand just behind him and admires his handiwork, it'll do for a bit more stabbing practice at least, finally turning he gives the camp a short look over.

With a paw perched habitually atop his longsword's hilt, Niveus marches along several paces to the rear of the leading major. He thinks little of being rather attentive, eyes fixed forward in a long and bored stare after a tiring and monotonous walk down the shoreline. The report of the winded runner does well in shaking him from the grind, ears standing on end as he immediately looks to Darklett for his reply.

Rothal falls into line by Raph, figuring on turning in a report with Dark later. In the meantime, he's glad just to be with someone he knows, although, for what it's worth, he requested to be sent to get away from the mountain for a time.

Newel widens his eyes as his ears pick up the news from Taye, but he keeps silent. Frankly, the recruit isn't sure what to think, whether he should be thankful there's _something_ going on, or nervous at the possibility of a battle ensuing.

Darklett's eyes widen at the runner's report. "...Twice our number, eh?" He calls for a halt to the patrol's march with a signal of his paw rather than a shout, for obvious tactical reasons. His pause is only momentary, his head looking over his shoulder at the collection of hares brought with them on the patrol. "You said they were just sitting at their fires... Any sentries keeping watch?" He gets on his tip-paws, and squints, looking for some sort of watchbeast on the dunes.

Akakios continues to gaze at the sea, habitually tuning out anything going on around him, and pulling the ragged blanket hanging from his shoulders closer to himself. That wind is cold, after all.

Jarril doesn't stop as he walks towards the front of the patrol itself as he hears what Taye had to say and comes up alongside Darklett, just standing there quietly for a moment. "Well, what's your orders?" Speaking coolly without turning his head around.

Taye squints, thoughtfully. He looks back over his shoulder. "Not very good'uns. I came ovah a dune 'n' was in full view for a good five seconds. No one sounded any calls, 'n' no one's chasin' me."

Morpheus notes the fire, picking up his pace. Reaching it, he slumps down onto the sand, wincing as he hits the slightly frozen ground. Nevertheless, he's glad of the fire.

The mood that Zeraph has taken on is very hard to decipher. For the only reaction to anything that is going on in front of him is to stop when Darklett gives the order, with a perk of his ears. Rothal seems to go unnoticed beside him for the moment.

Niveus' pawfalls cease with the gesture from the officer, stopping smartly to pass a weary look from side to side to gather a general bearing for where exactly they stand. Being severely outranked by the numerous hares, the soldier knew better than to clamber into excited chatter and remains silent.

Daclon tosses his whetstone aside, not quite storming up the hill to kick the sentry awake. As the first kick lands, the ferret notices, quite distantly, a change in the landscape. It's the patrol of hares, but he's not aware of that. The sentry, in the meantime, has stumbled back to his feet.

Cercris hears Daclon on the move, the ferret's scent seemingly unique. With not much else to do, and seeing as he had yet to meet his employer formally, he retrieves his scythe from the ground next to him and shoulders it, hugging the stave of the weapon to his chest loosely, then walks slowly and carefully towards where the scent of Daclon is strongest.

Being at the back, the healer has yet to notice anything. He rolls his shoulders, glancing up in slim interest of why they stopped. A younger hare starts to chatter with another, but with a grunt and a look, Buckthorn is able to silence her. With a dignified sniff his ears flick back and he adjusts the strap across his chest.

Newel is probably the lowest-ranking hare present, if not one of them. Despite having the tendency to be the more talkative type, he actually is keeping quiet, perhaps because he's since learned better, or other reasons. Already knowing what lies in front of them, he anxiously awaits the orders from his superiors.

Rothal can't hear a bloody thing anyway, so the hare sighs, messing with the pack of the hare in front of him. Somehow, he manages to retrieve something to eat from the pack, taking of bite from the flatbread he's discovered.

Darklett thinks for a moment on Taye's words, casting a side glance to Jarril, considering everything. Casting one last look at the surroundings, making sure this isn't a trap in his mind... He steps past Taye, patting him on the shoulder and turning around to face the patrol. "Every hare keep quiet. You heard the runner Taye, there's a vermin camp just ahead. They're not paying attention, either. So it's an ambush, got it? Jarril, take a pawful of your favorites and try and flank them. We'll keep heading straight on. with the majority of the patrol. All you have to do is be quick, and give the warcry if you're seen. Taye, Niveus, you're both coming with me, but you can take your pick from the others, Major." At that, he leaves Jarril to his pick. "We're gonna have to be quick. They might see us any second and pick up on the ambush."

Jarril looks about and turns around. "Right, I want a few runnahs and fast running fightahs with me. We have ta get around them so we're behind them without being seen." The major looks to see where he can see the usual people. Turning to face Darklett he keeps his voice down and smiles. "Good call, majah rank suits ya."

Vorth turns his eye on Cercris as he heads towards Daclon, rat with scythe heading for the chap in charge, well it's something to look at even if he has met the rat before, he quickly bores of watching the vermin though and turns his head to watch across the sands, ears giving a light twitch.

Wimble, who had been scouting the landside flank of the patrol, has only just returned. She nears Darklett and Jarril to make her report, but his words catch her movement and she falls short of her mark. "Wot?" The runner echoes, her ears turning up. Her report is forgotten since something as simple as a toad doesn't seem as important as what's going on. Wimble's eyes move to Niveus and she bites her bottom lip.

Daclon gazes at the patrol for another moment, and sighs again. It's nothing, no doubt, but it's a duty to send somebeast out to take a look. With a shove and murmured command, the unlucky sentry is sent down the dune, while Daclon remains, paw and hook clasped behind his back.

Taye salutes sharply. "Yessah." He falls into step next to Darklett, reaching back over his shoulder to touch the tip of his bow, just to make sure it's still there.

Niveus dips a curt nod as the orders are handed down, breaking the ranks of the ensemble to swiftly join the major off to his immediate rear-right. "Yessah," he says softly. Staring downrange to where the runner had returned from, the soldier draws a deep breath and sighs in response to the distance.

Cercris *ahems* softly as he approaches who he THINKS would be... "Daclon, sire?" he questions as he silently walks towards the beast in question.

Rothal returns the food to the hare in front of him's pack, hoping he might be selected for something. Or maybe he's excited at the prospect of combat. The hare cranes his neck, not having much trouble seeing up to the front.

Zeraph's eyes droop into a half closed position, as his gaze turns slowly towards Rothal's pick-pocketing. That is, before Darklett actually faces the group and speaks to them all. This is enough to get the fighter's ears perked into a rigid position, listening to everything that the major says. Or everything he can hear that is. Which is almost all of it. When Niveus and Taye are called out to go along with Darklett, Raph sighs a little, looking disappointed. Jarril's statement only causes him to wonder if he is fast.

Newel listens to the two majors discuss the battle plan, and he looks up as he can vaguely see between the ranks the figure of that sentry approaching. He'd speak up, but is still a bit afraid to at this point. He tries nudging a hare next to him and motioning in the direction of the sentry, hoping maybe enough will see that it soon gets the attention of the officers.

Akakios is silent still, gazing out at the sea. Weary of sitting around, the wildcat's body shakes with a suppressed desire to do something...

Jarril turns around again and moves to the side away from the main patrol, before turning around to face Darklett. "Don't take ta long in getting there." After that he turns to the hares in his group and begins to give detailed instructions to them, quietly. "Right, standard duck and weave, make sure we're not spotted. Let's give them a surprise shall we?" He looks at the direction where Taye was before and back. "Standard formation of two." Without saying another word, Jarril gives his patrol the command to leave and they do quickly.

Morpheus stands, gazing at the sky. The vermin are restless today, much like every other day, but something seems different. The weasel heads inshore slightly, gazing about the dunes.

Darklett smirks at Jarril's compliment, giving the other major a quick nod before returning to orders, turning to the patrol. "Alright. Keep up a steady march, don't look like you're about to ambush a bunch of vermin. You're just out on a walk, alright? A fast walk, but still... No weapons out until I give the signal." He marches on, leading the greater amount of hares towards the vermin encampment... His eyes falling upon a rising of sand where the tumbling guard is. "...Well, if we haven't been seen, we're about to be. Get ready, hares... No weapons yet. Keep a sharp eye out..."

Daclon turns slightly, nodding to Cercris, before looking back at the sentry. "Aye, mate?" The ferret's clothes blow gently, as the wind continues to moan.

Rothal trots off after Jarril, being not only a runner but a veteran of sorts. All thoughts of anything but the fight ahead are out of his mind. So preoccupied, in fact, that he forgets to say goodbye to his friends in the patrol.

