Major Thread Fortuna Vitrea Est

[Izakis]

While a lot of good things could be said about Izakis, both about her physical and mental attributes, battle knowledge was not one of them. She absolutely did not anticipate an explosion from her actions, because she simply had not much experience in such matters. She was already on the floor while it had happened, and the beast that cut her tail took a piece of mangled metal to their back and the bulk of the explosive force, saving the skink from decapitation and maiming.

Still, she was no soldier, no fighter. Izakis was just an escort, with all her skills revolving around that trade. The heat from flames that pumped her blood was now subsiding. The pain from a bolt stuck in her arm as well as cut tail was debilitating. Her rush of conviction and bravery had faded, leaving a scared, wounded lizard behind. One that absolutely should've run away while she could have.

But she was glad she didn't, in a way, she never felt more alive than in those past few minutes, doing something that felt much more valuable than all of her past work. That feeling was really great, but as the buzz was faltering, her survival instincts kicked in.

She barely lifted herself onto the three usable appendages, starting to walk on them in the direction the others had run just before the explosion did happen. One thing that pained her was that no beast waited for her. But she was used to it. She wasn't a Smudgie after all, they cared for one another first and foremost. What beast would care for an escort? Not like she had anyone to return to, she didn't even have a place to return to.

Part of her accepted that she will die here. Alone, among many others. Because she would die satisfied with her deed. But the more instinctual part still carried her forward towards the doors Smudgies retreated through.

She wasn't that wounded after all, her body was just unadjusted to the shock and pain at this grade.

@Liza Fairpaw

 

[Alwyn Ryalor]

Soon after the explosion, Alwyn’s worst fears materialized in a manner even he did not expect-not just one, or a few assassins, but multiple groups of them, all foxes, firing crossbows into the crowd and he already knew on the inside that it had to be the Vulpine Supremacists from his inspection of the corpse earlier. Of course, both his mother and father were here, seen as species traitors, and Kilaris was seen as a “progressive” as well with his squirrel Vice Minister. He hurriedly looked towards them, but thankfully, being further away, they did not seem to be particularly hurt by the shrapnel damage, and, luckily, his father’s beasts, former companions from the Hide, and a few of his mother’s beasts were there to protect them, though he could tell from how they were moving they were heading towards him-likely his father had analyzed the situation, and would want to get into the square of the heavily armored guard. In truth, his first priority should be directing the entire squad to move towards them to make that easier, but...

Finnian.

Alwyn turned, just in time for chills to go down his spine as he watched a full squad of the Supremacists burst from a side door, against only Theo and Oscar, who were down to their sidearms, likely losing their main ones during the explosion. His breath caught in his throat as he watched them open fire, but Oscar managed to warn Theo in time before going down in a hail of crossbow bolts, though he saw several strike the squad’s medic in the back as he protected the thing Alwyn valued most in this world.

Change of plans, and Mother and Father would agree if they knew.

“You three, on me! Daniil, you’re in command now-rescue my parents and then do as you see fit!”

Pointing at three of the remaining ten members of his squad, he began to dash forward, watching, in what felt like slow motion, as Oscar ambushed and killed two of them, before flinging himself at the three closest to Finnian, trying to defeat them in detail as he had been trained. But the odds were poor.

Hold on, Oscar, Finnian, and Theo, I’m coming!

------------------

The leader of the small squad of Vulpine Supremacists, an albino white fox, snarled as Oscar rose from the grave, directing with his paws his two closest subordinates to handle him, as a new challenger approached. An older todd, with seemingly just one paw and a prosthetic, ran forward shouting some nonsense, came charging at them with a makeshift buckler made out of a serving tray and the broadsword one of the Stoaties had dropped. He laughed, racing forward to meet him with a two-handed diagonal upward slash of his cutlass as he called out to taunt the beast.

“Ye want a fight ye daft graymuzzle? Fine, I’ll give ye one!”

@Jeshal the Ironclaw @Minerva @Cricket @FinnianBrightfur @Daniil Ryalor

 

[Talinn Ryalor]

Talinn was focused entirely on the battle now, the old soldier taking in the tactical situation, and, as Kaii managed to grab some pieces of cover, he ordered the first two of his four Mistcloaks to go with him and the others at the front of their little column making their way towards the Guard formation, following behind Swifttail and his improvised shield to give him protection, while two covered their rear. The expert Fyadoran commandos took careful aim with their scoped crossbows, taking out beasts where they could, but it was difficult in all the chaos, confusion, movement, and the orders not to try to not hit the panicking civilians that were running every which way-not so much out of compassion, but because the ammunition their repeating crossbows packed was limited.

The Duke, meanwhile, could only roll forward in his wheelchair, using both of his paws to hurry along with the group and to call out orders. He did have his knife with him, but, he doubted he could put up much, if any, of a fight in his condition, instead using his mind as a weapon and to observe what he could.

First, he surveyed their destination, the group of Guardsbeasts, whose armor had largely protected them from the worst effects of the blast, despite being closer to it. They seemed to be forming up in a square formation, and he nodded slightly. That made sense-his son had likely spotted them, and was going to protect them with a literal wall of steel and polearms. This would be made even more potent, if his commandos survived, by the archers who could fire through the gaps in their ranks at any ranged opponents. What did not make sense, however, was Alwyn, suddenly, inexplicably, breaking formation with a third of his squad, breaking off towards a more distant section of the room. He tried to see what had alarmed his son enough to break formation, but was distracted by a closer yelling.

Silvertongue!

