Not all who wander are lost

[Groddil]

All good. 

[Ashleg]

Topper drew his father's old dagger and motioned to Azalea with his paw as he crept slowly towards Ruplug.
Instead of making a move, the vole shouted out, "Hey, Vermin!"

[Jasper]

Bow stretched taunt, resting slightly against his cheek, Malcolm knew they had the upper hand. He could see his mates sneaking stealthily towards the rat. He hoped Topper and Azalea had a good swing: one needed only to look at Ruplug to know that it would take a considerable hit to knock him out. And it had to be a knockout. If the rat stayed awake after the sneak attack, he would likely finish Ciro off then and there.

Without warning, the vole called out to the vermin. Malcolm, although normally quite proper and civilized, let out a curse. Hadn't the vole listened to the plan? They were meant to clobber the vermin over the back of the head, not call out to him! It was to Malcolm's great horror to behold how Ruplug responded.

The second Ruplug heard Topper's call, he knew what was happening. The squirrel had merely been toying with him, catching his attention so the unknown creature could sneak up on him. Luckily for Ruplug, he was just as cunning as he was strong, and he sprung into action. The scene became utter chaos in an instant.

Ruplug immediately swung Ciro over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and slid the spit over one shoulder as though it was a quiver. This left Ciro tied upside down on his back, as though she were a living backpack. Ruplug turned his back (and Ciro) to Malcolm, knowing he wouldn't dare let fly for fear of hitting her, and charged the two woodlanders, waving his stair rail in the air like a club!

Nearly in the same instant, Widdle and the other river rat burst from the trees! Widdle was supporting the rat, who was definitely feeling the arrow wound Malcolm had given him. The rat had turned a pale green, but he had a dangerous look in his eyes. He had dropped his weapon in the pursuit, but he glanced around, and found the pitchfork; still leaning against the lean to. Widdle had her carving knife out again and a nasty grin on her face.

"'Ells teeth! Look at what we has 'ere mate!" Widdle sniggered

The rat spat to the side. "Aye, I owe this'n. Le's kill him."

The pair darted forward, and Malcolm let fly - hitting the rat in the heart, even as he ran. The rat twisted with the impact, and stumbled into a fall. He lay very still. Malcolm drew his hunting knife and prepared to engage Widdle, giving one last fleeting glance to Topper, Azalea and Ruplug, who were sure to be in an epic contest soon.

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Which two Woodlanders? Topper and Azalea, right?

[Jasper]

OOC-
Which two Woodlanders? Topper and Azalea, right?

OOC: Correct

[Ashleg]

Topper yelped and dove out of the way, grimacing as he tumbled through the grass.
He grabbed his dagger and got back to his paws, where he stood and flung it hilt-first at Ruplug's head.

[Lady Amber]

Azalea gasped and jumped to the side as Ruplug ran toward them. As Topper hurled his dagger at the vermin, Azalea lashed out with her own dagger at Ruplug's leg, catching him above his footpaw.

[Jasper]

Malcolm and Widdle had both analyzed one another in the scrap earlier. This time, no second was wasted. Widdle performed a high lunge at a full run, and Malcolm ducked left, swinging low. Widdle spun away in mid strike, but carried the spin around another time, swinging the knife downward. Malcolm turned and raised his arm, catching her's at the wrist.The jagged skinning knife stopped only two inches from his left eye. Malcolm made two swift strikes at Widdle's abdomen, but the weasel surprised him by using the weight of his arm to vault above him. She landed nimbly and the two stood only two feet from one another. They ducked, swayed and swung wildly at one another, a single mistake meaning life or death. Cold steel moved so fast that the slight whistling sound of knives cleaving air could be heard.

~~~

Ruplug ducked deftly under Topper's knife, but this left him off his guard. He realized in pain and horror that the otter had taken advantage of this by giving him a fairly deep cut just below the knee. He cursed and gave a swift kick to Azalea's abdomen before she could jump back. As she doubled over, he raised the stair rail above his head, ready to crush the young ottermaid with a devastating blow.

"ARRRRRR!" The muscular rat yelled as he began the strike!

[Lady Amber]

Just as Ruplug was about to strike, Azalea dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way, groaning from the kick to her stomach. Dagger clutched in her paw, she stabbed the rat in the thigh, grinning triumphantly. The ottermaid scrambled to her footpaws and backed away, dagger at the ready.

[Jasper]

OOC: Ruplug is a Rat, not a weasel

BIC: Ruplug hands seemed to be vibrating as the stair rail bent under the force of the blow, which was directed straight into the ground. He hardly even noticed the deep gash in his thigh, for the adrenaline of battle had overtaken him. This time he approached more cautiously. The stair rail's reach was far greater than the tiny dagger, and any time Azalea darted forward, he forced her to jump back with a quick swing. He forced her backwards, towards a small thicket of thorns.

"Heh heh heh, yore gonna pay 'fer what you dis to me, riverbrat!" he growled dangerously

[Lady Amber]

OOC: Ah okay. I fixed it.

BIC:
Azalea felt the thorns start to prick her through her tunic and gulped. She knew she had to do something, and fast. Ruplug took a swipe at her head with his stair rail, and she ducked, rolling under his legs. Her dagger slipped from her grasp mid-roll, though, and she only realized this as she ended her roll in a crouch on the other side. Ruplug turned towards her, a wicked grin playing across his face.

OOC: Now would be a good time for Topper to come in with his trusty ol' dagger, @Ashleg .

[Ashleg]

While the two were fighting, Topper had sought out his dagger in the bushes from when he had thrown it. The weapon now glistened and glinted, deadly, in his paw.
The vole took a deep breath and started towards Ruplug, brandishing his blade at just the right angle as he got nearer and nearer to the rat's exposed back.
He exhaled. Now or never.
Topper tightened the grip he had on his blade and aimed to cut into the rat's back.

[Jasper]

Ruplug swung the stair rail downward repeatedly, trying to crush the nimble otter beneath it. The rail was bending from the impact. He had no idea that Topper had a knife to hit back - he had quite forgotten the vole, but Ciro was still slung across his back, and the squirrel formed an unwitting shield protecting Ruplug's back from harm. As he swung, Ciro bounced up and down, making a strike at his back very risky and perhaps damaging to the female squirrel's health. It was quite a comical sight. Azalea was rolling and ducking - avoiding the devastating blows. Ruplug was jumping up and down with fury, trying to land a ferocious strike, while Ciro was tossed around on his back like a ragdoll. Meanwhile, Topper hopped around behind him, trying to find an opening, and narrowly avoiding the swinging squirrel at times.