Newel continues to watch as he listens to Darklett's commands, nervousness starting to mount within as the sentry continues to get closer.

Wimble paws curl up, her eyes staying on Niveus as the distance between then grows. Her ears tuck back and she looks tempted to follow, but the doe is hurried into Jarril's group. Wimble tries to keep her attention on Jarril, though occasionally she can't help but throw glances over towards Darklett and the others. She falls into place, moving after the older Major.

"Aye aye, sah." Niveus chimes in reply, turning a glance aside as the separate platoon splits off from the main body. The hare's attention is caught by Wimble, a meek smile offered her way before being abruptly torn from the look by the ushering 'get goin'!' of another soldier within the element. Chiding himself, the buck double times it to reclaim his place behind the advancing major.

The vermin guard in question has stumbled close enough to see the hares, and any traces of tiredness disappear as he dashes back towards the encampment.

It doesn't seem to matter, for as soon as Rothal begins off towards Jarril, Zeraph just follows after him as an instinctive response. Sticking with the runner still it seems. They fight well together anyway.

While leading the small group of hares away from the main group of the patrol, the rear end efficiently wipes away any of the tracks in the sand as they duck and weave, not going in a straight line. Pausing from time to time with a signal to stop, Jarril pops his head up to take a look about before giving a signal to carry on again.

"Taye... the sentry. Shoot him now." Darklett eyes the runner hare, halting the patrol to give Taye a clear shot. "Quickly, Taye." His voice is calm, but the order urgent as he loses sight of Jarril's patrol. "Quickly as possible, do not let him get back to the camp."

Cercris smiles his creepy smile "If the words have yet to travel, I'm Cercris, the blind correspondence you recently employed. I think you can sense it as much as I can that something is amiss in the air."

Buckthorn stays in the back, glancing around him. He see's one other healer, and a younger one at that. As the news filters back through the ranks, the older healer gets whiff of what's going on. Mentally he curses, wishing that there were more healers about. His paws curl around his pack strap, preparing himself for his duty that more than likely will come.

Daclon nods hurriedly, turning from Cercris, and gazing at the running sentry. He slips down the dune, grabbing him as he comes within reach. The sentry mutters something to him, and both dash up the hill. Daclon begins shouting commands as he crests the dune. "Into the center dip, everbeast. Arm up!"

Morpheus glances at the captain, noting that the sentry appears to have stumbled at the crest of the dune. Pulling out his sword, he dashes to the vermin sentry, grimacing at the arrow sticking from his footpaw.

Wimble snakes along with the patrol, dropping right into the rhythm of the ducks and weaves that JArril lays out. Her eyes peek over a hare next to her, but there isn't much time before they're off and moving again. The runner remains bitterly quiet, her mind on many things at once.

Cercris reaches out to grab Daclons shoulder for a moment, "Remember my contract. I will die in any large battle. You'll find me quite scarce for what will come" and, with a large bow, he makes way to the center of the camp to join the rest, and disappear among them.

Akakios spins around, dashing almost instantly for the center of the camp, stopping to string his bow on the way.

Newel can hear shouting going on at the top of the hill, and his paw grips his sword in its sheath tightly, though as of yet he doesn't unsheathe it.

Taye doesn't have to be told twice. He pulls his bow, and an arrow, in a swift motion, and sets arrow to bow-string. He pulls it back, sights along the arrow, holds his breath, and lets it fly. But Daclon grabs him, and it flies rather innocently past. Taye curses, setting another arrow to his bow. He lets this one fly, rather than at the sentry, at the shouting Daclon at the top of the dune.

Rothal continues to follow Jarril, repressing the urge to disobey and follow his own orders. A season of training since the last time they met the vermin kicks in, pushing him near the front of the ambushing hares.

Vorth turns to look at Daclon as the peace is suddenly disturbed, quickly he moves into position, pulling his bow out on the way and stringing an arrow to it once he's stopped and can use his tail to hold his lance up next to him, freeing up his paws.

Daclon winces as the arrow slashes his cheek, sending warm blood down his cheek to stain his fur. "Circle up! Swordbeast make the first ring, then spears, then archers! Move it, ya devils!" Slicing his hook into the sentry's shirt, he grabs for Morpheus, dragging both pretty much bodily downhill.

Jarril carries on quickly with a quick pace now, the patrol making their way along the area by the cliff wall out of sight from the sand dunes. Looking up a bit as he ducks to the side, the major judges where they are and turns his head back, giving a silent signal for the patrol to get their arms out and ready.

Niveus constricts his paw about the knob pommel of his longsword, keeping pace with Darklett as he awaits further orders to travel down the ranks. A bit of unease turns his features serious, wiping off any vestige of the former smile. The buck paces his breath, attempting to steel himself.

"Alright, so they know about us. But they don't know about Jarril," he murmurs, then says the same thing to the patrol without turning around. "They don't know about Jarril yet. We'll be taking arrow fire soon, so keep an eye on the sky. Draw weapons, hares!" He roars out the order, marching at a steady pace forward... Not quite giving the battle cry and implied order to charge.

Another group of vermin appear from caves dug into the dunes, and together with the others, they begin to form a circle around the edge of the depression that forms the main camp, intent on defense.

Akakios breaks the routine, getting into the front and pulling back a shaft on his longbow, releasing the heavy arrow. Several follow this as the vermin slowly begin to volley at the approaching hares.

Ducking and weaving alongside of Rothal, seeming to blend in with the runners, Zeraph keeps up with the patrol that is circling along to the opposite side of the vermin encampment, always aware of what Jarril is commanding silently of them now. His paw rests on the hilt of the sword upon his back for a moment before he actually goes to unsheathe it.

After thinking a moment, Darklett turns. "Archers! Archers, halt here, find yourself a dune to hide behind, and loft arrows into their camp. Not too far, we don't want to hit Jarril's troops. The rest of us..." The arrows begin to fly. "Cover! Take cover, watch the sky!" Seeing a few hares drop from arrows, he growls. "Cover! Take cover in the dunes!"

Morpheus is in the front row as well, one paw holding a sword and the other holding a ragged banner he had retrieved from one of the tents.

Darklett curses silently to himself, trying his hardest not to hesitate... But he does, against his will. "Alright. They're sending them in volleys. After the next volley, we break out into a charge. Fighters up front, weapons at the ready, understood?" His ears pin back to his head protectively, and he lays down on the sand dune he's using as cover, waiting on the next fleet of missiles to fly.

Taye responds instantly to the commands, ducking behind a dune and aiming his bow at a steeper angle than before. He begins shooting off arrows, aiming for the source of the arrows volleying at them.

Rothal pulls out his dagger, clutching it firmly in his paw. The long knife is shaking slightly, the hare no doubt thinking of his first battle. Nevertheless, he swallows slightly and waits for Jarril's command.

A 'shing' sound among others around him is heard as Newel draws his short sword and then readies his shield, eyeing above him in case of arrow fire as Darklett pointed out. He can see the arrows beginning to fly now, but none look like they're coming right at him. He rushes to take cover as the major orders, and happens to glance in time to see one arrow coming his way. It makes a thudding sound as it hits the shield he holds above him. Now in cover with the rest, he nods and quickly pulls the arrow out of his shield while he looks more nerve-racked at the command.

Vorth lets off an arrow at the first hare he sees, quickly followed by a couple more aimed into the rest of the group.

Lifting a paw up for the patrol to stop now, Jarril looks at the dune in front of him as he flicks an ear upwards with a frown. "Hmmm, sounds like the bally lot have discovered the other patrol." Turning his head around, he looks for a hare and picks one at random. "Ya, with me, we're going ta see just what is happening." Slowly lowering himself down, the major slowly begins to climb up the dune, keeping very low.

Niveus draws his longsword with a deft tug, holding it off to his right side at a steep angle to keep it out of his way in march. He immediately dips as the shout comes from the major, bending double to avoid errant shafts that whip the sky. The buck remains in formation a step behind the officer, forgoing desires to run helter-skelter forward. Dipping to kneel behind the protective dune, he nods toward Darklett.

Buckthorn takes a deep breath and draws his rapier. It's tucked snuggly in his right paw, his left clamping down firmly on his healers sack. The buck looks stone cold at the prospect of battle, the healer takes shelter behind a shallow rise in the sand, his eyes turning up as at least three arrows fly past right where he had been standing. The buck grits his teeth, ignoring the bead of nervous sweat forming at his brow. Buckthorn scrambles back up again, trying to prepare himself for the charge.

Daclon stands facing the main hare patrol, gazing at the lines. Few of the full-body shields had been brought up, as the vermin had been rushed for time. Turning the thought over in his mind, he guessed they would probably regret it.

