Ha! She smiled viciously as she saw the spear hit him but that was all she got to see. The cat next to her which she thought to be dead was anything but. The feline lunged out at her with claws and fangs bared and Fang was caught unawares. With a hiss of pain she briefly went down beneath the greater weight of the feline, claws and fangs ripping into her russet coat and skin. Angry that she had forgotten to keep her eyes on her downed victim the mongoose viciously retaliated by biting and clawing herself, hoping to poison and chew up the cat so that it wouldn't rise again.

Then, while her eyes were on the feline she felt something push her away. The hyena had somehow managed to charge at her. More bites and scratches were made on her body and after biting at him as well she scrambled away on all fours, hissing and spitting as she put distance between herself and her victims. Both had been poisoned and all she had to do was stay out of reach until they succumbed to poison. Perhaps she could claim a tooth from this male as well, show her victory over the both of them... Yes... That would be lovely. The mongoose laughed briefly, feeling that victory was in her grasp. She laughed and din't stop until she saw the hyena's face... Wait... She knew him! From long, long ago. A hyena that had been smitten with her.

"Well well well, if'n it ain't Basil. What're doin' here? Found some other tail you could chase, hmm? She's a pretty lil' one... too bad she don't got long for bein' here in this cave." The mongoose laughed cruelly. "Why don't ya take that blindfold off, eh? I'm sure I could shake my tail for ya too, could do it much better than Miss Goody-Four-Paws over there! Though you won't get t'watch for long. I'm sure you'll be enterin' the next life right after her." The mongoose kept herself on all fours. Ready to dodge in case the hyena decided to lash out again.


____________________________________________________________________

Diamondfang vs Dovefeather for Feather and Tooth
Round V of V

Diamondfang vs Basil
Round II of III

Attacks: Poison bite bite bite at alla ya!
Defenses: Puffed out fur, flailing with claws and biting with fangs!
Injuries: Scratch on her left paw. Various scratches all over body.

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

354
@Dovefeather
---
8/10

Dovefeather hit something, she tasted blood, she felt an ocean of crimson waters slosh under her. Her vision was clearing-- but something was wrong. She could see Basil, and there was no way he was there. Her limbs failed her as she flopped on her side, her breathing labored.

She was helpless now, unable to do anything but watch as her mind made up a battle between her worst nightmare and her favorite dream. She had never felt so unreal in her life. Soon, her gem teeth would just slide out of her face-- she could kind of feel it happening, a pain resonating in her upper maw. It was impossible to breath, and she felt the All Mother embrace her, choking her. Suffocating her.

She could still feel her feather along her face, see the glimpse of a glow in the corner of her vision. It was flickering. Her life was flickering...

;; dovefeather exit

Blood rushed into his mouth as he teeth and claws found target, and he successfully pinned her down, ripping into her skin, but she struggled and fought back, scrambling away like a snake out of his grasp. He snarled again, but then he heard her talk, and that slithery feminine voice that sounded so familiar made him pause.

The more she spoke, the more he raged, poisonous anger writhing under his skin, feverish hatred for his past rising to the surface. "Shut your filthy mouth!" He spat, remembering her from his rose-colored hatching. She was there, using him, purring to his compliments, and he was just born to the world; he didn't know how disgusting she truly was.

"You sick, disgusting snake!" His mouth twisted as he yelled, his head low, his teeth bared, all his fur on edge. "If anything happens to Dove I'll hunt you down and rip you apart like the trash you are!"

Again he ran at her, the black void against his eyes red, everything was red. He didn't even hear Dove's labored breathing in his rage. He wanted the snake's flesh in his teeth so he could rip it apart, and nothing was as important to him in this moment.

{ FIGHT STATISTICS }
BASIL v. DIAMONDFANG
I II III

{ ATTEMPT }

~ Claw and Bite Fang again

{ DEFENSES }

~ None

{ INJURIES }

~ prior injuries;;

• None, intentionally blind

~ current injuries;;

• Poisoned, punctured shoulder, poisoned scratches all over him

"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

Her words struck a chord. The hyena howled obscenities at her but Fang simply laughed in his face. Figuratively, of course, because there was no way she was going to rush in and get her face chewed off. The queen stared down at the hyena, she could tell her poison was taking effect. He was weakening and soon he would be a frothing mess just like Dovie behind him. The vixen snickered as she realized she would be claiming her prize soon. "Bring it, buddy boy, I'll be in' Monoceros waitin' for ya." She was getting cocky, too cocky, she didn't even run as Basil dashed towards her. She simply rose onto her hind legs and smiled, her left paw went to her hip and grabbed that dagger-sword and she waited for him to get within striking distance.

When he hit her she allowed herself to be thrown onto the ground beneath him, ripping claws and fangs cut her but she didn't care. The light of victory was in her eyes as she thrust with the sword and attempted to stab it into his throat to end this once and for all.


