State of Mind

[Cifero Windtail]

Jayce watched the men step out of the vehicles. "Oh dear," he said, watching them chase after the others. "I'd better go after them... the others will need help getting rid of those thugs..."

[JoJoJoshua]

Jo was struggling to make it through the thick branches with his horse now, thinking about abandoning her as the pair struggled to keep up now.

"Sorry girl..." He hopped off of her back, his feet crunching down on the leafy ground. With a quick, firm slap to her haunches, he ordered her back to where he knew she would be safe. He had done this a few times, and knew he could find her at her usual place at home if he ever needed her.

Free from restraints, he continued through the dense foliage in tandem with the group, catching up quickly, his vulpine instincts kicking in as he maneuvered through the most efficient path in the branches and vines. He had enough time now in the slightly slower pace to ask the wolf in front of him, while panting...

"Where exactly are we going??"

[Leiton]

-Suzumi-


The indent moved in with a slight click. After a moment of nothing, the ground beneath them rumbled. Less then ten yards away, a female panda shot up out of the ground. The earth around her seemed to liquefy as she moved up. As she reached the top, the earth below her quickly took back it's original place. Even the grass seemed completely undisturbed. The lady walked up to Suzumi and nodded. "So, you people trying to get into the village?"
She straightened and looked behind Suzumi as there came faint noises growing through the trees. Something large was coming towards them, and fast.

--- --- ---

-Cifero-

The Guards were long gone in the woods, but Jasper had yet to leave. He looked up and sniffed the air, then turned around.
Cami had gone into the road. Flames swirled around his paws as he dashed towards Jasper. Jasper snarled and raised a paw. The flames around Cami's paws went out. Cami stopped and looked at his paws, then shook them. A slight spark formed, then nothing. He looked up just in time to see Jasper standing right in front of him, and was too slow to dodge the butt of the sword knocking him sprawling in the dirt.

--- --- ---

-Jojo and Sigcutio-

The horse ran back, urged forward by the slap it had received. Not a few seconds passed before a loud whinny sounded behind them. A scream split through the woods. Another whinny.
The wolf kept running, not even panting as he replied, "We're headed to the earth village. We need to..."
The noises behind them grew louder as a large group could be heard coming up behind them. "We're almost there!"

[Sigcutio]

Alarmed by the sounds behind them, Grant could not help turning around to see what was chasing after them. However, the forest was so dense that it was no use. All he could see was the thick overgrowth that they had just pushed through. As the screams started to come closer and closer, Grant could feel his heart beat steadily faster. Now he was sprinting and keeping up with the front runners of the pack. He didn't care what was going on behind them anymore; Grant wanted to get out of the forest immediately.

[JoJoJoshua]

Jo's ears perked and swiveled back quickly as he heard the horse whinny. He cursed under his breath, knowing he couldn't stop and check to see her fate, but still hoped she would be okay as he made his way through the trees, the branches occasionally breaking through his shirt's thin material.


He was definitely not prepared for this type of situation material-wise. The fox kept on though, his heart pounding against his chest as it took in quick breaths, feeling the group of chasers on their tails now.

[Suzumibachii]

Suzumi turned around as the panda came up through the ground, but before she could reply she heard the noises growing louder without  second thought she spun around and took a few steps back, clumps of dirt and rocks starting to levitate around her. "Whatever it is, it sounds big." she said to herself.

Raising her hands into a defensive position, she kept her gaze forward.

[Cifero Windtail]

Jayce silently drew a knife, then raised a hand towards Jasper's sword, angered by the brutal attack on Cami. "Let's see what he thinks of this," he said silently as he turned his anger into power and projected it at Jasper. Without warning, the sword bucked out of Jasper's hand and entwined itself around his arm, biting deep into the man's flesh.

[Leiton]

((Just a quick warning for the future... When you attempt something with magic, don't always expect it to work. There are some things that you don't quite know about yet. Also, there's a lot going on, so bigger post alert xD))


-Suzumi-


The panda scowled and took a few steps back, sliding slightly behind a tree. Spurney and Clarissa were hidden among the trees, completely silent. After a few moments of the crashing noises getting louder, several people started to run past them. In front, a black wolf carrying a rather large pack vaulted into the limbs of a tree. Several others followed behind. The one in front scowled as he saw Suzumi, then turned around and barked, "Damnit, we're here! We need to get rid of these Guards before we try to get into the village." More followed, until there were no less than a dozen assorted people around her. They all seemed focused on the other noises coming from behind them. A bear kept running a bit, with a young fox. He eyed the panda as he sat the fox down on the ground and told her to stay there. He took a few steps back around and faced the rest of the groups just as one of the Guards burst through the woods, slashing a sword at a woman. The woman easily side-stepped the swing and came up with a fist that seemed frozen in ice. Another few Guards burst through the woods. One went after the female cubi fox, another after the rabbit, and still another after the wolf who seemed to be in charge. The woods erupted into chaos, fire nearly lighting up the woods, metals flowing through the air and forming into weapons and shields, and gusts of wind that nearly blew people over.