After the volley of arrows hits the sand (and unfortunately, some of them hit their targets,) Darklett cries out, "Eulaliaa! Fire, archers! Charge, fighters!" Getting up from his spot himself, he unsheathes his twin daggers, and breaks out into a run towards the encampment. "Get too far inside for arrow range, quick!"

Newel is not far behind Darklett as adrenaline seizes him and he charges as well, shouting "Blood 'n vinegar, eulaliaaaaa!"

Zeraph is signaled to stop, so, despite the sounds of the beginning of battle, he sinks down onto his stomach upon the sand, tensed to be ready to leap up at a moment's notice. The fighter keeps one paw on his sword as it lays under his chest, flat side against his body safely. One glance is given to Roth.

Akakios aims roughly for Darklett, arms shaking as he holds the arrow in position, waiting for the hare to draw closer. Being in the front, he can fire without worrying for the safety of the other vermin.

Bolting up without a second thought at the officer's signal, Niveus clasps the hilt of his weapon with both paw and draws hit over his left shoulder whilst breaking into a swift pace. "Eulalliaaa!" He calls in return.

Right arm armored in new black dyed hides, and an extra weapon, a hefty halberd in his paw comes Breaden quickly moving from deeper in camp to back up the area being charged, heavy polearm being dropped in as the large cat moves to fill a gap in the defence.

Rothal kneels slightly, holding his dagger at his side, clenching his teeth. "C'mon... they're dyin' out there."

Vorth chuckles very lightly as the hares charge, he quickly shoots one arrow after the other into the group, aiming for whoever he gets his eye on first.

Jarril comes to a stop at the top of the dune and looks over briefly before ducking his head back down again and looks down to where the rest of the patrol is. Looking over again he ducks once again and turns to the hare with him, whispering. "They have vermin all around. So much for sneaking in, however... Go down and get me the hares that have slings, they're to spread out along this dune." Pausing. "Make the fightahs stay with them but hidden. If and when I deem it safe, then they will go down and up to get into their camp under cover fire. Go." The major stays where he is and slowly takes out his sling from the pouch around his belt.

Akakios gauges the distance, finally deciding to go for it, and releasing the heavy arrow directly at the charging Dark. He unconsciously holds his breath, watching its flight.

While he still can, Taye picks his targets carefully, takes aim, and fires. Satisfyingly, most of these arrows hit their non-moving marks. He is, of course, aiming particularly for the archers. One arrow in particular flies for Vorth.

Zeraph gives a silent flickering of his ears, listening to the runner mutter beside him, then he gives him the best smile he can muster right now. It is surprisingly confident, despite the situation.

Buckthorn leans forward, his feet spraying out sand behind him as he gets enough friction to speed forward into the charge. The hare, unlike most of his companions, chooses to do so in an eerie silence, his mind too focused on what it happening. He stays as close as he can to the thickest part of the patrol, making sure he has quick access to any hares that might be in need of a healer.

Daclon has been up to something, and as the hares get closer, he and a half-dozen vermin with shields dash forward, interlocking shields so that they are not in danger of being hit by arrows. Brave, maybe. Foolish, yes.

Rothal moves into position, hating the waiting more than the vermin nearby. Whether he sees Raph's smile or not, his face is set in stone, his thoughts here, and yet oddly elsewhere.

Newel manages to get ahead of Darklett and in front of him, and his shield quickly comes up and blocks the arrow originally intended for Darklett. He continues to charge forward, now about to use his shield to return Akakios' arrow to him in a very forceful way.

When the sounds of conflict become more intense ahead, Zeraph just shifts up off of his stomach to get into more of a runner's kneel, sword still in the sand. He seems not too bothered by the fact that Rothal does not return the smile, knowing how he can get.

Vorth growls as Taye's arrow suddenly appears in his shoulder forcing him to drop the arrow he was about to fire before ducking down in amongst the archers to try and ease it out again, mind going over all the nasty things he's going to do to the next hare he gets his paws on for this.

Jarril slowly places a pebble within the sling as he lifts his ear into position, giving the other slingers, four to six of them to load up their slings. Lifting his paw up slightly, the major holds all of the fingers out as he slowly curls them in one by one. Tensing up as he reaches two, the major goes to one finger, then zero and with his ear shooting down, he and the other slingers shoot up into view of the rear of the camp and with a loud whirl, pebbles whizz into the air all six of them hitting home on their targets perectly. "Fightahs, go now!"

Darklett lowers his head to pick up speed, wanting to lead the hares in the charge. Coming down the dune, he nears the front lines, chancing a glance to either side as he can start to see the finer features of the faces of the foebeasts. He is too focused to even realize what Newel just did for him, as he readies his daggers for the first contact... Charging seemingly head-on into the raised sword of a Bloodthirster, he feints left at the last second, ducking to the right and burying both daggers in the midsection of that vermin, needing to quickly pull them out to block an overhead strike coming from a battleaxe towards his head, his daggers locked in an 'x', deflecting the blow just enough to the side to miss him. He follows up by shoving his shoulder into the vermin's ribs, burying a knife in that one's kidney. Two down.

Morpheus hangs back in the line, unconsciously resting his head against the banner-pole. Watching the charging vermin with interest, he seems rather peaceful, considering his surroundings.

Breaden waits for the shield bearers to get in position watching them, and waiting until the second hares meet the shields to drop his halberd, thrusting harshly before he draws the weapon back and swinging his pole-arm in a wide ark over the shield bearers so they might get strikes in after any weapons were knocked from the way.

Wimble fishes her sling out from her belt, sliding down the dune and scuttling a distance to the side of Jarril. The runner sneaks back up to the crest of the dune, her paws slipping down to select a stone from her pouch. At the call the strap starts to whizz and sing, snapping forward and letting go of the stone that smacks a rat in the eye. The doe lets out a low cheer for herself, her eyes narrowing in search of Niveus in the fray below.

Niveus closes the gap with a rapid pace, chest heaving as the arrows hiss by and find homes in either sand or the many comrades in attendance. The sudden advance of the assortment comes almost as a relief, thoughtfully minding that the viscous archery would be dangerous to the enemy's own if it continued. The buck abruptly stops, left footpaw leading as he changes gears to bring his longsword high. Stepping in with trailing foot, the hare throws his weight into a firm diagonal slash toward the outer edge of the corner shield-beast's shield with hopes of using the blunt force of the weapon to push the defensive plate out of the way and knock him off balance. Carrying through, he sidesteps to the left and thrusts the point of the blade into the vanguard's flesh.

Rothal stands, the first to rush forward. "Blood an' thunder! Fah the Long Patrol!" He dashes forward, sprinting as fast as he possibly can.

Zeraph has leapt up a split second after the runner, when the fighter's are ordered forward, sprinting up the dune very quickly, and strangely silent too. Passing the other hares with slings, the buck skids easily down the dune that takes him that much closer to the vermin camp.

Daclon slams into a hare, knocking him down and sliding his sword into the prone body. Whatever else might be said about it, it worked. The patrol has been stopped about twenty five feet from the vermin lines, as they deal with Daclon and his motley crew. Slowly, they begin to work their way back, guarding with shields and blades, as they fall back to the lines.

Jarril is up again with another loaded sling and takes out a weasel who had popped his head up to see what had happened to the others. "Come on, give our lot some protection. Cover fire." The major smiles as he loads another pebble, ducking back down again as he looks at Wimble. "Nice day for it, isn't it?"

The main vermin lines are well formed, and the swordsbeasts prepare for the enemy charge, while spears from the second circle appear in almost every conceivable gap between the fighters. Here and there a gap appears, but nothing that significantly weakens the formation.

As soon as Darklett locks blades with the vermin, the arrows from the Patrol side stop dead. Taye is immediately on his feet, running not for the main of the attack but off to the side, circling around. So that he can fire arrows freely without endangering the hares, of course. He slides to a halt behind a dune. He then crouch-runs along the length of the dune, placing arrows about ten feet apart. When he runs out, he drops to his knees, picks up the first arrow, and sets it to his bow string. He appears just far enough over the crest of the dune to take aim and fire. The arrow lodges into the back of a vermin neck, dropping them. He immediately ducks behind the dune and runs for the next arrow.

Niveus, having moved around the rather small entourage of beasts, quickly attempts to capitalize on the stunning blow delivered to the furthest left by rushing forward in hopes of working up the now retreating line-- unknowingly moving toward Daclon. Raising his blade, the hare stands off to the right of the vermin's shield and hews the blade of his weapon between the shield and the body that holds it with a rewarding crunch of bone.

