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Ename peered up at Bristletuft when she took off, barely making out that there was something coming her way before she felt the swoosh of air as something, a head or claws, passed a mere feather's width from her back. She dove away from the beast, wings tucked in tight as she did her best to get away. Whatever it was, it was a nasty thing. She took the opportunity of Bristletuft's attacking it to get around behind the beast. At least it couldn't see her directly there. The old bird grimaced, watching the battle. The storm behind and the beast in front...things were not looking up for the cave-bound group. Ename hunkered down beside a rocky outcropping. With luck it would provide a little protection. If not...well, best not think about that.

As she was facing towards the inside of the cave, Sandstorm had no idea what was coming ahead. Everything happened too quickly: it may have been the stench, or the snarling, or even Bristletuft's hoot that alarmed her to turn around and face a mouth-full of yellow teeth charging her way, the Elite clinging onto its back and flapping furiously.

There were only two options for her: either to dodge the beast and possibly be snagged by those long, disgustingly dirty claws, or jump and attack its face. The second option was easily the most dangerous, because there she was vulnerable to both claws and teeth, but if she leapt far enough and landed on the top of the head rather than the face, she may be able to do a considerable amount of damage.

Running away was never her style[there are exemptions to annoying bafoons who are too full of themselves].

With only a few seconds to get ready, Sandstorm braced herself before emitting a piercing shriek: this was a warning for Dune, who had already hid further into the cave by some loose rocks. If she were to be injured, or worse, it was his order to get as far away from the cave as possible.

Before the call was even done, the aberrant leapt as far as she could without hitting her head against the cavern ceiling, her claws outstretched and aiming for his eyes. With any luck, it won't see her coming [at first] with all of the dead bat bodies being flung about.

Bristletuft was lucky, yes-- but despite her great bulk and her experience, her luck does not hold for long. Her talons are locked in the beast, and she would not have time to will them open even if she wanted to. The Elite gives another vehement curse as she sees where the monster is headed, but all she can do is hang on for the ride, and duck.

And so she does duck, pulling her wings in and her head down to try and flatten herself against the creature's back. But Bristletuft is very large, and the ceiling is very low. She slams into the rock above and is pushed backwards...

...with her talons still firmly locked in the angry monster's back.

Having regained his footing, Arbutus' lets loose a piercing screech and takes off again after the rampaging brute, chunks of moss and loose stone clutched firmly within his talons.

Aiming to broadside it in the minimal air space, Arbutus releases the debris and shoves outward with his Will at the monster's face. Breathing hard from exertion, he slams into its side the next moment , talons raised as he tries to find purchase in it's neck.

Talons in its back, white-hot slashes on its face and neck, rocks from nowhere, and a Sentinel attack from each side; each attack on its own would be enough to send the monster into a raging fury. All these attacks together, however, are another story entirely. Just before it reaches safety of its inner den the beast is halted abruptly by an unexpected obstacle - the rather large Elite locked to its back.

Snarling viciously, the monster endures the pain and surges forward despite the weight dragging upon his back (and any others who may have latched on during its mindless charge). All attempts to attack have been abandoned while it tries desperately to reach the narrow depths of its home, and finally the creature wrestles itself free and disappears into the darkness. The Sentinels could follow, one at a time, if they suffered from a sudden suicidal urge. As the growls of the beast die down there's a sudden distant peal of thunder that just keeps rolling on and on and on, as if somewhere out there, the rain has momentarily been replaced by lightning strikes. It seemed to come from the direction of the Deep Woods...

Bristletuft's valiant ride and subsequent impact with the ceiling of the cave is not in vain - she is left with a souvenir, a grisly trophy locked within her talons. The badger didn't really need its pelt, did it?

Ename appeared from behind her rocky perch at Bristletuft's call. Indeed it did seem the rain was slowing, and she was itching as much as anyone to get out of there. "Lovely gift the badger gave you, m'dear." She peered at the pelt a moment, distractedly thinking how it could be used in, or as inspiration for, some masks. Of course there was other work to do first. "Since the bats by the front of the cave are napping, should we perhaps get to strapping them to our claws to fly out to help the clan resupply?"

Though it might seem as though Duskwater is being quite reckless in flying through the storm the way he does, but he knows what he's doing and he's very wary of every little change in the air. His descent is every bit as calculated and careful as Lichen's, only somewhat quicker.

Spotting no signs whatsoever of a crash, the large elite veers slightly in the direction of the cave he had seen previously, and berates himself for not remembering to ask what the aberrant female was supposed to look like. If she was really dark he might have missed her already. He didn't think so, but the thought nagged at him.

Coming up on the cave, however, he is instantly distraced as his sharp hearing picks up the unmistakeable sounds of sentinels screeching - and something else that's growling like only a large ground-dweller could do. He touches down at safe distance from the cave opening the moment that the canopy behind him suddenly turns horribly bright with lightning, and the resounding thunder that accompanies it makes him sleek his ear tufts back. That sounds like trouble, but in a different place and for a different time. The cave is his main concern - he can't hear the sounds of battle anymore, and approaches very carefully in case the only remaining inhabitant would turn out to be the ground-dweller, but when he sees sentinel shapes moving around at the cave mouth he visibly relaxes and lets out a strong, deep hoot to let them know of his precense.

"Hoo! Anyone hurt?"