The Final Four RTP2 Battles!
In their full unabridged form.
6500+ words of pure battle!
The Battle for Fourth- FLASHTAIL VS. MATTIMEA
For the first time in RTP2, members who started off in two separate camps will now battle each other to the death. The final five had celebrated their victory, and now it was time for one of them to fall to another. Flashtail, the hare formerly of Camp Grovehut and Mattimea, the wildcat from the mighty Camp Mountaintop were these two creatures.
Mattimea licked her scimitar blade, which responded with a leaping blaze of fire. Flashtail had not shown herself yet, but the wildcat's keen eyes would be sure to spot her when she arrived. Backing up against the overhanging rock ledge, Mattimea made sure nobeast could come from behind her, focusing her eyes forward to where her opponent must come from.
Little bits of dirt and rock began falling lightly on Mattimea's head...her opponent was directly above her, no more than a paw's stretch through the knoll's ground.
Flashtail saw nobeast at the appointed battle site and was apprehensive as she approached. Testing the ground beneath her paws, the hare realized she must be standing on a ledge above on of several rocky outcroppings on the grassy hills southeast of Mossflower Wood. With a leap, she pounded her footpaws into the ground, feeling it waiver just a little and then listening to some dirt and rocks fall below. The sound betrayed Mattimea's presence...with the force of her hind legs, Flashtail knew she should've heard a furious falling of the little dirt and rock pieces from below, instead she only heard a few chunks of dirt and rock hitting the ground below...the rest had fallen on something, or someone else.
Taking a step forward, Flashtail leapt again, however this time she was so near to the edge that her entire left footpaw plunged through the rocky ledge, capturing the hare up to her thigh in loose rocky ground.
Mattimea knew she had been discovered, and lashed out viciously with her scimitar, slashing at the hare's trapped leg. With a forceful kick, the hare succeeded in breaking the wildcat's nose and freeing herself of the rocky ledge, breaking the end off of the overhang.
Blood oozed from Mattimea's nose, but it was not problem, she had inflicted far worse damage on the hare's leg. Flashtail visible wobbled, though her run speed was not significantly slowed by the wounds.
Gripping her crossbow, Flashtail loaded the arrows and fired several consecutively. The wildcat dodged a few, while blocking several with her shield. One arrow however, struck Mattimea's side, piercing her armor and going almost an inch into her body.
Clenching a paw to her side, Mattimea quickly snapped the arrow a short distance from where in penetrated her armor, knowing it's best not to remove an arrow and then be forced to use one of her precious healing potions. Mattimea continued her charge after the hare, this time flinging a poisoned concealed knife at her adversary.
The wildcat's aim was true; Flashtail fell to the ground under the blow of the knife piercing straight through her armor and plunging deep within her stomach. Quickly utilizing a healing potion, Flashtail rolled to one side to dodge the incoming blow from Mattimea's icy blade claws.
Flashtail kicked out with her legs, knocking the wildcat flat and giving herself time to recover to her feet. The hare was about to begin running again to use her ranged advantage, but Mattimea grabbed Flashtail's left footpaw and pulled it from underneath the hare, using her superior strength.
The hare fell to the ground, where her opponent quickly grabbed her crossbow and wrenched it away from her. Flashtail then kicked out with her legs again, this time sending her crossbow flying through the air. Mattimea lashed out with her blade claws, but Flashtail had grabbed her small shield from its position across her back and used it to block the claws as both creatures fought to get back on their footpaws.
Mattimea suddenly bashed her skull into Flashtail's, the metal of both helmets sending a resounding clang throughout the region. The hare was mildly stunned for just a moment, but this gave the wildcat just enough time to dive for the crossbow that was laying on the ground just a few steps away. The wildcat's large paw smashed down upon the crossbow in a fist, splintering the bow into several pieces and sending small wooden shards all over the dry grass.
Mattimea knew that with the crossbow useless for good, Flashtail had little hope of besting her in close combat with the hare's measly dagger compared to her scimitar and blade claws.
Flashtail had now recovered from the headbutt and had drawn her dagger from her sash, now holding her shield out in the prone defensive position.
Mattimea held her shield now too, but in anything but a defensive position. The wildcat charged, launching herself at the hare. Flashtail had seen this move before. As Mattimea lowered her shield to bash Flashtail, the hare dropped to her back, sending her legs up to catch the shield and launch it over her head.