____________________________________________________________________

Diamondfang vs Dovefeather for Feather and Tooth
Round V of V

Diamondfang vs Basil
Round III of III

Attacks: Stab Basil in the throat!
Defenses: None! YOLO!
Injuries: Scratch on her left paw. Various scratches all over body. Chewed up and roughed up.

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

192
@Dovefeather
---
8/10

Character: Dovefeather Age: +4 (4 Cycles) Magic Level: +3 (Pupil) ROUND 1 Attempt: +12 Penalties: -0 ROUND 2 Attempt: +11 Penalties: -0 ROUND 3 Attempt: +4 Penalties: -0 ROUND 4 Attempt: +7 Penalties: -0 ROUND 5 Attempt: +14 Penalties: -0 Total: 55

Character: Diamondfang Age: +7 (7 Cycles) Magic Level: +3 (Strategist) ROUND 1 Attempt: +8 Penalties: -0 ROUND 2 Attempt: +11 Penalties: -0 ROUND 3 Attempt: +16 Penalties: -0 ROUND 4 Attempt: +19 Penalties: -0 ROUND 5 Attempt: +13 Penalties: -0 BONUS ROUND Attempt: +6 Penalties: -0 Total: 83

Character: Basil Age: +6 (6 Cycles) Magic Level: +1 (Fledgling) ROUND 1 Attempt: +3 Penalties: -0 ROUND 2 Attempt: +11 Penalties: -0 ROUND 3 Attempt: +15 Penalties: -0 Total: 36

WINNER: Diamondfang

He'd never heard of Monoceros, but he would find it, he would find her there and make it her grave. He heard her grin and felt her move underneath him, and he snapped blindly, finding perch in her arm, making her scream as he tasted more blood, and something fell with a soft thud onto the grass.

Once more the snake wriggled under him, yanking her arm away from his teeth, flesh ripping, and he clawed and snapped to find her again, but she was too fast, hissing and running away.

"I'll find you! I'll find you, trash, and I'll kill you!" He yelled after her, hearing her footsteps fade.

Suddedly, the only sound he could hear were his and Dove's labored breathing, and the red was fading away, the adrenaline in his blood pulsing away, replaced by raw sickness pulsing through him. Everything swayed again, and he almost fell, but slowly it occurred to him that he was fighting for a reason, and now his only thought was getting Dove to safety. But as he stumbled around and couldn't find her, he grew frustrated. Nothing was clear, and everything was swimming.

Stupidly, his mind foggy, he forgot why he was blind, and touched his face. Why was he blind? He needed to help Dove. He pulled the cloth off, and the light made him swear and blink, tears blurring what good vision he had left.

He looked around, but nothing was clear, even though he blinked time and time again. He didn't remember his vision being this bad, but he remembered vaguely that Dove had blinded him for something, so maybe that was why. He saw this white and black smudge against the grass and swayed over to it. "Gotta....help.." He mumbled, feeling feverish and weak.

With an effort, he grabbed Dove's paw and pulled her on top of his back. The weight of her made his vision black out again, and he collapsed to the ground, letting himself fade into oblivion.

[exit Basil]

"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

She tried to stab her dagger into his throat but her paw was caught. The sharp fangs closed around her paw and hissed and snarled with pain and frustration. With her free paw she tried to claw at his face to make him let go while squirming around in his grasp. Finally she was able to weasel free and dash away a few feet. On all fours she snarled and spat, holding her injured paw up to her belly. That was her dominant paw! She needed it to hold things and now it was all bloody! That bitch! The queen spat at him, waiting for the poison to take its toll.

She said nothing in reply to his threat, a dead man's threat meant nothing to her. The female hissed and watched as the hyena stumbled drunkenly around and finally fell with Dove. Perfect. The queen found her spear and dagger-sword, cleaning them before tucking them back into her belt. Then she walked over to the pair and glared down at the aardwolf. He'd injured her when he should have been dead... Perhaps he would die now. She could slice his throat just to be sure... but no... She'd let the poison do it. That would be much slower and much more painful. With a derisive snort the tiny queen lifted her dagger by the blade and turned the hilt towards the aardwolf's mouth and rammed the hilt into his mouth. A single fang dropped out which she grabbed and put in her satchel. She did the same to the cat but instead of just claiming the fang --a normal one because the gem tooth refused to budge-- she also grabbed the feather and tangled it in the fur at the base of her back.

Then with a final snicker and a smirk she said, "Where's your All Mother now, bitch?" A final laugh and she scurried away, disappearing with her prizes to Monoceros.


