It was a pretty morning on the far edge of Mossflower Woods, just perfect for adventuring. . . Or the start of one. The huge mixed flock of birds was spending out a group of brave birds to go to the famed Redwall Abbey, to get the itch out of their wings and for a reason far more important - To get a cure for the awful disease that was rapidly decimating their numbers.
~~~~~~~~~~
May Lightfeather was fully appreciating the nice weather as she swooped towards her friend, Speckles the chicken. "Hurry it up, slowpoke!" She trilled.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" The chicken called from her dirt bath. The wren sighed as she turned and started to fly back to the place everyone was supposed to meet. "Come on! NOW!" She called back over a wing.
OOC: Oh gods that's so bad but come on, you know the drill. Posty posty.
Tryk the Hummingbird buzzed a chuckle to himself at a strange thought he had, as though some narrator was being humorous...
"Oh gods that's so bad but come on. you know the drill. Posty posty"
Tryk wasn't sure what had made him think of such a phrase, but he was in good humor as he went to join the rest of the flock. Even the sight of so many sick and dying did not manage to dampen his spirits too significantly. Although he certainly wasn't falling over himself with joy.
OOC: runs back to the OOC discussion to see what my character was
BIC: Corniel Kraai the Pied Crow strutted to the meeting place. He held his head high and eyed all those he passed, literally puffing out his feathers as he arrived. "Hello, everyone, dont worry, Corbie is here and at your service, ready to get along on this adventure. Can't wait to save the whole flock."
May arrived in time to Corbie, and gave a small cheep of laughter. "Aren't you high and mighty today, Corbie," she teased, looking back over her shoulder for Speckles. "Ah, here's that harebrain now." She murmured to herself.
Corbie was always high and mighty, but he never thought of himself that way. He just harumphed. "Well that's what we're going to do isn't it? Im just trying to start positive."
Jade Goldenwing rushed out of her nest with her feathers frizzled and sped towards the meeting place almost knocking over some of the other birds she passed on her way. "Look out!" She squealed and skidded to a halt "Am I late? I woke up a few minutes ago and just realized that the trip was today, and I didn't have and time to freshen myself up. Do I look okay? I'm sure I look like a freak and my feathers must be all over the place and I don't know if this trip would even be a good idea. I mean we could get lost or get hurt or even die!" Jade looked up at the other birds realizing her mistake "Sorry"
Corbie looked down at her haughtily. "Good grief, you're a mess. Are you sure you should even be coming? Too bad you didnt just keep sleeping, we could've left you behind."
"Oh. I-I'm sorry" Jade said feeling her cheeks getting redder by the second "I'll stay back if its better for the rest of the you" Jade slowly started walking away looking even more disheveled than she had been before.
OOC: sorry Corbie is a jerk
@Peony come fix this
Aodh Flamewing had waited for this moment for a very long time, it had been quite a while since any vermin had been brave and foolhardy enough to venture into the woods under his watchful gaze. He soared above the rest of the group, twirled in the air, and began to dive. He dove right at Corbie, and pulled up and landed right next to him, screeching with laughter at the pied crow's terror. "Well, are we starting yet?" he said impatiently. Flapping his wings in anticipation.
OOC: I hope that's alright Galli, controlling Corbie a bit.
May glared at Corbie, "Anyone can come if they want to!" She snapped at him before flying over in front of Jade. "Pay no mind to him, my dear, he's not a morning bird." She said, reaching out and smoothing a feather down on the younger bird's head. "I'd be honoured if you flew next to me, Jade."
"Or you can walk next to me!" Speckles cried, walking up.
OOC: Poor Speckles, I have a feeling she's mostly going to be used for comical relief. Anyway, Rosie, sorry for the mild PP, I can change it if you like.
OOC: youre fine Del! just dont make a habit of it ;) what vermin though? im confused?
Corbie snorted but held his tongue, smoothing down his feathers after being startled by Aodh. "Who else is coming? Who are we waiting for? We can't wait around much longer, birds are getting sicker as we linger." He was impatient, and a little embarrassed, glaring at Aodh for showing off.
Jade smiled at May and Speckles "Thanks for that guys" she remarked quietly "I think I'll go with Speckles if that's alright with you Jade" Then turning to Corbie "I think there are only three or so left to arrive." she said in a more serious tone "But we shouldn't linger very long after they come. It will take long enough to get to the abbey let alone find a cure."
