12.06.08 - Seriously? SERIOUSLY?! (Dirt Road TP)

Location: Dirt Road (north of Redwall)

Characters Involved: Sidney, Jove, Darklett, Zoe_Lang, Taye, Gregorian, Ripclaw, Saja, Pagoon, Squid, Kedan, Hallow, Flicktail, Zade

"Cold, cold cold." Moans a stoat, clenching a ragged blanket around himself, "quiet." Orders a quite warm Ripclaw. The three score or so pirates that rowed inland are fanned out across the road and surrounding woodlands, looking for who knows what in the dark, slaves maybe.

Saja is in the group with the Captain, the Archer's eye peering about as he quietly follows along. He fingers his crossbow, a bolt already readied just in case of trouble. Thankfully, the potion his newly acquired slave had given him has worn off, and he's in relatively good condition. However, his breathing has once again become raspy, some of the only noise that the fox emits. His robe is warm enough, so he has no reason to complain, unlike the stoat that complains.

Pagoon is one of those unlucky beasts that gets to trundle through the brambles and thorn thickets along side the path. Cursing the heavens he hacks his way through with cutlass. "I picked a 'ell of a night ta quit drinkin!"

Squid's tawny white paws are draped loosely over the heads of her hatchets, glaring left and rights as she moves through the scrub. Her myriad weapons clink and clatter on the searat, belts and buckles slithering softly as she avoids thickets. Shes trying to be quiet, but in a choice between quiet and enoughw eapons to outfit an army, Squid accepts her choice. Luckily, she has the cursing and slashing Pagoon nearby, and that idiot makes her sound like a ghost in comparison

Some rather frantic scouts have been reporting back to the Abbey these past few hours... and it's taken this long to gather forces - from Camp Willow, the 67th, and the Abbey. It's quite an eclectic force - some uniformed, some not, some with decent weapons and some with mere pitch forks. Angry mob, anyone?

The old Colonel, Zoe, is amongst them. "Why must it be the /wintah/...?" Mutter. Her limp is pronounced, her paw resting on sword hilt.

Major Darklett Fletchpaw is standing next to the Colonel, ears pinned as he fights back the unavoidable pre-fight butterflies. He's just coming off injuries, too. Boo. "It's the winter for them, too, Colonel," he advises Zoe. "What were the numbers reported, anyway?"

Kedan is hanging about the otters and other beasts from Camp willow...his battle armor, the Shiny suit he's not really used since his Family died, holding tightly to him, protecting him while his sword, again, rarely used has is paw on the hilt. "And my brother said I'd never get to use the armor...pfft" he mumbles to himself.

A half-blind searat stumbles and pitches into a thornbush with a yowl. he's quickly silenced with a smart swat to the head and a yank out of the grasping, prickly vines. "Shaddap, ye great oaf..." comes the hissed warning from his rescuer.

And there's Private Jove Haight, barely visible in the group of hares due to her height. So her ears are straight up like twin radio antennae, listening to the talk from the higher ups. She bounces slightly on her footpaws, resting a paw on the hilt of her saber.

Sidney still has a slight limp, and is favoring one leg slightly as he stands amidst the group of hare - right beside Jove, actually, and not far from the Major and Colonel, who his gaze keeps cutting toward. Tense. Very tense, is the recruit.

Hallow is hanging about near the Colonel and mentally trying to keep her lot in check which mostly consists of giving the odd stern look to anyone causing too much noise. It's been a while since the camp had a good fight so there are a few rowdy ones.

Jove flashes a little grin at the recruit. "Don' go runnin' off this time, righ' Sid?"

"Who knows with those bloody dibbuns reportin'," Zoe mutters with a shake of her head, clearly referring to the very green scouts as such, "but they reported, independently, both two, four, and ten score." She speaks with dark humor.

A glitter in the darkness, the slither of careful paws through snow, a shadow slipping into and out of cover, leaving naught but prints in the snow and a puff of frost in the air from his breath. A great, scarred straight-blade saber hangs from his massive paw...

Ripclaw fingers his cutlass hilt, the moaning and complaints from his crew are gaining in frequency and in volume, maybe coming out here wasn't such a bright idea after all...

"I did not /run/.. anywhere, Jovial," Sidney responds to his comrade with a little twitch of his nose.

"I don't know if I can take all ten score by myself, Colonel," the major speaks, facetiously, under his breath, looking about himself at the collection of woodland beasts around him. "...We do have somebeast on lookout for an ambush, right?"

Saja lightly coughs into his paw, the sound mostly muffled. He takes his paw back, the fur there stained crimson. He wipes it away on his robe, resolving to wash it later. The vulpine shakes his head, shivering lightly. A /bad/ feeling comes crawling up and down the fox's spine, and he takes a deep breath. This whole trip has been a bad idea in the vulpine's mind.

Gregorian is tense, with ears perked and waiting for orders. He really doesn't like the waiting and he keeps twirling round one hammer in his paw just to give it something to do.

Flicktail gasps amd pants running to catch up with his big square metal shield

"Sure y'did. Ran the one blightah right through." Jove raises her eyebrows. Eh? Eh?

Kedan spots flicktail and slowly goes over to him. "Haha..you look like your about to pass out flick" he chuckles, shaking his head gently.

Pagoon nearly yelps as he trips over a tree root, "Bloody things, why in 'ells teeth are we out here?" He whispers to the beast next to him.

Flicktail pant pants to Kedan "oi..oi be o.k. Skippa can't leave wi out er shield otter, she'd get URT!

Zoe_Lang gestures vaguely towards the woods. "Aye. They're. About." She's grown cavalier in her old age! Her hearing hasn't gotten any worse, though. Her ears perk at a distant sound. Voices?

A whisper of metal on cloth, the soft light glinting off a pair of blades in Quid's paws, her cherish Furious Brothers. Oh there is blood in the air tonight, and the rat grins broad to herself, teeth bared in a wicked smile as she keeps moving. "Because they'd never see it coming, Pagoon..." she answers him, snickering at his pain.

Ripclaw halts suddenly, he's getting nearly the same feeling the coughing fox was. "Hold the line, pass it along." he whispers to the one in front of him. Sniffing at the air he tries to get a whiff of something, anything.

Darklett's long hare ears don't take long to pick up on the voices either. He swivels his head, alertly, looking for their source. His paws go down to his belt, gripping at two throwing knives.

Kedan chuckles slowly. "All you have is that shield. Look at me, I'm in a mostly full suit of armor..How do you think i feel?" He laughs with a smirk before patting flicky's shoulder. "Glad your here...but if you die, I'll kill you" he smirks at his bad joke before slowly making his way over to the skipper, mostly absently

Corsairs slow and huddle down, muttering amongst eachother as the order to stop rolls down the line. A few keep moving though, stretching forward a little before coming to a halt, mostly the brave and foolish... A searat with far too many weapons is amongst them, giggling softly to herself as she hunkers down behind a tree trunk.

Hallow gives her lot a very definite 'be quiet' motion as the hares seem to be picking up on things. She's straining her ears but can't hear anything yet, but her ears are far smaller.

"That wasn't so much running-through as.. head-chopping, actually," Sidney mutters in response to Jove. His ears are up, dark eyes flicking over to the doe for a moment. "... at least it's not my first fight." Nerves? No, never.

One of the dimmer of the crew, a stoat, practically ignores the order. He trundles along whacking at tree branches and bushes with his saber. Unknowingly he is heading right for the assembled woodlanders.

Saja continues to peer about, crossbow readied as the Captain apparently shares his feelings on the whole endeavor. His breathing intensifies, adrenaline and a healthy bit of fear starting to roll through his body, a familiar feeling for the fox: offering equal parts confidence and discipline.

Zoe_Lang's paw goes up - just after Hallow's. "Clam up!" She whisper-shouts. You know, it /carries/, but it's not loud. She turns 'round to briefly walk backwards, eyes seeking out any dissenters.

