sour grapes. [kiara vs brewbird]

Brewster knew that something was wrong. His keepers had quit feeding him and threw him out into this wasteland, alone and defenseless. He did not know what to do, but instinct told him to stay where things were familiar – in the vineyard.

The thick tufts of wild grass pulled at his feet as he cautiously picked his way through the overgrown vines and thicket. He tried to remain silent and unnoticed, but with every strange noise he heard, the brewbird jumped, wings spread, ready to fly away in retreat, long tail feathers already spreading to make himself appear larger, and his dark beady eyes wide with fear. He looked around him, seeing nothing but forest. Nothing threatening – right? Against his inner instinct telling him to find somewhere to hide, Brewster went up to a thicket of vines, reaching forward with his beak and peering at a branch of dark purple grapes. Taking a few off the stick, he clamped down on them and felt their sweet juices run down both his throat and front of his neck; he took more and more until he suddenly heard a noise.

Brewster’s small head snapped around in the general direction of the sound, hesitating. Should he investigate it, or run away? For all he knew, this area could be the only source of food for him, so he might as well try to ward off any unwanted guests.

Tail feathers already rising and spreading, the brewbird passed a patch of condensed, twisting vines, spotting the intruder – one of the creatures that took care of him! Brewster was relieved, starting to feel secure in this being’s presence. He was saved! But then the pale creature came toward him in such a fashion that he had never seen before. Frightened, Brewster ducked and jumped back, but he wasn’t quick enough. The pale creature hit him in the leg with a sharp object, causing him to squawk and flap his wings in an attempt to get away until he saw the patch of grapes behind the other creature. Who was he to let some stinking featherless creature take his food? Brewster didn’t share with anyone, and since he was alone, he wasn’t going to willingly let this other pale thing take it from him. This was his territory, his food, and by Ripred he wasn’t about to give it all up to this creature.


[attacks Kiara - beak (knife)]
[dice=200+2000]
[Shallow Cut on Left Calf - 3.5]

His leg was throbbing. What did this pale creature want with him? Maybe it thought that this was its place too, and was just defending it like he was. Brewster lifted his wounded leg off the ground to keep the pressure off of it, but he quickly found that in the thicket, one leg made him practically immobile. The pale creature came back at him; he stretched his wings in an attempt to fly back and escape the blow, but the grass caught on his foot and he found himself stuck. A sharp pain struck his cheek and he cawed, thrashing his little head around and lowering his wounded leg to the ground. With a few powerful strokes of the wings he freed himself from the thicket, settling back down on the ground and charging, long tail feathers spanning out behind him like a wall of dark purple.

[attacks Kiara - beak (knife)]
[dice=200+2000]
[miss - 0.0]

He had missed. How? This pale creature was much larger than him, and yet he had still missed. Brewster was angry with himself. You don't just miss large targets, and because of it he felt utterly stupid. No wonder his caretakers had thrown him in here. Well, maybe they thought he could hold his own - being the Quell and all; special Games, you know - so they maybe wanted the best bird in. But he was proving them wrong. Brewster had only managed a light cut on the ugly pale thing, and that's hardly anything. But it's early in the fight, I can still prove myself. Ruffling his feathers and recuperating from a strike at his side, Brewster expanded his tail feathers to a full half circle behind him and charged, squawking and trying to appear more ferocious than he felt.

[attacks Kiara - beak (knife)]
[dice=200+2000]
[shallow cut on right shoulder - 3.5]