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ICUDO

Phew~ part 1 is done, and part 2 is on the way.

So Herne, Roy, a few other Hunters, are in route escorting a caravan from Juli to Aplair. But something happens and that separates Herne and Roy from the caravan they were to guard. With that they must work with the other to get to safety. But will they?

Amber eyes opened slowly, only to immediately shut when the sudden urge to cough lumped up in the back of the caracal's throat. Roy spat out water onto the wet cold pebbles underneath him. Once he could breathe again, the Head Elite opened his eyes once more, his vision dimmed around the edges, fighting it off, the black and gray fuzzy edges receded. The first time was having the wind knocked out of me and the second was from pain. Both times I remember my vision blacking out.
"What had happened?" His own voice seemed far off, along with the distinct sounds around him, like the birds flying overhead or the river flowing.
Once on his feet, feeling a headache and stumbling, the caracal splashed back into the riverbank, crunching onto some ice in the cold running water. Roy took a moment for his senses to not be so distorted, he didn't wait very long though. When he realized that he was nowhere near the caravan he and some other hunters were escorting to another town. He remembered the humans they found on the side of the road with a broken wagon, needing help when in turn it was all just a setup. It was an ambush by human thugs and thieves. Right, we were outnumbered, through the chaos trying to fight the thieves, I knocked into a fellow hunter in the process also trying to stop him from darting off, causing both of us to fall off the road and down the hillside.
At this point, the dark caracal was starting to feel the scuffs and bruises on his body from falling and hitting the rock side. He was glad that he had his armour on. Amber eyes glanced around, looking up and down the riverbank, no one in sight. The late evening sun began its descent on the horizon, it would be getting pretty cold soon. That was when the fleeing hunter came to mind.
"Where is that idiot of a feline?" Roy swore under his breath, starting his way downstream, still trying to get a grip on his balance as he walked through some snow.

Being a ways downstream, another feline layed on the riverbank. Wearing similar scuffs, scrapes, and minor cuts throughout him. The feline was motionless minus the small expanse and dispense of his lungs. This feline meanwhile wore fare less armour, and what little that was there was damaged pretty well beyond repair. With the sun being on its way out of the sky, and the nearly new moon's reign already underway, darkness was soon to blanket everything suck away any and all heat till the sun took its turn once again.

Walking became a little easier for the caracal and his senses weren't so distorted anymore. He shook out any remaining water from his fur and armor. From there, continued searching along the riverbank for a long while. His was no longer being affected by the growing darkness of the evening. Mouth open to help him with more sensitive smells, Roy was about to give up looking and just go find the caravan.
No wait, There! Something small lay near some bigger rocks in the water. Padding quickly over the Head Elite stood over the motionless figure. Eyes catching that the smaller feline was still breathing, just faintly though. Roy grabbed the pelt and dragged the soaked cat to shore, dropping the feline onto the dry earth and walked over the cat like he didn't care at all. Limping from a growing sharp pain on one of his hind legs, Roy sat a little ways off from the unconscious feline to take a look at his own injury.

With the change in position having jostled water in the feline's chest, putting even more where there shouldn't be, the feline had gone from an unconscious state to coughing before his eyes even opened. He coughed a good six to seven time before air even started to return to his lungs. He had himself partly stand and fall almost immediately as he finally coughed out the water in the his chest. The feline could feel the burn of the cold on him.
"... mmm..." he grunted lowly, as it turned into an inaudible sound.
In a normal habit of the feline, he moved one of his front paws to his chest, and almost grabbed for something, only to find nothing was there. He tried a few times to grab for something that should have been around his neck, but there was no anvil to grabbing it. On that, his eyes has almost shot open, still very dilated, very clear he wasn't even all there, he fumbled onto his feet.
"--where is it?" he scoffed out, spinning around, pretty well tripping over his own feet, and despite having soaked fur, his fur along his spine had partly stood, "--where is it where is it!" he scoffed out again with a bit more volume.
His tone was very clear there was something wrong, and again pretty well tripping over his own footing, instantly scouring the ground for this precious item.

Roy glanced up from the deep cut on his foot towards the coughing feline. The traitor lives? He said to himself watching as the small cat grabbed at his own neck and began looking for something in a sudden amount of worry on his face. But for how long? Roy added seeing the yellow cat get onto his paws tripping over his own footing, scoffing as he asked 'where is it? Where is it?' over and over again.
Clearly the felines senses were very distorted and Roy could have guessed that they hit their heads on a very big rock on the way down from the hillside. After licking away what red he could from his injury on his leg, the caracal stood up, not feeling any pity for the small wet feline that was before him. Roy took in a deep breath of cold air and cleared his throat loudly for the feline to hear, the expression on his face clearly showed that he wasn't pleased to see the cat still alive.

The tom didn't respond to Roy clearing his throat, but continued scrambling for the item he lost. He then turned his attention to the water, and gave a fast, stumbled glance at it, cutting his eyes up and down the river very quickly, and instantly made a horrid dart to go up river, but took a step and fell chin first into the ground and splashing into the water. That was enough to get the feline to partly step back, and shake his head from the sudden frigged water hitting him in the face. It was also enough to remove numbness from his legs and body.
The caraffory had pretty well buckled from the wave of pain up his legs and the burn of the cold, forcing out a growled grunt. But within a moment, he made another attempt to go up river.
"--be up there!" he let of his face in a slurred coughed tone, still stumbling over his own feet.

Amber eyes watched the tom scramble, almost flailing as they moved about as they made their way up stream. Roy closed his eyes for a moment, trying to decide what to do now. He needed to catch up with the caravan and fast, he was either in Fire's or Stone empires old territory's after all, and the Head Elite didn't want to find out which one. Roy opened his eyes to look back at the feline, who still was making their way up the riverbank along the water.
The elite quickly caught up and started speaking to the feline but his words did not reach the tom, doing his best to not try and kill the poor pathetic feline and put them out of their misery. Roy let out a hiss as he smacked the small cat and pinned him to the ground, paws pushing the tom's head back into the cold icy water.
"Wake up YOU idiot!" He snapped.

Going from a frantic scrambled to both getting smacked out of nowhere to the feline, the male found his head being shoved into the water, inhaling more water. That was enough for the male to snap out of whatever state he was in. But this wasn't really an improvement when he twisted and curled his back and hind legs, and kicked them straight up swiftly, as she scoffed and hissed out, "Get-- OFF!!!"
Hopefully kicking whatever that was trying to drown him off, letting him back roll onto his paws, and get a fast ram in whatever's chest, sending them back, then getting the Hell away from it.

Roy let the much smaller feline kick away at his stomach and ribs, hardly feeling anything due to his armor blocking most of the blows, also Roy was already in a lot of pain from the scuffs cuts and bruises from his fall. The elite made sure not to drown the tom but enough to get water on his face, in his ears and eyes for a little bit to wake him up from his stupor. Once the tom was aware of Roy, he freed the cats neck from his paws and leaped over the small feline, allowing him to sit up and catch his breath. The caracal stood back in the stream, amber eyes keeping on the feline.
"Earth to stupid!" He snapped trying to get the cat's attention.

The moment the feline felt the weight come off of him, he like a bolt of lightning, flipped from his backside to have his paws all under him, and attempted to jump forward, but only had himself roll forward, again, thudding his chin against the ground and be back on his back. It was then, he became more aware of what was around him, and his leg too, began to let out a strong ache.
It was at that point, the yellow feline heard Roy spouting off at him. The caraffory glanced around himself, ultimately finding Roy a few feet away. The apprentice just stared at Roy for a few moments. Then cut his eyes back at where he was originally going, and back at Roy, and just glared at him.
"Butt-faced miscreant." he spat at Roy, still on his backside, "you butt-faced-- Miscreant." he coughed.

The brace on the feline's forearm was in tatters and not doing a very good job supporting the tom's paw as he tried to walk or run. Explaining all the falling and tripping. Roy didn't care what rude and inappropriate words this young apprentice called him, the head elite didn't care. Few ice chunks rolled by the two cats, standing in the water made Roy's own injury sting a bit on his hind leg. If they stood in the stream much longer, he was sure either or even both of them would end up catching a cold.
"Are you done ranting...?" He began, watching the feline cough. Puffs of white could be seen as the cats breathed the soon to be night air. "Herne?"
There, he said the felines name. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Herne glanced at his brace, which was in tattered, he growled at the sight of it, and looked right back at Roy, who had asked if he was done ranting, followed by a long pause, then the Herne's name. Herne in response snorted at Roy, and glared at him more, and took notice of the caracal's leg, but didn't say anything about it.
That lead to Herne's thought pattern changing again, the item he lost, he still wanted that thing back. Rolling to his side and poorly pushing up to a sitting up position, he tore the remains of the brace off.
"We're both pretty well screwed," he stated with a clear sarcastic tone, "yer bleeding out and I can hardly walk." he pushed to his paws.
Herne didn't wait for any response from Roy before looking around at the ground and their surroundings. So we're in a patch of trees. he told himself, last I remember we were on an open plane... escorting some hoopla to Aplair... he looked at Roy for a second, then more of what happened hit the caraffory.
"-- I would have grabbed my necklace had you not divishly dove in the way idiot." he snapped.

Well at least Herne finally grasping his surroundings and the crazy situation they were in. Roy didn't care that the tom had noticed his hurt leg, his ears drew back at the caraffory's next words.
"Who cares about your DUMB little trinket!" Roy hissed loudly now moving to step out of the freaking cold water. "Those human thieves were taking one of the caravans wagons goods and all you could do was hide like a little rabbit, while the other few hunters and myself tried to fight them off."
The elite flicked his tail in frustration, remembering a few of the thieves holding swords, was that how he got cut?
Now that he was out of the water Roy shook off his paws. He was unsure how long they had blacked out along the riverbank. "I'm going back to see if the caravan is still upstream." He said turning to look in it's direction, not caring if the small apprentice followed, if he could keep up that is.

