Trees Carved of Mountains...

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm was in quite a bit of pain as Luftallah began to flail around the dirt, driving the riding Absol into the dirt as he did so. Though it hurt alot, Siscarm had been crushed by many things in his life, and his bones had built up a sort of resistance to the shock of it. Even so, he was being knocked around quite a bit, and his hold was beginning to slip as his jaw hit the ground over and over. But he couldn't let go. THe more Luftallah did this, the more the warlord would come closer to losing consciousness, and though his vision was now nothing more than a series of blurs, he bit in twice as hard, staying firm as he was tossed about. It was a waiting game, and Siscarm was determined to win.

[wynnyelle]

Luftallah kept on thrashing trying to either shake Siscarm off or to crush him. The evolved absol would not lose to this adversary. He had many worse battles under his belt. It was tough, but he was not dead yet nor was he giving up.

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm was being thrown around like a dead Ratatta at the moment. Due the the flailing, his left leg seemed to be broken, as it was no longer moving, he was experiencing a rather terible sensation of pain all through his body, and his vision was now gone. That was okay, he could rely on touch instead.

Siscarm losened his grip slightly as his mouth began to slide along the gore that was his foe's neck. Nothing he found seemed to be of any importance. There was a broken vein here, some tufts of fur there, but in a moment his teeth hit something relativaly solid. Though he couldn't know for sure, Siscarm quickly assumed it was the spine, and he transferred his grip to what he had just found. He even untangled his right paw to help feebly scratch at it, leaving his hind two and his broken one to continue holding himself on.

[wynnyelle]

ooc: Please don't auto damage. The rules state this is not allowed.

ic: "You should've gone running, running, running home to mummy! i am Luftallah Lord-of-all! Keep on biting my bony back, you're liable to get a good dose of poison from that!" Luftallah bucked his body and threw Siscarm off his back. The warlord absol-evolution was bleeding, dizzy, bleeding and, yes, bleeding, but he was not down. Not by any means. What troubled him the most was that his opponent was not down yet even after the seasoned veteran of many battles had thrown some of his best attacks at him. This time, though, Luftallah was low on strength, and he had to be wise about this. He decided on a Smog attack right then. "Fear me, fear me, oh yes!" He laughed insanely.

[jiminiminy]

ooc: Auto? Well, I suppose this assumption is not that new to me. Siscarm is flying blind, he Assumed that what he caught was the spine, but truly, he had no way to know. He may well have gotten a shoulder blade, or even a tree if he were close enough. Sorry for any descrepency or confusion, you could edit your post regarding this new information, or tell me if you still want to stand by it. My bad, I'll be sure to be clearer in the future.

[wynnyelle]

ooc: Np. ^_^ Sorry if I came off harsh. This is actually my favourite thread!

ic: Luftallah squinted through the smog he had created to see how his enemy was faring, or not.

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm was thrown off with great force, sending him ploughed into the ground. THere he lay for a moment, dead to the world, but slowly he rose again. Luftallah had cause Siscarm much strife in the past...

Hell, how long had it been? How long without rest, food, or any sort of necessity? Shit, he should really have stopped and done something about his situation before leaping into battle. Not paying attention to his opponent, he was quickly set upon by the smog, though it really did much more to help him than hinder him.

With his breathing shallow from his bodily stress, the poisoned air did truly little to poison him, and already blinded from exhaustion the gas did nothing about his vision. But it hid him. He was safe for a moment, and he would have to use it wisely.

Silently preforming detect, Siscarm's senses became finely tuned. With Luftallah's heavy breathing and yelling, he likely could have found him without detect, but it truly helped. Moving silently through the cover, he weaved as close to Luftallah as he would dare, and preformed a Zen Headbutt towards his opponent.

[wynnyelle]

The headbutt was not a straight-on hit but nor did it miss. It hit Luftallah on the shoulder, somewhat indirectly. But enough that it really hurt for a few seconds and knocked Luftallah on his side, sending him scrambling back up. he got to his feet as the smog began to dissipate.

