Moral Dilemma

[Dannflower Reguba]

       Silent made it out the doorway, but not very far before she collapsed to her knees with her arms still desperately clinching her wounds. She felt constricted yet light, bogged down by an unseen force, and bleeding out at an unnerving rate. She could faintly hear the altercations of beasts around her, but had difficulty discerning what they were about. Not surprising as she was fighting off fatigue and sleepiness.

* * * * * * *

       Besch watched the last survivors rush past with sadness in his eyes, hardly even noticing that Pyrin had spoken, much less what he said. As soon as the last beast still alive enough to escape passed the gate, the otter stretched his arms wide before drawing them back together as if closing a curtain. The supports for the gate broke inward, quickly traveling straight up to create a new wall of stone and earth in response to Besch's upward arm thrust. He turned to run, spotting the helpless Silent, and gathering her into his arms as he passed. He ran, trying to find a quiet spot for everybeast to stop in the woods so they could regroup and plan.

* * * * * * *

       Several guards looked on from the wall tops, crossbows leveled on the escapee's backs, "Hold your fire! T'would be a waste of ammunition at this point chaps!" The hare adept tilted the nearest weapon up with the flat of his blade, "Head back to your barracks, each of you, on the double!" None chose to argue, gladly returning to their more peaceful routine. The hare wasn't alone on the ramparts for long, "I'm not one to question, but we sure received some strange orders, hmm?" The rat had mounted the wall top, mere paces away from his colleague, "Strange doesn't even begin to describe it my friend." "Huh, better than just sittin' ere doing nothin' right eh?" The crazy ferret was back as well, hanging off the edge of the new hole torn into the top of the gates structure, "Some scrappin's better 'an no scrappin', 'specially if there's death involved, tee hee hee!" The other two simply rolled their eyes, contemplating the questions that plagued their minds.

[LT Sandpaw]

Several creatures of mixed species fled past Pyrin as he jogged along. The rodent had kept ahold of the mace and was twirling it in slow experimental loops. He periodically cast nervous glances over his shoulder, expecting to see a swarm of soldiers in hot pursuit, but it seemed they had given up the chase for now, why they would Pyrin didn't know, but nobeast would hear him complaining.

Slightly ahead of him he noticed a familiar otter and squirrel. Grinning he trotted up beside them slapping Krain on the back in an almost friendly manner. "Hoy, looks like ye survived th' crucible cullies." He pointedly didn't offer to help support the wounded Ellisar, but more or less kept his paws to himself, eyeing El's wounds interestedly. "Got yeself some stories there eh? Fought off a hundred foes an' th' like. Somethin' for th' grandkits, if'n ye survive th' night that is - an' if ye got a lover. Heh thas' th' hard part."

[Faiyloe]

Krain stumbled forwards and tensed as he felt a hand hit his back. When he saw who it was he gave a tight sigh and looked away. "What do you want?" Krain said tersely, hoisting Ellisar up a bit to get a better grip on the heavy man. He might be a bit taller than the squirrel but that didn't make him all that strong. At the moment it felt more like he was half supporting, half carrying the man.

[LT Sandpaw]

"Heh waterdog, what do I want?" Pyrin gave a half laugh stepping around Krain so he was walking backwards, in front of him. It was easy enough to do, with his own good balance and the fact that the otter wasn't moving very fast due to the squirrel's weight. "I want what everybeast else wants, to live. An' I can't do it on me own, ye understand?"

[Hickory]

Warder kept close behind Pyrin. The rat, however untrustworthy he seemed, also appeared to be his best bet of getting out of the compound. After all, he wasn't particularly concerned with the lives of the others. "Don't stop to talk," he advised Pyrin. "Only slows us down."