Wimble sends another shot, this one ricocheting off the sword of a weasel. She grits her teeth, loading up another and searching for another target. Her ears, turned forward, are momentarily distracted to Jarril. The doe doesn't look over, but she attempts to answer after her third shot. "Flippin' perfect day, Sah. Couldn't... pick ah bettah... un mahself!" Wimble replies laboriously as one eye seems trained on Niveus at all times.

Daclon continues to fall back, but seeing Niveus getting behind his beasts, he turns to the hare, swinging the curved sword in a hissing feint, then bringing it around and slashing at the hare's sword arm.

Breaden moves along the back of Daclons formation letting the others fighters keep the hares at bay as he rushes to meat the threat coming in the form of Niveus and a few other hares, moving to keep Daclon free to command, seeing as his men are spread out among the field for now, he nails a hare along side Niveus with the hefty axhead of his weapon before lifting it up and flipping it about to thrust at the hare with the sharpened but cap.

Vorth works the arrow out of his shoulder, keeping down to listen for a moment and work out exactly what's happening before he packs up his bow and takes up his lance instead.

Jarril pops back up again to send another well aimed pebble on it's way to some unfortunate soul as he pops his head down again. "All we need now is some scones, few pasties and mabbe some of Nev's three season old wine and it be perfected, doncha know."

Darklett follows the vermin as they fall back, the hare mostly on the defensive as his close ranged weapons put him in danger of almost every flashing piece of metal within sight, but still charging on their brief retreat, trying to get to the bulk of the vermin. "Eulaliaaaa!" Seeing his open space, he second guesses himself, sheathes his daggers, and pulls out a few throwing knives, backing off slightly to get a nice open throw... There. He hurls the first knife of the day at a gap in the spears, taking a rat by surprise and felling him quickly. He searches for a second target, and finds an archer... Hurling the knife a decent distance, it looks like it's about to strike true... But the vermin moves at the last second. On the good side, it snapped his bowstring, turning him into a melee fighter, definitely better than nothing. Taking out another throwing knife, he scans the enemies... "Niveus, -down!-" Quick as he's trained to be, he flies the throwing knife towards Breaden.

Niveus catches the wounded shieldbearer's jaw with the pommel of his weapon, grunting audibly as the rough assault vibrates up the length of the blade. The hare is standing alongside the third-in of the line that had advanced, playing off the preoccupation of the beasts. The buck caught the bustling movement to his left, rolling himself counterclockwise to place himself behind the protective front of his enemy's own shield.

Buckthorn scrambles to a stop as a hare next to him falls. The healer yells at a fighter close by to cover him as the healer drops to his knees. The buck inspects the other, finding an arrow lodged firmly into the thigh of the other. With a grunt, the arrow is removed and the hurt hear croaks a howl of pain. "Hold it! /Hold/ it!" Buckthorn yells, whipping out gauze expertly and wrapping it around the leg. "/You/." The healer says, talking to the covering fighter. "Get this one t'th' back, y'hear meh?" Without a look back, the healer dashes off to attend to others.

Daclon spits as his attack is beaten, but the vermin have made it back to their lines, and he dashes in amongst them, for the moment he is safe as vermin close the gap to give those who made it back breathing room.

The skid onto flat sand doesn't last long, so Zeraph is soon dashing up the next portion of raised ground so that he may leap into the back of the camp, making good use of the cover stones as the fighter moves as quick as he can. However, his route is interrupted by a vermin tumbling down from above. He just has time to get out of the way and flatten himself to be undetected. Not too worried about Roth now.

Wimble bites on her tongue, not answering for a moment as she releases another shot right at Breaden. "Not t' be rude... Sah... but I'm losin' mah appetite..." The doe grunts, leaning forward as Niveus battles with the shieldbeast.

Standing back up, Taye fires another arrow off from his slightly raised position. It is aimed for the rear mass of vermin where the main attack has been made. He manages to pick another off, though the ferret beside the felled rat looks around. Not to be spotted, Taye ducks once more, running again for the next arrow.

Rothal makes it to the vermin lines first on the ambush side, thanks to the covering sling fire, which has distracted the bowbeasts. Diving into their ranks. Shouting and cursing, he goes at it, his dagger slashing about and causing pandemonium amongst perhaps five vermin. Only one is stabbed, and the others manage to gather their wits.

Jarril pulls a face at Wimble as he pauses to fire off a pebble and shakes his head. "Losing ya bally appetite, what sort of hare are ya?" He moves up and lets off another pebble, quickly ducking from some arrow that flies over head. "Hmmm, change of positions I think...." He moves over to the right for a few paces and stops.

Left without his living wall as the vermin backs away, Niveus quickly dips to pluck the fallen bearer's shield and hoists it in front of him with his left paw. The longsword is gripped within the middle of it's hilt, held off to the soldier's right. "Jolly spiff o' them t'let me borrow this," he muses aloud, particularly to the nearby major.

Akakios goes on the defensive, ducking slightly out of the way and swinging his sword at the charging Newel.

Breaden takes the throwing knives, the first slashing past the back of his head, and leaving a long thin cut there, only saved by the constant heavy motions of using such a weapon, and just by the skin of his teeth even then. Shifting his shield and polearm, he slips into formation, giving a heavy thrust at the hare who'd wounded him before he steps back out of the formation in a sudden charge, sliding his paws down the haft, and going to sweep the paws out from under Dark with the but end of his weapon.

Wimble remembers herself and nods stiffly, skidding down and over to move as well. "One... who..." She breaths heavily, sending another sling. "...has quite ah stake fightin' down... there, Sah..." Wimble mentions, bringing down a ferret with a well aimed pebble to the gut.

Morpheus has disappeared from the ranks, though the banner remains there. Unnoticed by the others, he has begun to slip around towards where the hares with slings stand, working his way carefully over.

Darklett is about to hurl a few more knives to cover some fighter hares, but he yelps in surprise as his legs are taken out by the heavy weapon, the hare thudding to the sand and losing some of his air as his back hits hard against the ground.

Jarril nods his head as he zips back up, picks his target and a rat ends up with a shattered nose before falling backwards, ducking back down again, he flops onto his back and looks from behind him. "Well, can't stop thinking about vittles just because ya in a battle ya know, must keep priorities straight, doncha know."

As the hares begin to clash with the vermin, those who are on the unattacked sides begin to wheel about, moving into a roughly flanking position and advancing into the fight.

Newel misses, but in a way it did at least some of the job he had in mind in stopping the wildcat. The young buck whirls around while swinging his short sword, his blade clashing with Akakios'.

Noting the wildcat's breaking of formation, Niveus snaps a concerned look to the tripped major. Without a second thought to his own safety, the soldier bounds forward and bull rushes Breaden with the face of the vermin's own shield, attempting to slam it into him and knock him off hilter.

It takes a moment of complete stillness for Zeraph to realize that there are no more vermin avalanches scheduled for the moment. He kicks his back paws into the sliding sand and vaults over the top of the dune, not worried about injuries that are soon to follow this bold move. The hare uncurls after his tumble and lashes out at the first vermin that comes within reach of him. They drop hard beside him.

Vorth stays back from the front line, his arm from his injured shoulder kept tucked in against his side, a quick glance going to Daclon and his little bunch of vermin as they make it back before he looks back to the hares, lance held ready for anyone close enough, he'll put up with the shoulder wound until after, I mean what's a little pain when there's long ears about.

Akakios is no doubt more experienced than the hare, and he's bigger as well. His sword slashes and feints around the hare, hoping to cut him down quickly.

Daclon is shouting commands to those vermin performing the flanking maneuver, still too winded to do anything else.

Almost continuing to finish off the knife thrower before he realize he's being rushed, Breaden jumps to the side, moving back towards his lines and bringing his shield up to clash with the tower shied, backing off as he tries to slow the hare, paws leaving small trenches with every step as he's initially forced back. Dropping his polearm he reaches for a weapon the can be used this close.

Rothal tries to work his way to Raph, slashing at vermin and knocking them over. His dagger moves like a living thing, as he works his way brutally towards the other hare, slamming punches and kicks into the vermin.

Wimble sends another stone, this one missing completely and exploding into the sand right next to a fallen rat. The doe takes a glance at Jarril finally. "It's not /meh/ I'm worried ah'bout, Sah." She points out, and as if on que the doe looks over in the exact moment that Niveus recklessly charge. A rather loud obscenity is shouted and without concern for orders the sling is discarded and the runner scrambles down from her post, skidding and sliding down the dune side, her dagger getting ripped from her belt as she goes. "Niveus!" Wimble shouts, her feet hitting the level sand at a run.