He watched, stunned for a moment, as his former Aide-De-Camp broke forward from the relative safety of the formation to launch himself headfirst into a nearby group of the Supremacists, throwing all caution to the wind, using his lute of all things to battle them. He wondered if he was hallucinating due to the affects of the white powder he took to manage his anxiety-it was not, strictly speaking, impossible, but that had not been reported among the side effects. Further adding to his confusion was yet another Hidesbeast, the young poet Darragh, coming seemingly out of nowhere to join in with him-that, at least, made a little sense-this was, after all, a Niceties function. But those two were out of formation, out of control, and could easily get themselves hurt for no reason other than bloodlust.

Follow the damn strategy for once, everyone, and, by the Kitsune, you are not making it easy for me to fulfill the promise I gave your ancestors, you cursed Songfox!

“SILVERTONGUE! HARPER! BACK IN FORMATION! WE HAVE A GOAL KITSUNE DAMN YOU! TO THE GUARDS!”

The Lord of Westisle was not in a mood to play around.

@Kaii Nashirou @Mina Rose Brewer @Dusk Rainblade @Darragh Harper @Matisse Dubois @Silvertongue Songfox @SwifttailTheFox

 

[Liza Fairpaw]

@Izakis

In the smoke and haze, the rat Longblade nearly collided with Izakis. She had lost her spear in the explosion and was slightly dazed, but the Unsmudgable had enough sense to grab hold of the lizard and pull her away from the recovering attackers.

"This way. Follow me."

The pair tripped and stumbled over debris and found Rory and his injured charges behind a charred curtain and large chunk of smashed pipe organ.

"What's it lookin' like over there, Tera?" the sea otter inquired without looking up from where he was wrapping strips of bandage around Liza to keep the packed gauze in place around the protruding metal in her torso.

Tera tried to speak, coughed, and grabbed a canteen of water from Rory's medical pack. After taking a quick swig, she shook her head and spoke hoarsely. "Unless we can get these injured beasts outta here fast, we're pinned."

She glanced at Izakis, sizing her up and holding the canteen out to her. "You fit enough to help me carry him?" The rat pointed to the other injured individual, an unconscious weasel with a heavy, bloodied wrap about his head.

---

@Kal Goldtail @Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw

Caden had managed to push himself into a sitting position leaning against an overturned table. Even that amount of effort took his breath away for the pain. He noted that there was a portion of his back and shoulder he simply could not feel. The marten tried to push away thoughts of what that meant, his mind keen on creating the most horrific of scenarios. Instead his mind switched to thoughts of Asta and Daniil and their potential fates. Between the explosion and now what sounded like battle raging in the atrium, that line of thought was just as panic-inducing. As Whisper played their flute, he focused on the notes and breathed through his rising panic. Focus. He had been in plenty of tight spots, many life or death scenarios. What were his options now in his immediate vicinity? What could he do to take back some control for himself?

Though he could not see details far away, everything a blur around him, the marten pulled his awareness out of himself and his fear and looked around. Through the sound of Whisper playing and the noise of the fight in the atrium, his ears picked up movement, somebeast picking through the wreckage, behind him to his right. He hissed in pain, turning to squint in the dim light and through the smoke at what to him was barely more than a silhouette framed by the light of flames.

"Whisper," he managed to gasp, tugging weakly at their leg. "Somebeast is coming." The jack lifted his paw to wave in the direction of the beast approaching, hoping they could help.

 

[Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw]

Whisper stopped playing at the delicate tug they felt. Looking down at Caden, they were unable to understand a word, but aside from horrible state they were at, they could figure out they needed attention. Following the paw, the fox spotted another vixen. What followed was one of the hardest battles Whisper had in their entire life. And still not the hardest one they fought today.

And it was about a simple act of calling out to them. Requesting help.

Something Whisper was ashamed of. Someone their age wouldn't by any means need one to just move a beast. Not them, not the pathetic, worthless creature calling themself a fake name that perfectly represented their importance. They were but a whisper in a sea of voices.

But at the same time, the warped connection Whisper had for a beast that, in their mind, tried to snag them was impossible to ignore. Whisper felt that they had to do something to help Caden. Anything. And they were mostly unharmed thanks to his efforts.

Slowly, Whisper stood up, taking their scarf out while taking a few steps towards the newcomer. At the same time they were holding their paws high, scared and unwilling to look into vixen's eyes.

And after what felt like eternity to them, the melodic voice, still carrying the melody of the flute from before filled the air. Whisper for once actually spoke.

"Help. Help me save this beast. I will do anything..."

Pointing at Caden who was just behind, Whisper almost fainted from just how much it costed them. That was their plea, to save a beast who saved them.

@Kal Goldtail @Caden S. Freemont

 

[Izakis]

Izakis was pulled out of her own misery by one of the Smudgies who grabbed and pulled her. The temporary darkness that clouded her mind was quickly gone because she again realised she was among beasts who, like her, care for others. Despite her previous thinking she quickly gathered herself to action. Rejuvenated mentally, she went with the rat and to join with the small group.

She stood there like a sore thumb, and as much as she was not at all bothered with her bared scales, she had a need to belong that was fundamental for her safety. She took a Sumdgie cape from one of the corpses, paying her respects by closing their lids with her good arm.

Covering herself with it, she felt a bit more safe because of even fake allegience. At the request to help the weasel Izakis chuckled.

"I have one arm wounded, cut tail and I am rather weak... But I will do what I can. Just tell what I sssshould do."

@Liza Fairpaw

 

[SwifttailTheFox]

Swifttail’s paw shot out as Silvertongue suddenly broke from their cover, but his claws only caught air. “Silvie!!!” The bard was already past him, lute raised like a cudgel, leaping into the fray with reckless abandon. Swift lurched a step after him, panic blazing in his chest, but the sharp tkk-tkk of crossbow bolts striking splinters from the floorboards at his feet drove him back.

Teeth gritted, he ducked behind the jagged edge of the overturned table and heaved it up into position, shouldering the makeshift barricade into place. The wood creaked under the strain, but it would serve.