The caraffory glared back at Roy. Of course he wouldn't care. It's not something he's had through his whole life. he growled to himself, he's just being a hunter... an ignoramus. Herne looked back to where he himself was headed, upstream as well, but looked to where the sun was, disappearing from the sky. Looking back to Roy, I seriously wonder who's crazier right now.
"Hey div, you realize you are bleeding." he stated rather bluntly at Roy, not entirely certain he would stop.

The fading sunlight that seeped through the few trees danced along their pelts as they made their way up stream. If the wagon was taken, cleaned from all of its goods, the rest of the humans and hunters in the caravan would leave it behind and continue heading to the city. More quickly now with human thugs on their tails. Now, knowing where their head elite was exactly and the little unfortunate yellow pelt that followed Roy. The remaining hunters in the group would have trouble finding time to get the caravan all the way to the city then turn around and go looking for Roy and Herne. Leaving the caravan unguarded. Roy only hoped the hunters wouldn't drop their duties to look for him. The apprentice's words behind him didn't cause Roy to turn around or even flick an ear to show that he was paying attention.
"I know." He replied flatly, still feeling the little warm trickle of red along his leg.

Not having much effort in keeping up with the mule's pace, Herne had fallen behind some, his own paws burned in the snow from walking in it, but the droplets of blood that trailed through the snow, and on anything the darker pelt went over, made knowing where he went pretty easy.
"You are going to get us both killed with yer idiocy." he grunted to himself, meaning whether you sleep willingly, or pass out along the way, or Hell, I use a rock to knock you from yer high horse stature, he slightly smirked, I do owe you that much. Smacking the caracal over the head with a stone sounded like a fun idea, but that would another bleeding wound. So... so much for that. he rolled his eyes.
Herne huffed, and decided to change his course slightly, and arch into the woods some, looking for supplies of sorts, anything he could use for what he needed them to be used for.

The path winded back and forth with the stream, it took about twenty minutes till Roy's amber eyes caught sight of a broken down wagon poking out over the side of the hilltop. A wave of relief washed over him and he let out a small sigh, good the hunters and the rest of the caravan had moved on. Stopping he turned back to see if Herne was still behind him.
Night had fallen and the feline was no where to be seen. When had the yellow pelt flopped dead along the way? Roy thought, taking a moment to clean away at his wound with his warm tongue. The pain in his foot was hurting so badly it was making him limp, it hurt more then the rest of the collected cuts and bruises, he wondered if it needed that stuff his master used called... what was it? Ointment? Maybe, the caracal wasn't sure. Human words, he had only picked up on a few of them.

Herne having fallen behind the caracal, was scanning the ground and anywhere he could get himself to looking for supplies. A lot of things almost any hunter would just look over and dismiss. --where is that plant... the tom played to himself, it was always in trees belts. Herne looked in every area he saw a form of bush, every patch of grass, even up on bushels that formed themselves out of the cracks in stone. But with the sun gone, and branches making the light that was left a striped mirage, made the task much more difficult than it already was. The cold was setting in, Herne himself preferred to be cold over hot, but being too cold lead to the same effect, being burned.
With his own nerves against what he was doing, he pressed forward, and kept looking. His searched carried on for twenty to thirty minutes in the tree-belt, tree-patch, whichever it was actually, and limping forward, the caraffory's paw landed in something. It was fuzzed, and slightly bristled. The tom's face almost lit as he took a step back, and looked down at it for a few moments. The lack of light made the task a little harder, but it was in fact, what he was after.
"--thank you--" he huffed before using his paw to dig out the plant by its roots, and then pick it up with his teeth, sure to not bite the plant itself, but rather the root, "--hopefully the Mule of Darkness is around still..." he gritted from his teeth and began to track back toward the stream.

Climbing up the steep hill was indeed difficult and a bit of a struggle for the caracal. Ascending sideways was the only way he could get to the top through the snow and rocks while doing his best not to use his injured leg. Roy took his time, using anything as cover so he was not seen by any empire or human thieves that might be still in the area. Walking as quickly as he could, then stopping to hide and wait, his underbelly brushed the ground every step of the way. Roy hid behind a good size patch of tall grass to catch his breath, taking a moment to glance back down at the group of trees he had left the apprentice by. Flicking an ear in annoyance as he thought of Herne, he drew his eyes forward looking up from his hood, almost there.
Climbing took at least ten minutes longer than he would have liked, but he had made progress. Once near the top he crouched down in the dirt and snow, his ears poking out with the thin tall grass. The only sounds he could hear was the soft breeze that swept over the hillside and the abandoned wagon now within sight.(edited)
The elite quickly scanned over what items he could find that might have been left in the wagon but the humans had left nothing of value to the caracal, nothing to rap his leg in nor any scraps of food. Sitting under the broken wagon to shield himself from the cold night wind, he winced cleaning the wound once more, the armor on his left hind leg torn open where the cut was.
After a little time passed, his muzzle caught the scent of something under broken glass and he moved it aside. Amber eyes growing wide with disgust, A FISH. Really out of all things it had to be a cold slap dead fish! It wasn't even big enough to fill half of the caracal's mouth. He stared at the thing for a long while, it's open eyeball seaming to look right back at him.
Pouting Roy turned away.
"Not happening." He huffed.
Even if it was life or death, Roy was never going to eat a fish, even if it saved his life. Amber eyes glanced down the road, thinking it would be wise to start heading to Aplair, the town where the caravan and hunters were headed. He would run the whole way if it meant keeping under the cover of the night.

Having backtracked his way to the stream, the yellow feline headed upriver, at a semi-decent pace this time around. Based on the trail lead by Roy, he was slowing down, which on Roy's part, wasn't good by any means. Herne kind of hoped the wound he has inflicted on him had frozen, or clotted itself from the cold. But the fact there was still a trail of it, meant it wasn't a light injury. Roy being Roy would try to power through the injury and continue on anyway, the apprentice retorted to himself. from personal experience, that'll only go so far. he shook his head with the plant he had shaking a bit. After a good fifteen minutes, the caraffory had reached the hillside.
Herne huffed, pretty well able to see the path Roy had taken, and everywhere he stayed idle for more than a moment. I partly hope His High Horse is unconscious, he shrugged and began his own climb, a much more straight up approach, having no regard for hiding. ... only just unconscious... last thing I need is being found with him dead, we all know how that will go over with other Hunters. he rolled his eyes.
Herne himself was only about half way up the hill when he himself had to stop and rest.
"--this... this is ridiculous..." he gritted through his teeth and the plants roots in a low volume, "completely ridiculous..."
He listen with his ear from there, hearing something move from around the caravan. Let's hope I am not running into my execution. he stated to himself, standing back up and started hiking some more.

A white puff of air escaped the caracal's nose as he exhaled in another huff. This was going to be a stupid move, even for him but he needed to get to the other hunters before he was found by empire cats. He'd rather not sit around and wait to be captured by Fire empire or even worse, killed by Stone. He'd risk his chances running with a slightly bleeding foot, even if he was followed Roy wouldn't back down from a fight.
After taking a few more minutes to rest, he cleaned his wound once more, then finally stood up keeping his hind leg off the ground. It wasn't easy walking around with three legs but it would have to do. He took in another few big breaths. I can do this. Roy told himself. I can do this. His body hunched, preparing his muscles for exertion. Feeling adrenaline already pumping through his veins, he began with a slow trot that was about to turn into a full out run.

Herne continued his way up the incline, falling into the snow every now and then, before eventually making his way to the top of the hill, getting sight of Roy taking off down the road.
"--and you're calling me stupid, clodhopper." Herne grunted through his teeth seeing Roy poorly run the road.
Well, I might be able to catch up with him, but that would wind up with us both dead, now wouldn't it. he played to himself. I need something to use as bandages, something, anything at all. he looked at the remains of the caravan. But before he went to do that, he stopped, and looked around, where is it... he slightly swallowed to himself, and looked in the other direction of the road, it's not that direction. He looked back to the hill he just climbed and back to where the stream was. It's probably in the ocean. his showed he wasn't enthusiastic about the current situation, and his necklace likely being in the ocean.
Part of Herne wanted to also just ditch the caracal and go looking for his necklace, there was chance it was in the river, or along the back somewhere, but this also lead chance someone else taking it. But he looked back to the caracal racing down the road like a fool. He will die before dawn if his injury isn't tended to. he made another glance to the stream, and grunted.
Turning his attention to the caravan, it wore some hide on what was supposed to be his top. The male smirked a bit, at least that could be of use. making a limped trot over, and began looking for something to rip a chunk of the hide loose. For change, having something pretty perfectly propped up to be shoved over and stick a good shred into the fabric, Herne took a jump at the splintered out wood, and that was where things partly went down hill.
The caravan let out a buckle on its own weight, and the hide shredded. However not how Herne planned, in the opposite he wanted, and a slight pouted face emerged behind the plant he carried in his maw. But he was no chooser, he was going to work with what he had. A wider hunk of fabric than planned, he wrapped it around his own leg, almost creating a sling with it. Though it was a temporary thing on his part. He backed out of the caravan, and he looked down the road, in a downhill incline, the darker caracal was seen running along. In the bottom of the caraffory's sight, a wider hunk of wood, possibly a remainder of the front seat of the thing, sat flatly in the snow, and a smirk formed on Herne's face.
"Let's hope there is no holes in the road." he smirked, padding over to it, and using his muzzle to have it face long-ways like a ski, aimed down the road. "Here goes nothing."
With that, he put his weight onto the board and used one of his hind legs on the ground to give it a shove forward, putting him into a decent down the road, quickly gaining speed.