The wildcat went flying; her own charge plus the energy of Flashtail's strong legs were more than enough to send her airborne.
Mattimea landed hard on her back, and in an instant the hare had set upon her, slashing away indiscriminately with her dagger, slashing face and fur, the hare was merciless.
Mattimea began lashing out with her own blade claws, so now both creatures were scoring vicious blows against each other, not even attempting to block the other's attack.
The spectrical dagger and the chilling blade claws had the same effect on both creatures, chilling them to the bone, slowing their attacks. Yet the creatures still slashed on. Flashtail knew she could not stand the fury of the wildcat's blows for much longer, but also knew the wildcat would have to give in soon too.
Mattimea was the first to give in, rolling aside to make use of her healing potion, reserving her super healing potion for only the most necessary occasion. The hare took this time to use a healing potion of her own, bringing her total down to zero.
Both creatures had sufficiently recovered and were back on their footpaws. The wildcat drew her fiery scimitar, sending leaping tongues of flame into the air with each arc of the blade, but each time to meet the cold steel of Flashtail's dagger.
Blow met blow as the creatures continued to fight. The blades arced and flickered through the now fading, late evening sun.
Mattimea had gained control and her opponent was fleeing away. Each step was backwards for Flashtail, never progressing forwards against the wildcat's onslaught of attacks.
With a yelp of surprise, Flashtail plummeted backwards over the edge of one of the several grass covered rock ledges on the rolling hills. The hare's legs kicked up as Flashtail toppled backwards over the ledge, hitting Mattimea's sword wielding paw and sending the flaming blade flying.
The blade landed on the dry grass, for it hadn't rained in almost a season on the grassy hills. The fire quickly spread through the endless sea of long, sunbaked grass. And yet still the two battled.
Mattimea launched herself from the rocky ledge and onto her opponent. The wildcat had the intelligence to hold her shield ready as she landed, and by doing so the shield landed directly on the hare's dagger, sending it up to its hilt into the hardwood shield. Had she not had her shield, Mattimea would've been finished, but instead that one simple move had finished Flashtail. Flinging her shield off into the twilight, Mattimea roared ferociously, as the dagger was still imbedded within it.
Flashtail kicked and punched, fighting tooth and claw, as it was all she had left. However, Mattimea was a larger creature, as wildcats tend to be. The wildcat slammed a double-fisted blow into the side of Flashtail's head, crumpling the helmet so that it could not longer be removed by the hare, it was stuck, and none to pleasantly.
The hare managed to kick herself free, but it was all for naught as a poorly aimed knife buried itself deep within her footpaw, despite the wildcat's aim for Flashtail's back.
Flashtail crumpled to the ground and Mattimea raised her chilling blade claws high above her head, the light blue, icy cold arch streaking through the fiery night. With a sound like that of a guillotine falling, Mattimea finished Flashtail for good.
The hare's head rolled several feet down the grassy hill, not stopping until it struck a flaming clump of grass. With a fearful roar, Mattimea proclaimed her victory to the approaching night, as she sprinted directly through the leaping flames.
The wildcat did not stop, but merely reached a paw down halfway through the fire, retrieving her scimitar as she headed off to the Mossflower River, to bathe her now-scorched footpaws.
The Battle for Third- MOONROCK VS. MATTIMEA
A slight chill ran up Mattimea's spine as she stood waiting patiently, at her guard, for her opponent to appear. The wind was picking up, even here near the Mossflower River in the center of Mossflower Woods she could feel the strong breeze against her back...maybe that was what caused her sudden chill.
The wildcat pawed at her blade in its scabbard, keeping one paw constantly on guard with her blade claws. Nobeast was going to stop her, she had fought to hard and to often to get to where she was...and there were no easy victories...
An arrow pierced through the air, and only the wildcat's swiftness with her small hardwood shield saved her from its deadly flaming tip. The flames smoldered as they went out, the shield's wood being well covered in a slick, flame retardant residue, mainly used to keep opponents blades from sticking in the shield, though it didn't always do the charm.
Mattimea ducked as another arrow flew low overhead, burying its point into the tree right behind her. Luckily it had rained just this morning, lest the whole forest go up in flames. Still searching, the wildcat could not catch a glimpse of her opponent from the dense foliage and underbrush. Suddenly a crashing sound came from behind her.
