Blackbeak Bluff Casser une Jambe

The return to his mother was not what he had expected.

He looked forward to her gentle words and praise, but upon the news of Chae falling behind, for the first time both him and Chesley were met with anger. She had held back, he could tell - but it still hurt.

Now attempting to give her space until Chae arrived, him and his brother had made their way to the coast.

'Scouting' was what they would claim to be doing. Carefully walking through wooded area his tail swayed, the smell of autumn air comforting him.

Phobos approached the cliffside with an air of caution. Ledges had always made him nervous, but the air was carrying a scent that put him particularly on edge today. Clouded by the smell of his surroundings, he could not discern what it was.

With Pepper close behind he felt relatively safe, however. He was no longer on his own - if something were to happen he knew the other wouldn't leave him.

"So anything in particular yer lookin' for?" the wolf asked, catching up to walk beside Phobos. He thought he'd saw movement, but it was only wind. He was hoping for a deer. Something large. He missed hunting big stuff.

"Why are you dragging me out here," the smaller wolf said to his brother. Mother was mad at Chaudry, not him. He had no reason to hide. If anything, his absence was only going to hurt his chances of impressing her. He had no time for his brother's silly game. He had plenty to do keeping up the borders.

"You want to impress maman, yes?" He asked, looking to the smaller brother. "So do I. We're going to find her a gift."

He paused at the tree line, looking out and spotting two wolves. Inconvenient, but they could go around them.

He took the time to analyze the pair, eyes narrowed. One was familiar. One was new.

A traitor, a weak man.

"How about the pelt of a murderer?"

He shook his head, slowing himself to brush up to the other. "Anything is good - the weather is cooling down so we can't be picky."

If he could find something to help Pepper, then that would be a bonus.

"And I ain't allowed to make ya stop for a kiss?" the big canine said, intentionally bumping his shoulder into the smaller wolf. "Promise it'll be quick." he said, nibbling at a clump of fur on Phobos' shoulder.

Ches raised an eyebrow at his brother. He was admittedly more interested now. 

"Who? You really think she'd want us out here? Seems like there could be better ways to impress her." 

Ways that wouldn't result in a target on their back. There would be time for activities like this after the pack was stable.

"Maman will forgive when we bring her this, I promise." He pointed with his nose to the smaller black and white wolf. "I chased that one out of the mother pack with others. I remember."

The lashing of his tail said that his mind would not be changed. He wanted nothing more than the familiar scents metallic red to hit his tongue. To please his maman. "His partner is weak. Look, can't you see the limp?"

"There is no need to kill. Once we have the scent on our pelts and the red on our claws, we grab fur in our mouths and rip. We will give it to maman, for her nest."

Chaudry had a tendency to take fur in his fights. He would add it to his nest to revel in the scent, celebrating his victory.

He smiled, lapping at the head of the other. "Maybe just one." He said through a hum, tail waving.

Phobos savoured these moments, though he could feel eyes on him. He may have been paranoid, yet his eyes flicked towards the tree line and his smile faded.

Squinting, he swore he could see the shape of a canine - maybe two.

He moved his muzzle from his shoulder to his cheek. But the wolf's face showed worry. He followed his gaze. 

"Somethin' wrong?" he asked, squinting as he searched the dark undergrowth.

"All this way for a clump of fur? Are you too weak to kill them?" the smaller wolf pressed. If they only attacked, the two wolves would remain a threat. They needed to do this right. Or, Chaudry did. Chesley had no intention of dirtying his paws with this.

He shook his head as though he were a disappointed parent - a perfect vision of their maman. "Were you never taught the joy of taking trophies? Take more if you wish. It is not necessary."

"They won't be a threat. This will be a warning to the traitor."

Yes, a warning. His friend would only be collateral damage.

"I feel like we're being watched." He frowned, taking a careful step in front of Pepper as though shielding him.

They had not wandered into another's territory as far as he was aware, so what business would these strangers have with them?

He looked harder, ears forward. He heard them, not clearly, but well enough to pick out two distinct voices. Pepper's attention briefly flicked to his mate, who seemed to believe he would be first contact. 

"Come on out, now. We can hear ya." the wolf said, directing it towards the trees. Meaning harm or not, Pepper wasn't fond of eavesdroppers. He moved further up, putting Phobos at his shoulder with a glance.

Trophies were clutter. In this case, a trophy would mark a job half-done. As he saw it, this whole interaction was unnecessary, and something told him his mother would feel the same way. But he was here, so he would help his brother, to whichever extent left him unscathed. 

His ears swung toward the new voice, followed soon after by his muzzle. It was grating, unfinished. It made his lips curl. 

"Well, you'd better get to warning them." he said, turning back towards his brother.

Time for rolling :D

They had been noticed, his lashing tail pausing only momentarily. "Aim for the legs. You're quicker than a few old bite tâters." He insisted, little hesitation in his insulting words towards the pair.