With the stars in the dark sky lighting his path, the caracal advanced with an unflinching determination to get down the road. Even if he did look rather silly running with three paws, he was going at a good speed. With the chill breeze blowing in his face, he didn't know that the caraffory was watching him. Roy needed to make it to the town Aplair and fast, get out from being behind enemy lines.
The thought of never returning home sent a wave of fear shiver up his spine, what would those he called friends feel had they heard the sad news that he was gone? Would his master adopt another young cat eventually to help tend to the farm? Roy wanted to learn and see new places, meet other hunters and maybe one day, start a family of his own...
Soft big brown eyes entered the caracal's mind and he clinched his jaw tightly, claws gripping the snow and dirt underneath him. No, he was a strong cat, an elite, he wasn't going to let the pain from scrapes and bruises slow him down, no! Roy wanted to live and fight for another day. The adrenaline had numbed most of the pain on his body and he kicked forward using his hurt foot.
A sudden sound from something coming up behind him made the caracal's ears swivel back, as it got closer the elite didn't have the chance to turn around to even look.

Still gaining speed on the large piece of wood, and having shoved the plant into the hide he grabbed, the caraffory thought, well, I'll probably be flying past the dark one in a moment, he told himself, but that itself brought something else to his mind. Then on top of that, I can't steer this thing can I? he said to himself, seeing that the board was in fact aiming for the caracal. ... ohhh... that can't be good.
"--uhh..." he let out if his face, but the rushing wind made speaking a pretty well impossible thing to do. "--Roooy..." he tried to let out again, but again, the breath was sucked by the wind.
Then to makes things a bit worse, the board was going faster than it was designed to do, and was now wobbling under his own feet. .... oh--oh-oohohoh, not good not good not good, he played to himself, seeing that he was very quickly approaching the caracal.
The apprentice's ears were back, and he dropped himself lower to the board, to hopefully get out of the rushing wind, which worked.
"Roy!!" he shouted at the caracal, but was only a second away from collision from Roy at this point.

Roy's world was suddenly flipped upside-down as his paws left the ground, the caracal found that he landed on top of whatever hit him from behind only for a very brief moment before he was sent flung into the air. The momentum sent him off the side of the road to land in a huge bush with a thwack. Dizzy from being thrown and spun into the air, Roy kicked trying to get free, what snow was on top the bush dropped to the ground below. He let out a long groaning sound finally opening his eyes to find that he was laying upside-down in a bush. Whatever smacked him felt as if a lion had hit his behind in the coliseum and sent him flying.
"Errr... what was--?" He mumbled turning to see none other then a yellow pelt in the same bush next to him. "YOU!" He hissed unable to say anymore when cold snow dropped onto his face.

With calling the caracal in vain, the board and Herne smacked into the caracal, sending Roy, toppling backwards over Herne, and the pair almost fell off the board. But Herne had glanced forward to see exactly what he was hoping to avoid, a hole in the road.
"Ttttfff--" he bit his lip in the instant of the board dropping into the hole, and as a result, spring boarding Herne and the darker pelted Roy flying off the road.
Flying through the air, Herne thudded against the ground once, and bounced into the bush. He didn't make a move for a moment though, but lifted his head up, to see the board, sticking up like a sign in the city. It was then when the mule realized Herne had in fact caught up to him, hissing and spitting at him. Herne turned his head to see Roy had just gotten snow dropped onto his head from above, making Herne look to see if there was any linger above him. Nope! He was safe from falling snow chunks.
He looked back to the caracal, "For the intelligence of third in command, I am not seeing much of the intelligence."

Shaking the snow from his face, the caracal gave the apprentice next to him a very unhappy glare before huffing a snort towards the young caraffory. Ignoring Herne's comment, the head elite twisted his body around, trying to wiggle himself free from the thick foliage but his back end was mostly stuck.

Herne snorted with a smirk with Roy's glare at him, and then watched the caracal attempt to free himself. Rather than trying to wiggle and twist himself free, Herne looked below himself, hoping to see if there was anything he could get a foot on. Reluctantly, there were some branches that looked strong enough to support a push, or some some weight on them directly. With that, the yellow feline pulled his front limbs closer to himself, causing his top half to fall into the bush, but let him get his front right paw on a more solid branch, the front left still wore the hide around it and it was partly grabbed by the bushes extensive branch-work.
He gave a slight grunt and used his free leg to push himself up more, like a hop, and lift his leg and hide closer to him, letting him drop down into the bush. But that didn't necessarily go as planned when he had dropped himself into a front-flip that resulted in him falling side-ways slightly into the the bushes under-growth.
Went well. he shook his head, and then crawled out from under the bush to see how Sir Snort A Lot was doing.

Paws gripping a branch, Roy pulled himself out as well as kicking free from the tangled foliage. Slipping to the ground he shook off any leaves or snow that had caught into his fur, he huffed again feeling the pain return to his foot after he had taken a few steps away. Forcing himself not to wince to it he turned to see the apprentice get out as well. Oh thank goodness, he didn't have to help pull the little yellow cub out of the bush.

Herne himself wasn't exactly sure how to handle this part. Roy needed to get the leg tended to... honestly whether he wanted it done or not. Sure he'll think I am crazy for even asking or attempting anything, but not like there is choice. But that wasn't where Herne was about to start this conversation though.
"Your leg needs to be tended to, it wasn't hard to know where you were by the trail you've been leaving." the caraffory stated in a blunt fashion to Roy.

The caracal just stood there... Herne was right, Roy was indeed leaving a little faint trail that any empire cat could easily find and follow if they wanted. How was he going to get it patched up when they had nothing? Roy turned to face Herne now, blinking upon seeing the shred of fabric wrapped around his paw that had lost the brace. How had he found that? Roy wondered looking up to glare at the apprentice.
"I can manage." He replied stomping a little on his foot.

Yup. Stubborn as... no... more stubborn than a mule. Herne played to himself, slightly rolling his eyes at Roy's comment. Herne stood still for a bit, thinking, now how to get him to sit or a minute or a two? he played to himself hastily. How to do that, without knocking him out. he growled in silence, I love my options. They suck...
Looking back out to the board and back to Roy, he opened his mouth again, "You need to sit for a minute so I can wrap the leg and hopefully stop the bleeding."
Herne was sure Roy was going to think he was crazy and delusional for even making the statement. Well he doesn't, I may have to knock him out.

As slight as it was, Roy did catch Herne's eye movement to look at something behind him. He wants me to sit, so he can play doctor.
"Are you so worried that some empire cats will find us because of the pretty little trail I'm making or-?" The caracal's tail flicked in annoyance. "Are you actually worrying about me?" There was sarcasm in his tone.

Herne made a slight face, one that conveyed uncertainty, dismissal uncertainty rather, and let out.
"Mm..." he then glanced his eyes around again, this time looking for the plant he had picked up, as much as turning around to see if it was in the bush. And it isn't there. he looked back at Roy, "that's something you'll need to figure out," he stated, "you could increase your chances on getting out of here alive by for once not being well... there is a word..." Herne gave an excited face to the statement, "Ah, this is the word. Stuck-up." his tone changed to a more deadpanned.

Eyes narrowed watching the smaller feline search for something. Since Herne somehow ended up being alive after their fall, he seemed just as eager as he was to be safe back in a town and away from dangerous empire cats, even though the small cat didn't show it. Roy knew he'd be in trouble if he just abandoned the small apprentice on the side of the road. The caracal lowered himself slowly till his stomach touched to ground to rest for a minute, now sitting he glanced at his foot. It had stopped bleeding for the most part but was very much in pain due to the cut being exposed too long.
"We're wasting time, what are you looking for?" He hissed, taking a moment to glance around then back up towards the road. In the dark, lit by starlight, was some poor looking white flowers laying on their side in some grass.

Herne watched Roy's eyes for a moment, seeing where they were looking, and spotted the very plant he had picked.
"--ahh," he huffed as he hobbled over to it and picked it up with his jaw, and the situated himself by Roy's injured leg.
A lot of the bleeding had ceased, but it was still an open wound, and the armour that sat around it was in the way. Hmmm. he played in his head, he won't like this. But needs to be done.
Without the caracal's approval, but a brief warning, "This is likely going to hurt," he let out just before giving the brace-thing Roy had around his leg down and off the leg, sure Roy was going to flinch from it.
From there, Herne took the hide he had on him off, and layed it onto the ground. Following that, he took the plant he had, and began trying to grind it into the hide, releasing any moisture that may have been in the plant. Herne continued this for a few minutes till he was satisfied with it, and pretty well tossed the rest of the plant, proceeding that, wrapped the hide around Roy's leg and cut semi-tightly. Also sure there was going to be flinching from that too. After that was satisfied, he took the brace-thing and pull it back up the best he could.
"Whatever swelling there is should go down, and you should be able to walk on it some." Herne stated standing up himself, and started glancing his own eyes around for something once again.
Some sort of vine would do nicely about now, but it is winter, so I am probably wasting my time with this.