Mattimea swirled around to meet a furious badger's axepike, slicing down at full force. The badger's camouflage coat had been hiding it among the forest trees while he gained his position. At last, Moonrock could stand it no longer, filled with the bloodwrath he charged his opponent.
The badger flailed about with his axepike like a whirlwind, with unmatched ferocity and speed. The wildcat was already struggling to block each blow, even with the lightning quick speed of her blade claws. She knew she had to do something soon to turn the tides of the battle.
One paw shot to the wildcat's sash, it quickly drew out a poisoned knife and plunged it into the badger at point blank range. Moonrock slashed on, impervious to his bleeding wound.
Just as Mattimea had expected! The badger in bloodwrath would kill himself by not realizing the poison that was circulating within him! Now all she had to do was keep alive until then, which was no easy task.
Mattimea blocked another slash of the axepike, but this time the blade claws were clipped off by the savage power of the badger's axepike. The axepike then continued to plunge, burying itself it Mattimea's leg.
With a yelp of pain, the wildcat crumpled to the ground. She quickly uncorked a healing potion and put it to use, discarding the bottle when she was through. Rolling to avoid the badger's fearsome blade, Mattimea got back to her footpaws.
The badger continued his ferocious onslaught, the wildcat never managed a single strike of her own, always parrying the badger's immense blade. This time she blocked with her shield, the blade striking off at an angle, giving Mattimea her first real chance to attack.
The wildcat set upon her enemy with a renewed fury. The blade claws slashed out mercilessly, tearing the badger's fur and flesh, despite having four clipped claws on one paw.
With a roar of pain, the badger's massive paw smashed into Mattimea's chest, sending the wildcat tail over head into a nearby rowan tree.
The wildcat was dazed from the blow, but was amazed to see that the badger was using a healing potion of his own. She had assumed the badger would continue attacking even dispite all wounds because of his bloodwrath, but nevertheless the badger was healed of poison and all.
Mattimea struggled to her footpaws, but this time knew she was no match. She quickly stumbled her way into the Mossflower River, forging against the currents to get to the other side and hide until she could recover and rethink her strategy.
Soon arrows came flying, landing all about Mattimea and sizzling in the river. The wildcat placed her shield over her back and head and continued to make headway into the river, she was half way across now and the arrows couldn't hit her, thudding into the shield that protected her.
Mattimea was now almost across the river, but the current was stronger here, she began to be carried downstream with each step, and it was getting deeper, not shallower. She soon realized she was in terrible trouble, and that was before the first prick on her tail!
Pike! The large fish were beginning to swarm the wildcat, and in her fright, the wildcat dropped her shield and made a mad dash for the far shore. Clambering uncerimoniously up a tree root that was overhanging the water, Mattimea quickly circled to the tree's back side, sheltered from her attacker who had missed three open shots as she climbed up on the shore.
Mattimea was dazed, she didn't have a clue on what she should do. Pondering her predicament, Mattimea saw that her shield had lodged itself just a short way down the river in a batch of reeds. What luck! She could reclaim her shield and then the possibilities would be endless, she could make the badger come to her, or go to the badger and catch him off guard without being an open target for attack.
The soaked wildcat stumbled her way towards the reeds, crawling on all fours at one point. Suddenly, a roar came from the other side, causing Mattimea to turn her head towards the badger, who was now flying through the air over the river!
Moonrock had pole-vaulted his way across the river using the long shaft of his axepike. With a shriek of horrified shock, Mattimea raised her bladeclaws over her head in her final defense, but with the downward stroke from his flight, Moonrock's blade cleaved the wildcat in two through the middle.
The badger grunted, how he hated vermin. Kicking the body lightly, Mattimea's torso and head rolled down the embankment and into the river, much to the joy of the pike who were hidden in the reeds.
The Fight for Second- SABRIEL VS. MOONROCK
In this, the semi-final battle of RTP2, Moonrock had just won a resounding victory against Mattimea, a skilled wildcat fighter who won several battles of her own. However, this was a battle like none other, Sabriel had far superior equipment to those Moonrock had seen battle before. With her mercenary at her side, Sabriel was a fearsome fighter of legendary status. With so many victories under her belt, Moonrock could only hope for a vital upset...and so he drew his axepike in apprehension, waiting for the wildcat to show herself.
