“The fuck is the fuckin’ fuckers problem!?” The slew of curse words, and then some, had erupted from Amari as she steadied herself from the rumbling of the attack on the cliff and the subsequent fall of the debris.

Her verdant gaze fell to the catfolk who were desperately grasping at the man in the dark kimono. His attire was reminiscent of the Akashiman woman Amari had met once. Her eyes narrowed as things slowly began to fall into place in her head. He was from there, or at least affiliated with their people, she glanced over at Gum and their eyes met - she understood that he had come to that conclusion, no doubt long before her. Amari would have to keep a watch on the masked man.

Her eyes fell to the grovelling creatures at her feet and her lips turned down into a look of distaste. “Can we do something about this?” She muttered as she took a step back, waving her arms to shoo the creatures away to no avail. One shuffled forward and clasped onto her coat. Amari grit her teeth in frustration, “You're gonna get yourself hurt.” She muttered, not that it seemed to get through to the cat creature, who insisted on rubbing its face against Amari’s leg. Amari kicked her leg, throwing the creature off her.

“No one told me there would be heavy gunfire.” Amari muttered distastefully, more annoyed at the cat creature who had stubbornly shuffled over and gripped her leg again than being shot at.

One of the rangers cleared his throat, his eyes nervously glancing at the feverishly swaying energy tentacles protruding from her back. “Could be the Ixian Knights, Miss. Perchance they wish to gain the upper hand by staging an attack on the refugees?”

Amari’s eyes narrowed at the mention of the Ixian Knights, her Master warned her about them, just as she opened her mouth to say something the masked man interrupted with a rebuttal toward the ranger.

His voice was hoarse and slightly muffled by the mask he wore. “The Knights don’t use such dishonorable tactics!” His hand clenching in visible anger, “They don’t have access to gunpowder, there was only one man in the entire army who used it! Don’t let the wounds of the past cloud your judgement today.”

“Well then…” Amari finished. “I suppose we can rule them out then, eh, Knight?” She asked as her eyes landed on the masked man. “What was your name again?” She asked curiously.

“I am Taka. Who are you?”

“Red.” She replied, as the two spoke, one of the energy tentacles brushed past the needy bipedal cat creature, it howled in pain as it let go of her, an angry red burn across its side and face. The creature howled and cried and caused a stir in the other creatures.

“I told you to stay the fuck back!” Amari snapped. “Fuck me…”

“What did you do?” the Ixian Knight growled.

“Oh, like I did it on purpose!” Amari spat back, “You saw what happened. I warned you all not to fuckin’ get to close. You look like you’re from Akashima, you tell the damn things to leave us the fuck alone.”

Another cat creature hissed and leapt at Amari with intent to attack, before it touched her one of the tentacles whipped forward and caught it by its throat, slamming it into the ground with a sickening snap.

Silence followed the unexpected death of the refugee. Amari stared at it with wild, wide eyes. She hadn’t meant to kill it, it was reflex. The damn thing came at her. Her eyes shifted toward Gum who looked alarmed, as their plan was quickly unravelling. Before anyone could address the matter, the sounds of clattering rocks and muttering voices began to echo up from the cliff side.