Another arrow flies from Taye's direction, though this one only manages to clip the rat's shoulder. From his vantage point, however, he notices the flanking nameuver. Dropping his bow, he places two fingers two his lips and whistles shrilly. He then cups his paws, shouting out, "Watch yer FLANK! Watch yer FLANK!!!" He ducks again, scrambling for the next arrow.

Morpheus has worked his way around the slingers, and the assassin pulls a long knife from his belt, slinking up behind Jarril.

Jarril blinks as he see's Wimble up and run. "What the...." He gets up quickly and sends a pebble to a stoat that was lining up a shot on Wimble, felling the creature before ducking down. "Of all the crazy, wacked out.. Why did I decide ta get back on duty." He looks around and smiles. "Oh yeah, that's right..." The major loading another pebble to the sling.

Newel barely gets his shield up in time to deflect Akakios' attack and, since he's close enough, lunges for a thrust at the wildcat's middle.

Darklett regains himself after a second, and shakes his head, going back into fighting mode and hurling two knives right at Breaden's legs, scrambling to his feet afterwards, narrowly avoiding a high sword swipe that would have slit his throat right through. Unsheathing his dagger, he slashes across the open gut of the foebeast, in that same fluid motion resheathing it and grabbing a throwing knife afterwards, raising it to throw... His ears perk, picking up the word 'flank' from Taye. "...Hares! Stop advancing, they're tryin' to surround us! Hold your ground!" His paws both grip throwing knives tight, right before he throws both right at an attacking ferret, felling him.

Akakios slips to the side, grabbing for both Newel's sword paw and shield. The sword slices through his shirt, nicking the skin beneath, as he does so.

Zeraph has meanwhile, flipped over so that he is on his footpaws, but gets very low to the ground as a fox's sword swings down at him. The buck's own weapon is held protectively parallel along his spine to block the blow, which sends a jolt of pain up his arms, but he recovers well enough, spinning up into a standing position to behead the vermin in one movement. One that is charging at him gets a well aimed kick to the face, sending this beast bowling backwards.

Niveus breaks contact with the wildcat as swiftly as it is dealt, whirling about to place himself several paces forward of the officer. A split moment of inattentiveness is brought as he flips a look toward the all-too-familiar voice. The buck curses quietly, shifting a glance side to side before suddenly giving ground and rushing to meet the doe. The alarm is noted as he raises the large plate in defense of errant shafts. "Get back, gel!" He shouts.

Buckthorn rears up after having a younger fighter die in his arms, the hare lets a roar rip from his throat and he ships out his rapier, going at it with a pair of rats. The healer pushes against them, slashing the nose clean off one, but the other manages to slip behind the healer. Buckthorn is taking care of the noseless rat, without a notion of what the other is doing behind him. The rat raises his sword, ready to stab Buckthorn in the back.

Wimble skids up next to Niveus, her eyes squinting as the ground shakes with vibrations of battle. "Not ah bloody chance!" She shoots back, stabbing out at a stoat that's going at her with a short sword. The doe lops his ear off, sending a powerful runner-kick right into the stoats gut. "I saw tha'... y'bloomin'... fightah... no heroics, wot?" Wimble shouts above the din of weapons and yells.

Rothal makes it to Raph, stepping to his side, intent on warning him of the flanking manuever. Unfortunately, as he does, a spear stabs in that direction, entering his stomach. For a moment the hare sags, surprised.

The young hare eeps as his sword and shield are grabbed. Too occupied of course to really notice anything but commands, Newel jumps into the air slightly, and lashes out a vicious kick with both footpaws, aiming for the wildcat's stomach.

Breaden gets hit across the side of his left leg with both knives, not enough to loose the use of the leg, seeing as throwing knives aren't really good for that, but there are now too furrows in his clothing, one cutting along his boot, the other cutting into his thigh, leaving a none to pleasant and limp causing wound. The first weapon that comes to the wildcats paw, and he quickly chucks it at the doe Wimble and jumps to grab his fallen pole arm, dropping to a knee as he does, because of the wounded leg.

Where'd Niveus go? Darklett looks around for him, but has to pay attention to more pressing matters as he's surrounded by three vermin, two rats and a weasel. Taking out two throwing knives, he turns his head back and forth, circling around and keeping wary of any back attacks. "Come on..."

Morpheus steps behind the hare, reaching around in front of him with one paw, intent on cutting off his windpipe while stabbing him, so that he cannot yell out.

Akakios grunts as the hare kicks him, falling to the sand and releasing the hare's arms. He kicks out as well, reflexively.

When Taye pops up once more, he's gone the distance of two arrows. He fires them off one after the other, aiming for his side of the flanking vermin. He drops both, though neither is a killing mark. "Watch it, patrol, watch it...!" His words are muttered to himself as he runs. He is beyond nervous.

Daclon remains at the center of the vermin, discovering a deep slash across his arm that he had not noticed while fighting. He sits down softly, gazing at the bloody cut.

Another of the hares who had just set off a pebble, ducks down to turn around and gasps seeing what is going on and calls out. Jarril blinks as he kicks out behind him with one of his large feet quickly, fast and hard instinctively, not knowing that Morpheus is behind him.

Turning to see who has moved to his side, Zeraph witnesses Rothal get..stabbed by a spear? The buck stops suddenly, all fighting seeming to cease to him and his sword actually loosens in his paw, before he goes to grab his friend and tug him away from the vermin with a scream, using his sword for protection. At this point, he has gained a lot of attention, and he moves to run in another direction with the other buck. This means turning his back to the group that is drawing closer, just to try and protect Roth.

Morpheus grunts, slashing at the hare as he is kicked back, still hoping to at least wound him.

Darklett ducks down and throws two knives swiftly, burying them both in separate vermin. The third goes after him, but he deals with him with a rather solid punch to the jaw, the rapier headed for his arm piercing through a piece of it, but nothing incapacitating. After knocking out the vermin temporarily, he spots Buckthorn, and the rat behind... As focused as he's ever been in this tight a situation, he takes out a knife and hurls it over Buck's shoulder, trying to get the vermin behind him, needing to aim well to get the rat and not the hare.

"Bloomin' stubborn!" Niveus gasps out, buffeting a sword blow with the towershield and pushes outward to spread the aggressor's arm wide. Rounding the stolen plate, he quickly dispatches the beast with a thrust into his unprotected underbelly. In the motion, the soldier unwittingly has moved the shield into the path of the oncoming dagger to make room for his counter assault, its bloody mass deflecting harmlessly without Niveus ever knowing it. "Here," he says, thudding the shield into the sand before whirling to face the direction he had left moment earlier. "Use the flippin' thing, Wimby!" Running into out from behind its protective mass, the hare swings his sword aloft and charges toward the entangled Darklett.

Vorth tires of resting within the ranks of vermin and finds something to do without using his bad shoulder too much, mix sling with stone and fire at hares as he pleases.

Jarril blinks as he feels the blade run through the back of his head with a wince as he turns around quickly. "Oh for the..." The major goes for his own short sword and pulls it out as he lies there on his back. "Drat, get up now and I be shot..." Frowning the hare moves and rolls down the sand dune quickly.

The kick (both his own and Akakios') knocks Newel back, winding him as he hits the sand some paces away. He coughs a few times as it takes him a little bit to get back up and gather himself.

Rothal coughs hoarsely, muttering something before he blacks out, gasping for breath.

Buckthorn looks up from his kill, seeing what looks like Darklett throwing a knife right at him. Thankfully he stays in his stooped position and the knife whizzes right by him. From behind a gurgle and groan sounds, along with the feel of a cold blade bouncing useless off his back with no effort put into it. Buck wheels on his feet and looks at the rat that has fallen just behind him. The healer lets out a whimper of surprise, but he rushes off, skidding to look at Rothal.

Zeraph is slashed across the side by the sword of one of those charging vermin, stumbling to the side and grunting out in pain as his eyes close tightly, but he doesn't let go of Roth, and actually moves to get the heck out of there, even if they are surrounded. More worried about the injured runner than himself at the moment.

Wimble gasps as the wildcats weapon flies at her, but Niveus blocks it with his shield. With a frown, the doe goes to protest, but instead she tugs it lifts it up around her arm. The doe growls and without a word to Niveus, begins to trail and charge the wildcat.

Darklett giving himself a little laugh of congratulations, he turns to the sound of footpaws rushing at him, ready to stab Niveus. But, he sees it's Niveus, and thus doesn't stab him. Using this downtime to look over the situation... He shakes his head. "...We're gonna have to retreat. Niv, break holes in the flank formation, and help me out with the call. RETREAT!" He cries out, rushing backwards, throwing two knives and turning around and heading away. "GET OUT OF HERE! Retreaaaaaaaat!"