Amber eyes watched the tom hobble over to scoop up the plant then step over to sit next to him. Roy couldn't help but let a low growl rumble in his throat, feeling very uncomfortable that Herne was this close. Even after the brief warning, the feline had given, he slipped off the armor wrapped around the caracal's foot. Roy did flinch and he almost kicked the caraffory away but once the armor was off, he was able to really look at his wound and let it breathe in the cold night air. It really wasn't that bad, he didn't even think he'd get a scar.
Glancing over the caracal watched Herne work with the herb and hide for a few minutes. As the caraffory finished up he wrapped the hide around the wound, Roy's jaw tightened and he gripped the earth with his for-claws. Before he could say anything to the younger cat, Herne had stepped away giving more nurse instructions. Roy smelled the bandage on his foot for a minute and moved it around. He was a bit surprised at how careful Herne was but he didn't let that get to him.
"Whatever swelling there is." Roy echoed, ears back. "I am not planning on walking." He turned to look over at the apprentice. "We need to get moving before we're spotted by any stone rats." He finished standing, getting the feel of his new bandage.

Herne heard Roy echo is own words, but didn't respond to it, but kept his ear open. But the caracal talking on continuing. Yup. You are quite the mule.
"Anything feral does its hunting at night." he didn't look at Roy when he said it, keeping a slightly deadpanned tone, "moving around will get their attention. There is already evidence injury is around, posting a sign," he gestured to the board that stuck up from the road, "such as that," he paused, "... is foolish, and will get certainly get one us dead, very likely both us." Herne let out in a slightly annoyed tone, "a form of shelter for the night, should be our goal right now. Head out when the sun rises, we'll be able to see more, and there is a higher chance of hopping into a caravan along the way."

Roy turned to the road, only half listening to what the apprentice was saying as his amber eyes scanned the area ahead. He was tired, wounded, stressed and wanted to be save in town more then anything, then be stuck out here in the open with the yellow chatterbox. Tail flicking as he thought of a plan, not speaking the elite quickly started forward, paws stepping back onto the road.
"Shhh!" He quickly snapped back before the caraffory could finish his sentence.
Roy drew his ears forward again towards the open fields and planes, his breathing slowed. Something was out there... in the grass... just ahead.

Herne didn't hear the caracal's vocalization to be quiet, and pretty calmly walked over, on three limbs of course, keeping off his front left leg, he glanced at Roy, whom was now swiveling his ears around. Herne could tell he was listening for something. Herne honestly figured whatever rustling there was, was wind, I hope. he turned his own ear back, facing a different direction than Roy, listening for whatever he could, and eyeballing for movement.

Roy could sense Herne walk up to stand next to him. Whatever was out there stopped rustling in the huge patch of tall grass, making the caracal's eyes and ears narrow down on it's location trying to find it again. If this was an empire cat, the hunters might have already been spotted. Roy needed them to move and now! He nudged the caraffory with his shoulder just a little to push him along, then started hearing the rustle sounds again making him freeze.
A sudden movement flashed out of the tall grass, causing Roy and possibly Herne to tense. The elite was ready for a feline to attack when in turn, two shadow figures glided over the planes and landing a ways off. Brown pheasants. The caracal said to himself.
Roy let out a sigh before he padded forward. "Let's get moving."

Getting pushed in the shoulder a bit forced the caraffory to stumble on his footing, within a moment of that, hearing flapping and seeing a shadow fly over him. He corrected his footing and looked to see what Roy was tense from. Birds. Herne told himself, in time for Roy to say to start walking.
"You really are as stubborn as a donkey." the caraffory huffed out of his face, something that was supposed to stay in his head, but came out of his face. Oops. he added to himself, realizing it came out of his mouth, not to do about that now.
With that, the caraffory, started to move, partly hoping Roy wasn't going to break into a foolish run once again. Herne knew he wasn't going to be able to keep up with him in his current state.

An ear flicked back at the rude words that came out of Herne's mouth.
Roy's paws itched to smack the caraffory then and there for calling him that, however he was already moving forward on the road. He turned his head back to give a death glare at the apprentice while he ran.
"Sometimes having a dogged determination such as 'stubborn' is the kind of attitude one needs to survive." Roy growled back. "I'm not going to freeze up like a 'donkey' and wait for teeth and claws to rip me apart."
He wasn't running a full on run due to his wounded foot but he did make sure Herne was following somewhat in pace with him.

When Roy stated he wasn't going to freeze up like a donkey, that made Herne's ears draw back, and he slowed down his pace, pretty well down to a walk. And within a few paces of that, Herne had stopped, now standing in the road, looking at his paws. A number of thoughts ran through his head, nothing Herne could organize as a single thought, but the year rotting in Lightning Empire and half the reason he got there, was certainly playing in his head, and at that moment, he now wanted to take the leg he just patched up and snap it in his teeth.
Herne growled with his toes digging into the ground, with a whole mix of emotion now ready to boil, and almost already doing so. Keeping himself silent, wasn't happening, it just frustrated him more, brought on more anger, brought on more pain.
"D A M N I T ! ! !" the caraffory yelled pretty well at the top of his lungs, sure it wasn't audible to Roy, if he was still in sight, and use his front legs, and struck the ground with them.
He felt the pain shoot up his left leg, and he swung his legs at the ground again, and again, and again.

Within a few strides, Roy was way ahead of the caraffory, unaware that the smaller feline had slowed to a stop. That is, until the apprentice yelled at the top of his lungs. The elite slid in the snow to s stop, turning to see Herne striking the ground with his front paws, including the one that was once in a sling. Over and over again he kept hitting the ground. Roy was at first angry with the feline's outburst, drawing any empire cats attention who might be in the area to come looking from them. As he retraced his steps he became more and more bewildered why Herne was beating himself up the way he was. Opening his mouth but stopping himself, to watch what played out further.

Herne continued hitting the ground, striking with blunt force to swiping with his toes and claws where there were claws. Every strike hurt to Herne, but trying to hold in the tension he had to carry on his back was constantly overwhelming. Every time Herne tried to contain it, it would lead to him blacking out, and having done serious damage to another. Sia and that cat a few weeks back were the only he was told of. Herne himself couldn't recall the events himself. Only the aftermath.
The last thing the caraffory wanted to do was strike anyone he cared about, even if he was excruciatingly angry with them, last thing he wanted to do was strike them. With everything pouring over and out, he kept hitting the ground, feeling every jolt when he hit the ground, which then lead to the caraffory b-lining the other direction, running on all four legs, showing how quickly he really could run, and had intent on slamming into the board with all the force he could grab. He didn't if it hurt.

The elite was confused, had the apprentice slipped and fallen on the snow? Why was he thrashing about like this? Roy would have thought the young cat had suddenly gone mad or crazy with the way he was acting. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could say a word, Herne bolted off down the road back the way they had come. The elite followed, unsure what to do or even say just yet. If Herne ended up yelling out at the top of his lungs once more Roy was sure empire cats would be on their tails, whether or not they would be Fire or Stone cats, Roy didn't want to find out.

Running as fast as he could get himself, pain lurched through his legs like the pulse of his veins, yet through everything so far, there was no indication he hurt, all that was conveyed was anger, rage more like it, and he raced toward the large board, and ducked his head down. With all the force he could throw into the board, the caraffory aimed to yell right before he hit the board, but had already impacted. There a solid smack noise, as if bones were just slammed into the other, and his clicked shut with a loud clap. From that, he dropped off the board limp and landed on the ground in front of it.
He layed there for a moment before pushing himself to his feet, showing the impact hurt, and backed, aiming to do it a second time.

The caracal was only a few feet away, he had stopped upon seeing the caraffory slam himself against the wooden board. Seeing the feline drop for a moment before getting back up to aim and do it again. Roy had dashed forward then, grabbing the smaller feline by the scruff pulling him away to pin the feline down with a paw. "Herne." He hissed trying to keep his voice as low as possible. "You idiot, you're going to get us killed-"

Just before hitting the board a second time, something suddenly grabbed Herne by the scruff. Herne almost instantly twisted himself around, and swung his back legs up and side-ways, aiming to kick the side of the bottom jaw to what ever had him to drop him, that was the plan anyway.

One of those feet hit Roy right in the jaw, clamping his mouth tighter onto the cat's scruff.
"Uh! Snap out of it." The elite growled through his teeth, feeling his hood fall off the back of his head.
Struggling a bit with the squirming cat underneath him for a good five seconds, the caracal was able to pin and/or hold the caraffory down with his weight because of their size differences. Arms held the frantic apprentice and he pushed down on the feline so he was unable to move, Roy looked Herne right in the eyes.

Herne had gone from frantically squirming around to having his backside on the ground and Roy literally trying to flatten him to the ground. The caraffory struggled to try and free himself anyway. But every attempt was in vain, and then Herne turned his head and looked Roy in the face, and stared at him, uncontrollably shaking. The feline's face conveyed clear pain, not so much physically hurt, but emotionally. His eyes were wide with trauma, Herne had almost froze his actions, but couldn't stop himself from physically trembling. There was guilt, shear knifed pain, and anger, bellowing from yell from the caraffory, trying to get the caracal to get off.
But nothing was working, which resorted to Herne going to a measure he never resorted to try and get Roy off, biting.

The elite knew what he was seeing but only got a brief glimpse of what emotion was in the caraffory's eyes and body language before teeth aimed for his face. Roy quickly drew his head back away from the apprentice and slammed a paw down onto Herne's head one after the other. He had trained many times in the hunter training grounds with straw bags, planning to knock the feline out with his hard blows. Forgetting that on his first paw strike, his claws were unsheathed.

Managing to get Roy to move his weight, and shift backwards, however slight it was, that gave Herne the room he needed to get himself free, but it didn't come without payment. The caraffory shove himself backwards, but only rolled backwards, and stopped on his side, face in the dirt, out cold.

TO BE CONTINUED...
+4EP for Picture (Herne Only)
+5EP for Active RP
+18EP for 9046 Words

+23EP to Roy
+27EP to Herne

Description
ICUDO

Phew~ part 1 is done, and part 2 is on the way.