"Howard and Besune," May said after looking around. "We'll wait a little longer, and make up the time on the way." She glanced at Jade, "Fine with me."
Jade has a good head on her shoulders, she'd be a good leader if something happened to me, feathers forbid. She ruminated
~~~
Speckles gave a happy flap, "Cool!
OOC:
@Eulaliaaa!
OOC:
@Aimless Gallivanter, I just meant vermin that might have tried to set up some sort of headquarters here. Nothing really relevant.
OOC okay
BIC Corbie paced impatiently. It was more of a strut. "Redwall Abbey! I can't wait to see it. I've heard its massive, and the food is legendary. There's many songs about it, have you ever heard any of them? " He addressed the group.
"My mum used to sing me the songs when I was a little'un" Jade's heart dropped when she thought of her mother. She was one of the few who were still alive with the sickness. Jade felt tears form on the rims of her eyes and she took many deep breaths to hold them back. She wanted to stay back at home with her mother to care for her rather than risk both their lives by leaving. But Jade knew it would be better to go and avoid the sickness spreading to their group then to stay.
"Ooooh, the food! I can't wait!" Speckles said, walking up to Corbie. "I hope it doesn't take long to get there, though." She paused, to scratch and peck at the ground. "What are you most excited about?"
OOC: Feel free to have some snide remark about chicken's being flightless and/or slowing them down, Galli. ;)
Her wings fluttering at a swift tempo a small grey bird flew out from between the trees alighting on a small branch above Speckles. She was a black gnatcatcher, and as was typical of her species she spoke in a swift babbling stream that could confuse even other birds on occasion.
"Is everyone here, ready? Excellent." She chirped, not giving anybird any time to answer. "We'll go shortly, I'll take point first, everyone else, follow behind, just make sure to keep your eyes locked on the bird in front so we don't lose each other. Also if for some reason I don't make it, which is highly doubtful, I have this message here." Besune, as that was her name, held up her left leg. Tied to it was a small, rolled up scroll. "I have a message here for the leader of Redwall, which needs to be given to him or her; its a very important too because it lists all the ailments and symptoms that everyone is suffering from." She paused to take a breath, before continuing. "Just know its really, really important, the council decided I could carry it, probably because I'm so trustworthy. Oh hello May."
May bristled and puffed out her chest feathers, trying to appear bigger. "Besune! That's enough! The council decided that I would be in charge of this mission. If I hear any more of this insolence you'll be flying at the back, message or no message. Not everyone is here yet, we're still waiting for Howard." She said sternly. Being so small, Caroline Wrens like May weren't taken very seriously by some birds. Birds like Besune. "We'll wait a few more minutes."
The proud little bird, though brave and confident, wilted under May's very sudden, and stern words. Still Besune felt the need to defend herself somewhat. "Yes May, I know you're in charge, honest I know that." She chirped defensively before pressing on. "But I was just making sure everyone knew what to do, in case we got into trouble. Lots of dangers between us. Storms, vermin, unfriendly birds. My father thinks we'll need lots of organization, leadership," Here Besune gave her feathers a little shake, "To make it there, fast as possible. We ought to send somebird to find Howard, erm, if you think so May."
Looking down Besune spotted everyone else, and she waved a friendly wing before fluttering down to the ground to join them.
Aodh had waited long enough and started to circle over the group. "We should start now if we are going to leave by sunset!" He screeched and wheeled a ways higher in the air, trying to spot the owl who was very late by now.
Corbie puffed his feathers, disappointed at missing a chance to tell the others all about Redwall Abbey.
He eyed young Besune, judging her enthusiasm. She wouldn't make a very good leader at all. May was clearly a better choice, but he didn't see why they council picked her and not him. He wouldve been an excellent leader.
"I can go look for Howard." He volunteered.
OOC: fun fact, my friends used to call me "Howie" ;)
OOC: SORRY EULS.
BIC: May hrrmphed, shifting her feathers. "Oh, I'm so glad we're on the same leaf here. However, next time you feel an urge to educate everyone and take point position, do come to me first." She turned to Corbie, "No, we've waited long enough. Are you ready everyone? Here's the plan. I'll take point, and everyone else, work it out among yourselves where you fly. Jade will be flying with Speckles on the ground. Lift off!"
