BATTLE OF THE BEAKS

[Fin]

It is morning in the beaks, yet the sky is dark. Overhead, thick grey clouds block the sky. In the distance, a huge storm rumbles, threatening to reach the mountainous area. Lightning streaks the sky as it approaches, rain lashes down. An ominous feeling snakes through the beaks, as if a huge volcano of tension is about to explode.

The Guardians have left their tree, heading to intercept the Remnants, who have left their castle. It is here, in the Beaks, where they will clash. The area is a huge bowl in the land, surrounded by high, rocky spikes. There are a few trees at the bottom, but it is mostly coarse grass. The land slopes down, and as the rain pours the lowest part of the bowl is beginning to fill with rain.

This is where the battle will take place. Owls may die, plummeting to their fates on the muddy ground, or those injured may escape and seek refuge just behind the walls of the bowl. Both sides will clash, feathers will fly, and blood will spill.

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This battle is between the Guardians and the Remnants. The latter have decided to attack the Great Tree, and through free-roaming birds the Guardians have managed to intercept the threat before it reaches home. We expect you to follow the roleplaying rules closely in this battle - no powerplaying or godmodding. If we see you doing it, we will pick you up on it. It would be impossible to have an order to this thread, but try not to post after every other post. We will allow a post per character. Take into consideration everything - armour, size, weapons - would an Elf Owl be able to throw a Great Grey into a wall? Probably not, but it could cause some serious damage elsewhere. As long as everyone is sensible, this will be a great thread!

GUARDIANS - wait for Arctus's post before joining!
REMNANTS - wait for Azazel's post before joining!

The TALONS OF THE SOUTH will be first on the scene, so only the members may post until the Remnants come, and then the Guardians - this is to prevent everyone just piling in 8)

[Fin]

Before the moon had even reached it's highest point in the sky, there was much activity in the hideout of the Talons of the South. Birds were flying in from every direction, carrying supplies or empty-handed. A sense of excitement and dread ran through every bird, wings twitching nervously and eyes flashing as if an enemy could pop out anywhere. Pisces had roused all birds in their nests, checking all were ready. This was a big day, for the Battle of the Beaks was nigh.

"Soldiers, attention!" The Osprey called out loudly, silencing some of the chattering birds. Huge birds of prey sat around, a few owls dotted here and there. It was his band, and he was so proud of them. "To those coming, thank you for your bravery, as for those staying, protect what we are. Some of us may never return, but our names will be remembered. Come by, we must reach the beaks before the Remnants. Prepare for take off! The command rang out, causing the birds to shuffle into action. With a swoop of the osprey's wings they were off, and whole band following. Looking back at his home as it slowly faded into the distance, the Osprey sped up, flapping his wings more ferociously. He hoped they hadn't left too late.

As they banked towards the Beaks, overhead he felt the pressure change and the closer they got inland, the worse it got. Rain began to drizzle before thrashing down on them. A crack of lightning burst overhead, the light reflecting in the Osprey's eyes. It was dark, even though he knew the sun was rising. Soon, they would be here.

Calling out, the Osprey dived towards a bowl formation. This would be where they would clash, for sure. Flying down into the bowl, he headed for a collection of thin trees. It wasn't much, but it would do. There were enough perches for his band to lie in wait.

"We will land here and rest until they arrive. If the Remnants are first, stay low, but if it is the Guardians, I will go and approach their leader." The osprey landed on a higher branch as his band landed below him.

[◦myth ♫◦]

[LOLOLOLOL YOU PUT OSPREYPAW -point and laugh-]

Honey coloured eyes scanned the soon-to-be battlefield. Brown feathers were ruffled. Honey could feel the tension even in the Talons group. They were all diverse and different, nary a single bird was the same. Some were large, ferocious birds of prey, and others were small, lithe birds that could dart between the Talons and the Guardians with information. Honey followed Pisces with swift turns and efficient flaps of her two long wings. She landed heavily on a branch, and chirped to herself.

"This is going to be good." part of her was dreading the battle but part of her wanted to destroy the life of a puny evil Remnant. She was generally a kindly young bird though many knew she had her moments, and today she would have a moment. The sky was dark and eerie, and a few of the soldiers chattered amongst themselves as she kept a firm grip on the branch, awaiting the arrival of the Guardians. It would be an honour to fight beside the noble King in battle.

[Vivosaurus]

Flint slumped over the branch, looking at the shiny whatsit in his hand he'd just received from a rogue smith in return from a coal. It hadn't even been that good of a coal - not really bonk. He'd found it on the ground, too. But the smith was new and naive and would never have been able to tell the difference. The transaction was a good deal for Flint, but it still didn't lift his spirits. Ever since that osprey had talked to him... Sure, he'd been putting on a face of strength and ignorance, but that's what he always did.

"Storm's comin'," an eagle commented from higher up in the grog tree.

"There's more than just a storm brewin' - you hear about the battle that's gonna start over in the Beaks?" an older bird asked from a perch away. Flint picked his head up, listening with a sharp knowing in his eyes.