So Herne, Roy, a few other Hunters, are in route escorting a caravan from Juli to Aplair. But something happens and that separates Herne and Roy from the caravan they were to guard. With that they must work with the other to get to safety. But will they?

Amber eyes opened slowly, only to immediately shut when the sudden urge to cough lumped up in the back of the caracal's throat. Roy spat out water onto the wet cold pebbles underneath him. Once he could breathe again, the Head Elite opened his eyes once more, his vision dimmed around the edges, fighting it off, the black and gray fuzzy edges receded. The first time was having the wind knocked out of me and the second was from pain. Both times I remember my vision blacking out.
"What had happened?" His own voice seemed far off, along with the distinct sounds around him, like the birds flying overhead or the river flowing.
Once on his feet, feeling a headache and stumbling, the caracal splashed back into the riverbank, crunching onto some ice in the cold running water. Roy took a moment for his senses to not be so distorted, he didn't wait very long though. When he realized that he was nowhere near the caravan he and some other hunters were escorting to another town. He remembered the humans they found on the side of the road with a broken wagon, needing help when in turn it was all just a setup. It was an ambush by human thugs and thieves. Right, we were outnumbered, through the chaos trying to fight the thieves, I knocked into a fellow hunter in the process also trying to stop him from darting off, causing both of us to fall off the road and down the hillside.
At this point, the dark caracal was starting to feel the scuffs and bruises on his body from falling and hitting the rock side. He was glad that he had his armour on. Amber eyes glanced around, looking up and down the riverbank, no one in sight. The late evening sun began its descent on the horizon, it would be getting pretty cold soon. That was when the fleeing hunter came to mind.
"Where is that idiot of a feline?" Roy swore under his breath, starting his way downstream, still trying to get a grip on his balance as he walked through some snow.

Being a ways downstream, another feline layed on the riverbank. Wearing similar scuffs, scrapes, and minor cuts throughout him. The feline was motionless minus the small expanse and dispense of his lungs. This feline meanwhile wore fare less armour, and what little that was there was damaged pretty well beyond repair. With the sun being on its way out of the sky, and the nearly new moon's reign already underway, darkness was soon to blanket everything suck away any and all heat till the sun took its turn once again.

Walking became a little easier for the caracal and his senses weren't so distorted anymore. He shook out any remaining water from his fur and armor. From there, continued searching along the riverbank for a long while. His was no longer being affected by the growing darkness of the evening. Mouth open to help him with more sensitive smells, Roy was about to give up looking and just go find the caravan.
No wait, There! Something small lay near some bigger rocks in the water. Padding quickly over the Head Elite stood over the motionless figure. Eyes catching that the smaller feline was still breathing, just faintly though. Roy grabbed the pelt and dragged the soaked cat to shore, dropping the feline onto the dry earth and walked over the cat like he didn't care at all. Limping from a growing sharp pain on one of his hind legs, Roy sat a little ways off from the unconscious feline to take a look at his own injury.

With the change in position having jostled water in the feline's chest, putting even more where there shouldn't be, the feline had gone from an unconscious state to coughing before his eyes even opened. He coughed a good six to seven time before air even started to return to his lungs. He had himself partly stand and fall almost immediately as he finally coughed out the water in the his chest. The feline could feel the burn of the cold on him.
"... mmm..." he grunted lowly, as it turned into an inaudible sound.
In a normal habit of the feline, he moved one of his front paws to his chest, and almost grabbed for something, only to find nothing was there. He tried a few times to grab for something that should have been around his neck, but there was no anvil to grabbing it. On that, his eyes has almost shot open, still very dilated, very clear he wasn't even all there, he fumbled onto his feet.
"--where is it?" he scoffed out, spinning around, pretty well tripping over his own feet, and despite having soaked fur, his fur along his spine had partly stood, "--where is it where is it!" he scoffed out again with a bit more volume.
His tone was very clear there was something wrong, and again pretty well tripping over his own footing, instantly scouring the ground for this precious item.

Roy glanced up from the deep cut on his foot towards the coughing feline. The traitor lives? He said to himself watching as the small cat grabbed at his own neck and began looking for something in a sudden amount of worry on his face. But for how long? Roy added seeing the yellow cat get onto his paws tripping over his own footing, scoffing as he asked 'where is it? Where is it?' over and over again.
Clearly the felines senses were very distorted and Roy could have guessed that they hit their heads on a very big rock on the way down from the hillside. After licking away what red he could from his injury on his leg, the caracal stood up, not feeling any pity for the small wet feline that was before him. Roy took in a deep breath of cold air and cleared his throat loudly for the feline to hear, the expression on his face clearly showed that he wasn't pleased to see the cat still alive.

The tom didn't respond to Roy clearing his throat, but continued scrambling for the item he lost. He then turned his attention to the water, and gave a fast, stumbled glance at it, cutting his eyes up and down the river very quickly, and instantly made a horrid dart to go up river, but took a step and fell chin first into the ground and splashing into the water. That was enough to get the feline to partly step back, and shake his head from the sudden frigged water hitting him in the face. It was also enough to remove numbness from his legs and body.
The caraffory had pretty well buckled from the wave of pain up his legs and the burn of the cold, forcing out a growled grunt. But within a moment, he made another attempt to go up river.
"--be up there!" he let of his face in a slurred coughed tone, still stumbling over his own feet.

Amber eyes watched the tom scramble, almost flailing as they moved about as they made their way up stream. Roy closed his eyes for a moment, trying to decide what to do now. He needed to catch up with the caravan and fast, he was either in Fire's or Stone empires old territory's after all, and the Head Elite didn't want to find out which one. Roy opened his eyes to look back at the feline, who still was making their way up the riverbank along the water.
The elite quickly caught up and started speaking to the feline but his words did not reach the tom, doing his best to not try and kill the poor pathetic feline and put them out of their misery. Roy let out a hiss as he smacked the small cat and pinned him to the ground, paws pushing the tom's head back into the cold icy water.
"Wake up YOU idiot!" He snapped.

Going from a frantic scrambled to both getting smacked out of nowhere to the feline, the male found his head being shoved into the water, inhaling more water. That was enough for the male to snap out of whatever state he was in. But this wasn't really an improvement when he twisted and curled his back and hind legs, and kicked them straight up swiftly, as she scoffed and hissed out, "Get-- OFF!!!"
Hopefully kicking whatever that was trying to drown him off, letting him back roll onto his paws, and get a fast ram in whatever's chest, sending them back, then getting the Hell away from it.

Roy let the much smaller feline kick away at his stomach and ribs, hardly feeling anything due to his armor blocking most of the blows, also Roy was already in a lot of pain from the scuffs cuts and bruises from his fall. The elite made sure not to drown the tom but enough to get water on his face, in his ears and eyes for a little bit to wake him up from his stupor. Once the tom was aware of Roy, he freed the cats neck from his paws and leaped over the small feline, allowing him to sit up and catch his breath. The caracal stood back in the stream, amber eyes keeping on the feline.
"Earth to stupid!" He snapped trying to get the cat's attention.

The moment the feline felt the weight come off of him, he like a bolt of lightning, flipped from his backside to have his paws all under him, and attempted to jump forward, but only had himself roll forward, again, thudding his chin against the ground and be back on his back. It was then, he became more aware of what was around him, and his leg too, began to let out a strong ache.
It was at that point, the yellow feline heard Roy spouting off at him. The caraffory glanced around himself, ultimately finding Roy a few feet away. The apprentice just stared at Roy for a few moments. Then cut his eyes back at where he was originally going, and back at Roy, and just glared at him.
"Butt-faced miscreant." he spat at Roy, still on his backside, "you butt-faced-- Miscreant." he coughed.

The brace on the feline's forearm was in tatters and not doing a very good job supporting the tom's paw as he tried to walk or run. Explaining all the falling and tripping. Roy didn't care what rude and inappropriate words this young apprentice called him, the head elite didn't care. Few ice chunks rolled by the two cats, standing in the water made Roy's own injury sting a bit on his hind leg. If they stood in the stream much longer, he was sure either or even both of them would end up catching a cold.
"Are you done ranting...?" He began, watching the feline cough. Puffs of white could be seen as the cats breathed the soon to be night air. "Herne?"
There, he said the felines name. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Herne glanced at his brace, which was in tattered, he growled at the sight of it, and looked right back at Roy, who had asked if he was done ranting, followed by a long pause, then the Herne's name. Herne in response snorted at Roy, and glared at him more, and took notice of the caracal's leg, but didn't say anything about it.
That lead to Herne's thought pattern changing again, the item he lost, he still wanted that thing back. Rolling to his side and poorly pushing up to a sitting up position, he tore the remains of the brace off.
"We're both pretty well screwed," he stated with a clear sarcastic tone, "yer bleeding out and I can hardly walk." he pushed to his paws.
Herne didn't wait for any response from Roy before looking around at the ground and their surroundings. So we're in a patch of trees. he told himself, last I remember we were on an open plane... escorting some hoopla to Aplair... he looked at Roy for a second, then more of what happened hit the caraffory.
"-- I would have grabbed my necklace had you not divishly dove in the way idiot." he snapped.

Well at least Herne finally grasping his surroundings and the crazy situation they were in. Roy didn't care that the tom had noticed his hurt leg, his ears drew back at the caraffory's next words.
"Who cares about your DUMB little trinket!" Roy hissed loudly now moving to step out of the freaking cold water. "Those human thieves were taking one of the caravans wagons goods and all you could do was hide like a little rabbit, while the other few hunters and myself tried to fight them off."
The elite flicked his tail in frustration, remembering a few of the thieves holding swords, was that how he got cut?
Now that he was out of the water Roy shook off his paws. He was unsure how long they had blacked out along the riverbank. "I'm going back to see if the caravan is still upstream." He said turning to look in it's direction, not caring if the small apprentice followed, if he could keep up that is.

