He'd heard the scuffle. He didn't give a damn about it, though. Instead he'd carried on throwing his prey onto the ground to crack its neck, the resounding thump giving him a brief relief. It'd taken him a while to hunt down this bastard of a mouse.
However, when the Bonebound were called, his head jerked to attention. A fight? Taking the rodent in his jaws, Desert Rose lifted himself into the air and began to lazily draw himself towards the call.
Not that he needed to get too close to see the action with his eyesight- they were chasing after... Oh, shit, was that Opal? The champion almost dropped his food in surprise before righting himself. Damn, that oily dude was still kickin', then.
He snorted and soared in the stale air, watching the action from above with a faint interest. He was more thinking about the mouse he was intending on eating rather than the existence of a traitor once more.
This wasn't his fight.
(Desert may be skipped in post order. He's just chillin'.)
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a figure hurled towards him. Large, spiraling horns, a head like rock. His heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, he sprung into air, twisting like deer desperately trying to avoid a vehicle. The horns narrowly missed his chest, but caught his thigh instead. He heard a crack.
Opal failed to land on his feet, falling side instead instead, but he long body slid and wriggled, correcting itself as limbs twisted back underneath. It slowed him down for a heartbeat but a heartbeat was all the other pursuer need.
Sharp pain slashed through the heel of his other foot. There was an audible pop and Opal found himself unable to use his foot. He stumbled across the bones, spilling drops of green blood. The shifting ground did nothing to help catch himself. All of his hind weight fell on his other leg, the one Aries hit, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins drowned any discomfort.
He had been reduced to a brisk limp. Opal knew what the winged one did, he snapped a vital tendon. That was exactly the kind of underhanded move Opal would have used himself. He almost would have been impressed, if he wasn't on the other end of the stick.
Hissing a curse he skidded to a stop as a tall, bone wall loomed over him, boney spikes jutted over the top, a deterrent to those who would climb it. He looked to either side. It was a long way around. So this is how it ends.
Still hobbling on three legs. Opal snapped around to face them. Back arched, he swung his tail close, protecting the gem on the tip. The Opal flared his neck frills, ratting them as he let out a warbling hiss. Sharp teeth glistened. His yellow eyes were wild with fear and hostility, as he trained his sight on Eythan. The eyestalk flicked towards the ram. He almost felt pity. They were new cycle gembounds, misguided perhaps. He wondered if he'd have to kill them, because he wasn't going down without a fight.
He remembered Reji's words to him. "Come back alive."
His heart ached. I'm sorry Reji.. I don't think I will.
@Eythan @Giggle @Desert Rose Thirty-Five