About 6 cycles ago, after the great awakening. The lights have returned, but renewed activity is still yet to arise. In this echoing land of empty illumination a few of the gembound who remain awake seek to find trace of one requested by the bringer of sight. Who is this Batcat and what is needed from them? The answer may only be found with luck and time.

With cycles of physical training at his back Xireidi was one of the first on the scene, excitement lifting his spirit high but tactical planning a decent distance behind him. All he knew was a description and a direction. Aside from that he had no clue how to go about searching for Batcat in this newly relit land.

Still, the cliffs were as good a place as any to start. Lesser gembound would surely be running all over the place with the lights back on so suddenly. Perhaps if batcat were a carnivore like his appearance suggested that would bring him out of hiding?

Golden eye pierced the city below, searching all around for movement from something that didn't belong.

---

"The words I speak"
The thoughts I hold
And the self I keep hidden away
tags: @Kyorai @Gabriel
notes: None

((As this is related to a quest I propose setting a light time limit on responses, perhaps something easy like a week or two before order gets skipped. Does that sound like a good idea?))

Critical Success! Xireidi catches an eyeful of something interesting...

Moving between the ruined buildings, an inky-black creature slipped between one shadow and the next, its wings folded against its body. Its large, bulky front paws landed heavily with each step while its long, thick tail dragged loudly behind it. It was familiar where it was, so its chattering was minimal; yet still, its ears swiveled like radars as it moved.

There! Xireidi's body tensed and he lowered himself to dash toward the pathway down into the ruins. The others weren't here yet but he didn't have time to wait for them. Who knew how long the creature would stay?

With coiled muscles, strong from the long cycles of training and feasts of deer he'd been able to catch after learning about light fishing, the great red wolf leapt out toward a rock below. The landing was smooth and secure despite his lack of natural depth perception. Leave the horror of black and orange for another day, [u]this[/s] was exactly what he had been training for all his life to this point!

From ledge to ledge to ledge the creature traversed, his paws aching from the sharp impacts but propelling him to the next landing without fail. Soon he was at the ground floor of the ruined city and dashing full tilt toward the section he had seen the batcat in. Heart was racing, breath was deep, he wanted to give a signal to the others wherever they may be but even talking at this speed would be neigh impossible. Even if it seemed that Nimean was not particularly fond of Batcat he hoped he could at least convince them to hear the fairy out. Whatever it chose to do Xireidi would have fulfilled his obligation of thankfulness to the bringer of the light.

---

"The words I speak"
The thoughts I hold
And the self I keep hidden away
tags: @Game Master CJ
notes: None

A loud screeching echoes against the ruins! Startled by the sudden vibrations in its home, Batcat Jr. unfolds its wings and rears back its head, letting out another warning scream. In between threats, the creature chatters furiously, locating the quick movement of the intruder.

And without any further warnings, it rushes forward, beating its heavy wings to give itself a boosted leap, meeting the wolf head-on!

You've engaged Batcat Jr.!

Batcat Jr. has 100/100 HP

Gabriel's tiny claws clicked quietly against the stone as it wove through narrow streets and between buildings. Occasionally, it would stop to scent the air, although it didn't quite know what to look for. Something odd, unnatural, it assumed. Perhaps something that had been there all along in its frequent visits to Orion.

But, just as it seemed like its search was in vain, the small dog's ears pricked up to unearthly screech that echoed around the cavern. Gabriel's skin prickled and it stood stock-still for the slightest moment, before hurrying on to find the source of the noise.

Head down, fur streaming behind it, the dog hurried with haste through the shadows. And as it went, it began to call upon its magic, a sickness rising in its gut.

As it ran, it bared its fangs slightly to reveal green-tinted saliva oozing between its teeth, as its insides seethed with infection. It reminded itself carefully that the hybrid didn't need to die. Just... let them take it.

Gabriel slowed slightly, slinking through the shadows and eyeing the situation, its blood-red eyes alert and agleam from the dark.

((If it's too late to join, I'd be happy to delete this post on request)

((Quick look through backlog it looks like Batcat Jr is about as big as Batcat who is about as big as a fisher, so if apologies if incorrect and size comparison is off. And I welcome any help possible against something like this!))

The wolf stopped as soon as he was within eyesight of his quarry, taking a breath to call out in greetings. Before a single note could emerge though the small but fierce-looking creature responded with a cry of its own. Not a cry of greetings or fear but of pure feral aggression. The fairy had indicated some disdain for Batcat but was the mission really to track down one that couldn’t be reasoned with?

The answer came quickly as a black dart of fur and muscle and fangs and rage began to rush toward him! Xireidi's heart dropped as he suddenly wished he had waited for backup; Kyorai might have been smaller than him but at least he knew the kid could fight to some degree and the furless one was definitely tiny but might have possessed some other skill that would have made it useful in combat.

With no time to fret too long on such things Xireidi prepared to sidestep and counterattack, hoping to perhaps grab the creature by a wing or something to pin it down.