The caraffory glared back at Roy. Of course he wouldn't care. It's not something he's had through his whole life. he growled to himself, he's just being a hunter... an ignoramus. Herne looked back to where he himself was headed, upstream as well, but looked to where the sun was, disappearing from the sky. Looking back to Roy, I seriously wonder who's crazier right now.
"Hey div, you realize you are bleeding." he stated rather bluntly at Roy, not entirely certain he would stop.

The fading sunlight that seeped through the few trees danced along their pelts as they made their way up stream. If the wagon was taken, cleaned from all of its goods, the rest of the humans and hunters in the caravan would leave it behind and continue heading to the city. More quickly now with human thugs on their tails. Now, knowing where their head elite was exactly and the little unfortunate yellow pelt that followed Roy. The remaining hunters in the group would have trouble finding time to get the caravan all the way to the city then turn around and go looking for Roy and Herne. Leaving the caravan unguarded. Roy only hoped the hunters wouldn't drop their duties to look for him. The apprentice's words behind him didn't cause Roy to turn around or even flick an ear to show that he was paying attention.
"I know." He replied flatly, still feeling the little warm trickle of red along his leg.

Not having much effort in keeping up with the mule's pace, Herne had fallen behind some, his own paws burned in the snow from walking in it, but the droplets of blood that trailed through the snow, and on anything the darker pelt went over, made knowing where he went pretty easy.
"You are going to get us both killed with yer idiocy." he grunted to himself, meaning whether you sleep willingly, or pass out along the way, or Hell, I use a rock to knock you from yer high horse stature, he slightly smirked, I do owe you that much. Smacking the caracal over the head with a stone sounded like a fun idea, but that would another bleeding wound. So... so much for that. he rolled his eyes.
Herne huffed, and decided to change his course slightly, and arch into the woods some, looking for supplies of sorts, anything he could use for what he needed them to be used for.

The path winded back and forth with the stream, it took about twenty minutes till Roy's amber eyes caught sight of a broken down wagon poking out over the side of the hilltop. A wave of relief washed over him and he let out a small sigh, good the hunters and the rest of the caravan had moved on. Stopping he turned back to see if Herne was still behind him.
Night had fallen and the feline was no where to be seen. When had the yellow pelt flopped dead along the way? Roy thought, taking a moment to clean away at his wound with his warm tongue. The pain in his foot was hurting so badly it was making him limp, it hurt more then the rest of the collected cuts and bruises, he wondered if it needed that stuff his master used called... what was it? Ointment? Maybe, the caracal wasn't sure. Human words, he had only picked up on a few of them.

Herne having fallen behind the caracal, was scanning the ground and anywhere he could get himself to looking for supplies. A lot of things almost any hunter would just look over and dismiss. --where is that plant... the tom played to himself, it was always in trees belts. Herne looked in every area he saw a form of bush, every patch of grass, even up on bushels that formed themselves out of the cracks in stone. But with the sun gone, and branches making the light that was left a striped mirage, made the task much more difficult than it already was. The cold was setting in, Herne himself preferred to be cold over hot, but being too cold lead to the same effect, being burned.
With his own nerves against what he was doing, he pressed forward, and kept looking. His searched carried on for twenty to thirty minutes in the tree-belt, tree-patch, whichever it was actually, and limping forward, the caraffory's paw landed in something. It was fuzzed, and slightly bristled. The tom's face almost lit as he took a step back, and looked down at it for a few moments. The lack of light made the task a little harder, but it was in fact, what he was after.
"--thank you--" he huffed before using his paw to dig out the plant by its roots, and then pick it up with his teeth, sure to not bite the plant itself, but rather the root, "--hopefully the Mule of Darkness is around still..." he gritted from his teeth and began to track back toward the stream.

Climbing up the steep hill was indeed difficult and a bit of a struggle for the caracal. Ascending sideways was the only way he could get to the top through the snow and rocks while doing his best not to use his injured leg. Roy took his time, using anything as cover so he was not seen by any empire or human thieves that might be still in the area. Walking as quickly as he could, then stopping to hide and wait, his underbelly brushed the ground every step of the way. Roy hid behind a good size patch of tall grass to catch his breath, taking a moment to glance back down at the group of trees he had left the apprentice by. Flicking an ear in annoyance as he thought of Herne, he drew his eyes forward looking up from his hood, almost there.
Climbing took at least ten minutes longer than he would have liked, but he had made progress. Once near the top he crouched down in the dirt and snow, his ears poking out with the thin tall grass. The only sounds he could hear was the soft breeze that swept over the hillside and the abandoned wagon now within sight.(edited)
The elite quickly scanned over what items he could find that might have been left in the wagon but the humans had left nothing of value to the caracal, nothing to rap his leg in nor any scraps of food. Sitting under the broken wagon to shield himself from the cold night wind, he winced cleaning the wound once more, the armor on his left hind leg torn open where the cut was.
After a little time passed, his muzzle caught the scent of something under broken glass and he moved it aside. Amber eyes growing wide with disgust, A FISH. Really out of all things it had to be a cold slap dead fish! It wasn't even big enough to fill half of the caracal's mouth. He stared at the thing for a long while, it's open eyeball seaming to look right back at him.
Pouting Roy turned away.
"Not happening." He huffed.
Even if it was life or death, Roy was never going to eat a fish, even if it saved his life. Amber eyes glanced down the road, thinking it would be wise to start heading to Aplair, the town where the caravan and hunters were headed. He would run the whole way if it meant keeping under the cover of the night.

Having backtracked his way to the stream, the yellow feline headed upriver, at a semi-decent pace this time around. Based on the trail lead by Roy, he was slowing down, which on Roy's part, wasn't good by any means. Herne kind of hoped the wound he has inflicted on him had frozen, or clotted itself from the cold. But the fact there was still a trail of it, meant it wasn't a light injury. Roy being Roy would try to power through the injury and continue on anyway, the apprentice retorted to himself. from personal experience, that'll only go so far. he shook his head with the plant he had shaking a bit. After a good fifteen minutes, the caraffory had reached the hillside.
Herne huffed, pretty well able to see the path Roy had taken, and everywhere he stayed idle for more than a moment. I partly hope His High Horse is unconscious, he shrugged and began his own climb, a much more straight up approach, having no regard for hiding. ... only just unconscious... last thing I need is being found with him dead, we all know how that will go over with other Hunters. he rolled his eyes.
Herne himself was only about half way up the hill when he himself had to stop and rest.
"--this... this is ridiculous..." he gritted through his teeth and the plants roots in a low volume, "completely ridiculous..."
He listen with his ear from there, hearing something move from around the caravan. Let's hope I am not running into my execution. he stated to himself, standing back up and started hiking some more.

A white puff of air escaped the caracal's nose as he exhaled in another huff. This was going to be a stupid move, even for him but he needed to get to the other hunters before he was found by empire cats. He'd rather not sit around and wait to be captured by Fire empire or even worse, killed by Stone. He'd risk his chances running with a slightly bleeding foot, even if he was followed Roy wouldn't back down from a fight.
After taking a few more minutes to rest, he cleaned his wound once more, then finally stood up keeping his hind leg off the ground. It wasn't easy walking around with three legs but it would have to do. He took in another few big breaths. I can do this. Roy told himself. I can do this. His body hunched, preparing his muscles for exertion. Feeling adrenaline already pumping through his veins, he began with a slow trot that was about to turn into a full out run.

Herne continued his way up the incline, falling into the snow every now and then, before eventually making his way to the top of the hill, getting sight of Roy taking off down the road.
"--and you're calling me stupid, clodhopper." Herne grunted through his teeth seeing Roy poorly run the road.
Well, I might be able to catch up with him, but that would wind up with us both dead, now wouldn't it. he played to himself. I need something to use as bandages, something, anything at all. he looked at the remains of the caravan. But before he went to do that, he stopped, and looked around, where is it... he slightly swallowed to himself, and looked in the other direction of the road, it's not that direction. He looked back to the hill he just climbed and back to where the stream was. It's probably in the ocean. his showed he wasn't enthusiastic about the current situation, and his necklace likely being in the ocean.
Part of Herne wanted to also just ditch the caracal and go looking for his necklace, there was chance it was in the river, or along the back somewhere, but this also lead chance someone else taking it. But he looked back to the caracal racing down the road like a fool. He will die before dawn if his injury isn't tended to. he made another glance to the stream, and grunted.
Turning his attention to the caravan, it wore some hide on what was supposed to be his top. The male smirked a bit, at least that could be of use. making a limped trot over, and began looking for something to rip a chunk of the hide loose. For change, having something pretty perfectly propped up to be shoved over and stick a good shred into the fabric, Herne took a jump at the splintered out wood, and that was where things partly went down hill.
The caravan let out a buckle on its own weight, and the hide shredded. However not how Herne planned, in the opposite he wanted, and a slight pouted face emerged behind the plant he carried in his maw. But he was no chooser, he was going to work with what he had. A wider hunk of fabric than planned, he wrapped it around his own leg, almost creating a sling with it. Though it was a temporary thing on his part. He backed out of the caravan, and he looked down the road, in a downhill incline, the darker caracal was seen running along. In the bottom of the caraffory's sight, a wider hunk of wood, possibly a remainder of the front seat of the thing, sat flatly in the snow, and a smirk formed on Herne's face.
"Let's hope there is no holes in the road." he smirked, padding over to it, and using his muzzle to have it face long-ways like a ski, aimed down the road. "Here goes nothing."
With that, he put his weight onto the board and used one of his hind legs on the ground to give it a shove forward, putting him into a decent down the road, quickly gaining speed.