Flicktail moves up front with his large shield to take up a defensive position

"Nah, s'yer second. So no more beginner's luck, eh?" Jove whispers back, then gives Sidney a nudge with her elbow. "Ye'll b'fine." Oops, top brass. She falls silent then, eyes straight ahead, ears up, nose aquiver, the very picture of attention.

Kedan Slowly takes his position, drawing his sword. "I wish I kept my father's shield" he mumbles super quietly, before glaring out over the distance.

Ripclaw The stoat giggles to himself, still hacking along he walks face first into a tree, "Oi! What da!" He leaps backwards, and notices the hares and otters. His eyes widen in terror.

Sidney gives Jove a look. His muzzle actually flicks into a slight smirk, before that vanishes and he looks ahead, alert and ready, gripping the hilt of his sword.

Darklett doesn't turn around. He's watching ahead. One of his paws lifts up to rub at his shoulder. He hasn't really thrown or trained at all since he got injured, so he's about to find out how capable he really is. That paw goes back around a throwing knife, and both knives come out of his belt. His eyes dart to the source of the noise, the stoat. He doesn't give the order yet, though, looking for where the rest of them might be. Awaiting the Colonel...

Squid exhales a long, slow breath, mist fountaining into the chill night air, scanning what she can through the night. 'Always had good night-eyes her family did', the rat thinks proudly. He can hear the stoat's surprise, and cranes her neck around the tree to try and catch sight of the gibbering idiot. "What's..."

Pagoon cringes at the distance yelling, "Ooh, some beast is getting his arse bettin now," he whispers to Squid.

Gregorian's ears perk and he looks up to the officers, his free paw carefully going to pull out the second hammer. Sounds like something might be going on soon if they've got to be quiet.

Zoe_Lang's ears perk. She looks around at the sound. Her paw drops in the air, a silent order to silence him - and /quickly/!

Squid sniggers, elbowing Pagoon in return and whispering back, "Betcher my good dagger it'd be that dimmer'un Gurno..."

Flicktail whispers to Kedan "oi gots a shield ye silly beast works in partner wi me

Hallow shakes a fist at the whisperers in her group with a very threatening look 'Quiet or else' being the silent message.

Darklett turns to face the Colonel momentarily, just in time to see the signal. He nods. Time to test that shoulder. He takes the knife in his right paw, and hurls it. As hard as he can. The blade spins in the air, and heads right towards the stoat's chest. The shoulder feels wonderful.

The stoat, indeed it is Gurno, yelps in terror. "Ambuch! Am-" he's quickly silenced by Darklett's dagger, but to late. "Gather the line! We've got visitors sneaking 'round!" Ripclaw yells.

Jove's nose quivers and she lifts her head, trying to see over the shoulder of the hare in front of her. Action! Not that she'll see it for a few more minutes.

Oh, hardly /sneaking/... Zoe lets out an annoyed huff, and draws her sword. "Well, we didn't really expect the element of surprise walkin' down the the middle o' the road, did we?" She looks to Darklett, then. Nods. "It's your show, Majah." Like a proud parent telling their kid to take the wheel, eh?

Saja shivers suddenly, the feeling of impending doom actually growing. He leans in, kissing his weapon to calm his growing nerves. Then, there's the yell. A frown forms on the vulpine's face as he lets out a sigh. He pegged it. The tension in his body evens out, the adrenaline starting to pump and easing his worries as he rushes to complete his Captain's orders.

Squid squints into the dark, tsking as she tries to spot the corpse, not overly perturbed by the squeal and gurgle as the stoat goes down. She bet a good dagger on the oaf and she intends to make good on it... The rat gives up and slinks back to the rest of the pirates, trying to decide what would be best... then sheaths her short swords in favour of a handful of light, easy-thrown axes. "Time ta earnus some booty.. I wants me some ears!"

Pagoon jumps, visitors? Not good. Running as fast as he can through the thickets he stumbles onto the road, does a look around for the enemy, and draws his battle axe.

Poor Jove. She's so.. short. Sidney gives her a glance and draws a breath. It comes in quicker than it goes out.

"Alright," is muttered as Darklett grabs another throwing knife out of his belt. And conveniently enough, Pagoon runs right out in the road. The major raises his voice. "See where that fox came from? That's where they are! Let's give 'em blood and vinegar! Chaaaaaarge!" And off we go.

Squid's lips turn into a wicked smile and she laughs as she hears the hare ahead bellow the word. Her blood sings in her veins, heart pounding with the thrill of the coming battle. Her eyes are fever-bright in the darkness. Now -this- is living! "'Ere they come mateys! Is time ta show'em what pirates is made of! TEAR EM APART!"

Ripclaw unsheathes his cutlass, "Line up! Pikes in front, swords beasts and archers behind, like ye were storming a ship!" Kicking a few of his crew into action the captain grins as the enemy sounds the charge.

Hallow doesn't draw her sword, if she draws her sword there'll be a near uncontrollable mob of otters drawing theirs and they'll be all the more eager for blood. She holds up a paw to keep them waiting until Darklett gives the order to charge and she brings it down again, releasing the crew who break silence at once and charge. She ends up somewhere in the middle of it, so she can see what's going on what still probably getting to the action. Drawing her sword on the run.

Saja gives a moment's delay to let the more physical fighters get up from of the vermin crew, before falling in with the rest of the Archers. He choose a spot near a tree, just in case getting cover should become necessary. He sights the charging mass of beasts, and is soon zeroing in on one of the charging hares.

Flicktail moves over to provide his shield for teh Archers should any bad beasts have arrows in return

The pirate crew forms up in a rather loose, three deep line. Well most of them that is, a few green horns bolt in terror. "Archers hold until you can see 'em clear enough!"

Zoe_Lang does not charge. She stands there, sword up and waving the others forward. They rush forward on both sides of her, the artificially created wind blowing the fabric of her uniform about. "Give 'em hell!"

Ooh, they've got pikes. Well. This makes things a little tricky, but that was an Order Darklett just shouted. "SAH!" Jove shouts, and with a little whisper of "C'mon Sid, try t'sound like y'r frothin' at th'mouth!" she bounds forward, saber sliding from its sheath once there's, y'know, room. "EULALIAA~!" That girl can _bellow._

Kedan charges upon the other otters. His sword is in his paw and what he wouldn't do to be a tag team with his brother right now.

Pagoon gets behind the largest meanest looking beast he can find. Wringing his hands on the hilt of his axe he waits, waits like a seasoned sailor awaits a storm.

Suddenly, from the woods on the left, a volley of arrows fly at the vermin pike beast. The hares - and squirrels - they issue from stay mostly hidden. The arrows will get there before the charging hares do, fortunately!

Sword sliding out of its sheath, Sidney draws a slight breath and launches forward. Charging is not the most pleasant thing on a hurt leg but charge he does anyway. It takes a moment before he draws a breath and lets out a loud, "Euulaliaa!" He runs alongside Jove, sword at the ready.

Squid is panting furiously, practically vibrating as the hail of arrows comes down. She snarls and ducks behind an unfortunate ferret piker, giggling as he topples away, gasping for breath through blood. "Battle's not fer everbody, matey, kehahaha!" The rat hefts a throwing axe and glares towards the onrushing woodlanders,grip tightening...

Ripclaw growls as a few of his beasts fall to the arrows. "'alf of you archers fire to the port side, the rest, cut 'em down!" The archers do as directed, some to the left, others to the front. The remaining pike beasts lower their weapons, some with simple spears, others with longer boarding pikes.

Flicktail pisks up his shield and charges for the thickest consentration of bad beasts where there is a woodlander inneed of his shield..he is also quite adpt at BASHING a beast with the thickhard boss of the shield

Seeing the whisps of the arrows flying by, Darklett smirks. Good show, Lieutenant. The major isn't quite leading the charge, but he's up there, taking out a certain pikebeast with a throwing knife while he throws the one in his left paw towards one of the advancing archers. "They're changing ranks! Archers're moving up front! Watch for arrows! Eulaliaaaaaaa!" Two more throwing knives come out of the belt and are quickly thrown at two separate archers, trying to cut as many down as possible before they get to fire.

