Um, the Neaj thing was a random Idon'tknowwhat, but thanks for guessing anyway!
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Procy looked down on the encamped coyotes. They all were laying around, catching their breaths. He snorted, no lookouts whatsoever, he had made it up this tree right above their noses. Latrans was getting arrogant, arrogant enough to actually go after one of the Onida clan! Alright, admitted Latrans wasn't going directly after Loto, but even so…
Procy froze as one of the coyotes glanced into the tree, and didn't relax as it yawned, got up and padded out of the camp. Perhaps to hunt, but Procy wasn't going to take any chances. He crept to the edge of the branch and grabbed one from the next tree.
Trying desperately not to move the branches more then a fraction of an inch more then was normal, he slipped into the next tree, and the one after that. Then he pulled a few branches around himself for camouflage.
The coyote came back with a pigeon dangling from his mouth. Procy shuddered, barbarians! He walked over to Latrans and dropped the pigeon in front of him, then, so quietly and subtly, Procy almost missed it, he whispered into Latrans's ear.
Procy leaned forward, trying to catch what was said. He heard 'in the tree to your left' and 'scented raccoon', and decided discretion was the better part of valor in this particular scenario. He hoped Loto remembered everything he had ever been taught about fighting.
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Kith crouched by a small, purple flower, trying to get each little detail exactly right. She wiped a smudge clean and added a touch of shadow here…now a bit of color…Lute suddenly grabbed her arm and dragged her up,
"C'mon, Kith! Aden's come back with news of the coyote pack! We've got to get ready, should a fight start!"
Kith's angry words at the ruined picture died on her lips as she ran with Lute to the center of camp.
Lyfo was directing the making of a barricade as they came up to him.
"Mari, put that bit right there, we don't want them sneakin' 'round our back…Tide! Count up our weapons, arr'rs and stones, specially."
He saw Kith and Lute,
"There ye are. Kith, Loto knows some good hidin' spots, an' he's takin' Neaj to 'em, as Neaj can't be expected to fight, I need ye to go wit' 'em and make sure they get there."
Kith's ears shot up.
"You're getting rid of me! I'll not be put on nursery duty!"
Lyfo grabbed her shoulders and gave her a fierce look,
"They need to be watched and I can't spare any o'my crew, Kithkin! If I 'ave to order ye as Captain, I will!"
Kith glared at him, then looked down sullenly.
"No…you don't have to... I'll take them," she looked up at him with a stubborn look on her face. "But I'm coming back to help fight, and you can't stop me doing that!" She then wrenched away before Lyfo could tell her any different.
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Loto was just as unhappy as Kith to be going away from the potential fight, but he went without much fuss. Neaj was trembling so hard that they almost had to carry him. Dren, scribbling furiously in his journal, insisted on being taken along too, he was a scholar and recorder, he said, not a warrior.
Loto went as fast as he could, sniffing out several excellent hiding spots a good distance away from the fight. Dren and Neaj scrambled up a tree, covering themselves well.
Seeing they were as safe as possible, Kith grabbed Loto's paw and scurried through the brush back to Lyfo's impromptu barricade.
"We can climb over, and nobeast will know we ever left," she panted to him.
"But what if the coyotes follow our scents to the mice?" Loto asked.
Kith hesitated, then shook herself and continued, "Then they would've gotten past us, and there'd be little we could do anyways. C'mon."
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Latrans sneered at the pathetic barrier the otters were setting up, fools! They had no hope, and yet they persisted in defying him! His pack encircled the barricade, waiting for his signal. He crouched low to the ground, scenting the air for any sign of skunk or full-grown raccoon. The young one was of no threat, though he should be careful that none escaped to bring word to the Onida clan. A feud would be bad for both sides.
No scent of skunk. Or squirrel, odd. Well, he would find the impudent rodent later, it was time for slave-taking.
He raised his nose to the afternoon sun and howled his sure victory.
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Lyfo held up a paw, as the coyotes circled in.
"I'll try to parley first, Lute, ye ready the archers, Aden, ye take charge of the slingers. Don't loose till my signal."
Latrans swaggered into Lyfo's sights,
"Greetings, waterdog. Be you ready to surrender? Or shall my pack rip the flesh from your bones?"
Lyfo chuckled,
"I'll give ye this, coyote, ye ain't short o'nerve. But me n' my crew like out freedom just fine, and no bushytailed, wild dog is gonna take it from us. Not w'out a fight, that is."
Latrans snarled,
"Then I shall respect your wishes and kill you instead!" He howled the command to charge, and threw himself at the barricade!
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(insert evil laugh here)