Welcome to Gaia! ::

((I’m trying out a way of racing involving dice to make it more exciting. Feel free to join in if you want to. Probably going to race two rabbits at the time.))

Oxlip was no longer an outskirter, and had gained a bit more status in the warren. He was still not high ranking by any means, but he wasn’t pushed away to the dangerous outer areas for silflay anymore. That was all good, but the white buck wasn’t going to sit on his haunches and be content with that. He wanted to be someone in the warren, and he wanted the other rabbits to know who he was. He had been in a few scuffles with other young males, but fighting didn’t seem to be his forte. He was fairly quick on his feet, but if the other buck was larger (and most were) he had to be careful not to let them get close enough to use that bulk against him.

He’d decided that working on his running might be a better way to stand out from the crowd in a positive way. It would also have the positive side effect of giving him an edge against elil. The heritage from his father – his white coat – already made him stand out. And it was not all good... Some rabbits on the down had made it very clear that they’d rather not silflay too close to him.

Many rabbits were out for silflay at the moment, and there was no sign of elil. Oxlip wiggled his nose and stood up on his hind legs. Everything seemed clam, but what he wanted now was some action!

"Anyone up for a race," he called, hoping that someone would take him up on the offer.

Oxlip turned to face his challenger with a pleased grin on his face. The other male was rather large, but he was sure that his bulk would be a disadvantage here. He wasn't sure what the other male was called, and he hadn't seen the buck do much around the warren. Oxlip tried to keep track of others his age, and he also made a point to know every single rabbit in the owsla. They didn't necessarily know him, but one had to know the highest ranking rabbits in the warren. He was also very aware of the rabbits closest to him in rank. You could say that Oxlip was a bit obsessed with rank, really. This fellow was larger, older and quite obviously higher ranking.

"That sounds good," he said, moving closer to the starting point "I don't think I've heard your name, I'm Oxlip."

((5 dice, the higher the quicker, each dice corresponds to a part of the race, middle dice = turning point.))

((It helps to actually roll...))

Oxlip dashed off as soon as Ragwort said "RUN", but the dark buck got a better start. He narrowed his eyes and tried to push himself harder. The start wasn't everything, even if it was important. They were nearly at the half way point between the start and the rock now, and Oxlip was breathing down the neck of Ragwort. He wasn't doing that badly, but the dark buck ran as if he'd been chased by elil.

"You're quick for a big guy," he called. It wasn't smart to talk while running, but maybe it'd throw Ragwort off.

Birchbark watched the two older bucks. His large eyes seeing them run far faster than he knew anyone could run. Wiggling he moved forward to get a closer look at them. They seemed to be having bun but also competing. He had never seen the bucks or does do this in his old warren, but then he was hardly able to silflay. Yet watching the older bucks run, he felt his back legs tremble. He had run sometimes because of the Elil chasing he and dogwood, but to run for fun. He stood on his hind legs, ears straining forward. “Can I play to?” His small voice piped up, trying to be heard over their banter.

((Perfect distraction for Rags, thanks!))

Ragwort would have laughed, but he was having some trouble of his own, and was also nearly slowing to a crawl. The tiny kitten had managed to get a bit too close, and Rags had to throw himself out of the way to avoid slamming into the small rabbit.

"Ah, sorry," he said, slowing down as he had to go round the small male instead, "I'm just going to beat the hraka out of Oxlip first. Then you can play."

Luckily Oxlip had stopped behind him for some reason, and when Rags took off again he was still in the lead.

((Tossing in Roseroot so you have someone to interact with while the boys finish.))

Roseroot was always fairly high strung at silflay. The potential dangers were everywhere, and it wouldn't do to relax too much. This situation right there just served to validate her attitude. A grown buck nearly bowling over a kitten! The doe huffed and moved closer to check if the little one had been horribly traumatised. She would have been, after all...

"How are you dear," she said in a low voice, barely more than a whisper, "Perhaps we should stand back a little while the bucks play."

She shot a nasty glare at the two rambunctious bucks, but they just turned behind the rock and probably didn't see it.

Oxlip was pleased with his turn. He kept his footing, and managed to keep his speed all the way around the rock. He was so close he could nearly touch Ragwort's tail, but they weren't playing tag. He made a gamble and widened his turn around the rock, to see if he could run past the other buck on the other side. It was risky since that meant he'd have to run a longer distance than the other buck, but it might just work.

(( Thank you! Wow the headshot thing is really neat.. Mind f I try and make my own? Its a good idea.))

Birchbark tucked his head and rubbed his face with his paws but he looked to the doe and smiled. “Oh, it’s okay. I didn’t think they would run so fast. I thought I could have moved but I turned tharn.” His ears dipped and he scrubbed at his face again. A small but vain attempt to groom himself a bit calmer. He looked to the doe again and wiggled in place, nearly dashing forward in his excitement. “Aren’t they going fast? Surely they will start to ply like a bird soon.” His nose twitched and he was having a hard time again not to just spring forward. He truly wanted to play. Dogwood wasn’t around often. The warren was so large. There was no other kits either.

Hraka! Ragwort had misjudged the size of the rock, and when he made that last turn he got uncomfortably close and his side grazed an outcropping on the rock. It really smarted, and he lost valuable time by turning his head to check the damage. No blood, the pain subsided, but Oxlip had managed to run past him. Oh, no... He wouldn't win that easily!

A small tuft of dark grey hairs waved mockingly from the part of the rock he had brushed up against, but Rags didn't look back again. He was now the one chasing after, but he was going to give the other buck a run for his money.