A muscular weasel, overeager for the fight stayed ahead of the corsairs, ignoring the order to fall back. He stays pressed against a treetrunk, heavy cutlass gripped in both paws, a mad grin on his lips as he hears the bellowing and dashing otters as they roar pell-mell towards him. At the last moment he spins out from around the tree with a vicious mid-level chop, catching one of the brawny riverdogs in the belly and sending him toppling to a bloody heap. "I GOT U-RRRck!" the weasel goes down from revenge...

Scattered cries of pain come from the woods as the arrows fly down upon the archers. But in short order, another volley (albeit with a few less arrows) flies deeper into the mass of vermin, to avoid the woodlanders and the forefront as the two forces clash.

Saja hardly wavers from his target as arrows rain down upon the pikesbeasts, the fox growling. He lets loose with his crossbow at the charging hares at his Captain's orders, alright sighting another target as he reaches to his quiver, and reloading deftly.

Gregorian a quick flick of the paws and he turns the hammers pointy side out, all the better to hit beasts with. He's off at a sprint with the other hares and joining in with a "Eulaliaaaaa" of his own, lucky to not get hit by the flying arrows of doom yet. He gets caught up at the pike line, short range weapons such as his mean he's fighting pike heads for an opening.

One axe flashes out from the ranks of the pikeman, then another. One slams into a tree, the other catches a loping hare square in the chest, knocking her to the ground with a squeal of pain. A white rat roars in triumph, raising a pair of black hatchets to the night, "COME ONE YE SCRUBS!"

Most have passed the Colonel by, at this point, and now without any to watch, Zoe limps forward at a quick pace. She's watching all with an experienced eye, looking grimly pleased.

The Ravenwing's archers fall back into the body of the crew, some changing to up close and personal weapons, others to reload. "What are you lot waiting for! RUSH THEM!"

Not wanting to give up his throwing knives just yet, Darklett lets some hares run past him. When the rat pops up roaring, Darklett sees a nice target. His paw goes down to his belt, gripping a throwing knife and chucking it, full-force, at that rat.

Flicktail tries to barrel ointo the white rat..to interpose his shield between his axes and the fallen doe and to cause his shield to smash into the face of teh rat

Pagoon leaps past the dead bear of a beast before him and lets his axe SWINGGG! "Common longy ears, come 'ave a taste of me axe!"

Squid crows in the glory of the fight, bursting out to meet Flicktail head-on. She slams her shoulder hard into the shield, twisting as the impact jars her. One hatchet hooks the side of it and she yanks hard with it, trying to pull the shield around from the fox even as she topples to one side from the force of the blow.

As vermin and woodlander mingle - and not in conversation - the arrows start to fall off. Those that fly are aimed, careful shots, picking off those vermin who venture apart from the mass. Lieutenant Taye, standing on a thick branch of a tree, watches as one such arrow sinks into the back of a rat's skull. He smirks, drawing another arrow from his quiver.

The nice thing about being short, Sidney, is that the arrows take longer to reach you - or hit other targets on the way. Jove feels one whizz past her ear, though, slicing a nip of flesh from the base. "Heh, s'rainin!" she chortles, and then "OY!" Her saber swings out to block Pagoon's axe with a shoulder-jarring crash.

Darklett narrows his eyes in disappointment as his knife goes flying over the now tackled rat. Grunt. He reaches down for two more throwing knives and charges into the line, quickly dispatching a saber-wielding vermin in the back and tossing him towards a charging stoat to try and throw him off balance. Soon after the dead vermin falls out of his way, the major hurls a knife close-range, slaying the stoat. He hangs on to the other knife, ears pinning and view flickering about as he tries to pick targets, reaching back down for another knife.

Zoe_Lang is still hanging back. At the moment, she's shouting at a small grouping of healers - though these healers all have weapons drawn. She's directing them with swords, telling them where to go and what to do.

Ripclaw stays clear of the fighting line, "Keep up the starboard side!" He shouts as a pair of hares break through. So far he's not to happy with his prospects, but with any luck the dirty fighting and well seasoned crew will hold their own.

Saja lets loose with another bolt, preferring to use his mainstay for as long as he can rather than risk his hide in a melee fight. That bolt of his flies out, and comes down upon one of the otters in the group, hitting the beast in the neck. As he reloads once again, the fox sights out some of the beasts that seem to have managed to break through, and fires.

Several of the camp otters seem to have throwable weapons, a couple of fisher types even seem to be using harpoons on a rope as a handy thing to impale beasts on. Hallow herself has briefly switched tactics and her sword for a bow to pick off vermin as she sees them and she's mainly going after the long ranged pikes, get rid of at many of them as possible.

Pagoon chuckles madly when confronted with the hare, "Common me pretty! You'll make a fine blanket when I skin ye!" He swings again, aiming for the hare's legs.

At Jove's side, Sidney grunts out as he makes an aggressive slicing motion at the nearest opponent. Bloodsplatter. Death. His momentum brings him a few steps past Jove before he pivots on one foot, turns, and lunges at Pagoon, aiming his rapier to sink between the fox's ribs.

Flicktail has no weapon, just his shield as he moves to work with the armed beasts,

Squid rolls up to one knee and flashes a vicious grin to a hare. Her Wicked Sisters cross, sparks flashing as the Hare's sabre strike the black iron. The rat rocks then shoves up to her feet. Axes and sabre swings, clashing and smashing, then the rat ducks beneath a wide swing aimed at her head and buries one of the hatchets into the hare's leg, toppling him in a scream that is cut off as the second hatchet smashes down between his eyes. No time to enjoy. More! The white rat screams in the face of a second and starts the dance again, laughing the whole while.

The corsair and pirate crew close the small gap formed in the right, the vermin on the left meanwhile try to gain a little ground for their side.

Kedan starts to make his way towards Squid, the rat who he sees cutting a few hares down. The otter Forces his way though and comes upon the side of the rat, letting out a Grunt as he attempts to swing his blade at her.

"Oo, bloody cheek! Worst chat-up line ah've heard," Jove spits, bounding _up_ like a dibbun skipping rope, or a green-uniformed rubber ball. The axe swishes under her feet as her saber comes down, aiming to cut deeply into the fox's shoulder.

An arrow whips just past Squid's ear, and Taye curses from his position in the trees. He draws another arrow, eyes scanning the melee.

Darklett's ears flick. That rat's screaming again. Apparently that shield-otter didn't do his job. Unfortunately he can't seem to get a good line of sight on the rat. The major growls and ducks behind an otter and fox engaged in combat, eyes on the lookout for an opening on the rat. Another rat tries to attack him, but can't even get close enough as he ends up with a knife in his belly, falling backward. The major reaches down for yet another knife, keeping a running tally in his head of how many he has left.

Flicktail is also trying to get his shield to Squid to block him and engaurge him...BIG flashing metal shiwld

Pagoon continues the swing on to the hare standing beside the one he was fighting. The saber delivers a nice gash to his shoulder. "ARRG! You little!"

Squid snaps and twists as she evades one sabre thrust, neatly snicking out the throat of her target hare, hot blood spraying over her whiyte fur even as the hare falls clawing at her throat. One sword dodged. The second not so lucky. The arrow snicks out a notch from an ear, but Kedan's sword bites into Squid's side. It is the myriad heavy belts and the hilt of the rat's cutlass that keeps her alive though. She is knocked aside, squealing them whirling to snarl at the otter, arm a blur as she whips a hatchet at the brawny upstart.

Saja yanks out another bolt, his claws giving him a relative count of the number he has left to work with. The vulpine isn't quite as confident in his comrades as the Captain is, but with a lover somewhere amongst them all, he's not about to give up. He fires, soon hitting a hare in the chest with his deadly projectile. The fox coughs roughly, spitting up blood. He's a little slower to reload this time, Saja cursing his body aloud.

