Open The Trenches Unsmudgables Spilling Sweet Wine

[Marble]

Miothiyle's greatest weakness was that she was often far too kind even in situations where she shouldn't be. It had led her into several ambushes in the past but as a warden she was supposed to help people and those in need on the road wasn't uncommon and it wasn't in her to leave them. She should have left quickly, instead of staying and helping the poor folk that she had accidently injured in her rush to escape.

Then there was the Meow, sharp and echoing through the streets. Her bow was out and arrow notched looking back along the street and standing over the casualty as she had been trained to do, protecting them from the fight. Figures descended into the street coming down from the rooftops and out of doorways and very quickly forming around where she was just standing. The vixen did not move holding her ground, bow pointed slightly down with the arrow not quite drawn referred to as a low ready. In an instant she could shift her draw and have a full power shot down range before most beasts could blink, and even then if she had to lose it where it was the deadly shaft would still punch through most armours.

As the strange uniformed group moved she would hesitate unsure of what to do, at the chaos around her. The weasel though managed to break out from the ambush and she had a shot on them, a quick flex and... no it was too risky, she would hit one of the others should she miss and further there was no threat from him as he took flight from the fight. She could step in to stop him but the situation was too chaotic to get involved and do the wrong thing or put herself in danger, plus she had a patient under her guard and getting in a fight would put them in risk. She swore but did nothing, this strange land with it's own laws and culture. It was better to not act and be chastised rather than act and end up in irons

 

[Mariel Rustyfangs]

Mariel was breaking at least a few records of speed climbing... at least in very lightweight kit-teen category for it. Digging all her claws into the walls and trying to get above and onto the roofs as soon as possible. Glancing down only occasionally to see if there are no weapons pointed towards her. It scared her just how many beasts poured out and surrounded the poor fellows on the street but as her mother taught her, heroics were better left to those who were capable of them. Even if she liked the archetype of being an adventurer, she was no hero, more a rogue than anything.

But glancing down and processing her own imagination at the same time made her not look too much up. She climbed at ludicrous speeds until the wall ended.

At which point she abruptly stopped by crashing her head into furry chest of somebeast.

In a split second before the confusion and concussion came in, she remembered that indeed, there were some beasts on the roof, overseeing this process.

But her mind blanked and she collapsed onto a mouse, instinctively clutching onto her dagger in case of any danger coming up.

 

[Daniil Ryalor]

As the arrest proceeded, Daniil was in high spirits. As far as he was concerned, he'd successfully arrested the unknown conspirator, uncovering what might very well be a family conspiracy to destroy the Imperium. The more that he thought about it, the more it made sense in his head. Eirene was a former Verfolger, after all, and Bezine was a confirmed and avowed traitor and former MAUL member. The two would have every reason to work with Alkamar to undermine the Imperium's security. Morgan, as their daughter, could be placed aboard the Imperium's flagship, which would give her access to the prototype technology onboard. Hadn't he overheard something being said at the Ministry of War about the mission to Urk going badly because of translation problems in the negotiations? Daniil was willing to bet that Morgan had been that translator, probably deliberately undermining the peace in order to get Imperial beasts killed. There were probably even more acts of perfidity that Daniil had yet to uncover, but he was determined to unearth.

"Sir," Daniil reported to Dory, a chipper tone in his voice that matched the smile on his face. "The spy is secure, sir, and ready for transport. I'd call this a resounding success, sir."

 

[Liza Fairpaw]

Liza saw the weasel breaking through the Smudgie line. She sighted him down, though did not release her arrow, waiting for her colleagues on the ground--they could potentially close on him, and she did not want to risk hitting them. So focused was she on the conflict in the street below that she did not hear the sounds of scrambling claws on the side of the building until somebeast launched up from the gutter and slammed directly into her chest. She lost grip on the bowstring and the arrow launched. Falling backwards with a surprised yell, Liza tried to grapple the beast off her.

In the alley below, the mouse's arrow went wide from its mark and struck the wall beside Marble, ricocheting and impaling the fallen, concussed stoat's thigh. He let out a confused and pained scream, suddenly sitting up and grabbing at his leg where the arrow protruded from his trousers. Three Unsmudgables converged upon the pair, weapons leveled. "Stay where you are and drop your weapon!"

Two Smudgies whirled to keep up with Ressik, a wildcat Stealthblade leaping up a stack of crates and launching herself at the weasel from above, claws unsheathed. A Longblade rat swept at his footpaws from behind with their quarterstaff.

Rory, standing by Daniil and ensuring Morgan was secured, looked down at the ferret before answering the todd. "Maybe. But we've yet to finish the operation, so don't count yer eggs before they're hatched, eh? Get her inside for now."

 

[Ressik Pike]

Ressik stayed low as he ran, body folded into motion, paws scarcely seeming to touch the stones beneath him. He slipped through gaps bigger beasts hesitated at, ducked under reaching arms, rebounded off brick and crate alike with the compact efficiency of something built to flee first and think later. The alley blurred around him, noise and movement collapsing into a single, breathless instinct to keep going.

Then something shifted above him, not a sound so much as a vibe. A subtle wrongness in the air that prickled along his spine. Ressik twisted without looking, and the Stealthblade’s shadow passed where his head had been a heartbeat earlier, claws raking brick instead of fur. He hit the ground in a skid, shoulder low, momentum carrying him forward...

...Only to have another threat sweep at his legs. The quarterstaff whistled through the space he’d just vacated. Ressik hopped it by inches, the motion sharp and desperate, boots scraping as his balance pitched sideways. He corrected on reflex alone, cutting hard across the alley in a burst of speed, favoring the wall to his left.

The way before him was clear, and he felt the tickle of freedom for one reckless heartbeat.

Then a door suddenly flew open...

Wood met fur with a solid, breath-stealing thud, the impact folding Ressik in on himself as the air punched from his lungs in a startled wheeze. His skull rang, the alley spinning wildly as he bounced back a step and then another, paws scrabbling for purchase that refused to come. He dropped hard, catching himself on one knee before slumping sideways, vision flashing white at the edges.

Above him, the Jill let out a sharp yelp, nearly dropping the refuse crate she’d been hauling out into the alley.

“Stars above!” she blurted, staring down at him in shock. “Goodness, are you alri—”

Her eyes lifted past him.

Her face drained.

“OH BLOODY HELL!”

The words tore out of her as she recoiled backward, clutching the doorframe as armed beasts bore down through the alley, steel and shadow closing fast. The Stealthblade landed lightly nearby, the Longblade already adjusting their grip, both moving with grim certainty now that their quarry had finally stopped moving.

Ressik blinked hard, trying to shake the ringing from his ears, his limbs slow and uncooperative for the first time that night. Shapes loomed above him, blurred and doubling, and he bared his teeth on a sharp breath as he tried to gather himself again.

But it was too late...

 

[Marble]

Her ears twitched and she quickly darted to the side as the arrow missed her, she didn't know who any of these beast were and didn't recognise any markings of the guard. Now they had fired upon her for no reason and injured the person she was protecting. Bow up, shot out, losing an arrow back at the mouse not realizing that it was an accident as chaos took hold.
"Guards help! Kidnappers and Killers!" Briefly looking at the stoat now wounded below her and the three approaching. The vixen pulled out three more arrows from her quiver and quickly snap them off towards the free, not necessarily to kill but definitely enough to make them rethink.

Realizing that she was outnumbered and couldn't do much to help the Stoat alone the vixen would make a break for it sprinting for another alley and towards the city centre yelling out for help as she makes good speed to escape the attackers