Somewhere behind him, Talinn’s voice cut angrily across the chaos. It drove home what Swift already knew: their charge was to reach the Guards, not to chase glory.

His ears burned hot, shame and fear tangling in his chest. He slammed his weight into the shield again, shoving it forward, eyes never leaving the bard out in the smoke and chaos. “Silvie! Get your daft pantaloons back over here!” he bellowed, voice raw, echoing with desperation as he tried to anchor himself in the fight.

Out of the haze another figure appeared. Darragh, of all beasts, stumbling back into the fray with a borrowed blade and a wild grin. Swift’s heart skipped. At least Silvie wouldn’t be alone out there. But Great Seasons, this was madness.

Kaii’s steady shape loomed at his flank, voice carrying over the din, urging order and survival. Swift ground his teeth and pushed the shield forward again, planting himself in line with his friend. Whatever else came, he would hold the barrier and keep the path clear until Silvertongue came to his senses, or they dragged him back by the scruff.

@Silvertongue Songfox @Darragh Harper @Kaii Nashirou @Talinn Ryalor @Mina Rose Brewer

 

[Cricket]

It was all chaos. Cricket could feel her own tail curl about her leg in a self-comforting gesture as she flinched with every scream and thud or rattle of crossbow bolts. She was no stranger to conflict: beasts fought and died on the streets all the time and even one of her age had seen much she should not, but it all paled in comparison to the sheer scale of the fighting. Numbly she took the spear thrust into her paws, gripping hard enough that her scales paled at the knuckles. It was a short spear, a well-decorated, heavy type she supposed was for stabbing at beasts rather than anything with great reach. It felt heavy and unwieldy, as did the fear in her chest at the explosion of noise and violence around her.

Finnian was doing his best to participate; somewhere in the back of her mind she regarded him with a newfound appreciation, the way he was handling himself, almost suddenly treated as equal compared to five minutes prior. Convenient. Still, she could hardly resent the guards right now: Finn clearly cared deeply for them and they he, even as the numbers continued to look scary.

Jeshal was moving with skill which belied the ridiculousness of his armaments to meet another todd. Her scales fired up again. The older fox had seen to keeping her here (for good or ill, now) and had only tried to help her and Finnian. She couldn’t just…let him go alone. A glance to Finn in the melee saw him with one of the downed guards. She couldn’t leave him either.

Well, putting thought into something wasn’t really her strong suit.

Gripping the shortspear until it felt all but welded to her paws to stop them shaking, the gecko levelled the weapon and took a flat-out run at the albino todd. “GET BACK FROM ‘IM!”


@Jeshal the Ironclaw @Minerva @Alwyn Ryalor @FinnianBrightfur

 

[Mina Rose Brewer]

Mina Rose didn't know what was going on. She clung to Kaii, holding tight to him as he and his cohorts mounted a defense against the sudden attack. She didn't know why beasts were fighting; no one had yet explained the concept of vulpine supremacists to her, and, being from a woodlander-majority area, she'd have found the concept very silly anyway - at least, if those who believed in it weren't trying to kill them all at the moment.

She let out a sharp whine of pain as something sharp struck her right in the floof of her tail. She glanced down, the injury throbbing, and saw a bolt sticking from the orange fur, a small amount of red seeping out around it. She didn't know if the indignity of the wound hurt more or less than the physical pain; she could only bury her face in her protector's chest, clinging to him as she sobbed out of pain, terror, and the accumulated stress of the day leaking from her eyes.

~~~

Marianna cursed that she hadn't thought to hide a blade on her person, or tuck one away in her purse. Bully Harbor was dangerous, but she'd grown complacent as of late, certain that her position as de facto head of the Furotazzi Family, as well as Ivo's company on her arm, would be enough to dissuade any attackers. Apparently the armed and armored beast attacking Ivo did not view him the same way she did.

She whined in a moment of panic as the attacker struck her toddfriend, the sharp crack portending a broken bone and, if given the opportunity, far worse injuries to come. Marianna acted on instinct; she didn't have a weapon, but she did have teeth. She leaped on the armored beast's back, lunging at him and finding his ear with her teeth. She bit, hard, giving in to the primal instinct to protect her lover, and tasted blood as she pierced and tore the thin flesh.

The vulpinist screamed in pain, flailing with his weapon to try to strike her but missing as he avoided his own head. Instead he threw himself at the wall, slamming Marianna against it and jarring her teeth loose. She could still taste the blood between her teeth, and saw that the fox's ear was now shredded ribbons of flesh matted with blood and saliva. The fox slammed her against the wall instead, and this time the impact to her skull was enough to stun her. He got a paw on her wrist and flung her to the floor, staggering as he worked through the pain, then, murder in his eyes, he raised the mace high.

Marianna watched, too dazed to move, a brief regretful thought crossing her mind. I'm sorry Ivo. I hope you find someone after me.

~~~

Dusk ducked as bolts and arrows flew through the air, swearing as she banged her knee trying to hide behind an overturned table. 'Gates, this was an absolute mess! She'd be hearing no end of it from everyone about this intelligence failure, assuming that she survived to take the blame. We need to get out of here first. She assumed based on timing that the vulpinists were responsible for the abrupt departure of Kilaris from both his own party and his own body; one of the more clever among them had thrown torches onto the rug in the entrance hall and tossed some grog that way as well, creating a fire hazard that was keeping their quarry trapped in the building. Damn it, where is that-

Someone landed on a table nearby. Well, by 'landed on it', she really meant 'crashed through it'. The dark-suited wildcat picked himself up, amazingly still functional despite the shards of wood, glass, porcelain, and bent cutlery that had cushioned his fall, leaving him covered in blood, sweat, and debris. He seized a fragment of the table and hefted it as an improvised shield, grabbing another long board as an impromptu sword. He advanced to hold rank with the guardbeasts, despite the looks of misgiving on their faces. "About time," Dusk snapped at him. "I was starting to think you'd taken my money and run."