Suddenly, two arrows zipped through the air! One was a blue wraith, leaving a cold trail in its path, the other gave off a vicious buzz, thudding into the tree nearest Moonrock with a zap and leaving a scorched mark.
Abandoning his axepike for now, Moonrock grabbed his crossbow and loaded several arrows, firing them in quick succession from the area the arrows had come from.
Suddenly two more arrows flew through the sky, one from in front of the badger, which he easily dodged, but the shocking arrow from behind him was beyond his knowledge, thudding into his back and giving him a vicious shock.
Moonrock knew he had been outflanked; he had to take out the mercenary first to have any hope of defeating Sabriel. But first, he had to draw them out of the forest!
Moonrock's flaming arrows flew all around into the pine grove; it had not rained since his last battle, so the dry leaves and brush quickly lit up in flames.
Smoke billowed from the small island of pines, the evergreens' sap spreading the flames like wildfire. Soon, Moonrock knew, his opponents had to emerge.
The wildcat leapt through the air as she came into view, and yet her Ferret mercenary was nowhere to be seen. Moonrock had to concentrate on Sabriel for now, but be wary.
Sabriel took to the offensive, her blade claws flicked out viciously, their diamond-edged blades gleaming in the light of the fires behind her.
Moonrock fired off an arrow, but the skilled wildcat cleaved it into pieces with her blade claws, showing off her speed and agility. Moonrock knew he had no choice but to face the wildcat in close combat...and he could feel the bloodwrath rise within him.
Moonrock charged his opponent, and Sabriel deftly dove to the left, avoiding the badger's massive axepike as it came crushing to the ground. In a flash, the wildcat struck out at her opponent's open left side, slashing his leather armor to reveal the badger's fur.
The axepike's hard shaft thudded into Sabriel's chest with massive force, sending her to the ground. Moonrock swung high, letting the axepike's enormous blade carry the energy to the ground.
With an earth-shattering blow, Moonrock's blade came crushing down across Sabriel's side. The badger cursed his luck as metal struck metal, his axepike striking the wildcat's broadsword that was slung through the sash at her side.
Furiously, the badger stuck out again, but this time Sabriel was not there. The wildcat had rolled to the side and was back on her footpaws as an arrow came from behind the badger, striking him at the base of the neck, just below his helmet's cover.
With a roar of pain, Moonrock turned to see the shooter, Deathlouse, a ferret. The badger charged the ferret, his massive bulk gaining speed and force as it approached the mercenary.
Suddenly, Moonrock was taken down from behind. A flying kick from Sabriel sent the badger straight to the ground, but the badger shot back up to his footpaws, spinning around to deal a vicious blow to the wildcat's stomach. Her light plate armor pealed before the badger's awesome blade, but the blow was only deep enough to tear through a few layers of the leather armor the wildcat had worn beneath her plate.
Sabriel fell backwards with astonishment, and the badger turned to strike when another arrow took him in the back, sending him crumpling to his knees. Furiously using his super-healing potion, the badger knew he had no lifeline left; he had to go all out to win.
Regaining his composure, the badger returned to his feet, blocking several slashes from the wildcat with his shield, which he then slung across his back to protect from arrows sent by the mercenary.
Gripping his axepike in both hands, the badger slashed out, parallel to the wildcat's stomach, too high to jump but yet too low to duck. The wildcat stumbled backwards to avoid the blow, but by that time the badger was spinning like a furious tornado, his blade protruding out into space.
The badger followed his opponent doggedly, she could not get within melee range of the badger without being slaughtered by the spinning blade, and yet the badger followed her so that she could not get out of range to draw her bow.
Another arrow flew through the air, this time accompanied with four more; Deathlouse was finally showing his skills as a ranger. The mercenary's arrows each hit their mark, though two buried themselves in the badger's shield, one was split in two by the badger's blade, and another clanked harmlessly off Moonrock's helmet. However, one arrow stuck the badger's unprotected leg, halting his spin and sending him to the ground in a cloud of dust.
By this time, Sabriel and Moonrock had made their way to the edge of the flaming pine grove. Sabriel dove upon her opponent before he could recover, but the badger put up his footpaws, and sent the wildcat flying over his head and into the flaming underbrush.
Flaming limbs fell about the wildcat as she furiously yelped in pain. Her fur was singed black when she emerged and began rolling in the dust to put out the flames.
