LAY ME GENTLY IN THE COLD DARK EARTH [QUEST]

NOVEMBER QUEST: Tethys and Caiaphas have found the trail of bobcat leading from the cache, and have tracked down the guilty party. Feel free to post, and follow no posting order. @Tethys

It had been Tethys who first alerted Caiaphas of their unwelcome visitor -- and it was with an unusual bile that rose venomous in her gut as she trailed after the black wraith, her blood boiling and her breath in ragged, stifled bursts of outrage.

They had tracked the trail in tandem, and when the tracks turned into the shady forest they followed it through pinestraw and fern until at last they came upon a half rotten and fallen tree in which the scent was strongest. Caiaphas lowered herself to the ground, peering through the small hole in the stump -- and was rewarded for her actions by a hiss and a fierce swat of a powerful forearm. Taken by surprise she sprung backwards, a snarl contorting her features -- and with a low bay that announced the beginning of a hunt she threw herself into the rotted bough, clawing her way down the trunk with flashing teeth -- the fierce yellow of her eyes lambent with fury.

Tethys was pleased to see the similar reaction she felt inside as she relayed her observations to her pack sister. There had been similar flames burning in both female's eyes as they departed from the heavily traversed cavern beaches and struck out into the muddy, cold pine forest.

Bobcats were strange things. They shared similar diets to the ocean wolves- fish, small rodents, birds, whatever they could sneak up on using their superior stealth that was built from years of swimming in water. But Tethys had never considered the cats kin. With their pug-like faces, differing far from the elegant slope of a wolf's brow, they were physically repulsive to Tethys, and she found many more faults within them.

She had taken the lead, remembering where she had spotted the cats slinking around in the undergrowth. With her tail swinging behind her, the ebony raven's movements were measured and quiet, trying to pass undetected by the felines and hoping to catch them by surprise, now that Cai was by her side. The sound of the hiss reached Tethys' narrow ears and she spun around, a snarl alighting on her muzzle as the cat sprung from the hollowed trunk at the small female. She launched herself into the air, aiming to catch the cat solidly on it's back with her paws.

Caiaphas scarce had time to coordinate herself before a dark flash of fur was upon her assailant -- out of the corner of her eyes she could see a blur of movement and feral white teeth. The cat, shrieking in outrage, sought to swat Caiaphas sharply across the muzzle -- and before Caiaphas could dodge the blow its claws raked fiercely across her cheeks in welting streaks.

The feline's onslaught was not long before Tethys set upon it -- and with the spitting creature's attention divided Caiaphas skulked back to the bough, her latern-like gaze piercing the shadowed darkness. A sliver of moment betrayed the presence of another crouching cat -- and without stutter Caiaphas clawed herself into the bough, her teeth gnashing as she and the second bobcat met head to head in a series of splitting snarls and whirling teeth.

[size=x-small](I hesitated on joining because I wasn't sure how to play this out :P)
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Nishu was running late due some stuff he wanted to check out. He rushed in to forest where Tethys and Caiaphas went into as the followed the tracks of theives. He only hoped that the action hasnt ended otherwise that would mean he had missed a large opportunity to prove himself as a Knight.

It didn't take long for him to reach them. As he joinned into the battle field he quickly saw all the important details of which he was trained to see. From a distance it was easy to see that Tethys had engaged one of the theives and that Caiaphas was facing head to head with another. But there was a third member of feline party approaching to ambush Tethys while she was distracted. There was no time to lose so he charged in without any hesitation.

He ran pass the bobcat Caiaphas was facing. As he passed from behind it he let a low growl to a bark to distract it. The moment the third bobcat lept for Tethys he lept at it basically tackling it from the side. He managed to grab hold of it's neck and refused to lighten his grip at all cost. It didn't matter what kind of escape attempts it would try, as long as he held his grip, victory was certain.

[ooc] i'm glad you joined!! the more the merrier ! [/ooc

Ensnared in battle, it was a small wonder Caiaphas caught sight of Nishu Inte -- the male who proclaimed himself to be Tethys' knight. While the concept bemused her at best, she scarce had time to think of him -- for the bobcat before her was most pressing with her time. His growl caused the creature to lose composure momentarily, in which Caiaphas seized full advantage of by sinking her teeth into the cat's skull without remorse or qualm. With a growl she backed out of the bough with the cat's head between her teeth, and once free of the tree's hollow she issued a spine-snapping wrench of her neck, crushing the cat's skull inwards right then and there and immediately causing the feline to go limp.

