Major Thread Fortuna Vitrea Est

[Silvertongue Songfox]

Silvertongue wasn't sure why everyone was upset with him. There was too much noise and chaos for him to hear their words, but their faces told him that they weren't happy. He was just trying to protect everyone. What was so wrong with that? Regardless, it seemed that they were moving, so he moved with them, ducking behind the makeshift shield and helping to lift it up.

 

[Jeshal the Ironclaw]

Focused on the fight, Jeshal only had the wherewithal to note his immediate surroundings, unaware of the rush of allies from varying directions, some coming to his group's aid, others simply seeking another exit. The fire roared on the stage several yards behind him, a miracle the smoke had found escape rather than choking them all out in the auditorium.

The Stoatorian went down with their foes' second-in-command, set upon by the rest. What had seemed initially to be a barely-organised bunch of fools had shown up at least one collection of fighters. It was all he could do to keep to one side, occupying their leader until he and Cricket could get clear and back to the tables.

His tray was cleaved in two, but the albino seemed not to have realised that it wasn't Jeshal's only shield. As the vulpine was distracted by Cricket's attack, making a grab for her, the older todd made to smash the fox in the jaw with his gauntlet, following up with a shanking stab with the broadsword.

There were no quips now, teeth bared, pirate blood mad in his eyes.​

@Cricket @Alwyn Ryalor @Minerva @FinnianBrightfur @Asta Dalgaard (and any other beast hereabouts, it's mayhem here XD)

 

[Lord Yaro Ashpaw]

At Dusk's call for him to assist with her escape, Yaro cast an acknowledging glance to his companion in gore and disengaged from his current fray. For the most part, they had been putting the fear of the Forest into their prey, pressing them to the sides. It gave the wildcat opportunity to weave his way across, parrying and lashing out where necessary, narrowly dodging stray bolts as he danced to catch up with the ministers requiring guarding.

He eyed Matisse in a sulky brand of comradeship, saying nothing, fixed upon the task at paw. No one would get at their charges if they had anything to say about it, and their weapons certainly would.​

@Dusk Rainblade @Matisse Dubois @Talinn Ryalor @Tal'Rakan (and anyone in that vicinity)

 

[SwifttailTheFox]

Swifttail locked onto the orders cutting through the chaos. Kaii’s steady command to form up with a turtle-like shield overhead, meeting with Talinn and Dusk’s call to drive toward the back. That was enough for him. His eyes swept quick: Silvie ducking back into cover, Darragh’s ridiculous plumed hat bobbing steady at his side, Kaii cocooning Mina with calm, certain paws. They finally had some shape again.

He shoved his shoulder into the door, muscles burning as he and Darragh tilted it to cover overhead. The Guard line ahead recognized them, opening a narrow lane, shields flashing in the firelight. Swift snarled and pushed harder. Silvertongue and others helped too, and together they slid into the Guard’s embrace.

Behind the shield he caught a glimpse through smoke: Finnian, wild-eyed, flinging a pie like a weapon and shouting something tat he couldn't make out. Swift almost barked in disbelief... “Finny?” ...But an arrow bolt slamming into the wooden door near to his paw snapped him back to task. He had to trust that the little kit was protected by his entourage of fighting beasts at his side.

At last, the north backstage door loomed. Swift planted the barricade firm, chest heaving, ears straining for the next order. They had made it this far. Now they just had to hold, catch breath, and wait for the stragglers.

 

[Orina Emberkin]

@Daniil Ryalor @Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw @Vihmastaja

"Daniil," Caden rasped. It was all he could say as their ragtag group stumbled into the hallway that had been converted into a temporary medical facility. He felt strong paws taking hold of him, lowering him to the ground, somebeast cutting off what was left of his shirt. He heard beasts conversing about his burns and the pieces of shrapnel protruding from various parts of his body, but he couldn't process any of the words. Caden clutched Daniil's paw in his, the only thing he could truly focus on.

"Daniil," he said again, forcing himself to stay conscious. "You said Asta is hiding. What happened? How did you get separated from the Guard?"

---

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

Asta could only stare at the fox kit as he demanded a pie. A pie? She glanced at the table. "Oh. Dette er fullstendig galskap," she muttered as she lifted one of the delicacies to Finnian. A bolt whipped past her head and she yelped, nearly dropping the pie on its way to the young todd's outstretched paws.

---

@Tanya Keltoi

Orina waited for the Skillblades to give her nods of readiness before she tilted her head towards Tanya and Piers. "Ready when you are."

The two bowbeasts stepped through the open doorway, followed by Orina and the two Skillblades. The trio skirted the edge of the backstage curtains as arrows sailed overhead towards what had been the backstage door, but was now a hole blasted in the back of the building littered with rubble and bodies. Orina knew some of the bodies were Smudgies, others were civilians. She set her jaw, seeing two enemy foxes climbing up from a hole in the stage floor. Another pair were standing watch by the door and had raised their crossbows at the approaching Unsmudgables and Vice Minister. But then an arrow sank into the throat of one, and the other was struck in the thigh. The former let loose a bolt as they dropped dead, but it whistled wide. The other let out a yell of pain and fell backwards.

Then Orina and her Smudgies were in their midst. The trio were a whirlwind of efficiency. With a thwok, Orina dispatched the injured fox with a strike across the side of his head. The ferret Skillblade picked up the crossbow and went to the opening in the building to check the alleyway.

"Nobeast out here, marm. Just an empty cart." She whirled and let loose the bolt at another fox emerging from beneath the stage. The others had been dispatched, and Orina and the other Skillblade were dropping down into the hole. Sounds of close-quarters combat echoed upwards. The ferret waved for Tanya and Piers to join them as she kept an eye on the adjoining hallways and the opening into the alleyway, crossbow at the ready. She lifted the weapon as somebeast approached through the smoke from one of the hallways, then lowered it, waving to a fellow Smudgie, a Longblade.

The Longblade, a wiry cat, pointed over his shoulder. "We got casualties in the hall back here. Is it clear to evacuate them this way? We can't get out through the atrium, too much fire and fighting."

"Aye, it's clear," Orina grunted as she hauled herself up out of the hole, then leaned down to help the Skillblade out. "Everybeast down there is dead. Start moving beasts back here through this exit and away from the building. Make sure to cover the entrance to the alley."

"Got it, marm." The Longblade and others set to work. Orina motioned to Tanya and tilted her head towards the hole blasted in the stage.

"Mind coming down with me? We have a bit of an issue."

The pair dropped down into the basement. Several cooling bodies of supremacists lay in the semi-darkness. A lantern sat on the ground beside one, and alongside the lantern was a spilled pack the fox had been carrying. Various globes and packets of materials were scattered across the ground. Orina picked up one of the packets and opened it, holding it out to Tanya.

"I think they've unloaded an entire cartload of this shit down here. Can't say where, or how they're planning on setting it off. What do you think? We just get everybeast out as quickly as possible and hope it doesn't go off while we're still in here? Or do we try to figure out what they did with it all?"