"Job's not done," the wildcat said gravely, raising his shield to catch a bolt intended for his face. "Back stairwell, north side. They had an ambush set at the staff entrance. It's clear now. We make it there, we can get out."

"Oh, is that all," Dusk remarked scathingly, looking around at the fire, smoke, and murderous foxes between here and there. "Husband dearest," she called to her handicapped other half, "can that chair roll over all the bodies we'll need to lay out on our escape, or will you need to be carried?"

~~~

Morgan ducked again as shouts and sounds of violence came through the open doors leading to the atrium. She swore vehemently as she leaned back, catching sight of foxes in mismatched armor assaulting the guests. "Bloody brilliant, it's a vulpinist attack," she grumbled. Her mother had warned her repeatedly to steer clear of any groups of rough-looking foxes; they'd been a scourge during her youth, and apparently they hadn't gone away since. Morgan glanced back to Vihma, adding, "We shoul' prob'bly run, I don' reckon 'ey'll be too kind ta two jills 'idin' in... Caden!"

She darted over to where the marten, singed and worse for the wear, was trying to rise, a young fox weakly calling and gesturing toward Morgan to help. The burns across his body spoke to the cost of that action. "'Gates," Morgan exclaimed, putting her paws under his shoulder and trying to pull him into a more sheltered spot. "Vim," she called to her partner, "can ya give me a paw 'ere? We needa get 'em out."

~~~

Daniil's head was swarming in the chaos, pulled every which way. His aunt and uncle were under attack in the atrium, there were wounded and shellshocked all around, his lover's daughter was on the verge of tears, and somewhere in the smoke and ash was his lover - alive or dead, he did not know. He wanted to collapse, to hide, to wait until it was all over.

