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Scoria wants to make sure those who come for her stones are worthy of using them! She's heard word from Homewood's scouts that a group of cat beast's have banded together and are hunting noulicorns in Ruins. If you can defeat one of them in battle and bring her proof of your success, she'll give you a fighter's claw!
The day had started off like any other day really. It was cool rainy morning, the could were big and dark which meant it would probably rain for the rest of the day. There was a breeze the stirred the branches of the Homewood but it was not that bad; Dryxel had seen worst.
Mahpiya was still curled up in a beautiful purple ball of fluff, which brought a smile to Dryxel's muzzle. He really loved to watch the mischievous foal sleep. She looked so sweet and peaceful but he knew better she was a livewire like her mother. That thought made Dryxel smile even more. "You big softy." his muses laughed at him. "Only for my young." he argued back. It was true though he had been going soft since Twix, Bipin, Cordy, and Mahpiya but he could not help it.
"Sweet its time to go to your mothers." he said in a his deep sing song voice to his baby." She cracked one little crystal blue eye are his and shook her head in protest. He knew she would be hard to wake up but he needed to get to patrolling today. He had already had Twix on it for two days now so he could play with Mahpiya. "Come on know your brother misses you and Twix could use some rest Pi." That brought both her eye open but she did not move form her place. "Five more munities pleaasssseee." The cute doe eyes flapping in totally incenses was so cute but not to day Dryxel had work to do and it was time to get going.
He gave his foal a fatherly look that said this game would not work today and Mahpiya pick up on it quick and was ready to go in a flash. It was not far to Tempest's den and Mahpiya was soon calling good bye to her father. He nuzzled Tempest and then left to relieve Twix form patrolling.
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Dryxel had been walking for hours looking for Twix but had had no luck so far. He had thought the buck well on covering his tracks. This gave Dryxel a major since of pride for the buck that had once been skin and bones.
A bay doe comes into view just and Dryxel reaches the broader of the Homewood and the Ruins. "Good Morning." he says not wanting to startle the doe but as she turns to him he can see that she was far from startled. "A fellow patroller." He states to himself. Looking at the noul he could tell by she body that she was at the ready for anything. Changing his own movements to match that of a trained noul he came up to the noul slowly and very alert.
She spoke just as he reached her right flank. It was little more then whisper which only altered Drylex to the real danger that could be around. "My scouts have informed me of a group of cat beast's that have banded together and are hunting noulicorns in Ruins." She said as she scanned the edge of the Reins and Homewoods. "Do you have any training." Dryxel might have been insulted by this question but the doe before him had not looked at him once so he could blame her for at least asked. "Yes I patrol everyday." This must have been enough for her because she asked him to go into the Reins and search the group out "Any information you get would be most helpful. But be careful these beast's have tasted noul blood now and will not have mercy if the catch you."
Dryxel nodded and set off at a slow pace. Every step was taken with a pause to lesion, look around, and smell the air. When each step gave nothing to worry for Dryxel would lower his head and step again. It took forever but this was the safest way to move forward, there was not way back form dead. He clung to the shadows sinking into the darkness in the hopes that his presence would go unnoticed by anything but especially the cat beasts.
His body was tense and ready for anything but he kept his heart rate slow and steady; his breathing was low and even. This was only achieved by years and years of training. Dryxel moved on silent hoofs and watched for anything that would cause sounds. He did not want to give his position away because of a lose pebble or something silly like that.
He heard the beast's long before he saw them. Their growls and fighting echoed off the Ruins making it harder to pin point the true direction of the encampment. Dryxel took his time and closed his eyes so he could rely more on his other since when ever he stopped for the next direction.
As he approached the group of beasts he held his breath and stuck to the shadows like molasses on a maple tree. Looking around he could see that the group what fighting over a lump of meat that was unrecognizable. Distracted by their meal, Dryxel was able to see that there was a clear leader of the pack who had eaten his share and was now cleaning his paws and face. Counting the group Dryxel was able to see that there was 5 plus the leader. Not wanting to push his luck he began to back away slowly. This was not much information but it would have to do.
Once at a safe distance Dryxel let his breath out. His heart rate still even though so it was easy breaths in and out. Has he turned to run something caught his eyes. Form a ledge of and old Rein building a cat beasts bright yellow eye watched him as it as it jumped down form it perch. Fresh blood cover the fur of on its muzzle and paws. So there was 7 total and this beasty was clearly the leader who watched over his pack after eating. But Dryxel was now in it sights. "Great now what?" His first thoughts are a rush of adrenaline that not even his training was strong enough to keep him calm. His heart began to race and thousand year old instincts told every muscle in his body screamed at him to run.
Taking a few raged breaths, Dryxel knew he needed to come up with a plain to either get away or end this creatures life. He really did not want to take life form any creature form Vykeli, it felt counter predictive to the prepress of the noulicorns. The Cat prowled and stocked closer to Dryxel's so far unmoving body.
"Ok Buck what you going to do?!?" Dryxels muse squeaked at him still thinking running was a pretty good choice. But then something occurred to him. He knew where he was. The building to the left of him was the building he had done a scavenger hunt in and where his small tree now grow. The tree was of no help in this situation but the building had rooms. The think that would help however was the knowledge that the three floor of the building had a very weak spot that had almost given way on him when he had crossed it. This cat beast out weight a noulicorn but a lot. So with any luck this cat beast would fall through and the Great Tree would be in control of this creatures fate form there. He just had to get there.
Giving into his instincts he let the adrenaline carry him at a full on dead run. The cat beast instantly gave catch but he was far slower then a noul in a short distance. And they only needed to go a short distance. Dryxels legs carried him up into the building, up three steps at a time, and to the third floor in a matter of 5 minutes. The Cat beast kept right on Dryxel's tail but he had a lead on the beast which gave him just the time he needed to find the weak spot and jump over it to the safety of the other side. Dryxel kept right on racing down the hall relying on his knowledge of the building. And then heard the sound that would save his life.
The Cat beast not having the knowledge of the weakened floor went crashing through and falling to the second floor and then again to the first floor. Stopping dead still Dryxel lesioned for any sound of any animal kind. Nothing came. Moving back down the hall and to the now open whole in the floor, Dryxel looked with caution down to that the cat beast. The creature laid still with its eyes open. "Dead?" Dryxels muse questioned but how could he be sure. "Go down there." he muse pushed him forward and then the smell hit him. It was faint and almost undetectable but there all the same. Death.
Going down a different way to the first floor, Dryxel approached the lifeless cat very slowly. It was clear the fall had taken the creatures life and a large piece of rebar protruded through the center of the cat. It was sad to Dryxel to see the beasts dead body even though the creature was a danger to noul life. life was life but sometime there just was not a choice.
As Dryxel came closer to the beast he noticed that the cat had tried to hang on to a board leaving one large claw behind in the board. This would service as his prof of one of the beasts no longer being a problem. The other information he had gathered would prove to the ascended noul that had sent him, that the leader of the cat back was now dead as well. Maybe this would brake up the group all together. The cats would still be a problem but for now Dryxel could go back and share the information he had come up with so far.
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