Kedan laughs at the Rat. "Whats the matter, you can give it but you cant take it? Just like every other Pirate" he says, not really enjoying it but still. He Blocks a few attacks from other beasts who see him as a Threat, before going back to attack Squid again. that is if she's not a mile away by now.

The healers dart in amongst the fray, weapons darting out to do efficient damage where necessary, and cropping into crouches to tend quickly to the injured or drag them back, when possible. The Colonel stays back. She's currently kneeling in the snow, leaning over a hare with a great wad of blood-red cloth pressed to a gaping gut wound. The young private is screaming in breathless agony, Zoe's face a mask as she works.

Ripclaw picks out the dagger chucking Darklett from his position. "Saja, kill that knife throwing hare over there, he's getting on my nerves!" All in all the captain seems very calm now, with the left gaining a little ground and the right patched back up.

Sidney doesn't get another shot at Pagoon because there's a weasel coming at him. Sword comes up, blades clash, and slide together - locking for a moment at the hilts. He kicks the mustelid in the stomach, breaking away and bounding after, delivering a smooth stab through the gut before his opponent can recover.

Flicktail stands beside Kedan his shield ready to intercept Squid's saber, he's worked with sword's beasts before and knows how to block parry then mobve so the Otter can thrust

Darklett growls. His target's taken by an otter now. Oh well. He steps back, looking for any archers that he can take out with his knives, the one in his right paw twirling in anticipation of the throw.

Gregorian ducks down and under a pike and smashes the owner's knee to bits with a swing of the hammer while he's down there. One hammer swiftly stowed he snatches up the pike while the beast is concentrating more on that knee and starts having a go at the other vermin with it.

Hot blood is staining her side, the cut is deep and she can feel two of her belts going loose, slashed too depp. Oh well, lucky. Squiddy lets her other hatchet fly at one hare who was trying to drag away another, clipping off an ear but nothing serious. Her Sisters gone, the white rat rips a pair of nasty-looking short swords loose. She ducks under Kedan's attack, much too agngry to run from this one brute, but she focuses instead on Flicktail. She darts to the side, keeping the fox between her and the Otter, blades snaking and slashing like lighting, chewing on the shield, "C'mon out ye great coward! Hiding behind yer' idiot fox! HAR! COWARD!"

Kedan slowly goes to tap Flick on the shoulder. "I got this, help the hares" he says to Flick, gripping his sword tightly, Getting even more nervous at those words.

Pagoon is momentarily distracted from attacking Jove by an oncoming otter. Twisting around he smashes his axe first into the the beast's gut, and then cleanly removing his head while he's down. "Bloody riva dogs, come get ye some more if you want it!"

Saja manages a smile, the fox soon putting Darklett in his sights. A familiar sensation of cool anticipation abolishes some of his former anger and nerves. It's almost like a contract kill, and it's a feeling he savors mentally for a moment as he lets his bolt fly at the Major. His mouths his lack of malice in his work, though no doubt the hare on the receiving end won't see the fox's small prayer-like words.

Jove lets her descending weight - which is, erm, not to be sneezed at - hang on her saber blade when she feels resistance, then wrenches it free. A ribbon of red arcs off the tip as she brings it around in a hefty chopping motion at the Pagoon's side. "T'you, Sid! Hup!" she calls, glancing to where the recruit is. Should be. "Buggah."

Flicktail uses his shield to Bash the rat if she shoudl get too close, the shield can be a close in weapon

An arrow whistles through the air, slicing into the snow at Ripclaw's feet. It seems to come from a new direction, as do many of the other arrows flying from the woods. They're, well. Closer!

Sidney isn't far off. He finishes with an ermine, dragging his weapon free as the body sags sideways. He's bleeding from his upper arm but isn't aware of it, turning hastily at the sound of his name and coming back at Pagoon with a lunge and slash at his lower back.

Darklett's eyes lock on Saja, it seems, just as the crossbow is pointed at him. He grips his knives tight in his paws as he can't quite dodge, though the bolt wedges in his left upper arm. It's not as bad as it could've been, as after going through his padded uniform and the bandages from one of his already existing injuries, it mostly just stings like no other, not going in too deep It is, however, enough to get him to drop the knife in his left paw. His right arm is already moving as he's hit, though, and he hurls the knife through the air at the crossbow-wielding beast, the blade spinning and slicing through the air.

Kedan growls slightly. "Flicktail, Move!" and with that he doges around the fox before trying to hit the rat with his blade again.

There is little to be done for the screaming hare out here, but at least the cold has clotted his blood. Zoe packs the wound, doses him, and directs her eyes to the pair of healer-hares waiting. She nods and they lift the hare away, who thankfully passes into blackness. The Colonel turns, eyes narrowing as she considers the fight. "Bloody..." She takes a step forward, but just then a healer is at her elbow, calling for assistance. She turns away once more.

Pagoon narrowly misses an appointment with death. Whirling around the fox cleaves the air at neck level on the attacking beast.

Flicktail moves the opposite way that Kedan does, to try and create the opening

Squid laughs, darting away from the shield, keeping on eye on him and keeping Kedan behind him for a second before darting away, taking a halfdozen steps and planting a hefty foot to the rear of an embattled otter, sending the startled fellow careening onto a pike, skewered through. The white rat laughs as she wheels, just enough time to catch Kedan's blade in a cross of her own. She's much the smaller though, the force of it rocking the rat backwards a trio of steps. She's not laughing now... She hisses "C'MON RIVERDOG!" she howls and lunges!

Ripclaw looks down at the arrow with bordering indifference. Directing a knot of surviving archers to release volleys in the new direction he moves a little closer to the fray, drawing a bone handled kukri with is left paw.

Kedan Was shell shocked to see one of his best friends...and loyal Swaying Reed Customer die...He lets out a loud growl and Blocks her attack. "You'll pay for that..." he says, locking the blades together.

Sidney jerks backward - the very tip of Pagoon's axe grazes below his collarbone. That was close. The buck's blade comes up, one foot braced behind him for a moment, then makes an angular slash at the fox's front.

Saja doesn't get long to celebrate his hit, instead concentrating on not getting killed by the incoming knife. Though he lacks the Major's armor, he's swift, and that's what saves him from finally biting it. That dagger, does bite him, however; hitting him in his side. He lets out a pained cry, feeling the tip strike a rib. He grits his teeth, falling to the snow. He doesn't dawdle, however, and pushes himself to get back to his feet despite the wound. He reloads, the fox trying to not lose sight of his target.

Darklett definitely doesn't lose sight of his target. When Saja gets back up, there's practically already another knife headed for him. The major advances on the crossbowman, keeping the pressure on, while trying to remain alert of his surroundings at the same time. He keeps count in his head. Two knives left.

Pagoon takes the blow with the shaft of his axe. Yanking backwards and freeing up the blade he hacks down diagonally again at Sidney's collar.

Flicktail moves out of teh way, watching for a place to flank the rat and use his shield to hurt her, he's quite strong with the heavy metal shield

Squid's eyes flash in the sparks of the locked weapons. She might be strong for a rat, but she's still a rat. She's also dirty. she leans into the crossed blades, her Brothers gripped tight, "I'll take what I owe ye outta yer hide, riverdog!" He's blind in one eye. Weakness. Squiddy lets Kedan's much greater strength toss her back a few steps, then starts to wheel, trying to keep on his blind side, "I'll kill more of ye friends afore the night it out, scrub! Kehahaha!"

Hallow is getting more picky about her targets as she's only got half a dozen more arrows left. She's gathered herself a couple of other otters in a group though, to deal with vermin who get closer "Come on! Bunch of weak willed vermin like this, barely worth a fight!" she yells over the noise. Encouragement for the masses and oh look, there's the Captain. Definitely worth a pot shot and she fires off an arrow Ripclaw's way.

Kedan growls. He quickly steps back a bit, putting her back into his line of sight. "You'll die rat...right where you stand...." he says, staying where he is for the moment.