Moonrock had gotten back on his footpaws and slashed out with his axepike at the deranged wildcat. Just as it was about to hit its mark, an arrow stuck the badger's paw, causing him to flinch in pain.
The axepike dropped on Sabriel's armor, devoid of power. With great speed, the wildcat picked up her opponents weapon and sent it into a spinning arc at him.
Moonrock's shield went into his paw and with a surprise tactic; the badger blocked the blade and gripped the shaft of the axepike.
Badger and wildcat struggled for control of the gigantic blade, and soon the wildcat could feel her footpaws coming off the ground. Moonrock had lifted the axepike over his head, and Sabriel was still holding fast to its shaft, now dangling several feet from the ground.
With a roar, the badger bashed Sabriel with his shield, sending her to the ground and relinquishing her grip on the axepike.
Three more arrows shot out at the badger. With a roar, Moonrock took two arrows to the shoulders and one to his chest. The badger yelled out his war cry as he charged his opponent in what was likely to be his last hope.
Moonrock sent his axepike flying; the mercenary ferret had not seen that coming. The badger's aim was as good as that of the ranger's, the blade end perfectly cleaving the mercenary in two, right through the stomach.
Moonrock's shield became his weapon as he bashed the wildcat furiously, the badger's eyes red with bloodwrath. Blade claws met fur as Sabriel uppercut under the bottom of Moonrock's helm, sending it flying and raking the bladeclaws up the badger's face on the helm's way off.
The badger was still in control, though. The wildcat had been battered back to the ground and the badger was now bashing her head, denting and bending her helmet with great ease. The wildcat reached out with her footpaws, stretching for something.
With a roar, Sabriel's footpaw kicked up into the air, sending Moonrock's helmet, which had been laying just a few inches away from the wildcat's footpaw, into the air. The metal helmet stuck Moonrock in the face with a terrible clank.
The badger fell backwards under the unexpected blow, as Sabriel used a healing potion and got back on her feet.
The badger was about to get back up when Sabriel leapt upon him, pinning his shield to the ground, the badger's arm beneath it. The badger tried to lift the wildcat from the ground, but his shoulders couldn't bear the weight in his condition, so the badger struck out with his right paw, his only remaining weapon.
The wildcat's claws dug deep into the badger's neck and blood started flowing freely, but Sabriel was knocked back, senseless by a power right hook from the badger.
Struggling to his feet, the badger drew his opponent's sword from her sash and stumbled forward, blood flowing from his neck, face and shoulders. Raising the blade over his head, Moonrock gave a mighty roar, "EULALIA!!!"
With that, the badger began his downward swing. The blade came down towards the wildcat, but suddenly the badger lost all strength. The badger and the blade carried on to the ground.
With a clank, Sabriel's light plate deflected the blade to her left side, sending it right underneath the badger, who lay with eyes glazed over in the sleep of death.
Had he not been a true badger warrior, Moonrock might have thought to use one of Sabriel's healing potions before attempting to finish the wildcat off, but alas, that is not the badger way.
A short time later, Sabriel awoke to the smell of her own fur singing again, as the fire had grown closer to her. Confused, Sabriel rolled the giant mass off from on top of her and looked at the bloody figure.
With a shrug, the wildcat used one more of her healing potions before struggling to her feet and heading north... she had a mouse to meet, in the mountains of the north!
The Battle for First- SABRIEL VS. MATTHIAS Also entitled The Northern Mountains.
The snow began falling upon the peaks of the northern mountains first, but slowly the cold descended towards the valleys and foothills below, bringing with it the icy chill of the wintery snows. Sabriel shuddered in the cold, shaking the light crystals of snow from her fur as she pressed on through the lightly falling snow. Heading northward still, the wildcat only got colder as she marched, always northward and upward, to the summit of the highest mountain in the northern mountains.
What irony it was that Sabriel and her opponent, the mouse Matthias, had both been of Camp Mountaintop, and now they both marched onward to their fate, atop a mountain. The same snow that descended on Sabriel now began falling outside the quaint cave Matthias was in. He had been in the northern mountains for a day and a half now, waiting for his opponent, not knowing whether it would be the badger Moonrock or Sabriel the wildcat. Tossing some more bracken onto his small fire, the mouse smiled to himself, knowing that while he was warm, his opponent might already be losing the battle to the harsh wilderness.