Morpheus gasps again, disappearing as only he knows how, holding his wound and cursing to himself.

Akakios shouts, dashing forward, several vermin following. No doubt intent on taking prisoners.

Vorth is starting to enjoy himself once more, knocking a couple of hares down with his stones, Darklett with all his shouting get his attention causing the rat to send a stone his way.

Breaden lifts his halbeard to stop Wimbles charge, burring the tail end in the sand so even if it doesn't punch her shield it should halt her charge, or make her brake, and waving his now free back paw to wave the near by troops into an advance.

Jarril falls over his head as the major lands hard on his back, temporary winding himself. Groaning he mutters to himself. "Oh she's going ta kill me....." Slowly sitting up as he rubs his head, feeling the cut bleed slightly as he looks at the red. "Oh she's really going to kill me...."

Daclon is shouting now, giving orders to take prisoners. The vermin change their intent, slowly but surely, more interested in knocking out and tying up the hares then killing them.

Buckthorn scrambles through the battle, his ears hearing the retreat. The healer nears some fallen hares, but they're immediately identified as dead so he keeps on until he reaches the fallen Major. "Sah! Major Jarril, Sah!" Buck reaches into his pack and grabs a small towel. "Hold this up t'it, Sah! Stop th' bleedin'!"

Just going to push Rothal out of the battle, so he may possibly roll to safety, Zeraph moves as quick as he can, low to the ground, when the vermin that he kicked in the head earlier returns and slashes down on the hare, who gets a gash across his back...and there follows an angry scream of pain, before rolling to lash out with footpaws. Saving him from a stab.

Newel hears the call amidst the melee, and mutters "Bloody.." between hoarse breathes, as he's still winded just a bit. Seeing Akakios charge, before turning and running as best his lungs and legs will allow, he whips out his single dagger and throws it, aiming for the cat's chest before bolting the other way to join the rest of the hares in the retreat.

Taking some time to gather his remaining arrows as the call for a retreat is called, Taye breaks cover and begins running, far to the right and parallel with Akakios' bunch. Aiming while running difficult though it is, he lets an arrow fly at Akakios' back.

Darklett continues to retreat, gripping around his larger daggers and swiftly felling two opponents that get in his way... His best form of fighting so far, now that desperation's kicked in. Feeling the slingstone hit him in the back, he yells out in pain... Had it not been for the extra padding that came with his new Major's uniform, the missile probably would have done more damage than the welt he's going to have. "Ret...Retreat!"

Akakios staggers as the dagger hits him, not badly wounded but definitely out of commission for the rest of the battle. He falls to the sand as vermin dash past him, stopping to capture any wounded they find.

Jarril blinks as he looks at Buckthorn and replies back a bit slurred. "Eh, what?" He shakes his head slightly and mutters. "It's behind me on the back of my head. Er, how bad is it?" The major lowers his head down and mutters. "Yep, she'll strip a few more pieces of me for this one."

Niveus is rather grateful to have not been stabbed by the officer he had rushed to aide, whirling his weapon about to hold it aside once again. The hare nods in understanding and throws his attention off to the right where he had left the doe moments prior. His concerns were rather vividly clear as he makes a bee-line toward Wimble. "Get the bally 'ell out o' here!" He shouts, stooping to retrieve a fallen's short spear and throw it errantly into the oncoming vermin mass. Slipping into a middle-guard, the buck quickly parries a rat's slash by half-swording it. He puts his weight into it, winding about the bind to slam the cross hilt into the beast's face.

Wimble slams right into the halbeard barrier, her shield getting dislodged from her arm and spinning to the side. The doe stumbles, falling and tumbling into the sand right at the cats feet. She attempts to get up, battling with the sand in her eyes and mouth as she goes. Quicklt she gropes for her dagger, pulling it out and trying to wave it at the wildcat.

The neatly arrayed vermin lines have become more a stampede of beasts, as they rush forward, attempting to capture the hares before they escape. Obviously, many of those same hares will escape, as they are already beginning to outdistance the vermin.

Breaden quickly goes to shift his boot onto her blade arm shoulder as she falls, landing it heavily, to slam her back to the ground if it hits, and bearing his weapon to hold off any enemy who would come near.

Niveus trades iron for doe, grunting audibly as he stops in mid stride to throw the longsword with all of his might toward the wildcat. Without pausing to find out what the whirling hum of a blade completes, the buck quickly scrambles forward and dips to clasp his paws about Wimble's wrist and tug her up.

Vorth whips off a couple more stones into the retreating hares before he moves forwards with the other vermin, lance once more in paw as he charges after the hares.

Buckthorn leans forward to inspect the wound. He winces mentally and goes about looping some gauze around it, his ears swivelling around to make sure no one is attacking them. "I bet she will, Sah, if yah give up now. C'mon Major. M'gettin' you outta here!" The healer grunts, bending to grab Jarril and throw him over his shoulder. The healer stands up, starting to slip away, ducking and making a slow progress towards the village.

Zeraph flicks his ears back when the call for retreat is sounded again. Well can't certainly retreat right now, can he? The buck shoves himself backwards along the sand, always keeping his front to the vermin now - if they are paying attention or not, as he moves to roll Rothal down the dune that they have moved up on, towards the running hares. He hopes. After this is done, the hare goes to kick the one attacking vermin away from him again, so he can run. Bleeding from his back and side.

Wimble yelps as her blade arm is disabled for the moment. Her ears turn to hear the charge. "Niv! Yah idiot! S'retreat... get th... 'eck outta ere!" She says, spitting sand out of her mouth. The doe is almost torn in two with Niveus pulling her, and the cat pinning her. She lets out a howl of pain.

Jarril lies there on Buckthorn's shoulder. "Who said anything about er, wot?" The major pauses slightly and looks behind Buck as he smiles. "Oh yeah, giving up? Wot a bally thing ta say." Still speaking with a slur.

Darklett stays on the outside ring of the fight, making it a little safer for more retreating hares to make it out alive... And since the vermin aren't going for kills, Darklett finds several open targets for his quick dagger attacks, a mix between the desperation from before and anguish setting in as he takes a shallow slash that scores across his chest, trading it off for delving his daggers deep into the throat of the attacker, spinning around to use him as a shield, shoving him towards a ferret that swung an axe out to stun him with the flat. "COME ON! Retreat!"

Pardon, but there's one pair of ears that hasn't yet ducked. Who knows where the lieutenant's been, really. Let's call it vacation and sort out the technicalities later. Nevertheless, from upshore - where the patrol is attempting to flee from - comes Oxeye Thunderpaws Brightlance. The tall boxer is attempting to take in the current situation of numbers and casualties, mid-sprint towards the fleeing hares. He's not charging into the fray. He fires off a javelin at the nearest pursuer, and turns to lend a paw to a stumbling hare. Ox makes his way to Buckthorn, who seems to be bearing Major Jarhead. "Need a paw, here o' about?"

Daclon watches as Raph and Rothal begin to make their escape, and an archer beside him aims a bow in their direction. However, Daclon pushes it down. "No, let 'em go..." He falls silent, gazing at the hare.

Newel extends his shield arm behind himself to give himself some protection as he retreats. It pays off as he hears slingstones bounce off it. He's beginning to get a little tired as he was winded not long ago, but he still pushes on to widen the gap between himself along with other retreating hares, and the 'stampede' of vermin.

Breaden tries to block the oncoming steel, but his wooden and metal knot shield isn't enough to stop it all the way, the weapon pierces the wooden disk, and flips cleaving into his shoulder, slowed hardly enough to make the wound only temporary. It will heal after a few months of healing and rebuilding lost strength...in response to the does cries he drops his pole arm and goes to punch the back of her head with his one still unwounded arm...he'll need a healer, and he wants her seeing naught but black untill he can have her bound.

Buckthorn grinds his teeth back and forth, grunting and panting with each step. He makes his way until a fmailiar voice catches him. "Yes, Sah! T'would be loverly." The healer agrees, hefting the Major gently. "Y'can carry 'im probably fas'er than I, y'think?" He suggests, his eyes straining to make sure they aren't being attacked from behind.

After a command from Daclon, a few minor captains begin to call for the other vermin to fall back, bringing the captives with them. Reluctantly, the vermin obey, dragging wounded hares and vermin back towards the camp.

Unfortunately rather large fox appears to be gaining on the winded Newel, but just when it seems that the fox will catch the recruit, an arrow strikes him in the back and, with a shout, he falls. Taye comes running up on Newel's left side, and he grabs him by the shoulder of his tunic, to speed him along. "C'mon! Speed it up!"