Flapping and turning her beak to the slight breeze, May gave a happy trill. To be off, seeing new sights, meeting new birds, helping her tribe, and seeing the famous Redwall Abbey! It was all the little bird could have dreamed of. She only hoped that they could get back in time, and that Speckle swould be alright on the ground. She couldn't travel as fast as the other birds. . . . Ah well, they'd figure something out.
Aodh screeched and took off quickly, eager to start and hoping for some foes worthy of staining his talons on. He shot ahead of the group, looking back impatiently, then circling back until he was back until he was behind everyone, he repeated this several times, not really having a set position in the group but watching constantly for enemies.
On Aodh's third loop, May called, "Can you see Jade and Speckles?" She didn't mind him being on the lookout - In fact, it was a very good idea. She toyed with having a rotation of lookouts - It wouldn't do to have one bird doing all the work. And while I'm thinking about it, Speckles can't be by herself, she'd lose us or scare herself silly. . . Or both. I'll have to think up a system for that...
Jade jumped and swooped towards Speckles smiling at her. She walked slowly next to Speckles, she was not the best flyer and took her chance when she found it to be able to avoid that predicament. "So how are you and May getting along?" Jade remarked trying to spark up a conversation as she watched Speckles skipping in front of her. She wasn't the brightest of birds.
"Oh, we're getting along really well, she's my best friend." Speckles bubbled. "She doesn't mind slowing down when we wander around, and she's really great. What about you and May?"
OOC: I am finding it very hard to channel my inner Speckles while having her this un-Speckles-like. :P
"Things are great!" She said glancing up at the sky to make sure they were still following the group "I've gotten to know her much better since the sickness spread. She helped me and my mum through most of the tougher times and I thank her for that"
Corbie flew along next to May. "We're finally off! Too bad old Howard couldn't come along. Although, perhaps its a blessing in diguise. He might've slowed us down." He glanced down at Speckles. "I must say, Im surprised your friend is keeping up so well."
Aodh scanned the area, "Yes," he called. "I can see them."
OOC: Corn, Aodh will want to be the lookout for the entire journey, and he won't like being in a fixed position. ;D
Howard never showed up that morning. In fact, no one ever knew where he went. Most assumed he had flown off to avoid getting sick, but really he had choked to death on a berry and fell in a river that carried his dead body to the ocean where it was eaten by a goldfish.
OOC: sorry I never posted, I think I'll have to drop out of this RP :-\
OOC: THAT'S REALLY SAD D:
OOC: O.o
IC:
Flapping behind May, alongside Corbie, Besune happily trilled her song, irregularly bobbing up and down through the air. "This shall be a long flight," She commented to Corbie as they flew. "And an even longer walk, I'm worried that the chicken will slow us down a little bit. They aren't exactly known for speed." She tried not to sound rude, just a matter of fact kind of way. She glanced back, Besune didn't have eyes like Aodh, but she could tell they had already flown a fair distance ahead of the ground-bound hen, and her companion. "Look we're already leaving them behind." She murmured.
May glanced at Corbie, "Oh, she's stubborn. She'll catch up to us when we land; I've already talked it over with her. I think we'll take turns flying with her, so we don't lose her or she us." She felt like squawking at the top of her lungs - why did they all want to usurp her leadership?! - but that wouldn't be right. Besides, leaders didn't throw fits at the first sign of trouble. "Thank you, Aodh."
~~~
"That's May, alright. She's so nice, and always tries to help. She can be really blunt though. Ooooh, look! It's a butterfly!" Speckles then went chasing after the butterfly, having the attention span of a goldfish. She couldn't help it, it was just her way.
"No no no! Speckles! We have to follow the group otherwise we'll get lost and never be able to find our way home or find the flock!" Jade said screeching. She realized she had been shouting at poor Speckles and softened her voice "Come on Speckles, we should be getting back to the flock by now".
Speckles dropped her butterfly, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean- I'm sorry, Jade." She picked up the butterfly and started walking back the way she'd run, tail droopy.
"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have yelled I-I just didn't want to get lost." Jade said patting Speckles on the back, "You can chase that butterfly all you want" She gave herself a mental reminder to watch Speckles closer than she had been before.
Speckles quickly gulped down the butterfly, then looked back at Jade. "Thanks, Jade. Hey, where are we?"
OOC:
@Fatch of Southsward @Delthion @LT Sandpaw @Aimless Gallivanter
"I don't know," Jade said looking around "I can't see the flock anymore. Maybe the flew back down to rest or something" She was beginning to get scared. Getting separated from the flock would be one of the worst things that could happen on the trip.