Well, her comrade is on his own at the moment, because as Pagoon's movement causes Jove's saber to go wide, there's a rat bearing down on her with a nasty-looking cutlass. The stout haremaid manages to bring her saber up in time to block the blow, though she goes briefly cross-eyed as the blade grazes her nose. She kicks out, hears the crunch of a kneecap, and follows it up with a terminal thrust. "Tha' just screams 'infection,'" she mutters, and looks around for Sid.

A couple more cries issue from the forest, but really, who can hear it with all the shouting? Taye is not among them, though. He swings down from his new position, moving quickly and silently to a new. He clambers up into a tree, followed shortly by a squirrel he's paired himself with for this fight. Another arrow flies from him to Ripclaw. The aim looks true, to him, but the wind can always shift it. "Come on..."

Saja manages to duck just barely out of the way of that knife, feeling it scrape across his left arm painfully. The fox once again lets loose at the Major, praying that he can at least disable the beast. The fox has no desire to die today, that thought overpowering any other thought, trying to find something resembling cover amidst the chaos, even if it's a wounded crewbeast.

Harassed by a walking shield. Kedan pausing gives Squid a chance. She whirls and leaps at Flicktail's heavy shield, snarling as she slams into the heavy thing like a cannon-shot. She can;t break it. She can barely even hurt the thing. But up this little bit high in her jump, it's enough leverage for her to stab a tip of a Ferocious Brother over the edge to try and take a bite out of the fox behind it, "Coward! Fight like a beast!"

Ripclaw takes on a stray otter for an opponent. Parrying a few of the beast's blows the ferret dispatches her with a quick slice of the kukri. The otter's blood splatters his coat. "Damn it, my best coat to." He raises his left arm trying to brush off the droplets of blood. Two pffts later and he's crouched, a hole in the arm pit of his jacket, and an arrow sticking through his hat.

While The Rat is Distracted, Kedan lunges at her quietly, Just wanting to cut her down, and move on to the next beast. His Sword Glints off the moonlight as it moves, as well as his armor.

Sidney dodges the axe, just barely. He ducks a little and continues in that direction, circling quickly, jabbing in toward Pagoon's side and backing off a little.

It's easier to get out of the way when you know an arrow's coming. Darklett's path as he walks is not a straight one, and the ducking and moving Saja fires just off to the side of his head-- still a lot closer than Darklett would like. He ducks and grabs another throwing knife, his left arm slowly starting to cooperate again. The major runs through the underbrush, keeping his back to empty woods as he pursues his target, finding him, and hurling the knife, giving a nice lead to try and catch the crossbowman in stride.

Flicktail will work to keep Kedan;s blind side safe, and work with him for the duration of the fight

Pagoon snarls, "Stand and fight ye COWARD!" He tries his bloody best to take a chunk from his opponents shoulder with an upward slice.

Squid stumbles back from the shieldfox, turning to find Kedan. Oh... he's right there. A Furious Brother rises, trying to hook that big blade... but the angle is awkward. The White Rat's eyes widen as the stroke bulls through the defence and bites into her side. There's a snap as the shortsword breaks in two, then there's a white rat flung, rolling in the bloodied snow.

Ah. There he is. "Arrigh'," Jove mutters, kicking a half-kneeling stoat coughing blood out of the way. "SID!" she bellows, closing the distance with a lunge and a thrust at Pagoon's ribs. Not really a saber motion, meant for a lighter blade, but distraction's what she's after.

Oh now this is just /ridiculous/... Zoe's eyes look distractedly toward the battle. She finishes with the most recent casualty and stands, drawing her sword once more. The grizzled Colonel starts toward the fight, pausing only long enough to speak with another officer, to take over for her. Of course, she only gets so far before a bloodied otter comes staggering into her arms, and with a silent oath she helps him to the ground. Seriously? Seriously?!

Saja gives another raspy scream, the fox tumbling down behind a tree as that knife finds its way into his leg. The vulpine's running on not much more than adrenaline and a stubborn desire to live at this point. He barely has his crossbow in paw, thankfully the bolt didn't get out of place during his fall. Hardly in a position to reload anyway, his other paw whips out his rapier, after barely getting himself to his knees.

Kedan growls at the downed rat. "Give up and leave rat, or i end you now!" he growls out loudly.

Gregorian has nearly ended up in the thick of it for his own enthusiasm, there's vermin on left, right and in front, one of which suddenly sprouts the pike Greg was carrying in their middle. The second hammer's out again and he makes the odd swipe from side to side, retreating back before he can get cut off completely.

Ripclaw cuts the legs out from a hare that broke the corsair line. "START MINGLING WITH 'EM! MAKE THEIR ARCHER'S USELESS!" He yells at the top of his voice, slicing a river dog's neck open.

"Jove!" Sidney snaps out. He jerks sideways, trying to avoid the axe - it clips his shoulder, would bite into the bone if not for the padded tunic. Thank you, Long Patrol uniform, thank you. He cringes, hissing outward a little with pain, and backs up.

The white searat isn't moving. She's sprawled onto her side, half-bent over the cooling body of a ferret and a hare, her eyes half-closed, white fur stained and matted with bood. She has a wicked cut in her side and another down her back from the first swipe, blood staining whats left of her vest...

Pagoon laughs as blood is drawn, "Oi!" the second hare's (Jove's) blade hits a rib. Twisting away he gets out of range of both their blades for the moment.

Oh, now that's not fair! Lieutenant Taye's eyes hone in on Ripclaw and he scowls. He notches an arrow to bow and draws back. It flies for Ripclaw's throat. "Shut /up/," he mutters...

Kedan goes and attempts to take one more swing at her leg, before he starts to think about going after some beast else.

As Saja draws the rapier, Darklett grins, taking out two daggers. He'll have to use his left one for blocking mostly since his arm is weak from the bolt stuck in it, but he advances on the fox, charging towards him, eyes on the blade, waiting to see the vulpine's move as he approaches.

Squid doesn't even twitch as Kedan's blade hacks through bone and flesh, taking off one of her legs... there's no bretah coming from her. The Sea Rat is dead. Kedan's sword just fell though when a weasel slams a heavy hammer into the otter's exposed back, denting armour...

Sidney grunts and draws a breath. Blood slides down his shoulder from that injury at the top. "C'mon," he grunts at Jove, glancing at her, then lunges toward Pagoon, blade upraised, taking another downward swipe as he closes the distance again.

The corsairs mingle alright, and here they shine a little more brightly than when constricted to a line. Up close and personal how's they like it and that's how their getting it. Ripclaw is saved when he ducks to avoid a nasty blow from a hare, the arrow instead sinking into his opponent. "Thanks mate!" Rip yells into the night, not really sure who killed the hare.

A burly rat shows up out of the crowd of fighting beasts, swinging a spiked club at the nearest woodlander and bringing them down. He turns, sights Jove, and goes after her with another swing of the heavy weapon.

Gregorian grimaces at Ripclaw's new order. Oh, damn, they're coming forwards. He retreats faster! Ducking a sword from the right to rip open the beast's side with spiky hammer side sets the whole lot falling in and he kicks one down on the left and doesn't see the next blade coming from the right until after it slices his side open.

Kedan grunts a bit as he turns around, shaking off a blow he only is just starting to feel. "oi, i need to get a new job" he sighs before slowly looking up around for another target.

The Archer fox fires off that bolt as soon as he regains sight of the Major, no grin to be found on this fox's face. Instead, it's the cool look of a professional, the vulpine's pain and anger melting as the hare closes in. That crossbow drops to the ground without care for the shot he fired off, taking up a defensive stance. With the hare having two weapons, the fox realizes he'll have to go down to the ace in the hole of his former calling. He tries not to telegraph the strike he intends with his free paw, the hidden blade in that gauntlet of his practically itching for blood.