"May you soon die painfully, fool! Yeehehehehe!" Luftallah thrust his large, dirty, reeking paw forward at Siscarm in a Sucker Punch.

From not far away came another, younger sounding voice. It was Shahgag, calling him. "Ijamaku! Ijamaku! Come on! We're all leaving! I won't leave you behind!"

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm was not suprised that he had collided with Luftallah, his senses were very acute due to the Detect he had preformed, but what did suprise him was that he was able to dodge the attack that the warlord sent towards him in retaliation. Truth be told, he had not used detect in so long that he had forgotten that it allowed him to dodge attacks sent towards him, and when he slid out of the way almost subconsciously, he was only brought back to reality by the sound of Shahgag's voice.

Coughing violently, spewing blood as he did so, Siscarm wordlessly used agility, sending his body quickly towards the female's scent. She was right, there were no longer any living of the tribe in his immeadiate area, all had fled or perished. He would not perish, no sir-ee, and as his body was at a jog away from the scene, he sent a message back towards Luftallah, thugh his voice was near whisper, it was still audiable.

"You will not continue your ways, warlord. Our fight is not over, and next time we cross claws, there will only be one to continue living. I do not plan on letting that be you. Train hard, for you will need any advantage you can find."

[wynnyelle]

"Ohhh I'm SOOOO scared!" Luftallah howled as he watched his opponent make his getaway. But truth be told, he was a little uneasy about letting him go. But he had no choice. He was on the verge of collapse himself, and unlike Siscarm he did not have the luxury of showing said weakness in front of anybody else. He had to remain strong in appearance at all times. He had to bow out of this while he could still walk away at all. Besides, the Bloodtribe had won.

"They're moving everyone out as quickly as possible, master," said Shahgag as she led him up the path. "Oh, you look so beat up, if I may say so..." she cringed a little, "we need to get you some healing berries! You were so, so brave to take on Lord Luftallah--nobody has ever taken him on and lived!"

[jiminiminy]

Though Siscarm could not see, he was well aware of Shahgag's presence, and he turned to her, his old smirk pasted on his face. "I told ya, I will try and protect as many as I can, and dieing wouldn't really help that goal now would it? But he knows who I am now, this coul lead to problems later."

Allowing his head to drop down, he began to think quietly. Luftallah now knew that he was a formidable foe, and unlike before, he would not underestimate him. When they fought again, the battle would be more dangerous for him.

Bringing his head back up, he looked back to Shahgag again, though he no longer was smiling, instead he was rather grave. "Where would we be able to find a healer? I've lost quite a bit of blood, and this broken leg isn't helping out too much. I don't think I'll be able to go too much farther..."

[wynnyelle]

"The nearest berries will have to do, master," said Shahgag, falling back into old habits without thinking. The stress of all that had recently happened had caused her to do so. "You are a great and brave fighter. You don't know how amazing it is that you survived! You really are touched by Skytribe." If she had had any doubts before, they were gone now.

[jiminiminy]

Yeah, I suppose the nearest berries will have to do then. And I tell you, don't call me master, I am..." Siscarm paused. He really should just keep a standard name that he would use, not change it each time. It got confusing after a while, and he sometimes forgot one or two. "...Ijamaku." He finished, shaking his head as though to clear it. "But you will have to lead me. I'm not sure if you're aware, but the stress and exhaustion has hindered my vision, and this will be difficult without you."

[wynnyelle]

"I'm sorry, Ijamaku. I will help in any way I can! I will help you. Lean against my side, and I will help support you as we go," said Shahgag, rushing to align herself against her master's side.

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm said nothing as Shahgag offered her help, and it seemed that he would not take it, but after a moment he shifted his weight upon her. "Thank you." He whispered, before lapsing himself into silence once again. He didn't particulary want to talk now, he simply wanted to think, and so he silently walked along with Shahgag, lost in his own mind.