Sabriel trudged onward and upward, finally reaching the appointed destination. Here, on the very tip, the summit of Mount MacPhearsome, the wildcat stood, waiting for her opponent. At that very moment, Matthias tossed some snow on his meager fire and set off for the mountain's top, which was not far from where he was.
The mouse climbed easily to the top, he had found the simplest route to its top a day earlier, knowing it's best to conserve energy for the battle, energy he would need to defeat his opponent, whether badger or wildcat.
Sabriel had curled up with her camouflage cloak about her. The snow began to fall harder, and by time Matthias had reached the summit, the wildcat was completely covered and looked like any rock on the snow-covered peak. However, Matthias was no fool. He had a day to plan, a day to survey, and had used it wisely. Noting the strange bump near the mountaintop's center, Matthias lightly tossed a poison potion near Sabriel, hoping she would not notice. Then, drawing his bowstring taunt, he released a feathered arrow, sending it smashing into the glass potion bottle, shattering it on its way through to Sabriel.
The arrow glanced off Sabriel's metal armor, and immediately Matthias knew who he was up against, it was the wildcat! Matthias quickly ran to the northern face of the mountain, where he had stowed his ballista, knowing his opponent would be arriving from the south. The wildcat leapt up, covering her mouth and snout with her paws as she raced out of a poisonous cloudy and after her opponent.
The gaseous cloud of poison was quickly dissipated by the strong wind that gusted on top of the mountain, and yet the snow began to fall harder. In a matter of moments, calm had become a full-blown blizzard. Matthias managed to launch a salvo of rocks from his ballista, one of the catapult types, which Timballisto had constructed long ago to defeat a different wildcat nemesis.
Sabriel dodged the incoming rocks with great agility, her eyes trained above, waiting for the rocks to appear out of the blizzard a few feet above her head, just enough time to leap away. Matthias saw that Sabriel had evaded his ballista's attack, and was attempting to move the large contraption when he realized so much snow had fallen since yesterday that the giant catapult's wheels were totally covered in tightly packed snow, impossible to move.
Sabriel continued her charge, firing a few test arrows now and then, vaguely seeing her opponent's troubles through the stinging snow that whipped into her face unabated and melted into the water that now accumulated into the chin guard of her helmet which then refroze into ice. Matthias began a new plan of action, digging the snow from behind the ballista's back wheel.
Seeing his foe approaching, Matthias tested the ballista one last time, it was on the verge of rolling backwards, off the cliff on the mountaintop's northernmost point. Matthias stood directly behind the ballista, knowing what Sabriel would do next.
The wildcat charged from the south and leapt into the air and onto the ballista, heading for the most direct route to her opponent. To her surprise, the ballista started on a hectic, furious roll towards the ledge of the cliff. Matthias dove out of the way as the ballista thundered past.
Sabriel attempted to leap from the rolling ballista, but her foot became caught perilously in the twine that had drawn back the ballista when it was attacking. The ballista thundered downward, and plunged over the cliff's edge.
Matthias hurried to the ledge, hoping to see his opponent among the shattered debris of the ballista far below. As he approached the edge he heard a faint roar, and peering over the edge he confirmed his fears. Sabriel's diamond bladed claws were buried up to her fingertips in the cliff's stone face, just a short way over the edge. Paw over paw, she climbed up the face of the cliff, her forged blade claws had been so well sharpened that the cliff's stones were cut like a hot knife through butter.
Working quickly, Matthias formulated a plan, he had to fire arrows down at the wildcat and stop her from ever reaching the top, but the winds of change were blowing. The wind suddenly leapt about from the south, changing from the north where it had been blowing. This sudden gust nearly toppled Matthias from his precarious perch on the ledge above Sabriel.
The mouse fell on all fours to avoid the gusting winds, as he clambered away from the edge of the cliff, knowing he'd only be putting himself in more peril by doing that than waiting for the wildcat. However, as the snow began flying from under his paws, Matthias formulated a new plan, and soon Sabriel saw a rock plunging from the top of the cliff.
Swiveling to her side, the rock passed by, but Sabriel knew more were to come and that if one hit her, she would be done for. Working quickly, she slid over to the side, paw over paw, until she was several feet away from where Matthias estimated her position to be, and the rocks were missing by a long shot.
Sabriel's paw shot up over the edge, quickly followed by the other. Matthias was momentarily shocked when he saw the wildcat out of the corner of his eye, but quickly slung a poison potion at her.
