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 Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:31 pm
Lyka adapted quickly to Moriean's system of sign language, carefully memorizing the landscape around them. A strange feeling was prickling its way down her spine. The hum of the mountains was muted by distance and it made her nervous to be away from them. When the wind changed directions, she thought she might have scented something unusual, but there were too many things for her to confuse it with so near the Blashini Forest.
She trotted along beside the older cougar, paying careful attention while trying to walk as silently as possible.
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:38 pm
Once Moriean was sure it was safe, she quietly whispered to Lyka.
"Theta wants us to try and extend the territory by a few feet. Every foot more is more for us. But be ready for a fight in case a patrol comes."
With that, Moriean lead Lyka into Dewclaw Territory. They went about 10 feet beyond the border so they could start claiming it as their own. Marks on trees, rocks, and other things marked different territories. Moriean began adding Quicktalon's mark to the trees, scratching out DewClaws.
Now that took guts, thought the ninja as she watched the elder show the younger how to defy set boundries. She would have to teach them a lesson. Moving from shadow to shadow, the deadly warrior approached the two.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 8:48 am
While Moriean was busy altering the marks, Lyka stood as a lookout. Her ears flickered about nervously and she couldn't shake off the feeling that they weren't alone, but she couldn't be sure. There were so many more sounds and smells in the forest, and the trees blocked out the moon. Of course they weren't alone, they were surrounded by a multitude of living things, a complex system compared to the harsh and barren Molrague.
She hissed softly at the darkness. There was danger, she just wasn't sure what kind.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:15 am
Moriean was about to move on when two metal objects landed right were her hand had just been. they were small star-shaped metal throwing knives. The elder tensed and immediately stood her ground.
Over by a tree, two orange eyes opened and looked at the two. A voice spoke, but the rest of the creature was hidden by the shadows.
"This is not Quicktalon Territory, I suggest you destroy that boundry mark and get back to hiding in the mountains."
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 10:46 am
Dewclaw! Lyka flattened her ears, her tail lashing. So it would come to fighting, well fighting was one thing that Quicktalons did best. She stepped up next to Moriean, attempting to make the pair look stronger by numbers. It was a crude tactic, but sometimes it worked. She twitched her arm so the blade flashed threateningly.
The blue-grey cougar kept a stern and hostile facade although her heart pounded with fear. What if this was the powerful new warrior that Moriean had mentioned. Here there were no cliffs for her to hide on. Lyka steeled herself, remembering what she had learned from the wolves. She had to stay clear-headed. Attacking without thinking was naught more than a blind struggle.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:16 am
"Well well, it seems you wish to fight for it. You daughter seems ready to use that blade. But I wonder if it will be her first and last use. Really now, don't you think it dangeorus for such a new member of yours tribe?"
The voice seemed to circle them, taunting them by never being the same place for long. Something was definately not normal about this warrior and Moriea could sense it. She had head the legends, and by the look of those throwing stars, this was who Vixa and Theta were talking about. She hadn't heard much but she had a good idea that this warrior might kill them both if they didn't think fast. She had get Lyka back to the Quicktalon Territory, she'd worry about herself later.
"Dangerous? Ha! Seems the only danger we have is getting dizzy from your circling."
Moriean leaned over to Lyka and whispered something she'd never thought she'd hear herself say.
"When I say, we make a break for the mountains. I don't think we can win this."
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:51 am
Run away?! That was cowardly! That was against the Quicktalon way! Her heart pounded even harder and she let out a soft growl, both because she was nervous and to voice her question-ness to Moriean. To flee was against the Quicktalon code, but to disobey orders was even more so. She was prepared to fight to defend her tribe, but she would follow Moriean's word without question, or at least she wouldn't ask them until the ordeal was over.
The voice was smug and cool, not quite the pinnicle of irritating, but close enough. What bothered Lyka most was that she couldn't see the other warrior, although her scent was more than enough to identify her later. But Moriean was worried. Strong, brave Moriean was worried. That in and of itself put her on edge and she readied herself to bolt.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:14 pm
"Lets begin."
The voice was clearly to the left but the attack came from the right. It was a punch, no weapon. Moriean heard it at the last minute and blocked it with a gauntlet. Now it was obivious as to why they couldn't see their attacker, she was completely black! The only thing you could ever see were her eyes. A kick was delievered to Lyka's middle almost a second after the hit to Moriean.
Moriean had never seen someone so fast. She hit her then kicked Lyka in a matter of seconds! She tried her best to defend the new one next to her, but the other cougar was so fast she couldn't land one punch. And top it off, the warrior had no armor and could withstand blocking the heavy hit of Moriean's gauntleted hand.
"Lyka! Get up! Head for our boundry! I'll hold her off!"
It may only have been about 10 feet away, but Lyka had to make it past that area as it was still considered a war zone. She had to be deeper into the mountains in order for the Dewclaw not to follow. She had to get Lyka back. And thus the fight started, but if Lyka looked closely, the black cougar was toying with Moriean. She was faster than she was letting on and simply letting the Quicktalon think she could get the upper hand.