Instead he raised his voice, trying to shout with more authority than he felt he had. "Men, get the Ministers to safety! Asta," he directed to the jill, taking a moment to try to meet her gaze, "hide. Hide under a table until I or your father come find you, okay? If you hear anyone else, don't make a sound." He prayed that, whatever was going on, these attackers wouldn't strike at an unarmed jill - though that they'd struck a party didn't bode well for that. He ran after Alwyn, intent on saving his family by name so that he could then focus on saving the family he'd chosen.

~~~

Lily wasn't a fighter. She hadn't really trained for it; she'd barely learned enough to keep herself safe in a bar brawl, much less a pitched fight like this one. So, while her comrades charged forward to death (hopefully that of others and not their own), she hesitated. Hefting the crossbow, she slipped behind the buffet table and, kneeling, aimed at the cluster of foxes that were gathering themselves into a defensive posture in the center of the room. She fired, and the crossbow bucked at the sudden force, swinging and sending the bolt flying into the tail of an orange-furred vixen - 'Gates, Mina-whatsit! Lily's guilt briefly surged at the unintended friendly fire, or at least the hit on a civilian. Ain't no civvies in war, she reminded herself - and that was what this was. Anyone who was here was either friend or foe, no inbetween. She reloaded her crossbow, aimed toward the cluster of foxes, and fired again.

 

[Kal Goldtail]

@Caden S. Freemont @Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw

Breathe in. Breathe out. Don't throw up. Breathe in. Breathe o-

Kal was forced to stop her mantra and putting one foot in front of the other as she heard someone speak. She raised her head and made effort to focus on two beasts. The one asking for help seemed fine, if terrified or otherwise in shock, but the other was on the ground, propped up. She couldn't see that clear from the distance, and she quickly dismissed an idea to just... move forward and ignore the bunch. She corrected the course towards the two, and had to really fight herself to not give in to the nausea combined with the sight and smell of the burned, injured beast. That being said, a ferret that seemed to personally know the injured, was quicker to the action - Kal hesitated for a moment, but decided to approach anyway.

She had some lectures about helping the injured, but she would be lying to say that was her call in education or that she imagined herself at the time in situations where it could be useful. Too late to go back and listen closely now, though. The beast didn't seem to be bleeding too much, at least, to her untrained eye that is. Looking at the build of the marten Kal had doubts she could lift them herself, even if she was not in her current state.

"Bloody 'ell." She muttered, before speaking louder to the ferret, who was trying to call over someone else. "I can help get 'em out. I think." She propped Caden - at least that's what the ferret referred to the beast as - up by the other side. "Whatever we do, it's gonna hurt like hell. Try to help us, eh?" Kal prepared for the weight and waited to see if the marten can walk with assistance of two beasts.

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

When the vixen Kaii held let out a yelp of pain, he instantly sought out the source. If we here to fail in his duty so quickly, he would take his life before the Duchess and Duke would even order it. Luckily, it was only a bolt to the tail, painful, but not deadly. With his paws occupied, he lifted the tail of the poor thing and bit out the protruding part of the bolt so that she wouldn't accidentally have it tugged by somebeast of some object, further wounding her. Some part of Kaii wanted to tell the vixen that she would be safe, but his rational self was now in command, so he could only move his tail around hers, further cocooning Mina in his protective hold.

While doing so, Kaii spotted as Silvertongue left the improvised shield to Swift, much to the dismay of most, throwing himself into the heat of combat. Kaii wasn't however angry, he couldn't be really, he felt however a pang of sadness. He stood up for the flamboyant fox and promised him his protection, supported his and Swifttail's feelings and assisted them in coming out. Now Silvertongue was refusing to partake in Kaii's request, not only endangering himself, leaving Kaii at the crossroads of "who is the most important beast here to protect?", but also endangering the whole group.

Worse than that, somehow Darragh of all possible beasts joined him from the flank. Kaii didn't even get to question from where did the young poet come from, but fortunately, he didn't have to say a word. Duke did. And Kaii was once more appreciating that Talinn was one level-headed todd. Kaii also was grateful that his platinum-furred friend trusted in his words. That at least ensured the marble fox that his best friend trusted him fully.

He was not an officer, but he was a voice of reason. So he continued his requests to his friends and fellow crewbeasts, hoping they would get he had only best the interest of them all in mind. "DARR, SILVIE! Come here and help Swifttail to hold the shield! If you want to melee, move behind the tables so you can do so while not risking taking a bolt to a muzzle." He requested with authoritative coldness. Still, it was an appeal to reason, not a command.

Just after that, Duchess Dusk spoke with some wildcat. Kaii noticed instantly one thing. They too were a beast of rational duty. He had some orders and would see to them no matter what. The way they spoke and acted was unmistakable. And while Kaii couldn't do now much more than he already was doing, holding Mina being an absolute priority. He turned his stoic visage to the duchess and a Duke or at least tried to as some explosions made the building tremble again. They were coming from a backstage this time at least.

Kaii cursed the fact he couldn't fight, but he had one more solution to propose.

"Your graces. Command us and your people to pick up the tables. With the door we have, we can turtle from all sides with wood, making us capable of moving steadily without risking bolts or blades too much. Should someone step in our way, we can attack from the inside through gaps. With such number of enemies, that I think is the best to ensure safety of all of us." He said rationally. He held the daughter of the two in his paws, being tasked with guarding her. If they were to trust him with her, maybe they would also trust in his mind.

Too focused on the matter, he acted and spoke without noticing that a bolt hit his arm.

@SwifttailTheFox @Silvertongue Songfox @Darragh Harper @Mina Rose Brewer @Dusk Rainblade @Talinn Ryalor

 

[Ivo Suresight]

Marianna threw herself at the attacker with a primal fury. This alone ensured Ivo that his trust in her was not misplaced. She fought for him fiercely, wildly, relentlessly. And that short moment when she did what damage she could with her teeth and fangs alone was well needed for Ivo to recover just enough to act despite the horrible pain in his broken arm.

But before he could move, the brute threw himself to the side, smashing Marianna into the wall and pinning her against it.

It was now Ivo's turn to unleash what nature encoded into each beast. For a moment, he forgot about his wound, his pain, his own safety. He held up the dagger in his good paw, jumped back and launched himself from the nearby column. His target was raising their mace at their lover and Ivo was angrier than ever. His red eyes now took the colour of blood crimson, signifying the rage within him.