Sidestepping Sidney's lunge Pagoon tries an new tactic, he attempts to tackle the hare, his axe still clutched in one paw, but now useless as he flies through the air.

a trio of Corasairs with pikes are in a tight line, roaring as they work in tandem. A bounding hair is skewered and lifted as he tries to get over them, followed by an Otter getting his own though the leg. Two ferrets and a good stoat, backing towards their captain, keeping a pair of fierce-looking hares at bay with sharp, quick spikes and lunges.

Well that's not very good. Taye's teeth grit and he hisses out not one but several curses. He whistles sharply, the sign for /his/ archers to stop, and they all set aside their bows and jump down from their positions. They draw their weapons, mostly light blades. The fresh fighters, untired by battle, come on with a vengeance. They cut into the side of the vermin forces.

/Tackled/? Sidney has half a second to look startled before he throws himself forward against Pagoon, sword aimed right at his belly - trying to use the fox's own forward momentum to impale him on the blade.

"Heh," Jove grins at Sid, bounding after. On the way, she fells an unfortunate weasel with a slash to the belly - what idiot wears just pants and a bandoleer? - on her way, and.. the fox is tackling Sidney. Sidney who is holding a blade. The doe looks briefly dubious, trying a heavy slash for Pagoon's legs as he lunges. With luck, she'll hit a hamstring.

As soon as Kedan turns around, an arrow lodges itself in his shoulder in the gap between the otter's curias, and the sleeve of his armor. The force throws him down to the ground with a loud cry of pain before he backs off. "little help would be nice" he says as all of a sudden a stoat charges at him.

Darklett's jagged advance on the fox saves him again. He feels the bolt clip his uniform, and he knows there's no more of those coming. So he heads full-on into the fox, trying to lead with his left to deflect the rapier and lunge in with his right to slash across the fox's midsection.

Hallow is gathering more otters and has a little group of ten with her as she tries to fight her way to Ripclaw. She's back to her sword again though she keeps the bow ready in her free paw she only has four more arrows left anyway.

The woodlander archers hitting the flank are met with sparse resistance, but for a pocket of particularly salty vermin. A beast of a stoat slams a fist the size of a mouse's head into an Otter's face.. all the worse by the fact that those fists have spiked gauntlets covering them. The Stoat grins and roars at the new ones, dashing around the tree and slamming into the nearest one he can find, taking a blade to the hilt in the shoulder for his trouble, but turning the squirrel's head 180 degrees for it.

And then the rat's mace catches Jove heavily on the side, spikes cutting through her uniform. Her eyes tense up, go wide. "Hngh-" Didn't see that one coming.

Ripclaw sheaths his cutlass and draws a dagger, although not forged for throwing he still pierces the neck of one of the held off beasts. He notices the ten or so otters charging for his group. "Come here ye river dogs!" He grabs a fallen javelin and launches it into the air, aiming for the one in the middle, Hallow.

That stoat is a pain in the arse. Taye's eyes narrow. He has managed to work his way behind the beast of a beast while he faces off with another hare and, with a great leap, he clambers up onto the stoat's back, a garrote tightening 'round his throat. The cord cuts into his throat as Taye tightens it.

Saja is back on his legs, as shakey as one as, by the time Darklett leads in. The fox's rapier skills are almost as good as his skill with a crossbow, and he turns aside that leading attack deftly. That other paw of the Major's isn't forgotten, the blade inside of his gauntlet extending in time to stop the other knife's advance. Steeling himself, the fox attempts a kick at the hare's neck, putting all of his slowly failing strength into it. Hit or miss, his leg gives out, and Saja is once again on the ground.

Pagoon is stabbed through the side, a terrific wound but not mortal. Falling on Sidney he opens his jaws and tries to clamp down on the beasts neck.

Grunbo, the brawny stoat gurgles as Taye winds the garotte tight around his neck. The beasts' eyes widen and he gasps for breath, falling to one knee. He snarls silently, blood dripping from his throat and lips, but he reaches back, grabbing at Taye's legs and trying to haul the hare down, his grip like a vice, twisting...

Sidney pushes up his arm to save his neck. Literally. Pagoon's teeth dig through the sleeve of his tunic and he clenches his eyes shut, twisting the other arm sideways to pull his blade from Pagoon's side - only far enough to change the angle and stab inward again, aiming deeper, seeking vital organs.

The three pikebeasts are down to two and looking panicked... The stoat is currently bleeding out beside them with a javelin lodged in an uncomfortable place, like the neck... They lunge at an otter, catching her through the belly, only to be followed with one ferret sprouting a sword where no sword should be. He falls gurling. The third pikebeasts drops his pike and runs for it.

"Everyone fall back!" Ripclaw yells, beheading a hare that gets to close. The corsair's make a run for it, some in a more orderly fashion than others.

Darklett's chin goes straight up in the air for a moment as the kick for his neck jars his head upwards. His daggers come in for defense, but it's not necessary as the fox falls. The major did have to take a step or two back, but it puts him in position to attack once again, careful of the gauntlet, too, this time. Hah. Nice trick. He doesn't quite dive, but he knows what the fox can't protect as well, and that's his legs. So he makes as if to strike for the kill, but instead stops short and, keeping a dagger up in defense, jabs the other one right for the side of the fox's knee.

Sadly Hallow really doesn't deserve her crew and though she doesn't see the javelin until it's too late, the otter just to her left does and he gets in the way in the process of pushing her out of it. She stumbles to the side, there's a blink as the otter goes down before she snaps attention back to Ripclaw with a growl. Her sword is dropped so he lands next to her feet as he paw goes for an arrow, bow coming up at the same time and with practiced speed she fires off the arrow at Ripclaw. Three more arrows to go.

If Taye's legs were baloons, they'd be all squeezed in the middle and straining out on both sides. As it is, his left leg is twisted in a way it simply shouldn't be as he is yanked on, but he keeps his grip on the garrote's handles, tightening, his mouth contorting in pain. "CHOKE, already!"

Kedan is quietly laying on the ground from where he fell, arrow poking out of his shoulder before his just passes out there..lucky him, he's not dead!

Pagoon finishes the pulling out of the blade by rolling over and bodily throwing Sidney from him. Having absolutely no intention of dying here on this blood soaked road he stumbles in the direction of the River Moss.

Oh, seriously? SERIOUSLY? Zoe's ears catch the call for retreat and she turns, eyes narrowing in irritation. "Bloody 'ell," she mutters. No stabby-bits for her. She goes back to bandaging with a vengeance. Bother!

Grunbo gapes for breath, stumbling back up to his feet and trying to shake off the petulant fellow. He stumbles forward a step, gives a shake... then crumples to the earth when a Squirrel's cudgle smashes into his head. The monster gurgles and lies still under Taye.

Saja uses his gauntlet to try to ward off the apparent incoming deathblow. A piercing feeling in his knee corresponds with an unfortunate spatter of blood from his muzzle. Not a good time for his illness to act up. Still, both gauntlet blade and rapier make for the Major's body, the fox knowing he's lost. It's with a respectful smile that he strikes, the Major's skills in combat thoroughly impressing the fox despite him being on the other end. If he somehow survives this, he'll have learned much from the encounter.

Ripclaw roars as the arrow burrows into his left arm, "Fall back, get to the river!"

Sidney twists a little in the air and lands heavily - not on his sword. That would just be embarrassing. He pushes his hands down and raises himself, cringing as he does and looking around. "Jove?" The buck stands, dimly aware of vermin around him pulling out of the combat and scampering off. Now where is that chubby doe..

Oh, hey. Thanks! Taye is jerked rudely forward on top of Grunbo. His leg screams out in protest to being jostled so. He releases the garrote, the joints of his fingers aching with the effort put forth, and he rolls over onto his back, half on Grunbo and half on the ground. "Thanks," he groans at the squirrel.

In near full panic the remaining corsair's make a break for it. A few pockets remain trapped by the woodlanders, but mostly all that's left is blood and snow.

Right. The saber flicks out. Stabs, and Jove pulls the blade _down with both paws,_ opening up the rat's side. He's down. It takes her a moment to recover enough to move, and when she does it's with a scrunched-up nose and laid-back ears. They prick up. "'Ere," she calls at the sound of Sid's voice, straightening up with a wince. Urgh. Thank you, ribs, but still.

