Snatch And Run

"Weave and zag, keep low, and don't stop moving. Got it."

Fuli had been ready for this game ever since the chance to play had arisen. While she didn't know anything about the Tramp, what word had gone around camp relating to him was that the dog knew how to sneak around and avoid getting caught. Apparently that would be useful for this game. Fuli liked to believe her speed was pretty much the only thing she needed. She was used to just running around and not needing to worry about anything else. However, this was a game. She realized there would be specific rules that needed following. That was especially true since Tramp was more or less a higher ranked member of the army than she was. As for Violet? Well, she didn't know much about the young girl either. All she knew for sure was that Violet was a trainee like her. Between the three of them, though? They were sure to get something accomplished.

As she stretched and began to hop in place for a moment to mentally prepare, she thought about the competition. Kion's younger brother was one of them, and already Fuil felt confident that she'd be able to avoid getting caught by the cub. The rest were comprised of another human girl and another dog that Fuli didn't know anything about. She finished stretching and preparing, then followed after Tramp. It took every ounce of Fuli's willpower not to just zip ahead of him already. She did keep her pace relatively brisk, though, and her ears were perked.

If anything did go wrong, she'd be the first one to zip ahead and try to carry on the mission. That was what she was telling herself. So far, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary in the forest. Just a lot of trees and other foliage. Still, Fuli wasn't about to comment on that much. They'd give themselves away if they spoke too much and too soon.

Still... where were the sentinels hiding? That was the real question. Fuli, for one, couldn't wait to find out what they had in store for them.

Violet was aware of every breathe she took, every move she made, and every movement around her. Or at least, she was trying to be. One of the young super’s fatal flaws since she’d started using her powers had always been her lack of awareness when it came to her surroundings. She’d step in something she shouldn’t, make noise when she needed to be quiet, or otherwise give herself away somehow. Frankly, the teen was more than ready to break that habit.

More often than not, the element of surprise saved her, but when she was up against an opponent who knew to look for someone invisible, she didn’t usually fare as well. That, of course, was going to be an obstacle here as well, as the sentinels had been made aware of her skills, or rather, the only skill she was currently allowed to use. Not being able to use her fields was going to be a challenge, she often used them instinctually without thinking in response to danger, and she’d have to make a conscious effort to reign that in today. Hopefully the fact that none of this provided any real danger would help in that respect.

She gave a quiet, deep breath to steady her thoughts, making sure to keep an ear on the Tramp’s words. “Understood.” The disembodied voice of Violet was hushed and uncharacteristically serious, the girl trusted the hearing of the animals on her team enough to believe they’d pick it up. For her part, Violet was crouched low as well, despite already being invisible. When it came time to move, she’d stand straighter, she was more light-footed and would likely cause less movement that way. But as for his other instructions? Violet knew better than to go against them. Don’t stop moving, and if she was discovered, move in an unpredictable pattern.

Those were his final pieces of advice, it seemed, as he crept off not long after. Fuli followed his lead, and Violet followed hers, careful to step quietly and not disturb anything around her. She kept behind the Tramp, but made sure to put plenty of space between her and her comrades. They couldn’t see her, but they’d know she was there if they caught sight of the other two. The further she crept away from them, the better her odds of sneaking up on a sentinel. She moved slowly, prioritizing stealth over speed for the moment. If they were discovered, she'd start moving faster and more evasively.

For now though, she was content to creep along to try and avoid detection, keeping her eyes peeled on the forest for any sight of a sentinel. She looked high and low aware that the other team had two small animals on it. She wouldn't be very stealthy if she accidentally stepped on her opponent now, would she?

"You both know your own skills best, so I won't tell you what to do. But here's my advice: stay alert, and think on your feet - think unpredictably. The surest way to lose a battle is if your enemy can anticipate what you're going to do; surprise is often your greatest weapon."

The words had been partly what she'd learned from Shang, partly what had been proved true by her own experience; and it had been the minimalistic speech that Mulan had given her two teammates in this exercise before they'd split up. In all truth, she hadn't been expecting to do have to give instructions of any kind; the Chinese girl certainly hadn't anticipated being cast in a leadership role, even just for the game, and so had been ill-prepared to do anything of the sort.

Still, even if the words had been more or less pulled out of her ass, there was a truth to them that Mulan hoped her companions heeded. In all her fights against Shan Yu's army, it had been the sheer unconventionality of her tactics and quick thinking in the moment, far more than anything else, that had thwarted the massive Hun warrior; and it was the same thing that would make or break their defence here, she was sure of it. Then, leaving the two animals to their own preparations, Mulan had moved to pick her own spot.

Unlike her companions, Mulan didn't try lying in wait. It was a fair tactic; but picking specific spots, to her mind, also made it easy for the opposing team to go around you entirely unnoticed... and, besides, even in her simple soldier's tunic, she didn't blend into the surroundings in the same way that her teammates did.