[wynnyelle]

"You are welcome Ijamaku." Shahgag went at Siscarm's pace, wanting to get out fast but not so fast that he slipped off. Her small, slight body was stressed by the burden of his greater weight, but she kept on, spurred by the danger they were leaving behind them.

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm walked along, completely lost to the world. Any perception he had was gone for te moment, he had no idea what time it was, what his surroundings were like, or even what direction he was going in. For him, the only thing in the world was the things immeadiatly around him.

Siscarm felt the ground below his feet, the pain that wracked his body, the adrenaline that was still pumping unused through his veins, making him feel as though his blood were thick as sap. He felt the gash on his side, the flow of blood now nothing more than a trickle, and Shahgag's being beside him, supporting his every step as they stumbled their way into freedom, even if it meant her death.

He felt sorry for the young Absol, her life was still long ahead of her, and she was significantly shortening it by tagging along with him. Really, with all the things he'd done, Siscarm didn't know how he was still alive. Perhaps he couldn't die until he completed some task, unable to rest while some deed went unfinished. That seemed likely, he must really think of these sorts of things more.

Through his bloodied nose, he could distinctly detect the scent of some citrusy fruit a distance ahead of them. "Ahead..." His throat tingled, and the word caused him to cough. The spasm caused his lips to become flecked with blood, but he licked it up and continued. "Ahead...the Berries?" He tried to grasp a more complete scentence, but his coulded mind was unable to come to any conclusion, and he merely awaited a response.

[wynnyelle]

"Yes, ma--Ijamaku, yes, just ahead!" Shahgag smelled berries through all the horrible bloodscent emanating from her master's body. "Can you stay here if I bring them to you? It might be faster. Bloodtribe is--well, they've stopped pursuing us for now. I think it's because they've already laid claim to Woodtribe's terra and many of our absols as well." Her voice grew soft. She didn't know whether she was a part of this new tribe that had taken them in. It all depended, she supposed, on whether Ijamaku considered himself a part of it. He was Skytribe...nothing could touch him. He had proven that to her easily by surviving the battle with Luftallah.

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm nodded feebly, taking the pressure off of Shahgag, leaving himself slumped to the ground. "Yes...go...I'll..." He shook his head, a weak attempt at clearing the fog that was enveloping his brain. He would likely pass into unconsciousness soon, and it would help to have Shahgag return before he delved into darkness.

"I'll...fine...quickly...go..." With his few words draining the last drops of energy he had left, he lay his head down, now shifting his weight to a nearby Guardian Tree. He would have to wait patiently until she returned, then he would rest. No more walking for now, only hiding, and preparing.

[wynnyelle]

Shahgag quickly ran around to the side of said tree, which was quite massive and wide of trunk. Near the roots grew a huge bush heavy with huge red fruits. One of them had fallen to the ground, a little overripe and partially eaten, but the basketball-size fruit was still palatable. She gripped its stem in her teeth and dragged it across the ground back to him.

"Ijamaku! I've got you a fruit. I'm sorry as it is a bit past its best. But it was all I could find!" She flinched.

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm continued thinking as he lay. Right now, as Shahgag was saving his life, he wondered what would have happened if he had left her behind. If he had not saved her life, than she would not have saved his. Perhaps there was a sort of Karma, and if there was, it sure seemed to act fast.

As Shahgag returned and spoke, Siscarm attempted to shake his head, but found himself rather unable. So instead he dragged himself towards the precious fruit, saying softly, "It's...suffi...suf...fine" No longer paying any attention to his inability to speak more than one syllable, Siscarm simply began to eat the large berry.

Slowly, it began to recouperate his strength, and soon he found himself with the ability to speak again, then able to see, and finally able to stand and walk. "It'd seem that the bigger one of those is, the more it will heal you. Rather useful, I'd say." Siscarm flexed his left leg. It was no longer broken, but it still caused him pain to move it, and he doubted that would go away for a good week. Even so, he felt renewed and refreshed, as though he could take on anything.