Whipped through the air by a furious gale, the poison potion slammed into Sabriel's helmet, dead center, where the eye and mouth slits let in air and light. The glass shattered and soon Sabriel was sputtering poisonous fumes, but she quickly put them out by smothering her face in the cold snow, which quickly absorbed the gas.
Matthias saw his chance, charging with his broadsword, since he knew better than to trust his arrows in such volatile windy conditions, the mouse raised his sword high over head.
Sabriel's blow caught Matthias well off guard. The bladed paw lunged out at Matthias's stomach, while the wildcat's head was still buried in the snow, or so Matthias had thought. The blizzard conditions kept Matthias from seeing what truly happened, as the wildcat's head slipped out from her helmet as it slammed into the snow. She had been fully aware of Matthias's charge, but only because the wind was blowing snow in the mouse's face, but into her back.
The mouse saw the snow turn bright crimson, and knew he needed a healing potion. Quickly using a healing potion from his side pouch, the mouse felt relieved instantly, but knew he still had a battle to fight. Sabriel had placed her helmet back on her head while Matthias had healed himself, and now the blizzard picked up yet again, this time huge flakes of snow were falling en masse, a myriad of white snow covered the entire mountaintop, leaving both combatants wondering where their opponent was.
Sabriel and Matthias both did the smart thing, finding a rock for shelter rather than wondering the mountaintop, and possibly off the edge of a cliff. As quickly as it had began, the blizzard ended and all was calm, but mountaintop weather was unpredictable at best…
Drawing her broadsword, Sabriel looked around for her opponent. Not knowing whether he was in front or behind her, the wildcat quickly put her back to the rock, tilting her head upward incase he should come from over the rock. Matthias was also clueless to his opposition's location, but with a leap into the air, Matthias saw the wildcat's fur protruding from a rock up ahead.
The mouse charged quietly, but as he approached he realized the snow crunching under paw would give away his presence, and already had. Sabriel leapt from the side of her rock, her broadsword at the ready. Blade met blade as Sabriel's swing was quickly parried by Matthias's own blade.
The clear sunlight poured from above, shimmering off the blades as mouse and wildcat thrusted, jabbed, and parried each other's blows. Each beast's blade sought the opponent's blood, but to no avail. Each was a master swordsbeast and knew the other was too. Somebeast had to turn the tides of battle in their favor with an unexpected twist, lest mother nature do it for them.
With a kick, Sabriel sent snow flying into Matthias's face, causing him to flinch momentarily, giving her enough time for her rapid blade to slash out viciously, striking the mouse's left arm, creating a huge gash down it's center, revealing the mouse's sinewy muscles and blood.
Matthias recoiled in pain, but only momentarily, as he began sword fighting one-pawed. Taking the broadsword in just his right paw, the mouse was no match for Sabriel's two-handed speed and strength, and so Matthias knew it was time to use his last healing potion. With a roll to the side, Matthias quickly uncorked the bottle and applied it, knowing it would be his last healing potion. In an instant, his arm was better, and he was now equal to Sabriel's sword skills once more.
Sabriel was in control though, as she force her opponent backwards, ever conscious of the ledge that was coming up. The southeast ledge was much higher than the northern one, and nobeast could survive a fall from there. Matthias continued back stepping, ever conscious of the ledge that was looming just a few paces behind him.
Matthias could tell the ledge was close, as wind whipped over the ledge and upward, blowing across the hairs on his back. Matthias fell to the ground, lifting his legs up, and kicking out at Sabriel. The wildcat, however was ready for this, she blocked with the blade edge of her sword, slashing openly at Matthias's footpaws; his attempt to send the wildcat overhead and off the edge had failed, and cost him dearly.
Matthias rolled left as the wildcat's blade came whistling down into the snow, and got back on his footpaws, readying himself for the coming attack. Parrying the wildcat's blade with a sideways thrust, which he carried downward and then upward to the left, Matthias sent Sabriel's sword flying off over the cliff's shear edge, grunting in exhaustion as he saw his enemy's weapon go over the edge.
Sabriel cared not. Quickly flicking out her blade claws, Sabriel felt the agility return to her as she battled with each paw separate, one parrying the sword, the other slashing out at Matthias openly. But once again, the wind picked up and snow began falling heavily.
