[Forest Ambush]

Quote Originally Posted by Grif View Post
[Forest Ambush]
Wildcat wasn't having the best day. Having a hoof slammed into your throat would do that to anypony. The griffon let out a weak gurgle as his airways momentarily was cut off, staggering backwards in rapid confusion and shock, and only narrowly missing what would have been a double blow by pure chance, sustaining only a nasty laceration on his forelimb. Of course, Prose would be able to push off the griffon easily, who quickly slumped to the ground.

"Impressive work, pony. But your time ends here," Stuka said from the shadows of the forest above Prose, mere moments before she flinged the knife she had held in one paw, before launching herself directly at the Shadowbolt. Not one for subtlety, griffons.
"Ack!" Prose squawks in surprise, jerking his head to the side to barely avoid the knife flung his way. He then frantically flaps his wings to jump to the side, barely managing to dodge the griffon's lunge, as the remaining bolts in the quarrel on his back rattle loudly. Whatever poise and subtlety he had before seem to have evaporated in the face of a capable, threatening rival. He hurls himself back a bit to put more distance between himself and the attacker, before landing awkwardly and staggering back a bit. His right hind leg nearly buckles, and he winces in pain. It would seem that being tackled left him injured, or he was already nursing a wound from before.

"Hey now, can't we talk about this?" he asks, sounding strained and pained, uncertainty and a hint of fear in his eye as he looks at the griffoness who is no doubt circling around for another attack. "C'mon, I'm sure we can... urg... come to a reasonable understanding?" he asks, grunting in pain as he limps back a bit, like a cornered animal trying to put as much space between itself and its predator.

It's all an act, of course.

He purposefully cut it close with dodging the knife and tackle, and he's faking the injury and fear. Deception and misrepresentation are favored skills of the Shadowbolts, after all, and Prose's own talents at communication and expression are quite useful for expressing truths... or lies.

Hopefully the griffoness will think he's easy prey, underestimate him, and either be obvious or leave herself wide open with her next attack, allowing for him to either counter with his own cunning brutality, or keep up the masquerade until a suitable opportunity presents itself.