With the stars in the dark sky lighting his path, the caracal advanced with an unflinching determination to get down the road. Even if he did look rather silly running with three paws, he was going at a good speed. With the chill breeze blowing in his face, he didn't know that the caraffory was watching him. Roy needed to make it to the town Aplair and fast, get out from being behind enemy lines.
The thought of never returning home sent a wave of fear shiver up his spine, what would those he called friends feel had they heard the sad news that he was gone? Would his master adopt another young cat eventually to help tend to the farm? Roy wanted to learn and see new places, meet other hunters and maybe one day, start a family of his own...
Soft big brown eyes entered the caracal's mind and he clinched his jaw tightly, claws gripping the snow and dirt underneath him. No, he was a strong cat, an elite, he wasn't going to let the pain from scrapes and bruises slow him down, no! Roy wanted to live and fight for another day. The adrenaline had numbed most of the pain on his body and he kicked forward using his hurt foot.
A sudden sound from something coming up behind him made the caracal's ears swivel back, as it got closer the elite didn't have the chance to turn around to even look.

Still gaining speed on the large piece of wood, and having shoved the plant into the hide he grabbed, the caraffory thought, well, I'll probably be flying past the dark one in a moment, he told himself, but that itself brought something else to his mind. Then on top of that, I can't steer this thing can I? he said to himself, seeing that the board was in fact aiming for the caracal. ... ohhh... that can't be good.
"--uhh..." he let out if his face, but the rushing wind made speaking a pretty well impossible thing to do. "--Roooy..." he tried to let out again, but again, the breath was sucked by the wind.
Then to makes things a bit worse, the board was going faster than it was designed to do, and was now wobbling under his own feet. .... oh--oh-oohohoh, not good not good not good, he played to himself, seeing that he was very quickly approaching the caracal.
The apprentice's ears were back, and he dropped himself lower to the board, to hopefully get out of the rushing wind, which worked.
"Roy!!" he shouted at the caracal, but was only a second away from collision from Roy at this point.

Roy's world was suddenly flipped upside-down as his paws left the ground, the caracal found that he landed on top of whatever hit him from behind only for a very brief moment before he was sent flung into the air. The momentum sent him off the side of the road to land in a huge bush with a thwack. Dizzy from being thrown and spun into the air, Roy kicked trying to get free, what snow was on top the bush dropped to the ground below. He let out a long groaning sound finally opening his eyes to find that he was laying upside-down in a bush. Whatever smacked him felt as if a lion had hit his behind in the coliseum and sent him flying.
"Errr... what was--?" He mumbled turning to see none other then a yellow pelt in the same bush next to him. "YOU!" He hissed unable to say anymore when cold snow dropped onto his face.

With calling the caracal in vain, the board and Herne smacked into the caracal, sending Roy, toppling backwards over Herne, and the pair almost fell off the board. But Herne had glanced forward to see exactly what he was hoping to avoid, a hole in the road.
"Ttttfff--" he bit his lip in the instant of the board dropping into the hole, and as a result, spring boarding Herne and the darker pelted Roy flying off the road.
Flying through the air, Herne thudded against the ground once, and bounced into the bush. He didn't make a move for a moment though, but lifted his head up, to see the board, sticking up like a sign in the city. It was then when the mule realized Herne had in fact caught up to him, hissing and spitting at him. Herne turned his head to see Roy had just gotten snow dropped onto his head from above, making Herne look to see if there was any linger above him. Nope! He was safe from falling snow chunks.
He looked back to the caracal, "For the intelligence of third in command, I am not seeing much of the intelligence."

Shaking the snow from his face, the caracal gave the apprentice next to him a very unhappy glare before huffing a snort towards the young caraffory. Ignoring Herne's comment, the head elite twisted his body around, trying to wiggle himself free from the thick foliage but his back end was mostly stuck.

Herne snorted with a smirk with Roy's glare at him, and then watched the caracal attempt to free himself. Rather than trying to wiggle and twist himself free, Herne looked below himself, hoping to see if there was anything he could get a foot on. Reluctantly, there were some branches that looked strong enough to support a push, or some some weight on them directly. With that, the yellow feline pulled his front limbs closer to himself, causing his top half to fall into the bush, but let him get his front right paw on a more solid branch, the front left still wore the hide around it and it was partly grabbed by the bushes extensive branch-work.
He gave a slight grunt and used his free leg to push himself up more, like a hop, and lift his leg and hide closer to him, letting him drop down into the bush. But that didn't necessarily go as planned when he had dropped himself into a front-flip that resulted in him falling side-ways slightly into the the bushes under-growth.
Went well. he shook his head, and then crawled out from under the bush to see how Sir Snort A Lot was doing.

Paws gripping a branch, Roy pulled himself out as well as kicking free from the tangled foliage. Slipping to the ground he shook off any leaves or snow that had caught into his fur, he huffed again feeling the pain return to his foot after he had taken a few steps away. Forcing himself not to wince to it he turned to see the apprentice get out as well. Oh thank goodness, he didn't have to help pull the little yellow cub out of the bush.

Herne himself wasn't exactly sure how to handle this part. Roy needed to get the leg tended to... honestly whether he wanted it done or not. Sure he'll think I am crazy for even asking or attempting anything, but not like there is choice. But that wasn't where Herne was about to start this conversation though.
"Your leg needs to be tended to, it wasn't hard to know where you were by the trail you've been leaving." the caraffory stated in a blunt fashion to Roy.

The caracal just stood there... Herne was right, Roy was indeed leaving a little faint trail that any empire cat could easily find and follow if they wanted. How was he going to get it patched up when they had nothing? Roy turned to face Herne now, blinking upon seeing the shred of fabric wrapped around his paw that had lost the brace. How had he found that? Roy wondered looking up to glare at the apprentice.
"I can manage." He replied stomping a little on his foot.

Yup. Stubborn as... no... more stubborn than a mule. Herne played to himself, slightly rolling his eyes at Roy's comment. Herne stood still for a bit, thinking, now how to get him to sit or a minute or a two? he played to himself hastily. How to do that, without knocking him out. he growled in silence, I love my options. They suck...
Looking back out to the board and back to Roy, he opened his mouth again, "You need to sit for a minute so I can wrap the leg and hopefully stop the bleeding."
Herne was sure Roy was going to think he was crazy and delusional for even making the statement. Well he doesn't, I may have to knock him out.

As slight as it was, Roy did catch Herne's eye movement to look at something behind him. He wants me to sit, so he can play doctor.
"Are you so worried that some empire cats will find us because of the pretty little trail I'm making or-?" The caracal's tail flicked in annoyance. "Are you actually worrying about me?" There was sarcasm in his tone.

Herne made a slight face, one that conveyed uncertainty, dismissal uncertainty rather, and let out.
"Mm..." he then glanced his eyes around again, this time looking for the plant he had picked up, as much as turning around to see if it was in the bush. And it isn't there. he looked back at Roy, "that's something you'll need to figure out," he stated, "you could increase your chances on getting out of here alive by for once not being well... there is a word..." Herne gave an excited face to the statement, "Ah, this is the word. Stuck-up." his tone changed to a more deadpanned.

Eyes narrowed watching the smaller feline search for something. Since Herne somehow ended up being alive after their fall, he seemed just as eager as he was to be safe back in a town and away from dangerous empire cats, even though the small cat didn't show it. Roy knew he'd be in trouble if he just abandoned the small apprentice on the side of the road. The caracal lowered himself slowly till his stomach touched to ground to rest for a minute, now sitting he glanced at his foot. It had stopped bleeding for the most part but was very much in pain due to the cut being exposed too long.
"We're wasting time, what are you looking for?" He hissed, taking a moment to glance around then back up towards the road. In the dark, lit by starlight, was some poor looking white flowers laying on their side in some grass.

Herne watched Roy's eyes for a moment, seeing where they were looking, and spotted the very plant he had picked.
"--ahh," he huffed as he hobbled over to it and picked it up with his jaw, and the situated himself by Roy's injured leg.
A lot of the bleeding had ceased, but it was still an open wound, and the armour that sat around it was in the way. Hmmm. he played in his head, he won't like this. But needs to be done.
Without the caracal's approval, but a brief warning, "This is likely going to hurt," he let out just before giving the brace-thing Roy had around his leg down and off the leg, sure Roy was going to flinch from it.
From there, Herne took the hide he had on him off, and layed it onto the ground. Following that, he took the plant he had, and began trying to grind it into the hide, releasing any moisture that may have been in the plant. Herne continued this for a few minutes till he was satisfied with it, and pretty well tossed the rest of the plant, proceeding that, wrapped the hide around Roy's leg and cut semi-tightly. Also sure there was going to be flinching from that too. After that was satisfied, he took the brace-thing and pull it back up the best he could.
"Whatever swelling there is should go down, and you should be able to walk on it some." Herne stated standing up himself, and started glancing his own eyes around for something once again.
Some sort of vine would do nicely about now, but it is winter, so I am probably wasting my time with this.