____________________________________________________________________

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

324
@Dovefeather
-exit Fang-
8/10

She was on a supply run for Cure, leaving the intimate warmth and musty earthy scent of the den for the living aura of the jungle. She took deep breaths of fresh air, looking up at the light filtering through the trees, smiling and humming, in a sanguine mood. Cure was calm and in a deep peaceful sleep because of the gently burning leaves Arkrael had found, and after Cayenne had stoked a very small fire, it created a very sweet smelling smoke that sent Cure right into dreamland.

Of course, Cayenne didn't want to sleep along with her; she had more plants to look for, now that her stock was depleted from helping Ark and Cure. She followed the familiar path she knew to collect her normal plants - but she stopped, hearing screaming.

Her fur rose on edge and she ran towards the sound, running past this slim cat-sister with blood and cuts and clutching weapons in her paws with this sick looking grin, and the older gem ran past her in the other direction, leaving Cayenne completely confused. She moved along towards the sound she had heard, seeing two gems collapsed onto the ground, bloodied and unconscious.

She saw this big dog-cat thing with this huge puncture wound in his shoulder, and on top of them was- wait, was that Dove? She hissed and ran towards them both even faster, blind panic gripping her. "Dove? Dove! What's going on!"

She looked them both over, seeing their shallow breathing and the foam at the dog-thing's mouth, the sickening and green cuts and claw marks all over them - they were sick, really sick, and she didn't know what had caused it - was it that slim gem she saw running by? Did they do this to Dove?

She felt sick herself, gripping her tail, feeling her sharp finger start to cut into her skin in anger. That slinking monster did this and she didn't do anything - she could've caught her, she could've - no -no, what was important was her sister and this dog-thing that were both dying in front of her.

"Help!" She screamed, clutching at her sister. "Somebody, help!"

Everything seemed so calm, so peaceful, so perfect today. The plants were well and if they were well then she was well. Her eyes were closed as she examined the lights of the plants' lives behind her eyes. Her nose touched to the base of the All Mother as she focused and Saw as only the All Mother allowed her to See. Everything was at peace... except it wasn't. In her vision she saw that the plants' lights were starting to distort and they were... crying out? That was strange... Her non-speaking children did not, well, speak. Why were they crying out? What was wrong? The gray cat frowned, brows drawing together as she tried to make sense of this.

Then she heard the screech for help.

Her green eyes opened and her head shot up. That wasn't just from the All Mother... it was a warning a call for assistance. The normally calm cat's eyes flew open wide in panic as she raised to the sound. Her paws seemed to let her fly as she raced over the ground and burst through the undergrowth to spy a terrible scene. Her body gave a convulsive shudder as she saw the injured body of some sort of strange dog. His body was ripped and sickly green liquid oozed from his many cuts as his mouth frothed. Blackfeather felt herself shaking, such pain... Such misery. Oh... How could the All Mother allow this to happen? It made her sick, her vision swam as she took it in.

But just when she thought it couldn't get any worse... it did by tenfold. Lying right next to the dog was,

"DOVEFEATHER!" The gray she-cat screeched in anguish. What had happened? Her poor sister she looked even worse off than the dog or was that just her mind playing tricks on her? Blackfeather swayed on her paws as she retched on the earth, sickened thoroughly by the sight. Dovefeather... Her gentle sister... Who had done this? Why did this happen?

Blackfeather ran up to her sister, sobs wracking her body as she began to lick and clean her body. For now, the lemur went unnoticed as Black's only thoughts were on her nearly dead sister. "Dovefeather... who... who did this-- please --oh All Mother, please no, not her! Oh! I can't... Not you too! No!" Black's vision swam as she felt her body start shudder, shaking as she imagined the pain her sister and the dog were going through. It was too much. "My Sister... My sweet Sister. O All Mother please don't send her to the Void... Have mercy, I beg you..." Her voice cracked as she sobbed out her words, the pain palpable in the choking sound. For a moment she seemed to calm as she silently began to sob but then all at once she let out a caterwaul filled with pain to the sky. The sound caused a nearby flock of Carollers into the air, their song a mournful counterpart to Blackfeather's own cacophony of sadness.

---

505
@Dovefeather @Cayenne
---
10/10

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

We'll light up the sky,

We'll open the clouds...

She clutched her ears, covering them when the cat that had appeared screamed and howled in sadness, and when they lowered their head to continue licking their- sister? Was this one of Dove's sisters she mentioned? - she pushed them back, shouting, "Don't lick that! They're sick, they're sick with something!"

Her voice was loud and frantic and broken, but she didn't care, her sister was dying. "I need your help! Someone did this to them - this evil gem that just ran by with blood and weapons and I think they took Dove's tooth - but I need your help! There's a den nearby where all my healing supplies are, and I need you to carry them there. Please!"

She looked over them both, the thought of not being able to take care of them in time making her sick. "I don't know how we're going to carry them both, we can try dragging them on some big leaves, but I can't do it by myself."

So much for that sanguine mood, she thought bitterly.