Aodh screeched, and looked back to the Wren. "Can't we speed up? We want to get to Redwall while we can still-" Aodh was in mid-sentence when a large crow descended on him, knocking the wind out of him. He looked up, fire in his eyes, screeched and flew up and quickly killed the crow, fifteen more birds appeared, a mixture of magpies and crows. Aodh screeched in delight and flew into the fray, glorying in the battle.
At the first sign of fight Corbie flew away as quickly as he could. Magpies and crows and bloodthirsty hawks oh my oh no he was having none of that no thank you. Without a look back at his companions the pied crow dived to the trees, looking for a place to hide. Flying randomly, desperate not to be seen, he stumbled upon Speckles and Jade. "Aahhgh- oh, its just you two. Whatre you doing way over here?"
Jade heard a commotion and turned to see a giant ball of feathers diving towards her with great speed. She screeched and dove to the side pushing Speckles with her. "What? Oh thank goodness its you Corbie! We were scared we would never get back to the flock again!" She said. Pausing she looked up at the sky. "Where is the flock?"
His feathers were so ruffled up he was just a ball of poof. "I dont know where they are, theyre all probably dead by now." He wad very flustered. "We were ambushed, there was nothing I could do. That hawk dove head first into their ranks, there was blood and bodies everywhere. I dont know what happened to them. There was nothing I could do."
"Dead!? Are you sure? You are known for exaggerating."
"Im not exaggerating Im in shock! Look at me I've had a horrible fright." Corbie squacked indignantly, poofing his feathers up even more. "And no, i didnt see them die exactly, but you didnt see the enemey! There was a whole murder of them, coming from nowhere. Surely the ithers were out numbered immediately. Its pure luck I got away, but there was nothing I couldve done."
Aodh looked piercingly after Corbie's retreating form through the scuffle, cursed his cowardice, and felled five more crows, he had lost dozens of feathers to the claws of the magpies, but he had successfully defended all of his vital areas so far.
May trilled her alarm call, then started dive-bombing the enemy. Being so small there really wasn't much else she could do. Then three of the crows started closing in on her, blocking her every move. "Aodh!" She yelled, trying to go up and over the crows' heads.
~~~~~
Speckles squawked, "DEAD?! No no no! We have to do something! But a hawk! Hawks are scary! They like to eat chickens!" She started run around in a panic, starting to bawk. Finding a large bush, she dived under it to hide, still bawking.
OOC: Bawking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEkjb-2KLpU ((Not my chicken. Just imagine a steady stream of that))
Small size, and swift flying saved Besune from being instantly killed in the ambush. The little gnatcatcher buzzed around the battle space doing everything she could to avoid the crows talons. She had been trained to fight, as a warrior of the flock, but there was little she could do to hurt the magpies, much less the crows. Still she valiantly flew on trying to break through the black cloud of feathers that surrounded Aodh. Like a small bee she avoided every attack, pecking and clawing at the larger birds' eyes. But there were so many of them.
Besune's luck soon ran out as a large wing clipped her own, sending her tumbling out of the air. She crashed through some branches thumping down close to where Corbie, Speckles, and Jade were. "Ow, ow, what are you three doing?" Besune asked, struggling to her talons. Her wing hurt bad, and she limped miserably over to them. "You can't stay here." The pain strained her voice, and she tried not too look at her wing, it didn't feel right. "You need to go hide. Hurry!"
Aodh, who had had a rough time of keeping thirteen magpies and crows at bay, screeched and said to May, "I can't very well do everything can I?" Shortly there after, the three crows fell to the sky with deep gashes in their skulls from Aodh's talons. Eight more were left, and he once again flung himself into the fray.
Jade boosted off into the sky determined to help in any way she could. She sighted Adoh and May surrounded by crows and dived beak-first towards them knocking two crows out of the sky and sent them plummeting to the ground. Spinning around she saw three more birds diving towards her. She felt a sharp pain, and fell to the ground. Then everything went black.
OOC: Rosie, your bird is rather tiny compared to the crows...it seems a little bit unrealistic, two birds so quickly for such a small bird.
BIC: Aodh saw the crows begin to turn, and fell on them anew, sending another of their number to the ground far below. He turned and ducked as a talon descended towards his face, as a result or the ducking, he didn't die, but it still pierced his eye. Aodh screeched in pain and killed the crow that inflicted the wound, and went off pursuing the ones that had fled.