Zeraph wouldn't notice himself being saved, but he tumbles hard down the sand hill, leaving a trail of blood as he does, before standing up at the bottom and going to drag Rothal away. Crud. Crud. Crud. The buck forces himself to keep going.

Jarril looks behind him and begins to close his eyes. "Aye, outwitted him again, didn't know about us from behind, wot. Oh that's a nice pastie, don't mind that I do..." Jerking them open again he blinks before slowly beginning to nod off again.

Ox gives a brief nod, throwing a glance towards the vermin, who seem to have laid down arms in light of dragging off more captives. The large hare grunts, and aims his second, and last, javelin at another vermin-y critter, perhaps barely aiding the wounded in escaping. Doesn't matter, it still felt good. "Arrigh'," growls the buck, taking the major from the healer. He swings Jarril over his broad shoulder, ushering Buck with a paw. "Now ye get ye scut movin', Ah'll follow. No sense gettin' wounded, eh? We'll need ye, looks like."

Newel glances quickly at Taye and grits his teeth as a cramp is starting in his gut. He doesn't care, and puts on an extra burst of speed in addition to Taye's help.

Vorth and his little group of vermin complete with a couple of caught hares stop at the command from Daclon, not all that speedy in returning to the camp but they do follow orders eventually.

Seeing the vermin falling back, Darklett calls the retreat once again, keeping an eye out for any stragglers that he can still save from capture, and making sure he sticks by his hares, one of the last to leave the battle... Gritting his teeth, he turns and retreats behind a reduced number of the hares that had been on patrol with him, leaving the vermin encampment and -too many- dead behind, to head towards the mountain.

Buckthorn gives up the Major easily, his paw automatically clamping over a shallow gash on his left shoulder. He gives a curt nods to Ox. "Yes Sah!" The healer takes the order with ease, turning and making his way from the battle. He keeps a sharp lookout, though they're really too far from the vermin to be attacked now.

Daclon watches the remaining hares retreat, silently returning to his original stance, paw and hook held behind his back. The ferret seems to be pondering something, frowning as he notes the hare he had suspected to be Jarril being carried away. A pity a fighter like him was put out of commission... shrugging, he turns away, to survey the damage done to his fighters.

Jarril does move his head slightly so that Daclon can see that he is alive, barely, while he continues to babble on about random stuff to Buckthorn and Oxeye, clearly not with it at the moment, the cut on the back of his head still bleeds slightly from the stuff that Buck had put on a few moments ago.

Darklett is still behind the rest of the hares heading to the mountain, looking over his shoulder one last time at the dunes surrounding the encampment. "Dark, what were you -thinking?-" he whispers to himself, before breaking into a half-hearted run to catch up with the troops, to lead them into the mountain.

Taye gives Newel one final push to the shoulder, then releases him. He's looking back, now, waiting for the remaining hares, Darklett the very last. He falls back, waiting for the major. "Sah," he calls, "c'mon!"

Oxeye doesn't care much for rivalries, right now. He's stumbled upon what seems to be either an ill-conceived battle, a failed ambush, or a tragic series of bloody coincidences. His scowl is deep as the hare pushes on, following Buck. He'll have to talk to the major, if Jarhead pulls through.

Darklett's head turns up to see Taye, and as quickly as he makes eye contact, he winces, turning his head downward, yet keeping up his run. "The mountain, Taye... let's just go back," he murmurs as he passes him.

Zeraph has his arms looped under Rothal's as he moves him along swiftly enough, through the sand. He had noticed what direction his companions seemed to be moving, and so that is where he is going too. As the buck fights his way backwards, it is evident that he is having trouble moving. However he is muttering to the runner that he is lugging with him, in a pleading manner. Finally, a leg seems to give out and he collapses sideways, with a grunt.

Taye's ears droop at Darklett's response, and with a nod he turns to follow the major, falling in one step behind and to the right of him. "Yessah," is all he says.

Newel lags a bit so that he's near the major and Taye, breathing very heavily and raggedly and looking like he's going to retch. :p

The punch from Breaden makes its mark and Wimble is knocked unconscious, her pinned paw releasing it's grip from it's dagger. Her head lolls into the sand, her mouth parting slightly and her tongue rolling out mixing with a bit of blood flowing from her nose.

Niveus is alive only by the grace of trailing vermin and the call by their Lord to hold arrows toward the retreating ensemble, straggling forward weaponless and with a ominous grasp that has hold of his heart. His helter-skelter rescue attempt was an obvious failure, having had to break off to escape peril. He sinks beyond the dune, sliding down its sandy surface to settle at the base with a choked sob without much of a mind to furthering his retreat.

Darklett's run breaks into a slow jog, then to a walk. "...Suppose they should go in leaderless like that," he murmurs, perhaps forgetting there are others around him when he says it. "Save Jarril, that's how they left the mountain."

Breaden goes to pick up the hare, heading into camp, leaving his polearm and other weapons where they are for now...and limping the whole way back.

Taye's run falters as Darklett slows, and he does so in kind. He blinks, stopping and looking back at the seemingly dazed officer. "... Sah. Dark. What're ya talkin' about? We've got to get outta here." He jogs back to him, falling just short of grabbing his arm and tugging him along. He'll do that to a recruit, Newel, but not Darklett.

Darklett shakes his head clear. "Yeah, let's go." He starts his run again, just murmuring something to himself as he heads towards the mountain, head downcast, only lifting up to check where he's going every once in a while.

Being winded and all that excessive running was a bit too much for Newel's stomach, and as he staggers along with Darklett and Taye he turns his head away from them and retches something grievous, but still keeps up as he coughs and spits a little bit. His breathing is still ragged, but he does manage to keep up wihtout aid from anybody else.

Relief washes through Taye as Darklett starts running again, but it's a bit quashed by Newel's retching. He looks away from the recruit with a grimace, and lowers his head, just running and running. Nothing more to say.

Salamandastron: Entryway

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Salamandastron *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

This is a small, raised platform in the side of the mountain upon which

you can see down to the small niche in the mountain. Cunningly designed,

this precaution allows one from this vantage point to 'see' who is

standing outside without being detected.

• -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Visible Exits:

[Outside] [A]long [P]assageway

[S]tairs to [S]entry [R]oom

Terrance spotted the group of hares limping back while he was up on the crater and promptly let some people know. A handful of healers are waiting for the injured beasts with cots ready to bear them quickly up to the infirmary. Terr himself is on the side of the mountain, trying to spot the retreating hares.

Newel seems to have made it through his first fight miraculuously, and though he's not wounded, he looks pale and completely exhausted. His shield and short sword finally drop from his paws a few paces after entering and he slumps against a wall, not speaking a word.

Taye is among them and, compared to just about everyone, looks miraculously unharmed. Hell, his uniform's not even dirty. A bit sandy, maybe. He's noticeably out of arrows, his bow slung over his shoulder as he walks behind Newel, who looks considerably less chipper. When the recruit slumps against the wall, he moves to the other, reaching a paw out for his shoulder. "Hey, hey... yer all righ', there." Pat-comfort-comfort.

Gregorian stands near the healers trying to look helpful and do as he's told by them, waiting for the arrival of the hares he looks up when they start arriving and healers start moving over towards them.

Terrance climbs down to the platform once more and goes about trying to help some of the more injured beasts to available stretchers. Coming back after setting one down he spots taye and Newel. "Hey there chaps. What bally happened out there?"

Newel looks up sadly at Taye as he still doesn't feel very well. He'd speak, but that'd mean filling Taye's nostrils with the lovely smell of his breath after retching back there. He just rests his head against the wall, not answering Terrance and speaking away from anybeast for reasons already mentioned. "..'M thi'sty," he whispers out his dry throat.

Taye gives Newel's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I puked m'first time, too," he reassures, then grabs his canteen from his waist. He holds it out to the recruit, then turns to Terrance as he approaches. "We spotted a vermin camp... 'n' if I'm wrong... well, 'm not wrong. It was the Bloodthirstahs, Ter. They're still out there. Took some o' us captive..."

Terrance arches a brow at newel then looks back to taye and frowns, "I thought we had sent 'em packin' after Halyard. Bloody blighters." Spitting out of the way of anyone. "Glad you two made it back in one piece at least."

Newel eyes the canteen and takes it with a grateful nod, his frown pulling up into a neutral, straight face. For Taye's sake he doesn't put his mouth on the canteen while he drinks. :p He caps it and hands it back to Taye. He doesn't look as sad now but he's still exhausted. "Thank y'verra much, chap," he whispers, still breathing deep to regain himself.