The black cougar moved completely without sound, it was as if she wasn't there. The noise she had made before was on purpose to get their attention. The Shadows seemed to cloack her whenever she was near them, blurring her outline and her movements.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 2:42 pm
The kick caught her right beneath the ribs, knocking the wind out of her. She rolled with the kick, coming to her feet and made a dash for the boundary at Moriean's orders. She bounded upwards and propelling herself to the trunk of a tree, her new weapons leaving deep scores in the wood. It wasn't the same as climbing. The woodland offered no reassuring hum of energy, but it was the most efficient way for her. She pushed off hard and two trees later, she was back in Quicktalon land.
She made it across the border, but something was wrong. Why wasn't Moriean following? She looked back and hissed in fear. The black warrioress was strong, much stronger than she let on. Too strong for Moriean! She was silent, and almost completely invisible. The only indication of her movements was the subtle swoosh of air that came with the speed of her strikes. Why wasn't Moriean coming?!
Lyka paused, unsure whether she should run for the mountains as told or go back in and try to distract the black warioress.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 2:51 pm
The sounds of the battle raged on for a few more minutes. Somewhere in the kicks and hits, a blade was drawn as the sound was easy to detect. But suddenly, all the sounds stopped. It was quiet......so very quiet. Not even the insects were making noise. One last noise was heard, something heavy and metal hitting the ground. Then silence again. Moriean did not appear, there was no sound of someone approaching. There was only quiet.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 3:34 pm
When there was no response from her mentor, Lyka headed back the way she came. She hesitated at the border, listening carefully. There was no sound from either Moriean or the black warrioress. She ventured back across the border and what she saw stopped her dead in her tracks.
Laying on the forest floor was the body of the once proud Daughter of the Mountains. Even in the great distance, she could hear the stones rumble with the passing of their kin.
Lyka fell upon the still warm corpse, restaining the red fur of her hands as she wetted them in Moriean's blood. She let out a roar of despair, no longer caring if anyone heard her. Moriean was dead, and someone was going to suffer for it. She sniffed the air carefully, looking for the black cougar, but she was long gone. The cliffs cougar roar-screamed again and slashed away the newly-reinstated Dewclaw mark and most of the tree it was on along with it in a fit of rage, leaving the softwood showing underneath like a gaping white wound. She defiantly added Quicktalon's mark and returned to Moriean's body, hefting the larger huntress over her shoulder and dragging her back into the mountains.
Since Lyka didn't know the rest of the border, she started back towards the home caves with her greif and her burden.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 3:48 pm
Up in the trees, Katarina watch the young one. As per Ninja tradition, she had ended the fight with one deadly strike. Her katana had gone straight through for a quick kill. And the young one was obviously upset by the death of her elder. Well, it would make for more interesting fights later on. Now she had to get back and inform Anya of the Quicktalon's attempt at extending their territory.
Back at the tribe's main caves, Theta stood up. The mountains were disturbed. Something had happened. She walked out of her cave and looked towards the Dewclaw territory. Had there been another battle?
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 4:14 pm
Lyka managed to travel back quickly, despite Moriean's weight. She walked blindly, numb with emotion and the cliffs shook and echoed with her rage. Her body sunk right into the stone walls, taking comfort in the feel of them pressing against her gently like she was submerged in water. A long while later, she emerged near the home caves, standing firm under the mass of the fallen warrior, but underneath the flood of anger, she felt broken.
"Cheiftess Theta. Moriean is dead."
Her voice was curt and she snapped her teeth together at the end of the breif message, still unable to still her rage.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 4:21 pm
Theta called the other adults and teens over. She took the body of the fallen cougar from Lyka and laid her down. Looking at the wound, it was obvious to her what made it. She looked to Vixa who had joined them.
"Call the tribe together. Tell me everything that happened Lyka. Every. Single. Word."
Theta was dead serious and the look her in eyes was not a happy one. Soon the tribe had assmbled, kittens and all.
Eris just blinked. Normally she would be asleep right now but her Aunt had slapped her awake. Jei had been more gently awoken with an apology for disturbing her rest. Now she stood and waited for what news Theta had. Apparently one of them had been killed.
Ruth stood her ground with her daughter and Eris at her feet. She wondered what was so important about a patroler's death that the whole tribe had to be called. She knew Moriean was a good fighter but did it really warrent all this?
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:11 pm
Delila realized she should have been sleepy, but she wasn't. Perhaps it was the circumstances for which they had been called together, or the general hum of tension rippling through the gathered tribe members. Whatever it was had Delila wide awake and alert, her deep red eyes glistening in the darkness.
Her eyes scanned over the crowd, realizing that every member of the tribe, from the youngest to the oldest were gathered together at Theta's command. She realized that something very big was going to happen tonight, though she could have inferred that from the way her fur stood on end tonight, almost seeming to tingle with electric energy.
She crossed her arms, glancing almost absentmindedly at the marks on her upper arms and shoulders. Her wounds from the Festival had healed nicely, she was pleased to note, though they had only been minor kitten-fight gashes. Still, she had handled the situation on her own and that was enough to be proud of for now. Almost ironically, her gaze now passed over the mottled green and brown kitten that had attacked her at the Festival. Smirking darkly to herself, she thought, Haven't had any trouble from you since then, either, have I?
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