The major cries out, grimacing as he can't quite pull away quick enough. That slow arm is really hampering him. The rapier pierces his side, and he falls away. But he's not to be beaten. He rises up, and goes to strike again, but... The corsairs are retreating /towards/ him. So without much further ado, the major is gone, hunching low and hiding in the brush around a tall tree... Just... Just /hoping/ the corsairs pass him up without noticing.

Sidney takes a step toward where Jove is sprawled - and a retreating fox bumps into him. The buck gives a slight growl and slashes, opening the tod's midsection. Blood spews, guts tumble out into the beast's hands, and Sidney steps over the slumped body to go toward the other teen. Sword in one hand, he offers the other down. Never mind that his arm has been chewed on. "Up you come, Jovial.."

Zoe_Lang cinches a tourniquet tight on a squirrel's leg, probably more forcefully than she really /needs/ to. Her eye cuts toward the ending battle, looking both pleased and annoyed at the battle's success. "Take him back t' the abbey, on the double," she barks out to a couple of stretcher-bearers.

Gregorian is lost somewhere in the middle of it all. He's not dead, this is the important thing but he has been stabbed a couple of times and lost the ability to put weight on his left leg. He's still trying to make a fight of it when the retreat sounds. Luckily he's only up against the one beast now, the others being incapacitated or in more cases, fighting some other beast. They're all off though and Greg sags a little, quite relived to get out with his head still attached...even if it is swiped at by a passing retreating vermin and he has to fall over to keep said head "Bloody vermin!" he yells after them as he starts work on picking himself up again.

Meanwhile, Taye is sitting up and is staring at his leg. His head is cocked at a horrified angle, because from the knee down his leg is pointing in the wrong direction. Instead of pointing toward the sky, his toes are pointing alarmingly off to the right, and slightly downward. 'Go forth, and puke!' they direct. Well okay, they don't. But Taye wants to.

Saja watches his opponent being pierced by his weapon, the fox taking in a ragged, pitiful breath. Another spatter of blood exits his muzzle, possibly even catching the Major as it sprays. He looks oddly peaceful as the Major goes to strike him down, as if his imminent death is not something unforseen. Then, amazingly, impossibly, he's alive. The Major is running away. The fox lets out a loud laugh, his raspy voice cutting the air around him. He grabs his crossbow, beating as hasty a retreat as he can in his wounded state, laughing all the way. "'Till we meet again, Reaper" he says, half delirious as he retreats with his fellows, the vulpine once again alive when he /really/ shouldn't be.

Pausing to pull the arrow piecing his arm through, Ripclaw takes a look at his battered crew, nearly a third are dead or wounded, and some idiot has stuck his hat! "Don't sleep to peacefully ye rabbits! We'll be waiting for ya!" Then, he disappears into the night.

Hallow lets them go, lowering her bow but watching out for any stragglers staying to fight as the vermin run. A few otters do give chase for a minute or two until realise the majority isn't following but for most of the old hands of the camp there's the injured and dead to find.

"Well, that's going t'make m'daily run a real b-" And the rest is obscured by someone nearby, who is cheering raucously at the vermin's retreat. Taye's head tilts back, looking up at the sky. His butt is getting wet in the snow.

"Oof. Thanks," Jove breathes, trying to get her wind back. She uses her sword to help herself stand, employing Sidney's paw for the same purpose. Then she grins - a little ashen, but definitely, well, jovial. "Whew! 'E caught me a right corker there - 'ey, yer sleeve's lookin' a bit natty." The doe lifts Sid's chewed-on arm a bit, inspecting the fabric.

Holding his breath, Darklett waits as the vermin all pass him. The last one passes, and he sighs out. In frustration, the major takes out his last throwing knife and hurls it at a retreating rat. Hooray, it hits him in the hamstring, probably piercing an artery and leaving him to die. The major... is more pleased. And now for his own retreat. Boy, he has a long walk back to everybeast else. A paw closed over his side, he makes his slow, careful return.

Sidney pins his ears back flat to his head. "I don't even want to know what it looks like underneath the sleeve," he informs Jove, and shuts his eyes for a moment. Then a grin starts to work across his muzzle. "How many did you get?"

The wounded haul themselves back toward the abbey or are carried. Zade, missing his spear and wearing his sword on his hip, heads in the other direction, toward the mess of bloody snow and carcasses now that the fight is over.

"Oh, ah dunno, stopped countin' aftah.. eh. Tha' fox was a slippery one, though. Shoulda got through 'im soonah." Jove sniffs primly as she strides a bit stiffly back, orange-brown eyes picking over the bodies littered across the snow for any survivors. "Lessee.. ah?" She pauses in front of Kedan and tilts her head to the side.

Jove gives the armored otter a careful nudge with her foot.

A few whimpering pirates are still on the field. One particular rat has had the unfortunate luck to be pinned through the leg by an arrow to the ground. She's got no weapons left to her though, one broken dagger laying nearby and what seems to be the rest of it sticking out from the neck of a groaning hare nearby...

Gregorian makes sure both his hammers go back into their place on his belt before nicking a spear from a dead vermin near by and with a lot of muttered cursing and a not very dignified maneuver he's back onto his feet and clutching onto his side. At least he can hop back towards the main lot of hares under his own power...with a good bit of help from the spear.

Kedan is Still knocked out. The only thing that can be seen of him is the fact that he is breathing, how ever may slightly it is and the Arrow sticking out of his shoulder. Aside from that..he looks dead...But He's not dead. Just looks it

"Arright," Zade mutters, "who needs carryin'.. ooh, hello." Not-quite dead fox on the ground in front of him. He draws his sword and fixes that problem, then moves onward. Grinning - just a little.

It seems like he's not even making any progress. Darklett watches through trees and overgrowth as... Everyone seems to be leaving him behind. Oh no.

Sidney glances around, getting a sense for how bad off the other hares are. He recognizes a few dead bodies - some of them recruits like him. The buck rubs at his shoulder and blood comes off on his hand. Lovely. "Six," he mutters at Jove. "Seven? I think.. no. That fox would've been seven."

"Got a live one heah," Jove comments to Sidney, then looks up to signal the healers. "Let's.. oooh, /hell-o./" Except. There's that otter from before. ..grin. She raises her eyebrows at the other hare and grins, an expression that ought to be outlawed by public decency regulations. "There's a sight f'soah eyes, eh? Leh's get 'im ovah heah. Y'c'n thank 'im."

Saja is still laughing at his narrow escape, the normally quiet and reserved vulpine still high off adrenaline. He limps away, rapier still coated with some of the Major's blood, the weapon not even sheathed yet. It's amazing he's had the presence of mind to reclaim his crossbow. Soon enough, his sword is in its sheathe as some semblance of sanity returns to him, the vulpine soon yanking out the knife in his rib. He nearly falls to his knees at the pain, stopping in his tracks. He /barely/ remains standing. That knife is placed into his quiver, to be retrieved later.

Sidney glances upward, looking a little confused. His eyes drop to Zade and then flick away as a grin slides across his mouth. "... pretend like you're worse off than you are," he advises Jove. "I want to see if he can lift your lumpy self."

Don't worry, Dark! Taye's not going anywhere. He may be in shock, though, because he's not hollering in pain. He's just eyeing the twisted leg like it's a thing apart from himself. He starts to struggle to his feet, which is nigh impossible, because any weight put on the leg causes a sinking revulsion to bubble up in his abdomen. He gains his feet - or foot - and balances in that manner.

"Nnh." Darklett grunts. No really, stop... Don't leave... The major's footpaws crunch through the snow, and his paw presses up hard against his side, placing heavy pressure on ... Really, the only /bad/ wound he has now.

"Those're /curves,/" Jove corrects him primly. "'Course you wouldn' know tha'.. OY!" The foghorn again, with that grin and a wave. "Got one foil-wrapped f'yeh!"