---

"The words I speak"
The thoughts I hold
And the self I keep hidden away
tags:
notes: None

Its screeching and chattering continued as it landed in an attempt to find the wolf with its teeth or claws, instead finding itself the victim. With its wing secured by the wolf's jaw, the creature panicked and thrashed wildly, harming its own self and tearing its wing in an attempt to turn and catch the flesh of its opponent with its long claws. In its frenzied attempt to slash the intruder, it hadn't even noticed a second one had approached!

Xireidi does 9 damage to Batcat Jr.
Batcat Jr. does 8 damage to Xireidi
Batcat Jr. does 10 damage to itself

Batcat Jr. has 81/100 HP
Xireidi has 92/100 HP

Gabriel stayed quiet and watchful for a while longer, carefully watching what was going on, just outside of the shadows which hid it away except for the subtle flash of its eyes in the lantern-light. Each ripple of muscle, every snarl or scrape of claws on stone it examined carefully until, in a fit of rage, the strange hybrid being attacked the familiar red wolf. The dog's eyes glittered, for the motion had left Batcat's rear exposed to it; just the opening that Gabriel needed.

The sick nausea in Gabriel's belly churned to be free, drool oozing around its bare muzzle until, in a flash, it shot out of the shadows. The dog aimed to fasten its teeth firmly onto one of the pitch-black creature's ankles and bite with small but fetid fangs that would fill the wound with infection.

In time, perhaps the comparatively mild sickness would cause Batcat to feel an oncoming torpor, exhaustion and fever that would make it easier to transport back to polaris.

But, just as Gabriel lunged, Batcat was gone, thrashing wildly and, to such a small creature, dangerously, in the wolf's grip, and the small dog glanced around in annoyance, knowing then that its cover was blown. Several drops of green-tinted saliva splattered the ground as the dog's jaws snapped shut on air. It locked its eyes on the red wolf for a short instant before slinking back into the dark in the hope that the enraged hybrid was too absorbed in its struggles to notice its presence.

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts looks like this."

tags: @Xireidi
notes: here

The wolf winced as, to be expected claw after claw was sent flailing his direction. Some hit his head and upper body, some actually tore into the creature's own flesh. At least that's what he guessed was going on, he had bit in such a way that his stone eye was facing the direction that the brunt of the attacks were coming from.

This position held some unexpected advantage as it allowed him to see the arrival of one of his partners for this task. A part of him still wished it had been Kyorai rather than this gangly small creature, but he'd take what he could get. The wolf jerked his head toward another alley, attempting to indicate a possible opening to hide again while at the same time trying to make it looks like he was just adjusting his grip.

Whether the dog would take the opportunity or not he wouldn't be able to hold on for too much longer. Xireidi bit down hard and began to spin his body, using every ounce of muscle he'd built from cycles of physical training to hurl the flailing creature into the wall of a nearby building.

"Contain your rage!" He barked out with a militant tone. Perhaps between the show of force and a display of confident speech he could convince the feral creature to back down and come quietly. "There is no need to fight, but I will give you one if I must. You have been summoned by the bringer of light."

Another dual layered action. If his main objective worked they could bring this thing back in peace. If it was too far gone then at least he drew attention to himself and away from the much more frail looking dog.

---

"The words I speak"
The thoughts I hold
And the self I keep hidden away
tags: @Game Master CJ @Gabriel
notes: None

Secret Unlocked!

Its screeching echoed off of the buildings, and it became unclear whether or not the sound was still solely created by the single enraged beast that fought wildly with the wolf. It heard much, making note of the splattering near its unprotected backside and lashed its tail, but caught nothing; its large ears worked tirelessly to find what may have been the cause, before the wolf started to shift its body. And in a swift moment, it felt its weight lift free of the ground and slam into the wall with greater force than it might have expected, a piece of the wall actually breaking loose! Batcat Jr. slumped against the foot of the wall, an energy from the exposed area of the wall having seared its side.

It was hissing now, coupled with a guttural sound rumbling deep within its throat. However, its time of fighting was done.

From the shadows of the ruins, its screeching could still be heard, and was even more angry—but the Batcat clone the wolf had fought was definitely out of commission.

While some of its "siblings" might have been vocal about the attack on one of their own, an observing Batcat clone was surprised when a small ticketing-tacketing gembound slipped right into its home. The creature lived on the ceiling, and slowly lowered and turned its head to sniff quietly at the animal. The dog chose to hide in its own sanctuary, but this one in particular was an older clone and mostly curious at the moment, having eaten earlier and its immediate aggression sedated for the time being. While gripping the ceiling with its back feet and curling its tail around a rock for support, it slowly lowered its front-half and uncurled its wings to hover over the small gembound.

Meanwhile, outside, several other Batcat clones danced just outside of Xireidi's position, but were weary of the strange energy that arced from the hole in the wall.

Xireidi does 20 damage to Batcat Jr.!
Strange Energy does 50 damage to Batcat Jr.!

Batcat Jr. succumbs to its wounds! Batcat Jr. is knocked out!
Xireidi has 92/100 HP
Gabriel has 100/100 HP