Trained and more than ready for a fight, Chaudry bared his pearly whites and shot out from the cover of the trees. His aim for the black and white male clear he went for a bite to the shoulder of the other, only grazing before distancing himself.

He knew better than to use his energy immediately. If he were to get what they wanted, it would have to be saved until the end.

Attack roll: 2

Defense roll: 0

Taken of guard the hit from the other was taken. For now it was only a scratch, a result of what he assumed to be the other's poor aim. Head shooting to the other he attempted to get a look at who they were.

A pelt of smoke dappled with ash, it felt familiar to him. Soon his eyes met their's however; empty yellow irises surely taken from his mother, yet devoid of her light. Yes, he knew this wolf. Not by name, yet this only made him further displeased.

Rolling with -1 def (HE AIN'T LIMBER NO MORE), +1 atk (experience)
Defense: 1

The wolf launched quickly. One of them. The other still was not visible. He was large, and coming much too fast for Pepper to properly react. So he simply turned his body, shielding Phobos and taking the brunt of the force in his side. The pain pointed to something more than blunt force, though, as he felt a sharp sting in his shoulder. 

Pepper had no idea what this was about, but he no longer cared. His gaze momentarily followed the wolf before he sprung after, teeth bared and aiming for whatever he could grab. A leg, maybe. He wouldn't mind feeling bone crunch beneath his teeth. 

Attack: 2
Current wounds: Bite contact on shoulder, bleeding.

Rolling no modifiers.

Chaudry, the oaf, leapt out, immediately striking the larger male. Chesley rolled his eyes. They were here for the smaller one. Had he really already lost sight of the goal? 

With less pomp, Chesley dashed forward as well. His brother had at least distracted the big one, leaving the sickly skinny fellow alone. Ches' was no fighter, but this would be a joke. 

Just fur. They'd decided on that. So that's what he planned on retrieving. He'd do what needed doing, then leave. 

None of this needed to be done. But. Still. 

Eyes locked on, he leapt, teeth bared, aiming for the scrawny wolf's side.

Attack: 2 
Current wounds: none

defense roll: 2

The sharp feeling of teeth sinking into the muscle of his back left leg only brought Chaudry further excitement. He did not expect the weak old man to fight back.

Taking note of the limp he had observed earlier he moved for the supposedly injured shoulder: not to bite, rather throwing his weight into it. A heavy hit if he did it well, practically a tackle.

He pleaded for the satisfying sound of popping, hoped for a dislocated limb. Something that would comfort him at night.

attack roll: 3

defense roll: 5

Teeth grazing his bony side caused a spike of adrenaline - something that was no longer familiar to him. Snarling he turned to bite at the attacker.

He would run as soon as they got the chance. Him and Pepper were weak with age and injury, there was no sense in attempting to defeat the attackers on their own.

attack roll: 5

Defense: 4
Attack: 3

He'd managed to make contact. Hard bone lay beneath the fatty flesh and thick fur of the wolf's leg. He tightened his grip, holding the wolf just below the knee. He could break it, or at least fracture it, if he bit hard enough. So that's what he did. He squeezed tightly, hoping his molars were still strong enough to stay in tact. 

using his attack roll to attempt to break or fracture the tibia

He'd managed to keep an eye on the wolf's head, who seemed to stop fleeing now, turning around to ram into his shoulder. He'd managed to keep hold of his leg while also stepping to the side. He still felt the force on his shoulder, saw stars for a moment as the weakened joints strained to stay in-tact, but managed to move enough to miss most of the attempt. 

Current injuries: bitten shoulder, same shoulder weakened from attempted tackle

Defense: 1

The skinny wolf was wily. He'd managed to slip out of reach, leaving Chesley's teeth to chomp at the air. He wasn't quick enough. He also wasn't quick enough to move out of the way before catching an un-aimed bite to the face. He briefly saw the open mouth coming in, then felt the long canine effortlessly sink into the socket of his eye. The pain wasn't immediate, but it did come. The rest of the teeth dug in to the soft skin around his cheek. He didn't want to pull away. He didn't want to risk damaging his eye, or tearing the skin on his face. 

"Chaudry! he managed to yelp, not unlike a pup calling for its mother. 

Injuries: Bite on face, currently has Phobos' canine wedged between his left eye and socket.

Attack roll: 7
Defense roll: 7

A growl and a bite at the jaw of the other, he pulled his leg away. There was the rip of flesh, yet that was preferred over the injury that could have resulted.

Though he rolled his eyes at his brothers call he had freed himself to help him. Eyes now locked on the smaller of their opponents, he ran at him in an almost bull-like fashion.

2nd attack roll: 7

Jaws open he latched to the back of the black and white wolf, teeth sinking in.