Reaching the armoured supremacist, he stuck his dagger into their skull, the force of the pounce making it pierce through the bone. But Ivo wasn't done yet, even if no beast could survive that. His momentum now shifted, he pulled the dagger down, straining further his back and body. But he wasn't caring now much for that. Wounds heal with time and Ivo would see to them both leaving this place no matter what.

Thanks to that manoeuvre, the beast fell down onto Ivo, saving Marianna from being crushed by this armoured slab of meat. Ivo let go of the dagger and shifted to the side, just enough to only have his legs crushed under the falling beast. While painful, it was not enough to break his legs. The enemy had hit the floor hard, Ivo's dagger, thanks to the force of the fall, dug through the whole length of the head, leaving the tip of it protruding from the front now.

As the slime from the slain enemy's head started to stain the floor along their blood, Ivo snarl relaxed and his temporary rage subsided. He looked at Marianna and, after a moment, just spoke to her with tired, pained voice. "Help me out an' less jus' get outta 'ere. The window at corridor's end. There's 'nough water 'neath it, if we jump to it, we'll jus' get wet and we can escape." Ivo said no more. They could discuss it all some other time. For now, he just wanted safety for them two.

@Marianna Furotazzi

 

[Minerva]

Minerva dutifully continued to shoot an arrow after arrow. Never stopping to take down the targets. This was testing her skills as she had to constantly take down the beasts that tried to come closer while moving and hiding enough to not get hit by a bolt. However Minerva was a daughter of winter, born from the frost itself. She would not falter in such a scenario no matter what.

Well, there was one thing, she was not in a hunt, nor under attack. She was meant to protect other beasts now.

And they all decided to throw themselves into melee. No matter how big or small. She cursed heavily in her mother tongue, taking a moment behind the cover to think what she ought to do. She could continue to stop the ones coming closer, or she could rain down the arrows like icicles upon the ones that the whole group was fighting with.

She decided for the latter. She was now only having her Yakut knife to fight close range, she needed somebeast to stand and protect her flanks while she continued to shoot. Also, she had to recover some arrows. She only had forty-eight arrows in her double quiver, and there were way more targets than that. Even if she was decently managing them, in most cases using one arrow for one kill, a reserve was good to have.

So she started running, and she was fast, not many beasts could run that quickly no matter what. She got into a close range of the beasts surrounding the fancy kit and his guards. There, she could do her favourite trick. She nocked two arrows at once, and thanks to being in close-quarters with her targets, she could reliably aim into two of them at the same time. The power was diminished, but it was still enough to pierce flesh, just not armour. At this range however, she could easily aim at the weak points.

With that, she provided enough damage to let Jeshal and the others to have much easier time with the danger at paw. After they were done, she hid behind the table again, barking out her thoughts. "I need beasts to protect my flank. You have melee weapons. Stay behind tables and deal with those that come close. I will shoot down their hunters so we can move."

@Jeshal the Ironclaw @FinnianBrightfur @Cricket @Alwyn Ryalor (For Guards)

 

[Asta Dalgaard]

@Daniil Ryalor

Daniil was speaking to her. At first Asta could not make out the words for all the noise and chaos around them. When she had finally parsed what the todd said, he was moving away from her. "Daniil!" she cried after him, terror rising. He had said to hide. Hide. Where could she hide? The jill spotted a table covered in a tablecloth that trailed to the ground. She dove for it, hoping she had not been seen. Pulling her knees in and hugging her broken lute to her chest, she sobbed in fear as quietly as she could in the darkness under the table, the fight raging around her.

---

@Izakis

Tera dragged the groaning weasel up, arms under his shoulders. She nodded to Izakis. "Get his legs and we'll carry him together." Looking back over her shoulder at how Rory was faring with Liza, she saw the sea otter easily lift the mouse with care to how he positioned the piece of metal protruding from her torso.

"Not ideal," he muttered. "But it'll do."

Together they began to move, keeping the curtain between them and the supremacists who were now coming through the door and moving towards a staircase that led beneath the Opera House.

"What do y'think they're up to?" Tera asked in hushed tones. Rory shook his head.

"Can't think about it right now. Just keep movin'."

Haltingly, the group picked their way through the debris and smoke backstage until they came to a clean, quiet passageway that led towards the atrium where distant fighting could be heard. Rory and Tera looked at each other.

"Only way to go, aye?" the rat said with a hesitant shrug.

Rory only grunted and kept moving.

---

@Kal Goldtail @Morgan Liu @Vihmastaja @Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw

"Oh hey Morgan," Caden said faintly, recognizing the jill's voice. The other beast who had approached also spoke. He put as much effort as he could into helping the two beasts get him to his footpaws.

"Fy faen," he swore through his teeth. Where the vixen held him under his right shoulder felt as though his flesh was going to be flayed from the bone. He shook with the effort of keeping on his footpaws, the muscles of his back spasming as he tried to hold himself up. Despite his efforts, great deal of his weight fell into the pair assisting him.

"Where...where are we going?" Caden managed to ask. "Sounds like fighting in the atrium."

 

[Izakis]

The skink followed and helped to the best of their abilities. Light-headed from losing blood from their cut tail, but still managing to stand and assist others now that the shock of pain and dread for life have passed. Carrying the legs with one wounded arm was not east to her lean, delicate body, but she still managed well enough, carried by the will of her mind, now settling into the new role.

She had much to learn, but her hesitation was gone now. She just followed the smudgies and did so bravely. Despite her body trembling, she felt at the right place now.

She didn't have much to say, not now at least. She would catch up with speaking once she would become their equal.

That one event did change her, by showing her that both working in face of danger and with those who actively fought to help others was something she really enjoyed. She was too long depending fully on just herself, trying to bring good despite her profession of choice and relying only on her own skills.

Now she knew she could do more. Much more. It only took a team. She was willing to learn all that was needed. For now, Izakis continued assisting the group. Giving first aid and following orders. Dutifully giving from her what she could.

With the cloak she took, one would not be able to tell at a distance she was not a part of them. And rightly so, because for the rest of the night, she served as a smudgie she was yet to officialy become.

@Liza Fairpaw

 

[Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw]

@Caden S. Freemont @Morgan Liu @Vihmastaja @Kal Goldtail

Now even more beasts came in. While Whisper wouldn't know if it was sheer luck, or if their music caught attention, maybe even their meagre plea, it mattered not. At first they were mortified to see them, not knowing if they were attackers or not. but Caden seemingly recognised them and the three other beasts helped him up, allowing them to move. Whisper couldn't do much more than stare and tremble, maw agape.