Taye takes the canteen back, uncapping it and taking a drink himself. It was a fast hike, anyway. "Aye," he says to Ter, "thanks. They flanked 'em... I was outta the way, takin' 'em out with m'bow. I tried t' warn the othahs, but..." He shakes his head, and shrugs.

Having trailed far behind the retreating elements, the rather downtrodden Niveus only now makes his way into the entry of the mountain. Without wounding, spare the odd scrape and small slashing from the general fray, the fur of the soldier's face was vividly matted and eschew in tale of tearing. The ensemble of hares within the corridor seem to give him an excuse to set aside some terrible occurrence, an parched smile creasing his weary lips. "G-g'day, you chaps. Bit o' trouble we ran into, didn't we?"

Terrance frowns and then looks to Niveus and nods, "G'day sah." He offers a small smile in return and says, "Aye, that's what I've 'eard. There are some healah's over there if'n ya need attention."

Newel's eyes raise to see Niveus, and his face remains neutral. The recruit has hardly voiced the woes he feels over what happened, as he feels they are dwarfed by worse misfortunes of others and the fact that he's in pretty good shape considering what happened. He still looks just a tad crestfallen, but he voices no word of complaint.

Taye looks around at Niveus, and his first thought is that this hare must be grievously wounded, given the look of him. But a closer look reveals that this is not the case. His brow furrows and he nods to the fighter. "... Oy, Niv, you all righ'?"

"N-no," Niveus says softly, waving a paw in a dismissive manner as he holds the facade of stability firm. "I'm quite alright, laddie buck. No wounds, blighters couldn't hit me standin' still." He looks through the group, singling out Newel to dip a curt nod. "Absolute top knotch fightin' out there, boyo."

Newel's head thuds against the wall as he rolls his eyes a little. "..Tell me what'n the name 'o seas'ns I had to've been thinkin', trying t' take on a cat nearly twice me size?" he asks, in a manner mostly out of annoyance at himself, but also a hint out of humor.

Taye doesn't appear to quite believe Niveus, but he doesn't press it. Instead he hooks an arm around an injured lieutenant as they limp pass, helping them over to one of the make-shift healer stations. "There ya go, sah..." He passes them on.

Niveus absently paws at his left side, turning a glance there before chuckling rather softly as he lifts the empty scabbard. The hare loiters within the passage, taking a bit of enjoyment in being preoccupied. "

Newel shakes his head. "I d'no..'t all 'appened so fast. 'S like..I rememba gettin' ahead of th' Lieutenant and blockin' an arra this cat fired, an' I was chargin' 'im, but aft'that, next I know 'm winded and gettin' up when I 'ear the call t'retreat." He then adds with a bit of humor to Terrance's comment, "Can't even 'memba if they were all bigg'r. 'Twas all jus' a blur, y'know?"

Niveus absently paws at his left side, turning a glance there before chuckling rather softly as he lifts the empty scabbard. The hare loiters within the passage, taking a bit of enjoyment in being preoccupied. "Nonsense, chap. Right jolly effort, I'd say. Y'had the blighter runnin' for is life." He says, propping himself against the wall. "A blur, mm.. roight, it sure was."

Newel slowly get up on his shaking footpaws, still leaning against the wall for support. "Thanks, chap," he tells Niveus. He seems at a loss for compliment as he has difficulty really remembering much of what was going on around him as he fought.

Terrance listens to the other recruit and hms, "Not exactly what stories make it out ta sound like." He states. As Taye helps a hare he remembers that's why he was here and helps one of the last stragglers to the healers, glancing around at the wounded, ears drooping a bit as he sees the reality of battle once again. Seeing that the remainder of the hares seem to be fine he makes his way back to Newel and Niveus.

Inquiring with the healers if there's anything he can do to help, Taye is rebuffed with an angry barking sound and a shooing gesture. With a blink, he backs away, turning to return to the small group of non-barking types. He rubs absently at his headfur, leaving it to stick up in all directions. "... Y'know, don't think I've evah seen a battle go so wrong so quick before."

Niveus, although wishing there was time to be jovial in the aftermath of the rather stinging defeat, found even that to be out of his reach for the moment. The soldier confides in silence, paws folding over his chest as he occupies himself with looking to and from those who are company within the corridor. Terrance's words stir him from the momentary lapse, a nod being given to prompt a reply. "It is everything an' more. But it is more necessary than ever, now with all that blinkin' scum marchin' up an' down the beach." The buck says, looking to Taye afterwards but failing in pressing anything further to light, a bit of a blank stare turning earthward.

Terrance looks towards Taye, "What 'appened ta tha rest of tha patrol? I thought I remembered seein' more hares then this in the patrol."

The really sad or guilty look on Darklett's face is something Newel does remember seeing after the fight. He might've said something then were it not for his business of being sick at the time. "I wouldn' bring that up 'round the Major, chap. 'E looked more th'n glum about that," he says to Taye. His eyebrows raise at Terrance's question, but the recruit honestly has no clue as to the answer. He looks questioningly at Niveus and Taye.

Taye rubs at his eyes, shaking his head. "It wasn't the Majah's fault..." But is that just his hero-worship talking? He looks around at Terrance, shaking his head. "Darklett sent Jarril around t' flank the vermin 'n' provide covah fire. They eithah were caught or it's takin' them longah t' get back since they had t' go around the vermin t' get to us..."

The question struck a serious cord in Niveus, his right paw finding its way to rest in a shrouding manner over the sockets of his eyes. Swallowing hard, the buck clears his throat and gives a rather uneasy, choked, chuckle. "Several o' ours are prisoners," he says quietly.

Terrance frowns as he listens to Taye's answer and then more at Niveus. He growls a bit and says, "Lovely. Gah. Wish I was old enough ta be part of tha rescue attempt."

Taye looks around at Ter. He smiles, a bit wanly. "Yeah? Sometimes I wish I wasn't."

Newel might've said to Taye how it being Darklett's fault was not what he meant in saying that, but the news from both Taye and Niveus hush him for a time. His head bows, a frown starting to show on his face again. He stands there as his mind wanders, remembering some words spoken to him by certain beasts in the past. After what seems like a long moment of silence from him he mutters, "We'll get 'em back."

"Threw m'sword at 'em," Niveus continues, reminiscing the particularly harrowing end to a botched battle. "Hit 'em too. Broke his shield in two, an' stabbed 'em. Still blinkin' caught 'er, the blighter still g-got Wimble." He trails off at that, sniffing away what could be taken as a lingering sob. Pulling the paw away from his eyes, the soldier claps his footpaws together and dips a deft nod toward the young recruit. "Iffen it is the last thing I do, mate."

Terrance looks to taye and shrugs, "Just tired o' sittin' useless here at tha mount'n." He then looks back to niveus as he relates his tail and frowns, "Sorry ta hear about yer friend. Sounds like ya gave 'em Hell 'n Vinegar though."

Taye's ears flick back unhappily as he stares off, not quite willing to look at Niveus. "... We'll get 'er back, Niv, don't worry. We got 'em back the last time..."

Newel scratches the back of his head as he's regained enough strength to stand without using the wall for support. His footpaws are a bit shaky still but he doesn't seem to have trouble with balance. "..Think 'm gonna eat some'in' an' go get some shuteye." He looks at his other comrades in battle, adding, "Soun's like a spiffin' idea for th' lot of us, wot?"

Niveus shuts his eyes briefly, inhaling deeply and returning it as an audible sigh. The buck nods soundly, pushing off from the slouched position against the wall. "Thank you," he says. "Now, iffen you chaps will pardon a lad, it wouldn't be very becomin' o' me t'bawl 'ere for the remainder o' the night. An', not t'mention, need'ta go get a new swo-- ah, got the roight idea there, Newel."

Newel mutters, "Wager 'twont be long afore we're out there agin, lookin' f'em. Th' more res' till then th' better, I say."

Terrance smiles weakly at the others and nods, "Aye, sounds good chaps. Enjoy."

Offering up a single wave in good-bye to the trio, Niveus whirls about and promptly marches into the confines of the mountain. Bravado and big words had their limit with him, the thought of the doe being within the hands of ruthless and particularly angry vermin constantly etching away at his strength-- he was glad to be away from others.

Taye watches Niveus go. Ah, sigh. "Think I'll go up t' the sentry room... see if anyone else turns up, y'know?"

Terrance nods and says, "Alright chap. I'll go ahead and head in then. See ya around."

Taye pats Ter on the arm as he passes. "Yeah... night, pal." He trudges off the way Niveus has gone.