--- --- ---


-Cifero-


Jasper was starting to cuff Cami's hands together when he stiffened. He snarled and looked up in the direction of Jayce. Jayce's metal-bending never reached the sword.
Jasper stood and steadied his grip on his sword, facing Jayce and smirking. "Come on down and join the party, kid."


--- --- ---


-Jojo and Sigcutio-


The group continued running through the woods, though it wasn't a few seconds before Leiton suddenly jumped up into one of the trees with his pack. Chris looked at Suzumi and cursed, "Damnit, we're here! We need to get rid of these Guards before we try to get into the village." Cail, Jenny, Jasmine, and Henry turned immediately and settled into a semi-circle formation with Chris. The fox carrying all of the computer gear kept running as the rabbit turned around tried to look up at the sky. The canopy overhead was much too thick to see the sky. If the sun wasn't shining so fiercely, it would have been pitch black. The bear and young fox continued running past a lizard who had been standing there with a defensive pose. Deirx, Mawz, and Joan stopped next to the Black squad and turned to face the Guards coming up behind them. Suddenly a red-uniformed greyhound burst through the trees, taking a heavy swing at Jenny. She immediately side-stepped and came up with a vicious upper-cut, her fist covered in a solid block of ice. Another few Guards came through, attacking various members, and chaos ensued. The Guards were attacking with magic, just as your group was. Theragorm came around, swinging a massive broadsword at one of the Guards, but was blown over by a massive gust of wind. Joan was snarling and slicing around with a hunting knife with extreme grace and speed, dancing around the trees and the Guards. Deirx slammed his fists on the ground, and a wall came up between two trees just a Guard was about to run through them. Deirx jumped through it, and it liquefied around him, forming a solid, if thin, metal plating over his clothing. Chris engaged one of the Guards, taking a few quick swipes of his sword at the Guard, who was busy pulling a large ball of rolling water out of the ground. The rabbit was assailed with a barrage of metal shards flying towards him, but he immediately ducked and waved a paw in front of him. Electric charges shot up and bounced off of the metal shards flying overhead, quickly making it's way back to the shooter. The shooter screamed once as he was electrocuted. Mawz hopped nimbly away from one of the Guards, his small form proving hard to hit as he frantically looked around. His eyes shot into the trees above, and he seemed to find what he was looking for. The Guard instantly fell in front of him, hitting the ground. He tried to stand back up, but couldn't move.

[Cifero Windtail]

Jayce raised an eyebrow beneath the mask that only he could remove. Well... that's new, he thought to himself, putting the dagger away and taking a pair of long elvish daggers from his belt. "Alright," he said. "I'll join..." Suddenly, he dashed forward and zipped right past Jasper, running right up a tree to a steady branch. "IF you can catch me."

[Suzumibachii]

(Will do, but trying to rps from work isnt the best idea sometimes, heheheh)

Suzumi was slightly confued by the sudden arrival of the group, knowing full well that with her very incomplete traing trying to use magic was not the best idea. Before she could ask anything to the Wolf, the guards started attack the people around her, she recognised the uniforms as being those of the Guards, she hesitated for a moment, the clumps of earth around her droping to the ground

Looking around she  reached back and pulled one of the daggers from her belt, she jumped up onto a branch only to have a shard of metal fly through it shattering the wood. dropping down to the ground she got back up and rushed the Guard, the sounds of screaming and magic clashing echoing all around her.

[JoJoJoshua]

"Whoa..." was all the fox thought as the forest around them was suddenly a whirlwind of magic and leaping soldiers. He was caught in a moment of amazement, the events almost moving in slow-motion in his mind. He was still a fox though, and he watched every moment with rapt attention, his eyes and ears darting around, waiting to defend or strike as he readied his dagger. To be honest, he had never seen magic used to this degree. Child-like wonder was still present as he jumped up into a tree, mouthing "Wow" as Deirx created a wall and jumped through it, covering himself in the liquefied material.