Hallow gets back her sword from the ground and checks the otter with the javelin through his chest. Given the positioning she can guess but she checks anyway and no life there. She leaves him where he lies, time for the dead later. She waves her little group off to check on others "Wounded good beasts, over with the hares, wounded vermin...another group by the side" work out what to do with any of them later, she's far too soft to just kill them outright now. She's off round checking for other beasts herself now.

There's a sweet, sweet resistance of a wounded ferret's flesh before it splits open under the shove of Zade's curved blade. He guts the mustelid, watching the slide of innards out onto the snow, and continues on - green eyes moving across the stretch of the road. Looking for hares he's familiar with - Darklett is the first one he finds, still a ways off, and.. hobbling. Sword in hand, he .. is already moving in that direction when Jove calls at him. And another healer moves up to help with the foil-wrapped otter.

Darklett isn't really hobbling. He's just taking his time. The major eyes Zade as he nears. "Go... help somebeast else. I can walk, I'm fine."

"Sure, y' can now," Zade responds, pausing him approach only to lean over, check to see if another corsair is properly dead - and slice off the head. Just to be sure. He nudges it with his foot and watches the pretty pinkish color spread on the snow. Lovely. "I'm more concerned f' those I know. Y' seen Taye?"

"Nah, he was with the archers." Dark's head swivels that way, eyes squinting as he looks for his lieutenant. Taye is standing up, which is good, but he just looks... Off. He heads over there. "Taye!" He hails his lieutenant, palming his side still. His other paw waves high above his head.

He's supposed to be here to.. you know. Carry the injured. Put the muscle mass to some use. But for now Zade is keeping an eye on Darklett - kind of expecting him to topple - and then cutting toward Taye. His pace is faster than Darklett's anyway, and the next two injured vermin he kills are with just absent swipes of his sword. Cutthroat, cutthroat. "How y' doin', Lieutenant?" he aims at the buck.

Jove makes a little "tch" of disappointment, then shrugs. Oh well. "Leh's get back," she suggests to Sid.

Mm? Taye's ears flick. He glances up from his downward inspection of his leg. His brow is damp with sweat, which is kind of clammy in this weather. He waves, and then suddenly decides to sit again. On the stoat. He lands on the dead stoat's back with a thud. And proceeds to punch the yielding flesh. "Bloody git," he mutters.

Sidney nods. His hand is now pressed to his shoulder wound, eyes half-shut. Tired, hurting. A bed would be nice. "Let's," he mumbles, and limps in that direction.

Now here's someone he can pick up, easy. "Fancy a ride, officer?" Zade asks Taye with a broad grin, coming to stand in front of him. And the stoat-couch.

Oh, great. What's wrong with Taye? Darklett goes behind Zade towards the hare, both his paws pushing on his wound. Pressure, pressure. And then he decides to just head for the Abbey, just in case he /does/ collapse.

"What, gonna give me a piggy back ride?" Taye snorts. But his heart's not in it. He holds a paw up to Zade. In other words - pick me up!

Back at the vermin camp, Saja should hardly be one to be happy. Yet, he has a content smile on his muzzle as he's worked on by one of those assigned to tend to the wounded. He takes the pain with pleasure, the vulpine's limited medical knowledge already telling him he'll be having at least a bit of a limp, and quite possibly several scars. His eyes roam the rest of the camp, taking in the shattered morale of several others. He actually chuckles. Oh, the pain and agony is worth it to see the beasts he's come to hate suffering. That, and he has a few trinkets from the fight. He's alive, if battered, and put on a good accounting for himself. Everything an assassin or pirate could want, considering the circumstances.

"Don't fall over, Major," Zade chuckles, looking toward him - then down at Taye. "Not what I had in mind." He leans over to scoop his arms around the buck, hefting him with a fair amount of ease and turning to follow Darklett in the direction of the abbey.

Hissing out through clenched teeth, Taye is lifted. But not before he gets one final punch in on the dead stoat's head. Teach him to mess up a runner's legs. I mean. His /legs/. Seriously.

Darklett actually looks like he is gonna make it this time. He just keeps pressure on that wound, slowly making his way to the Abbey. He's fuming. They won! But he's fuming.

"Bit more successful than the owl hunt, ey Taye?" Zade chuckles as he carries the Long Patrol officer.

"D'ya know how pissed I woulda been if one of those buggers'd started flyin'?" Taye seems to accept his fate, being carried, with fair humor. His leg's swelling up alarmingly, but he's ignoring that.

After the healing crewbeasts get his wounds taken care of, Saja quickly drinks down both painkiller mixtures as well as copious amounts of his mixture for his lungs. More than a little blood has exited his muzzle from his coughing, soon soothed from the herbal remedy. Finally, he can lay back, slowly drifting off into mostly painless sleep.

"I don't e'en want t' think it," the otter chuckles. Unhindered by any injury, Zade moves with long strides toward the abbey. He pauses only to fall into step with Darklett for a moment. "... I can take y' too," he offers, grinning broadly. Pack mule Zade. "Y' might as well, right?"

Darklett snorts. The major shakes his head. "Nah, I'll be fine." And he looks it. He's just... Trudging. And fuming!

"You all righ', Dark?" Taye's good! Sort of.

"Suit y'self, then," the big otter responds, giving a slight nod. He hefts Taye a little more and keeps at Darklett's slower pace while the two converse.

"Yes. I'm alright." Fume! Darklett glances over to Taye. "How's your leg?"

"Um." Taye glances down. The leg is a stiff bolt of notpain. Which is odd and kind of amusing. "Good!" Haaaa.

"You're lyin'." Darklett is /not/ happy. If you didn't get the memo.

"So're you," Taye says in a tone far too chipper.

"Think he'd stab me if I jus' .. slung him o'er my shoulder?" Zade asks Taye. His level of cheerful is somewhere between the two.

"Yep," Taye muses.

No comment. Darklett even tries to pick up speed simply to get to the abbey quicker. Fume.

"Heh," Zade snickers, glancing between the two. "Well it got y' movin' faster, anyway," he directs at the Major, while picking up his own pace.

Darklett grits his teeth, soldiering on toward the Abbey. "If they messed up your leg, I'll kill them all."

Jove has left.

The adrenaline seems to be wearing off, because the absence of pain is starting to fill up. Each step Zade takes jostles it unpleasantly. Dark's words kind of alarm him, not for the sake of the vermin but for the sake of his career. Uh. He can run, he just might do it in very tight circles. o.o;

Zade tries to step lightly. Really he does. But he's a big guy, and 'delicate motions' aren't his forte.

"Every last one of them." And then it hits Darklett-- "I'm completely out of throwing knives. I need to go back." But... He doesn't.

".. oh. No knives?" Zade asks with his eyebrows lifted. "No... weapon of any sort?"

Taye glances sidelong at Darklett.

"Got my daggers. My daggers aren't anything special, though." Darklett is gonna break his teeth if he grinds them any more. "The knives are /my/ knives. I didn't bring any more with me."

"They'll do their normal clean-up, Dark. You'll get 'em back," Taye reassures.

".. aha. But, y' can still stab with daggers. So." Zade is smirking as he says this - resisting the urge to just. Heft Darklett up and carry him too.

In a room page-pose, Zoe_Lang does the Snoopy dance. Eats peanuts.

"Some of them. Hopefully, most of them." Ah, Darklett's just really mad.

Zade stays more or less with Darklett on the way back toward the abbey, keeping nearby while carrying the other buck. Just in case the Major decides to topple over - or ask for a ride.

Bucky boy is feeling kind of swoony. His knee is emitting a kind of monstrous pain, at this point, and it's swelled up such that the pantleg's tight around it. "I'm going to kill them," Taye suddenly says in dropping tones.

"Sure y' will," Zade affirms, "when y' can walk again."

Man, for being the victors of a battle there certainly is a lot of sour moods going on.

Darklett just kinda... Trudges. And that's it.