OOC: :'( She was very determined. One also knocked into the other. And she didn't kill them she just brutally wounded them ;D
OOC: Blue Jays bite hard man, they're fierce little buggers. I hate when they get stuck in our chicken coop, because they hurt.
IC:
Flapping fiercely Besune attempted to follow Jade into the fray but collapsed, falling back to earth in a bundle of grey feathers. Panting she hopped back up, chirping in anger. It seemed however that her presence wasn't needed as Aodh's brave actions soon put the remaining crows on the run.
"Somebird go after him!" She shouted, helplessly from the ground. "And somebird save May she's in trouble!" Looking around Besune noticed Speckles making a racket from the bushes. Hopping over to the chicken the little gnatcatcher shook her head urging the hen to be quite. "Hush, if there's anybeast within a mile they'll hear us, shut up Speckles." Besune felt better when she was giving orders, and it made her feel less useless while being tied to the earth.
Being no more than a midget compared to the crows, Tryk the hummingbird had made a beeline for the nearest tree. He darted in and out of the branches, causing pursuers to crash head on into the branches. In this way, he survived the relentless assault.
Now seeing them fleeing he buzzed merrily:
"Yeahhhh! Getta outa here!"
OOC: Del, I've seen blue jays chasing redtail hawks around. Believe me, they're fierce little stinkers. :P
BIC: "Thank you!" May squawked, returning to her dive-bombing. When they started to flee, she gave chase and pecked them on the tail. After a few moments of this, she slowed. "Alright, Aodh! That's enough, come back." Then May heard Speckles, and she sighed, turning to find the chicken.
Aodh might have come back, but he was to far gone to hear them, the fury pulsing into his brain through the pain where his eye used to be propelled him to seemingly impossible speeds, he caught the crows and tore them apart, as the pain began to fade so did his strength, he began to fly back, he got within sight of the group, uttered a screech, or as near as he could come to it, and sank to the earth.
OOC: I should have also remembered that I've have seen solitary sparrows chasing away crows. ;D
OOC: crows are cowards ;)
OOC: Yes they are... ;D
OOC: Waiting on Specks,
BTW
Quote from: Fatch of Southsward on September 13, 2016, 05:17:20 AM
"Yeahhhh! Getta outa here!"
I can just imagine this tiny little bird, with an absurdly deep voice going, "Yeahhhhh! Getta outa here!" Just saying that's hilarious.
IC:
With a cry of shock Besune watched as Jade plummeted out of the air, landing heavily nearby. Hopping over to the downed blue jay Besune nudged Jade's limp wing with her beak, a lump forming in her throat. What kind of leader let those under her die?
"Jade, Jade? Please don't be dead." She said in her bossy voice, just holding back the tears as she shook Jade with a talon. "If you're dead, I'll... I'll kill you Jade. Please don't die."
Jade was lying on her back on the ground with a large scar on her left cheek. Hearing Besune's stubborn voice her eyes popped open, "W-Wha? What happened, is everyone else okay? Where are the crows?" Jade said, trying to sit up but fell back down in pain.
Corbie strutted over to Jade and Besune. "Oh thank goodness you're both alive. Did you get hurt? Oh, thats a nasty gash. What were you thinking, trying to fight crows??"
Jade gave a weak smile and turned her head towards Besune and Corbie. "You two make quite a pair don't you?"
OOC: ? ? ?
BIC
Corbie looked at her, agast. "Did you bump you're head??"
OOC: Both Corbie and Besune seem to always have a overbearingly bossy demeanor.
BIC: "Ah whatever" Jade remarked turning back to look at the sky, "Have any of you seen May?"
Corbie hopped up into a tree, scanning around. "No, I don't see anyone... no crows either..." He returned to the ground. "What happened up there?"
"I-I don't exactly know... I had just knocked three crows from the sky then I turned around and... thats all I remember."
"Tch, I can't believe you fought them." Corbie scoffed.
"Heh, I guess never know when to stop" Jade said, painfully pushing herself into a sitting position.
OOC: Im super willing to keep this going but it'd be nice if Peony did too. Delthion is gone, dunno about Fatch. Hopefully Sand will keep it going too
OOC: Anyone still interested in this?
Quote from: Aimless Gallivanter on January 24, 2017, 02:11:09 PM
OOC: Im super willing to keep this going but it'd be nice if Peony did too. Delthion is gone, dunno about Fatch. Hopefully Sand will keep it going too