He didn't see anyone else using fire around him, but definitely didn't want to light the forest on fire *too* much. He'd have to be careful. Seeing Theragorm knocked onto the ground by the Guard's gust of wind alerted him to action, the fox leaping down and landing deftly behind the Guard, who was more focused on the foe he had just dropped. Jo jumped over and knocked over the guard with a swift cross to his legs before running over to Theragorm, "You okay? Now's a good time to move!"

[Sigcutio]

Everything was happening way too fast. First they had been running for their lives, but now they were going toe to toe with the guards they had tried to escape from. Grant was in total shock as magic was being used everywhere. He had never seen so much used before in all his life, but what surprised him the most were the guards who were using magic as well. Guards were not trained to use magic. What was going on here?


Grant's thoughts were interrupted as a blast of wind knocked him off his footpaws. He was caught right in the middle of the melee. As he tried to pick himself up, Grant realized that his power had given out and the sudden shift to regular gravity was difficult to adjust to. He grunted as his arms nearly buckled and paused for a moment to catch his breath. There was no way he would try his power in all this chaos; he nearly crushed himself the last time. Yet if he did not move fast he would be an easy target.


Once more Grant attempted to lift himself to his footpaws, but before he could react a guard kicked him onto his back. He yelped as he fell onto his back and felt a wave of pain flow through his body, reassuring him that if he did not act fast he would be dead. As the guard brandished his sword, ready to drive it into Grant's chest, there was a quick flash as a knife from Grant's belt was pulled and jammed into the exposed side of the guard's greaves. As the guard yelled in pain, Grant took advantage of the moment and attempted to grab the guard's sword to keep him from retaliating. A surge of adrenaline was giving him one last bit of power, but it was all he had left.

[Leiton]

-Suzumi-


The Guard growled fiercely at Suzumi and went after her. He lifted his sword and swung as if to hit you with his fist rather than the blade. He swung in a wide arch, aiming for her left shoulder.
Unbidden by Suzumi, the earth under the Guard's leading foot shifted, and he nearly did a split as he fell. Suzumi could feel that the magic had come from her, though she had done nothing herself.


--- --- ---


-Cifero-


(Though I know what you mean by the style, there's no such thing as elves So, just fancy daggers.)
Jasper turned as he past, shifting his feet slightly. He watched Jayce run into the tree and smiled. He did not move a muscle as the earth around the tree gave out, shaking the tree far too much to be able to stand in. Jasper set his sword aside and cracked his knuckles, walking calmly to the now uprooted and slanted tree. "You're in the woods, kid. You really think you can outrun a squirrel?"


--- --- ---


-Sigcutio-


The Guard yelled in pain, nearly dropping his sword. He growled as he felt the sword being wrenched from his grasp, reaching around with his other paw toward Grant. It was bathed in flames, even hotter than the Guard's anger. One of the flames shot out and singed Grant's right arm, though not too badly. The smell of burnt fur spread through the air as the Guard's superior strength began to pull the sword away from Grant.


--- --- ---


-Jojo-


Theragorm nodded and heaved his broad form off of the ground, then immediately lifted his paw and tapped his sword. Small electric charges swept across it, creating a loud hum as it moved through the air, leaving flashes of static in its wake as he swung at the Guard, who was freshly on his feet as well. The Guard deflected the blow, and a bright flash illuminated the woods when the metal struck metal. The Guard immediately took a step back and lifted a paw. A torrent of water erupted from the ground beneath Jojo and Theragorm, knocking them off balance. The plants and trees directly around them seemed dead, dry, and cracking. A shiver ran through Jojo as Theragorm's sword sent a small shock through the water, making his muscles tighten. Theragorm seemed uneffected and quickly lifted his sword as the Guard went back on the offensive, swinging vertically at the large bear.

[Cifero Windtail]

"Well, no..." Jayce looked down at the Jasper from the adjacent tree that he had jumped to as soon as he felt the ground shaking. "But I'd say my odds are pretty good." He jumped down out of the tree and glared at the squirrel. "Now quit playing God and fight me."

[Sigcutio]

Grant had to do everything he could to keep himself from letting go of the blade as his arm was burned. The smell of his burning fur clouded his thoughts in a haze where survival was the only thing passing through his mind. Blinded by his carnal state, Grant bit into the guard's paw. Clamping down tight, Grant could feel the heat of the guard's other arm growing in intensity as it drew near. Despite his efforts, it felt as though Grant was fighting a battle he could not win. The guard's strength was too much.


Snarling, Grant continued to attempt to pry the blade out of the guard's paw as he bit down on it. He may not succeed, but he would not give up yet.