[center][h1]ℜ𝔢𝔫𝔞𝔲𝔩𝔱 𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔱[/h1][/center] [hr] The battle had begun in full force: a fight for territory. Were these rats invaders? Or reclamations of the land's original inhabitants? Their Elven companion likely would have argued towards the latter. The Elves' connection with nature was, for the most part, unbiased and impartial. All creatures had a function, a purpose, one bestowed upon them in a time before. But to the more zealous priests of Erithar, the reviled beasts of this world were a sort-of...scar tissue, for want of a better word. The sins of mortals inflicted wounds upon the earth, and from those wounds poured out insects, rodents, and parasites like a pus. Having now witnessed his leading the charge, two more rats came at him from either side, foam and spittle at the edges of their rotten-toothed mouths. They could smell their own bite upon him: the stench of blood and raw flesh, carrying the hint of their distinct 'venom'. The first attack came at him straight ahead. Renault's reflexes - dulled with pain, fatigue, and hunger - could not have anticipated the blow, but Vah'lux did, interceding herself between them to spurn the attack at the edge of her axe. It happened so fast, so seamlessly that it took Renault more than a moment to fully realize what had happened - and what the giantess had saved him from. With no time to mutter thanks in the midst of battle, the second attack came at Renault's peripheral, focus ironically weakening his senses elsewhere. Though a cunning adversary, the rats lacked dexterity and direction. With a harsh [i]scraping[/i] sound as the vermin's teeth carved against the metal scales of his armor, Renault twisted his upper body, raising sword arm and hoisting it over his head before making a broad diagonal sweep downward in hopes of nicking the rat in its no-doubt hasty attempt at escaping. [hider=Attack Roll][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/rolls/19011[/url]9[/url][/hider]