[Article, Tack, Noble] A little help

The snap of a branch resounds across the clear sky. Noble's maw clamped around a bundle of snapped branches, holding them tight as he brought them over to Article. The deustrum was half inside of a rather deep hole, shoveling away at the dirt beneath. His head completely disappeared inside along with his front set of arms, his second pair bracing him against the sides and large wings obscuring most of his visage. Noble scratched at the edge of the hole tograb his attention, getting Article to spread his large wings enough to see him.

"Yeesh, remind me to never get on your bad side old timer," Article commented as pulled himself from the hole and took the bundle from the older isomara.

The two had been prepping a trap for the Saboteur since the early morning. After Folk recounted their encounter with him putting out their fire, they wanted to try taking another approach. Article himself was already planning to take a route more on the offensive when Noble came to speak with him. As much as Noble hides his emotions, he's always been very fond of Folk and takes their safety very seriously.

Setting the pile of branches aside, Article began to start digging again. Article was much faster at digging whilst Noble, who was largely power and lumbering, gathered up the various materials necessary. A multitude of leaves and sticks wold make up the top lid to their simple trap, a deep hole to slow the saboteur enough to ground him.

Noble lumbered over to the shade of nearby tree, yawning as he watched Noble get back to digging. His job now was to simply keep watch over the area until it was time to get into position properly. This area in particular was quite wooded, full of tall trees, and from what they've heard the saboteurs preferred route in and out of various villages. The spot they ended up in was well travelled, the path clearly having a naturally worn road. The older gent began to drift beneath the tree when he heard a rustle. Standing slowly, he listened for where it may be coming from...

Not in front... not behind...

He stalks slowly past Article, too focused on his activities to notice, and POUNCES the bushes to the side of him.
"WAAAHHHH I DIDN'T DO IT," Yelled a red and green puff pinned beneath Nobles claws. Article shoots up from the hole recognizing the cry of an isoling and abaondons the trap.

Noble sighs realizing who he has found. "Tack, what are you doing out here on your own?" He slowly lifts his arm off the isoling as Article reaches them both. By his expression, he was just as surprised to see the young boy as Noble is.
Tack shifted back and forth on his feet as he tried to think of the words he should be saying. He knows he shouldn't have followed them, worse he knows how much he could be in danger currently.

"I wanted to try and help with the trap!" He blurted out before steeling himself. "I would have asked but I figured you would have said no. I know it's dangerous but I want to learn and help too!"

Noble and Article exchange a look with each other and think. It's impressive he managed to follow them out that far, and they've come too far to simply turn him away. The two of them nod at each other silently as Tack tilts his head in confusion.
Article speaks first. "You really shouldn't have done that Tack, but you did really well to have come this far with no one noticing. You can help us keep watch."

Tack immediately perks up at the prospect of getting to help.

"...But you have to follow what Noble tells you," adds Article with a nod.

Tack visibly deflates. Noble is a tough teacher and quite strict, so this was about to be no real fun for him.
"Things aren't all games lad," Says Noble as he turns to return to his spot. "And grab your goom. That thing's trouble if it's not watched."

From the taller grasses behind Tack appear two large wings straight out of the grass. Toddling out comes a dark goom with bright green head wings squinting at the one to reveal his perfect hiding spot. Trouble, aptly named for his mischeivous personality, is Tack's best friend and companion. Climbing onto his owner's back, Trouble makes himself cozy as Tack follows Noble over to their watch point.

Article begins covering the hole with sticks first, crossing every other one as he patterns them across the wide opening. Leaves come over the top in layers with a mix of the local grass. Tack watches with much more focus than he would usually give while asking Noble plenty of questions. The older isomara would usually find a lot of questions to be annoying, however useful skills he is always happy to answer.

As Article finishes covering the hole, he signals for them to get into position. Article stays closest to the hole, readying a thick vine behind some nearby brush as a lasso. Tack for his part stays by Noble, towards the front to attempt to head the saboteur off.

After that, it felt like hours as tack waited with them. Being so young, waiting in silence for hours was enough to put him to sleep. Going in and out of sleep, Tack barely noticed a twig snap to his right. A crunch of a leaf. And then a sudden wail as the abrupt crash of crunches echo'd jolting Tack awake.

Noble charged out of the brush, splaying his wings to prep for taking off in the case the target escaped. Article leaped out with the vine ready, tossing it in a loop over the saboteur to try and grab hold of one of his wings. Tack, still trying to get to his feet, stumbled to the edge of the brush to get a glimpse of the action.

The saboteur flailed his wing in protest against the vine looped over his left, causing it to slip off and hook around his back ankle. He swiped at Noble aggressively, hitting his snout hard enough that Noble reeled back from the sting. Seizing his opportunity to escape, he attempts to take off but the vine hooked on his ankle brings him down again. Article pounces his back to hold his wings down, but doesn't grab him before his wings come up and beat against Article's head. Disoriented, Article's grasp on him falters, and the saboteur begins to scramble around Noble to leave.

Coming down from shock at witnessing the events, Tack breaks into a sprint. Little legs fueled by adrenaline carry him down the brush in time with the saboteur. Seeing the isomara attempt to get his wings ready to take him into the air, Tack jumps from the brush and grabs the vine still hooked around the saboteur's ankle and sinks his heels in deep. The sudden pull gets him off balance enough he comes crashing down to the surface once more.

Article and Noble catch up and began holding the saboteur down as he reels from the shock of the forced landing. As Noble holds his wings and Article wraps his legs together in the thick vine, they both look at Tack with a pride and fondness that made his little heart soar.

"You did good lad," said Noble with a smile.
Tack's tail wagged slightly as he tried to control his excitement. He's glad he followed them both in the end.