Both Jill and the vixen were unsure where to go, neither was Caden. The little fox was definitely in the best shape physically... but possibly the worst one mentally. They just wished to run away, but couldn't.

The backstage exploded again a moment ago, there was a massive fight happening in the auditorium, Whisper had but a one idea. they very meekly gestured the others to follow waiting for their permission to start even walking.

There was one way in that may have been safe now. The entrance for musicians that was in the back. Whisper just had no other idea because they didn't know the place that well, but it was something and they wanted badly to help more, considering how much was done for them.

They just waited for others approval. Whisper was in no way capable of speaking now, not after their stunt. And with horrid lack of confidence, they were not suited to lead.

 

[Lord Yaro Ashpaw]

The beautifully savage lynx Yaro had noted earlier in the party was at his side now, hacking into the scrum of foebeasts. When he wasn't so focused on his own movements, the wildcat would enjoy thinking on such a handsome killer.

Yaro was fluid, like the creature of air he represented. He would have liked to get to higher ground and seize his crossbow, but with the enemy mostly sheltered by the overhead balconies, it would be a waste of time and too difficult to go and fetch where he had left the weapon to reposition. That had been a backup plan for Kilaris, not designed to protect civilians.

Thankfully Matisse had their employer handled along with Stoaties and various others. Good, he could focus on slicing with his daggers, pressing the fools who were unprepared for the skills of an assassin and a warrior. Bloodied vulpines shrieked and fell over themselves to escape the onslaught of the two cats.​

@Tal'Rakan

 

[Matisse Dubois]

Matisse continued to split his time between clearing the floor and darting out to deal with supremacists getting too close; in doing so he found unconscious relief to be joined by another mustelid. Enthusiasm seemed to make up for anything else as the youngster bellowed the name of one of the fleet’s ships as he joined the fray beside the musically-inclined todd and his most unusual choice of weapon. Well, that was one way to declare your allegiance, he supposed.

Were there time to reflect on it, the sable would have been taken aback at the age of the stoat and the willingness with which he was prepared to sell his life so dearly. Ah, loyalty: were that one could bottle the stuff. Grey eyes glittered in the haze, bloodied muzzle twitching. As much as every part of him reviled the indignity of this attack, frenzied as it was, as much as his pride railed against these ragged, snotty vulpines…he was transported to an age not so dissimilar. It was like being back in the arena again. Back fighting for his life and finding, in the midst of chaos, a delight in the violence and desperation as he learned, in the hardest of ways, how to make best use of the blades he carried.

That was what it had been, though: showy, single combat. Matisse was a creature built for duelling, not groups, and already he could feel himself tiring. Unfortunately for Darragh, all the empathy in the world would not cause the sable to stay: he was back behind the barricade again in no time, using a bladetip to move shattered wood as he rolled another body over.

His employer must have been thinking along similar lines, as she addressed the task to which Matisse had applied himself: trying to clear a path. At the same time many were shouting names, unfamiliar but unmistakable as the two warriors thick in the fray. Usually he was a sort given to similar thoughts on recklessness, but in the heat of battle it felt almost a shame that their bravery was scolded so fast. Perhaps it was down to care: he would hardly know. A soul hadn’t been concerned for his wellbeing in decades.

“Ministers,” he shouted in the din, head jerking in the direction of the marble fox and the archer, “we can clear the way for you, but your beasts here could do with an idea on how we’re going to navigate stairs.” The room was chaos – he could certainly not help Talinn make his chair more useable alone if they wanted to act swiftly. As for carrying the todd…

A deep breath and he ducked back out from the shelter and into the fray, very nearly losing an eartip as a crossbow bolt thudded close to his head. Ugh; Yaro would love if that was how he died. The sourpuss better survive this himself: it would be an awful shame to lose someone to pick on.

Thankfully Songfox and Harper were distinctive figures in the melee of vulpines. “Come on, lads,” he called, “boss needs you to help clear a path for that chair. This way!” Truth be told Matisse was feeling disgustingly altruistic tonight. He shelved the concept of genuinely wanting to be helpful, of feeling a sense of unease seeing younger beasts slaughtered, or any guilt that he had left them. No: he was doing this to show his colours to his employer, to make himself indispensable to the Ministries and chummy up to those close to Talinn’s trusted core.

Wasn’t he?



@Kaii Nashirou @Mina Rose Brewer @Dusk Rainblade @Darragh Harper @Talinn Ryalor @Silvertongue Songfox @SwifttailTheFox

 

[Silvertongue Songfox]

Silvertongue heard his comrades calling for him to fall back, but it fell upon deafened ears. The voice filled his mind once more.

"Dispatch this thug in brutal fashion, that all may hear of your arrival!"

Silvertongue did not need to be told twice. Raising up his lute, he brought it down on the fallen fox's head. Again, and again. Letting out all his frustrations in a rage unseen by any of his companions since the fateful battle at Urk. To answer Darragh's previous inquiry as to why the instrument didn't shatter upon impact, any beasts nearby would notice that it actually had a metal casing attached to the external frame. It had been cleverly painted over in order to be concealed.

Once he was satisfied, he looked up- only to be met with a fist in his face as one of the supremacists clocked him square in the muzzle. Silvertongue was sent sprawling to the floor, and his conciousness retreated into the inner recesses of his mind.

"Wounds to be tended; lessons to be learned."

Silvertongue came to, but he wasn't in the chaos of the opera house anymore. He was in an inky blackness, and standing before him was a mass of writhing red light, vaguely in the shape of a fox. To outside observers, it appeared as if he had been knocked out.

"Get. Out. Of my head." Silvertongue said firmly.

"Weakened! Diminished! The will to fight falters!" The beast snarled, gnashing its teeth and leering at Silvertongue. It walked close, bearing an unnaturally wide grin. "Frustration and fury, more destructive than a hundred cannons."

"No, no." Silvertongue gripped at his head, but the beast grabbed his hands.

"Ringing ears, blurred vision - the end approaches..." It tilted it's head. "Dazed, reeling, about to break... Such a terrible assault cannot be left unanswered!"

"I won't do it!" Silvertongue said firmly.

The beast sneered. With a wave of its paw, Silvertongue was awake again. The Supremacist was sitting on his chest, ready to plunge a knife into his heart. Silvertongue couldn't move.

"True desperation is known only when escape is impossible."

Silvertongue grimaced and closed his eyes... only for him to snap them open once more. He bucked his chest, throwing the fox off of him, and he kicked the fiend in the jaw, sending him reeling. He shot up from the floor, grabbing his lute and plunging into the melee once more.

"An ambush, is it? Send these vermin a message: a righteous beast is upon them, and their kind are no longer welcome!"