Turning to Shahgag, he lowered his head in recognition of her deeds, then raised himself back up and said. "We have to regroup with the rest of the tribe, do you know the direction that they went?"

[wynnyelle]

"Yes, Ijamaku, I was with them but I realised you hadn't come with us, and then I knew that you must still be fighting. Nephtilla tried to stop me but I ran, I ran, and I come back here and find you battling with Luftallah, still, and not dead! Imagine how I felt when I saw that, Ijamaku. You truly are of Skytribe. I will never doubt it." Shahgag was beaming at him.

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm beamed right back at Shahgag as she stood smiling, but the yells of the enemy's victory were much too close for him to remain comfortable. Turning away from the femme he stared down the path which they had just walked. The path had two ways, that into death, and that into the unknown.

Siscarm returned his gaze to Shahgag, still smiling with his toothy grin, though his teeth were no longer a normal colour, but now the crimson brown of dried blood. "Aye, of Skytribe I must be, but my holy status will not help either of us if I get caught in NoTribe again. Come, we must rejoin with our tribe again."

With that said, Siscarm began to walk in the direction they had been going previously, where he destinctly noticed the scent of other Absol. This would have been where the now refugees would have gone.

[wynnyelle]

Nephtilla was speaking to a mother absol and her two pups when Shahgag and Siscarm arrived at the group. It looked chaotic with all the absols there. "Shahgag--Ijamaku! How did you find him? I was sure the Bloodtribe chief had him!"

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm gave Nephtilla a smirk. Not just any smirk, the scarmish smirk that he likely would hold with him to the grave. "I told ya, so long as I play for the good side, I will not die anytime soon. Sometimes ya gotta take a few risks, but save the best for last."

Turning his head to gaze over the refugees that had gathered in the makeshift camp, he knew that the situation was not a very good one. At least he had crippled Luftallah enough that he would not persue them all for a little while, but they would have to travel far and fast with masses of civilians that were afraid and not in a good place. But that was not a current issue. The issue at hand was the number of unfit soilders.

Sighing, Siscarm turned his head back to Nephtilla. "Even so, how can I help?"

[wynnyelle]

"Hunt," said Nephtilla. "We need all the food we can get. If you can't hunt prey, then gather up or at least locate where healing berries and herbs may be found. We have numerous wounded here and hungry mothers and pups. But you don't need to head straight out to hunt now. Please rest. Tomorrow our lives begin anew, as we decide what to do next and where to go from here. We are a tribe in Notribe land."

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm nodded as Nephtilla spoke, and made a comment of his own. "I will hunt. The healing berries that you will find about a kilometer down the path from where we just came seemed to give me new energy, and I have been alone long enough to learn how to take down a Stantler myself. Your people need food, and I will be happy to provide it, or at the very least try."

Nodding his own dismissal, Siscarm set about his self-appointed task, and began by leaving the camp towards the east. He could detect a scent that resembled that of a Tauros. Likely there was a herd nearby, or at the very least a single pokemon. The fight had gotten Siscarm riled up, and he would imaging the face of Luftallah upon his prey and never miss.

[wynnyelle]

"Let me help you hunt, Ijamaku!" Shahgag, though tired, would not rest until she had done her part to help, even though she had already helped rescue Ijamaku from the Bloodtribe Chief.

[jiminiminy]

Siscarm had already begun to get out of earshot of the main Absol, but since Shahgag had been trotting along beside him, he was able to hear her words, and when she spoke, he smiled softly. Even though she seemed to be growing self confidence, Shahgag still followed Siscarm. Perhaps it was because she felt she wanted to, not because she felt she had to.

"No, Shahgag, you have done too much in the time that has passed. I do not think that you are doing this out of a feeling of duty, but of your own free will. This would be new to you, and you must know when to quit and rest. Go back to the people. Rest. Eat. I will return soon enough."

[wynnyelle]

Shahgag felt like she'd let him down somehow, but she would never, ever argue with him. "Yes Ijamaku. I will." She headed back up the path to the rest of the refugees.