Amber eyes watched the tom hobble over to scoop up the plant then step over to sit next to him. Roy couldn't help but let a low growl rumble in his throat, feeling very uncomfortable that Herne was this close. Even after the brief warning, the feline had given, he slipped off the armor wrapped around the caracal's foot. Roy did flinch and he almost kicked the caraffory away but once the armor was off, he was able to really look at his wound and let it breathe in the cold night air. It really wasn't that bad, he didn't even think he'd get a scar.
Glancing over the caracal watched Herne work with the herb and hide for a few minutes. As the caraffory finished up he wrapped the hide around the wound, Roy's jaw tightened and he gripped the earth with his for-claws. Before he could say anything to the younger cat, Herne had stepped away giving more nurse instructions. Roy smelled the bandage on his foot for a minute and moved it around. He was a bit surprised at how careful Herne was but he didn't let that get to him.
"Whatever swelling there is." Roy echoed, ears back. "I am not planning on walking." He turned to look over at the apprentice. "We need to get moving before we're spotted by any stone rats." He finished standing, getting the feel of his new bandage.

Herne heard Roy echo is own words, but didn't respond to it, but kept his ear open. But the caracal talking on continuing. Yup. You are quite the mule.
"Anything feral does its hunting at night." he didn't look at Roy when he said it, keeping a slightly deadpanned tone, "moving around will get their attention. There is already evidence injury is around, posting a sign," he gestured to the board that stuck up from the road, "such as that," he paused, "... is foolish, and will get certainly get one us dead, very likely both us." Herne let out in a slightly annoyed tone, "a form of shelter for the night, should be our goal right now. Head out when the sun rises, we'll be able to see more, and there is a higher chance of hopping into a caravan along the way."

Roy turned to the road, only half listening to what the apprentice was saying as his amber eyes scanned the area ahead. He was tired, wounded, stressed and wanted to be save in town more then anything, then be stuck out here in the open with the yellow chatterbox. Tail flicking as he thought of a plan, not speaking the elite quickly started forward, paws stepping back onto the road.
"Shhh!" He quickly snapped back before the caraffory could finish his sentence.
Roy drew his ears forward again towards the open fields and planes, his breathing slowed. Something was out there... in the grass... just ahead.

Herne didn't hear the caracal's vocalization to be quiet, and pretty calmly walked over, on three limbs of course, keeping off his front left leg, he glanced at Roy, whom was now swiveling his ears around. Herne could tell he was listening for something. Herne honestly figured whatever rustling there was, was wind, I hope. he turned his own ear back, facing a different direction than Roy, listening for whatever he could, and eyeballing for movement.

Roy could sense Herne walk up to stand next to him. Whatever was out there stopped rustling in the huge patch of tall grass, making the caracal's eyes and ears narrow down on it's location trying to find it again. If this was an empire cat, the hunters might have already been spotted. Roy needed them to move and now! He nudged the caraffory with his shoulder just a little to push him along, then started hearing the rustle sounds again making him freeze.
A sudden movement flashed out of the tall grass, causing Roy and possibly Herne to tense. The elite was ready for a feline to attack when in turn, two shadow figures glided over the planes and landing a ways off. Brown pheasants. The caracal said to himself.
Roy let out a sigh before he padded forward. "Let's get moving."

Getting pushed in the shoulder a bit forced the caraffory to stumble on his footing, within a moment of that, hearing flapping and seeing a shadow fly over him. He corrected his footing and looked to see what Roy was tense from. Birds. Herne told himself, in time for Roy to say to start walking.
"You really are as stubborn as a donkey." the caraffory huffed out of his face, something that was supposed to stay in his head, but came out of his face. Oops. he added to himself, realizing it came out of his mouth, not to do about that now.
With that, the caraffory, started to move, partly hoping Roy wasn't going to break into a foolish run once again. Herne knew he wasn't going to be able to keep up with him in his current state.

An ear flicked back at the rude words that came out of Herne's mouth.
Roy's paws itched to smack the caraffory then and there for calling him that, however he was already moving forward on the road. He turned his head back to give a death glare at the apprentice while he ran.
"Sometimes having a dogged determination such as 'stubborn' is the kind of attitude one needs to survive." Roy growled back. "I'm not going to freeze up like a 'donkey' and wait for teeth and claws to rip me apart."
He wasn't running a full on run due to his wounded foot but he did make sure Herne was following somewhat in pace with him.

When Roy stated he wasn't going to freeze up like a donkey, that made Herne's ears draw back, and he slowed down his pace, pretty well down to a walk. And within a few paces of that, Herne had stopped, now standing in the road, looking at his paws. A number of thoughts ran through his head, nothing Herne could organize as a single thought, but the year rotting in Lightning Empire and half the reason he got there, was certainly playing in his head, and at that moment, he now wanted to take the leg he just patched up and snap it in his teeth.
Herne growled with his toes digging into the ground, with a whole mix of emotion now ready to boil, and almost already doing so. Keeping himself silent, wasn't happening, it just frustrated him more, brought on more anger, brought on more pain.
"D A M N I T ! ! !" the caraffory yelled pretty well at the top of his lungs, sure it wasn't audible to Roy, if he was still in sight, and use his front legs, and struck the ground with them.
He felt the pain shoot up his left leg, and he swung his legs at the ground again, and again, and again.

Within a few strides, Roy was way ahead of the caraffory, unaware that the smaller feline had slowed to a stop. That is, until the apprentice yelled at the top of his lungs. The elite slid in the snow to s stop, turning to see Herne striking the ground with his front paws, including the one that was once in a sling. Over and over again he kept hitting the ground. Roy was at first angry with the feline's outburst, drawing any empire cats attention who might be in the area to come looking from them. As he retraced his steps he became more and more bewildered why Herne was beating himself up the way he was. Opening his mouth but stopping himself, to watch what played out further.

Herne continued hitting the ground, striking with blunt force to swiping with his toes and claws where there were claws. Every strike hurt to Herne, but trying to hold in the tension he had to carry on his back was constantly overwhelming. Every time Herne tried to contain it, it would lead to him blacking out, and having done serious damage to another. Sia and that cat a few weeks back were the only he was told of. Herne himself couldn't recall the events himself. Only the aftermath.
The last thing the caraffory wanted to do was strike anyone he cared about, even if he was excruciatingly angry with them, last thing he wanted to do was strike them. With everything pouring over and out, he kept hitting the ground, feeling every jolt when he hit the ground, which then lead to the caraffory b-lining the other direction, running on all four legs, showing how quickly he really could run, and had intent on slamming into the board with all the force he could grab. He didn't if it hurt.

The elite was confused, had the apprentice slipped and fallen on the snow? Why was he thrashing about like this? Roy would have thought the young cat had suddenly gone mad or crazy with the way he was acting. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could say a word, Herne bolted off down the road back the way they had come. The elite followed, unsure what to do or even say just yet. If Herne ended up yelling out at the top of his lungs once more Roy was sure empire cats would be on their tails, whether or not they would be Fire or Stone cats, Roy didn't want to find out.

Running as fast as he could get himself, pain lurched through his legs like the pulse of his veins, yet through everything so far, there was no indication he hurt, all that was conveyed was anger, rage more like it, and he raced toward the large board, and ducked his head down. With all the force he could throw into the board, the caraffory aimed to yell right before he hit the board, but had already impacted. There a solid smack noise, as if bones were just slammed into the other, and his clicked shut with a loud clap. From that, he dropped off the board limp and landed on the ground in front of it.
He layed there for a moment before pushing himself to his feet, showing the impact hurt, and backed, aiming to do it a second time.

The caracal was only a few feet away, he had stopped upon seeing the caraffory slam himself against the wooden board. Seeing the feline drop for a moment before getting back up to aim and do it again. Roy had dashed forward then, grabbing the smaller feline by the scruff pulling him away to pin the feline down with a paw. "Herne." He hissed trying to keep his voice as low as possible. "You idiot, you're going to get us killed-"

Just before hitting the board a second time, something suddenly grabbed Herne by the scruff. Herne almost instantly twisted himself around, and swung his back legs up and side-ways, aiming to kick the side of the bottom jaw to what ever had him to drop him, that was the plan anyway.

One of those feet hit Roy right in the jaw, clamping his mouth tighter onto the cat's scruff.
"Uh! Snap out of it." The elite growled through his teeth, feeling his hood fall off the back of his head.
Struggling a bit with the squirming cat underneath him for a good five seconds, the caracal was able to pin and/or hold the caraffory down with his weight because of their size differences. Arms held the frantic apprentice and he pushed down on the feline so he was unable to move, Roy looked Herne right in the eyes.

Herne had gone from frantically squirming around to having his backside on the ground and Roy literally trying to flatten him to the ground. The caraffory struggled to try and free himself anyway. But every attempt was in vain, and then Herne turned his head and looked Roy in the face, and stared at him, uncontrollably shaking. The feline's face conveyed clear pain, not so much physically hurt, but emotionally. His eyes were wide with trauma, Herne had almost froze his actions, but couldn't stop himself from physically trembling. There was guilt, shear knifed pain, and anger, bellowing from yell from the caraffory, trying to get the caracal to get off.
But nothing was working, which resorted to Herne going to a measure he never resorted to try and get Roy off, biting.

The elite knew what he was seeing but only got a brief glimpse of what emotion was in the caraffory's eyes and body language before teeth aimed for his face. Roy quickly drew his head back away from the apprentice and slammed a paw down onto Herne's head one after the other. He had trained many times in the hunter training grounds with straw bags, planning to knock the feline out with his hard blows. Forgetting that on his first paw strike, his claws were unsheathed.

Managing to get Roy to move his weight, and shift backwards, however slight it was, that gave Herne the room he needed to get himself free, but it didn't come without payment. The caraffory shove himself backwards, but only rolled backwards, and stopped on his side, face in the dirt, out cold.

TO BE CONTINUED...
+4EP for Picture (Herne Only)
+5EP for Active RP
+18EP for 9046 Words

+23EP to Roy
+27EP to Herne