Silvertongue made contact with the first foe, slamming his lute into the beast's stomach and causing him to double over before smashing it against his chin, knocking him aside. He spun about, a blur of colors quite literally dancing across the battlefield as he smashed the nose of a second Supremacist, sending that one stumbling back. A third fox approached, this one wielding a sword.

Silvertongue grimaced and reached for his rapier.... Oh, right.

"Without tools of steel, you must rely on flesh and indefatigable purpose."

Silvertongue ran foward, ducking down low as the fox swung his sword, and he kicked him in the legs, jumping aside as the Supremacist fell to the floor. Three down. Two more to go. The fourth fox was fast, rushing at Silvertongue before he could swing. He grabbed at Silvertongue's lute.

"How quickly the tide turns!"

Silvertongue's precious lute was wrenched from his paws and thrown into the air. "Ha!" The Supremacist sneered. "Try to do somethin' with yer fancy tricks now!" He pointed a knife at Silvertongue.

So it was a trick he wanted, was it? Silvertongue grabbed the fox's wrist, before head-butting the poor fox, the impact causing him to drop the knife. Holding up his paw, Silvertongue caught his lute by the neck as it was plummeting to the floor, and thwacked his foe solidly over the head, sending him down too.

The fifth fox yelled and charged Silvertongue. Silvertongue rushed to meet him, before launching himself forward and slamming both his feet into the fox, using his chest as a springboard as he launched himself through the air, back flipping and catapulting, and landing expertly on his feet in front of Talinn and company. Silvertongue held his hat to his chest and bowed... as if the entire spectacle had been some twisted performance the entire time.

@Talinn Ryalor @SwifttailTheFox @Kaii Nashirou @Darragh Harper @Matisse Dubois @Dusk Rainblade @Mina Rose Brewer

 

[Darragh Harper]

“Proud and insolent stoat, prepare to meet thy doom!” Cried the fox. Mature of years and broad of chest, he outmatched Darragh in strength, reach and skill.

“Dark and sinister fox, have at thee!” Riposted Darragh, darting and dodging about, deflecting deftly each hammer-blow that promised death.

Or at least, that was the way Darragh would remember his lines, and those of his opponents later on. The battle was a rush of madness, confused images and overpowering sounds. Darragh had never been more alert in his life, able to react to the slightest twitch that would betray his enemy’s next move. Yet once those moments passed, they became blurry and unreliable.

He could see Silvertongue strike down one enemy after another. Darragh’s guts flooded with ice when he saw his friend tackled to the ground, but before he could rush to Silvie’s side, the bard-warrior was up again and holding his own with cool, unyielding determination. Darragh gave a yell as he tried to follow Silvie into the melee… but with a graceful dexterity not even the slinky stoat could match in the chaos, the fox danced himself away out of sight.

The next opponent’s moves were obvious - he was big, but not fast, and had a habit of pulling back his sword for wide, easily predicted swings. If Darragh had to guess, as he ducked and weaved, this tod was used to fighting with a club , or big plank of wood, and was uneasy with the sword he’d been given. It was only a few seconds before the stoat realised he could easily get under the fox’s guard and… oh.

The fox was staring at him, or maybe the ceiling, or maybe nothing at all. Darragh’s sword was quite red, and so was his paw, his wrist, and the cuff of his nice new frilly shirt. A wave of words came to supply the poet as to what he had just done to that fox. Disemboweled, gutted, eviscerated, cleaned out, rearranged his insides. Killing little shrews in the dark and the fog had given Darragh some distance from the act. Watching a fox die, their eyes locked onto each other’s, the tod’s face not so dissimilar to some of the stoat’s best friends…

And that’s what they’re trying to do to your friends.

“You’ll regret killing my cousin, filthy stoat,” a seething, furious voice spoke. Darragh turned to face a vixen, raising his guard to block the first blow.

“Why? Was he your husband as well?” Darragh replied, his sharp tone matching the cruelty of his words. It no longer felt like the braggadocio of battle. Now he wanted his words to hurt, to confound, to make the enemy angry and make mistakes. He wanted his words to help him kill.

“You won’t leave here alive you mangy pox-ridden foreigner!” As predicted, the vixen was easily provoked, her blows were full of rage and power, but her paw-work was atrocious, she kept stamping the floor before completing her thrust.

“The worms will be eatin’ your cousin’s eyes,” Darragh continued, circling his opponent, “while my kits play on your grave.”

The vixen howled and went for her final lunge, and got a sword through her right eye for the trouble. Darragh yanked his sword from the corpse’s skull, and realised his arm was shaking. The effort of taking on two properly grown adult fighters and winning both duels had been considerable. He needed to find Silvertongue and regroup…

Darragh’s ears pricked and he looked around in surprise and undisguised relief at the sound of familiar voices. There was the wheelchair-bound Minister Ryalor, shouting at him to join his entourage, and Kaii was calling his name too, a vixen lying in his arms. He spotted Swifttail, shielding the slow-moving formation of foxes towards a cluster of guards that had formed a square. A backflipping Silvertongue made the Foskateers and company almost complete!

Darragh was so relieved this event would have been too boring and adult for Finny to attend.

The stoat ran, hopping over a fallen opera-goer, and then tumbling into a forward roll to evade the swords of two duellists who crossed his path. He scrambled to his footpaws again and zig-zagged across the room, hunched over to evade the crossbow bolts that were now flying thick and fast.

“Captain! I mean minister! Sir!” Darragh saluted, trying to say something respectful at perhaps the wrong moment. “I’m honoured to-… yikes! At your command!”

Darragh ducked a little lower - one of the crossbowbeasts was zeroing in on him, closer with every shot. A few other opera-goers had caught on to the safety-behind-wooden-walls approach that Swifttail was demonstrating. As a result, it struck the poet that with Talinn at the centre of a formation of former crewbeasts, protected by fallen tables and broken doors, the lot of them were doing a rather strange stage-performance of being back on the Golden Hide.

Swifttail was the one most obviously in need of help, and Kaii had said as much. As expected, the chaos had done nothing to unnerve their dependable, brilliant Kaii. Darragh rather hoped the marble fox and the vixen that had apparently swooned in his arms would both survive to tell their kits about this. The romantically-inclined poet was making certain assumptions once again that, thankfully for Kaii, would go unvoiced. Though the meaningful look Darragh gave him, eyes first glancing at the vixen, then the marble fox, said all he needed to.

The young stoat did not quite have the upper body and arm strength to match that of the blacksmith, but shouldering part of the burden of the shield gave Swifttail far better leverage at his end. Darragh could feel bolts thudding into the thick piece of wood keeping himself and his allies alive. The Guard formation was just ahead.

The sable he had lost track of in the earlier melee urged him on, and Darragh nodded in agreement. “You can depend on me! These are my shipmates I’m fighting for!”

Darragh made eye contact with Swifttail, and braced himself for a forward push.

“I’ve got my end of it, Swift! Let’s go! Clear the way!”

@Talinn Ryalor @SwifttailTheFox @Kaii Nashirou @Silvertongue Songfox @Matisse Dubois