With the cat's corpse still clutched in her jaws, she watched the fray -- a gruesome, bloodspattered spectator. Both Nishu Inte and Tethys were facing their own cats, and Caiaphas, however loyal to the cause, was unwilling to lend aid to them where none was needed.

Although Tethys had fended off the cat that had originally sprung for Caiaphas, more were streaming out from the woods around them. The black female had her chance to fight one as it spun around to face her, lashing out with serious claws. These were not mere playthings, for the bobcat's nails left gauges along Tethys' muzzle. With a snarl, she leapt into the fray.

Out of the corner of her eye Tethys could spot the advance of Nishu, streaking behind her. The female was careful not to turn as the feline launched itself at her with powerful back legs. The raven turned and opened her jaws, her fangs finding the flesh of the cat's shoulder as it caught itself in Tethys' slick fur. They rolled for a bit before the feline sprung back, hissing. With another snap of her jaws the cat retreated into the underbrush.

The prevailing scent of bobcat was strong in the clearing, but the aroma of meat was a thin undercurrent. It was possible the cats had cached some of the food they had stolen from Ankyra. The wolves might be able to reclaim it if they successfully sniffed it out.

Nishu was probably very lucky. The bobcat he had tackled was under him as they landed. He was able to hold it down with his own weight. It was pretty much game over for the cat since there was nothing it was able to do to escape the grip nishu had on it's neck. It didn't take long to excute it. Once he was sure the bobcat was dead he released it.

He remained on high alert, he kept a close eye on his surroundings. Any remaining members are likely making a run for it with two cats down. It might have been better to punish them all for stealing the food the pack worked to get but Nishu could settle with the results here. There was no need to chase them, he was sure that they learned their lessons.

While he stayed on guard he expected some kind of order on what to do next. If it was up to him he would leave saying mission completed.

let's get one more round in and wrap up? ty for the thread!!

The coywolf watched her comrades with kiln-glazed eyes, her expression dark as they committed their enemies to death. She said nothing until the two of them had finished -- eyeing with disapproval the exit one bobcat had made into the underbrush.

Like Tethys, Caiaphas had scented the faint undercurrent of their cache, ironically not where they had left it. She dropped the limp corpse from her mouth and dragged it against the bough, propping it unceremoniously into the cold earth. "I will find the rest. You two should bring that and what is left of our cache home." With that, the lanky wraith pivoted neatly and dove into the thicket, uncaring of the briars that raked past her flesh as she hotly pursued the wounded bobcat.

sure!

Tethys lifted her head, ripping her attentions away from where she had been raucously sniffing the earth from where the cat had escaped. She highly doubted it the feline would make a return appearance, but respected the fact that Caiaphas wanted to be extra sure. Besides, the raven female was more drawn to sort out the cache and get some sort of payback for the distress the bobcats had caused.

Drawing up alongside the knight, Tethys assented her approval with a nod. We will find it, she promised, and the coywolf dissipated into the brush. Taking point, the raven headed off in a different direction than Cai, her muzzle sweeping along the ferns and brush, letting the scents seep into her mouth as she pinpointed the trail towards their stolen loot.

[size=x-small]worth it and fun :P[/size]

Once there was a calm moment Nishu cycled between looking at Tethys and Caiaphas until the new order was given. There was a little extra to do before leaving. Tethys led the way to the stolen goods. He followed her knowing it was his job to assist even if this task was optional to his eyes. Whatever decision she took would be his as well.

Nishu was glad to be there for the battle. He couldn't imagine what would happen if he wasn't there. When he thought about it was actually the best choice to join. Otherwise he would be considered as a failure of a Knight to not be there when the time was critical. It was his duty and the mission was a success which left a pleasent feeling of being successful. Each success will add proof that he is a real Knight, thus adding to what is needed to prove himself to Tethys.

@Nishu Inte @Tethys archiving now -- i will award you two 20 EXP for participating in this packtivity! thanks again! we can do another one shortly if you'd like??

As Caiaphas ducked under the lengthy arms of briarbush she was left to reflect on the skirmish they had just endured. Thus far, Tethys and Nishu Inte had provided the most useful to Ankyra -- and Caiaphas knew without doubt that had she been the only one to accost the cats she would have been torn limb from limb.

It was not long before she was upon the wounded bobcat Tethys had almost dispatched -- its injuries made it most easy to dispatch, and thoughtless, Caiaphas committed the bobcat into oblivion. She would then take its corpse and display it as a warning near their borders -- let it serve as both a promise and a threat to all wanderers and thieves alike that this pack delivered unfathomable justice to all who dared intrude.