"You mean with those crazy Barn Owls and the... whatever-they're called?"

"Yeah, them and the Guardians. I hear it's gonna be good."

There was a soft screech somewhat akin to a snort. "Stupid owls."

Flint took off suddenly and practically dove into a nearby den he'd taken as a temporary shelter while scavenging from the forest fire in Ambala. Before he could even think about what he was doing, his bucket was packed with as many coals as he could fit, and protected neatly by a combination of large leaves and pelts - it was a trick his dad had taught him - to protect the coals from the rain. He didn't really know what he was doing, and wasn't sure if he could be any help at all, but he took off in the direction of the Beaks, flapping ferociously and somewhat uselessly. The storm hit him - or he hit the storm, one or the other - as he crossed the river and flew over the Beaks. Flint wasn't very skilled in flying through a storm, and he was soon disheveled and felt like turning back. But he swooped low near the rock formations, and felt the comfort of their familiarity. Out of instinct, he flew towards a bowl in the land where there was a small collection of trees, and, sure enough, they were there. He spiraled in clumsily, due to the rain and his colliering pail, and landed with difficulty a little apart from the others, glad to hear the rain thudding the leaves above him rather than his head. And though he'd not made the best entrance, he tried his best to make up for it by standing proudly, his long legs tall and bright yellow eyes intent. He was here, he would help.

"I thought you could use my help," he called out to Pisces over the drizzle of the rain. It was the closest the osprey would every get to a 'you were right.'

[Fin]

It felt good to have a strong group of birds behind him. Of course, he probably would have been at this battle with or without them, but having friends made it more believable they would win. As he surveyed his group through blinking eyes, he caught the eye of Honey. She would survive this battle, as many of them would. She was strong, but also strong of heart, which mattered the most. Nodding to her, his attention was grabbed by the arrival of a new bird.

"Ah, Flint. I am glad you are here, my friend." Pisces exclaimed with happy tone to his voice, loud enough to be heard over the storm. He was so glad the young Harrier had seen the better life offered to him, and graced by the bird's willingness to help them out in battle. He knew he was just like his dad. Before he could speak again, he noticed a Hawk flying upwards. Instantly, the Osprey took off, flapping hard through the rain and throwing himself at Nako in attempt to get him down.

"What are you doing? Are you mad? They could see you if they came over that ridge. We need to stay hidden, can't you just follow orders? You could put us all in danger!" Pisces scolded the bird. Okay, he was older than him and a little bigger, but he was in charge and he didn't want one bird ruining the whole operation. Lives were already at stake, and they couldn't afford losing their cover before the battle had even taken place.

[◦myth ♫◦]

Hedyn headed up the squadron. Azazel, in a strange twist in the story, had decided to remain at the castle in case they were defeated (unlikely) and the Guardians decided to attack. The clink of battle armour echoed in the beaks, accompanied by screeches and hoots and the crash of thunder, deafening the owls momentarily until silence fell when Hedyn dived. The group landed on a series of rocks, from which they could survey most around them. Hedyn's dark eyes scanned the horizon, and he saw movement in a tree. The owl narrowed his eyes.

"Be ready, sholdiersh..." he rasped, grasping a rock in his talon. "We attack when I give she shignal..." his armour glinted as a flash of lightning coarsed through the sky, splitting it in half like a gorge, followed almost instantly by a loud booming sound.

---

Honey stared up at Nako. He was a plonker. Her bright eyes looked around when the lightning flashed and the thunder boomed. "Pisces," the honey buzzard indicated to the boulders the Remnants had made their perch. "The Remnants have arrived." her eyes showed no fear but deep down she was frightened, afraid she may not be returning to her nest tonight.

[bushy]

Perched in a small stand of trees at the base of the mountains was a large female barn owl. The prideful creature was watching a group of non-owl intruders in her territory, feathers slightly ruffled in indignation and anger. Orella knew that she couldn't take on all those birds by herself. Even an owl as impressive as she had her limits, but it still angered and frustrated her to no end that she could do nothing to forcibly remove these trespassers. "Just let me get one of you alone and we'll see who this place belongs to." She muttered under her breath, staring at the birds as one of them left the tree to look around. It looked as if their leader didn't like that. Hm. It might be a bit harder to get them on their own than she had thought with that osprey around. He would have to be the first to go. Without him their group would splinter and fall apart.

It was then that the lightning flashed and Orella spotted something else. Another group, but this one of owls that all appeared to be tytos. They wore armor and battle claws and looked ready for a fight. Perhaps they would help her to run the other birds off. They looked like a tough bunch, whoever they were. Thinking back to one of the owls that had intruded and tried to buy his life with information, she remembered him saying something about fleeing a group known as the Remnants. He had said they were a group of evil tytos that killed or ran off any owl that wasn't like them. And he had said that they hated the Guardians. Well, so did she. A horrible grouping of different owls living side by side with each other. It was disgusting. For now, she decided to wait and see what would happen. If these really were Remnants they just might help her out. If not, she could care less as long as they left.