Matthias and Sabriel did not lose track of each other, instead battle onwards, towards the western side of the mountain, the gentlest of its slopes and the route Matthias had taken to the summit. Blade met blade, as Sabriel's claw stuck the broadsword, another lashing out at Matthias's midsection, which was just out of her reach thanks to the mouse's long blade.
Sabriel slashed out again, but this time Matthias brought the hilt of his sword down hard upon Sabriel's paw, crunching bones within the wildcat's left paw. Sabriel winced in pain, giving Matthias enough time to bash Sabriel's head with the flat of his sword.
Sabriel fell to her knees under the blow, but head butted Matthias's kneecap with her helmet, crunching his bones now. Both creatures could feel their shattered bones, but Matthias's condition was much graver than Sabriel's. The wildcat fought harder now, with the light at the end in sight, and Matthias too redoubled his efforts, knowing he had to come up with a miracle to win.
Matthias rolled down the gentle slope of the western edge of the mountain, giving his legs a rest, and taking pressure off his knees. The wildcat chased doggedly after him, stumbling a few times in her pursuit. Suddenly, Matthias's eye caught something he had not seen before, a massive pile of snow just to the north of the western slope.
Matthias rolled down the slope, angling towards the north, and so Sabriel followed, the light of victory shining in her eyes. Matthias suddenly rolled to a halt, just below a craggy overhang where a pile of snow had amassed itself. Sabriel charged full speed now, despite her opponent's stentorian roar. Suddenly, a rumbling came from overhead, and Sabriel looked up…
Snow came crashing down everywhere, mounds and mounds of snow smashed down without relenting, burying both mouse and wildcat under the white death.
Seconds passed like hours, minutes seemed like days, but suddenly two paws shot up out of the snow! The large padded paws quickly pushed snow away from a muzzle that emerged, and with a shudder, Sabriel leapt up, shaking snow from her fur. Her weapons lay buried under the snow; only one paw remained armed with the razor sharp claws, her useless left paw.
The wildcat immediately looked to her north, where the mouse had last been, and then she saw it. It was an almost imperceptible shudder, coming from under a massive pile of snow. Matthias was struggling to free himself from the snowy grave he had created.
Sabriel walked over slowly, seeing a nose protrude from the ground, she picked up a pawful of snow. With a gasp, Matthias's whole head jolted up from under the snow, spewing a slushy mixture semi-melted snow. Before he could even draw a breath, a large paw with snow enveloped Matthias's nose and mouth. He sucked in, seeking air, but only swallowed more snow. A grim smile formed itself slowly onto Sabriel's face, snow falling from her whiskers as she spoke quietly, "Hush now, mousy…we wouldn't want more snow to come falling down, would we?" With that, Matthias's eyes shuddered shut, and the wildcat pushed her opponent's head back into the snow it came from, and compacted the fallen snow on top of the mouse.
With a smile of victory on her face, Sabriel turned and walked away…south to where the climate was warmer, and less forbidding…
Suddenly, an arrow shot from out of nowhere, striking Sabriel's light plate and piercing it through the back! Matthias had bluffed his own death, he knew it was his only hope, and he had never acted any better. The wildcat turned, and with a furious roar fell to the ground.
Matthias smiled grimly and looked at his bow, sputtering with contempt, "Hush now, cat, we wouldn't want more snow to come falling down, would we?" He approached the wildcat cautiously, his eyes trained on her one clawed paw, his bowstring drawn taunt and he pointed it to the base of her neck, just below the helmet.
With a smile, Matthias chuckled, kicking the wildcat with contempt. His face quickly twisted into what could only be described as a mixture of agony and shock, as a broadsword came plunging upward, piercing straight through his heart. The arrow shot off into space as the mouse fell backwards, he had failed to remember…Sabriel's broadsword had been lost in the snow somewhere, or maybe he had disregarded the odds of one in a million, that Sabriel would see the glimmer of her sword from it's tip protruding though the snow's surface, giving her the idea to fall, and bluff her death as Matthias had his.
Taking nothing to chance, Sabriel stepped on Matthias's bow as she cleanly cut his head from his shoulders, speaking coldly, "Nobeast bests me in battle, mouse. You'd do well to remember that." Laughing at her own crude joke, Sabriel tossed the mouse's head over the edge of the nearest cliff, and took her first steps southward…