Rather, Mulan's strategy was to keep on the move. Not intending to follow any predictable pattern - and still, of course, trying to keep as low of a profile as possible - the young woman trod carefully amongst the trees, trying to keep in her sights as much of the surrounding woods as possible and alert for sign of movement. A staff, much like the ones she'd used training under Shang, was in her hands; a suitably non-lethal weapon that nonetheless would help her against even the most unconventional for present - which was probably the cheetah. She hoped one of the animals better equipped for a chase might end up pitted against the fast feline... but, at the same time, didn't want to push her luck too far by assuming that would be the case.

As she stepped, no matter how carefully, she grimaced a little every time she caused the foliage to shake, making her position that much more obvious; but, in all honesty, it couldn't be helped. Besides, if their opponents did see her and deliberately move to avoid her? That increased their chances of stumbling upon one of her hidden allies by mistake.

Now, it was a waiting game more than anything. So far, the woods lay still, aside from the minor disturbances she caused when she brushed against this or that branch or bush; but that would all change soon, she was certain.

"No problem," Fuli said. Break off, curve left, and approach the target at an angle. On paper, it sounded easy enough. In practice, though, that would be something else entirely. She wasn't worried, though. So far, the raiders were seemingly at an advantage. She didn't imagine that anything could go wrong unless Lady's group had something truly tricky up their sleeves.

Picking up her pace a bit, Fuli followed Tramp's instructions. She broke away from the group and started toward the left. As she moved, she was doing the best she could to avoid disturbing the plants around her too much. So far she felt like she was doing a good job while moving forward, but she was careless for the briefest of moments. Her golden body brushed against a bush, and she surrendered to a small curse beneath her breath. The bush rustled for a few brief moments before settling behind her. By the time it did, though, Fuli had already gone ahead.

Maybe the trackers won't notice, Fuli tried to convince herself. If they did, though, then they could get at her pretty easily. She was going at an angle, and she might not have had the best chance to retaliate if she did get caught by surprise. With luck, though? Things wouldn't be that bad.

Maybe, just maybe, things would go smoothly for the raiders despite the slip up.

The last thing the super heard before she crept to far was Tramp’s whispered advice to Fuli. If you see a clear shot, go for it. Then she was on her own, creeping through the forest as quietly as she possibly could, keeping her ears open for any disturbances.

The problem with stealth games, however, was that everyone was hiding and she had no clue if any sounds she heard were coming from the other team or her own. Every sound had her head snapping this way and that, as if whoever made the noise was just going to be hiding in plain sight. She was doubly aware of the sounds that she was making, every shift of her hair, the soft sounds of grass underneath her delicate footsteps, it all seemed to make her cringe. Everything she did was too loud.

She exhaled softly and attempted to clear her thoughts. Get to where the satchels were kept and get out without being seen. That was all she needed to do. Even if she made too much noise she could make a run for it. After all, what were they going to do? Tackle the girl they couldn’t see? It would only become a problem when she had a satchel to give away her position, and she’d just have to cross that bridge when she came to it. If she came to it.

Her resolve strengthened she trekked onward, still careful to be quiet but not a nervous wreck about it. As she journeyed deeper into the forest, she realized the sounds of foliage being disturbed wasn’t just coming from her. It seemed she’d unwittingly stumbled upon someone, the question was whether it was friend or foe.

She crept slower now reverting back to her hyperaware state and keeping an eye out for whoever was near. She kept close to the trees – ridiculously, what cover could they offer her that she couldn’t provide herself? – and eventually caught sight of Mulan on patrol in the distance. She flinched, more grateful for her power than she’d been all day. Of all the sentinels Mulan was perhaps the last one she’d want to be discovered by, which meant she had to get the heck out of the immediate vicinity as quietly as she could. She didn’t want to risk passing her and being discovered - if that was going to happen she preferred being found by someone she might stand a chance evading – so she crept quietly back the way she came and decided to go a different direction.

She relaxed a bit once she’d put a comfortable distance between herself and the intimidating warrior, but now she was back to the drawing board. She’d just have to go in a different direction this time, but she wanted to be ready in case she came upon anyone else. She couldn’t keep altering her course based on their paths, she was never going to get anywhere that way, and somehow she doubted Kopa and Lady were as out in the open as Mulan was anyway. As she crept through the forest, she realized she’d have to try and draw someone out, do something to alter their course so she could creep on undisturbed in her search for the satchels.

She snuck on quietly as she debated the best way to do that. She came to a stop and crouched, hand hovering over a small stone on the forest floor. She’d have to do this quick, if someone was hidden nearby they’d surely notice floating stone in an empty forest. In a flash she picked it up and tossed it a ways away, where it hit a tree with a soft but noticeable thud. Hopefully that’d be enough to draw someone out to inspect the noise, far enough away from her intended path that she could comfortable creep past.