OOC: Okay...First off, the sign-ups will remain open, in case if you happen to be reading this and want to join, you can. So long as you read the rules. Second off, I'm saying it again: Don't argue here. If you argue, do it in the OOC: or over PMs. You you argue, both people are being kicked out, and their characters taken over, but if they both say they're sorry, and it won't happen again, they get their characters back. All clear? Right, let's begin.
BIC: Abbess Rosemary was worried about the wildcats. The owl who had told them that the horde of wildcats led by Grain had heard of the Abbey, and wanted it, so she decided to practice with her sling. "Oh, hello Arya. I was just hoping that-" Crack! There went a branch off the tree she was using for target practice- "Aggril is making good time packing, so he can set out first thing in the morning."
"I'm sure he will, Mother Abbess." Crack! Snap!
OOC: You OK with that, Ungatt?
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Major Colon of the Long Patrol walked away from the Badger Lord/Lady's room, (OOC: Anyone want to play her/him? It's kinda vital!! BIC:) heading for the Mess.
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Grain watched her sister, Grinda, do her Seer thing. "Grinda, do you see anything?"
"Yes, sister. The Abbeydwellers have heard of you from that owl, you know, the one that sentry missed?"
"Oh, yes...Are they worried? In fear? They should be." She laughefd. It was going to be so easy!
Quote from: Cornflower MM on January 16, 2014, 06:30:40 PM
OOC: Okay...First off, the sign-ups will remain open, in case if you happen to be reading this and want to join, you can. So long as you read the rules. Second off, I'm saying it again: Don't argue here. If you argue, do it in the OOC: or over PMs. You you argue, both people are being kicked out, and their characters taken over, but if they both say they're sorry, and it won't happen again, they get their characters back. All clear? Right, let's begin.
BIC: Abbess Rosemary was worried about the wildcats. The owl who had told them that the horde of wildcats led by Grain had heard of the Abbey, and wanted it, so she decided to practice with her sling. "Oh, hello Arya. I was just hoping that-" Crack! There went a branch off the tree she was using for target practice- "Aggril is making good time packing, so he can set out first thing in the morning."
"I'm sure he will, Mother Abbess." Crack! Snap!
OOC: You OK with that, Ungatt?
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Major Colon of the Long Patrol walked away from the Badger Lord/Lady's room, (OOC: Anyone want to play her/him? It's kinda vital!! BIC:) heading for the Mess.
--------------------------------
Grain watched her sister, Grinda, do her Seer thing. "Grinda, do you see anything?"
"Yes, sister. The Abbeydwellers have heard of you from that owl, you know, the one that sentry missed?"
"Oh, yes...Are they worried? In fear? They should be." She laughefd. It was going to be so easy!
OOC Looks good to me.
OOC: *Face paw* Can you please post as your character?
After the battle that my Father left me to die end. I knew I had to try to get up and search for someone to help me heal these wounds that I have.
OOC: We're going to have to a talk.
OOC Ok lets try this again ready.
It is a nice cool spring day in the Mossflower woods. A battle had just ended with Shadow's father defeating his Foe's. But little did Shadow know that this day was going to be the last time he got to see his father for a very long time the reason for that is beacause Shadow's father never had anything to do with him and so once the dust cleared from the battle grounds Shadow looked around but his Father was gone. Shadow said to himself hmmmm where could my father have gone to noticing a bad wound he got from the battle that took place Shadow knew he was left to die. But Shadow was not about to give up so getting up from slowly he started walking in search of some good creature to help him nurse this wounds that why his life can go on.
OOC: Better, but still needs some work. Why don't you put thinking in Italic like this? My advice is read some more on other RPs.
Willow enjoyed the Abbey. It was his place of Birth, and he never really planned on leaving. He was in his study, reading a book called Ways to Treat Severe Head Trauma. He liked reading, and he liked learning, and he loved to dream of one day using his talents to help someone. He got up and began his long descent down both flights of stairs. He hated having his study in the attic, but it was free space, and it was quiet too.
OCC: Cornflower, I'm ready. I'll go along with what you said.
BIC: Aggril, a young, rather handsom otter, made his way down the hall towards the infirmary. Carrying several bags around his soldiers, he strode briskly foward, head held high. He was finally heading out. He had always had a wandering spirit; he had sometimes gone off on walks through Mossflower woods, though he could never go too far into the woodlands. But now was his chance. He knew that he was going even when he first got the news from that old owl about the wildcat attack. But he knew that he was going off for more than just exploring the world around him; the fate of Redwall Abbey was virtually placed in the hands of him and everybody else traveling to Salamandastron to seek help. Some otters and squirrels had come to the Abbey to help defend it, but he knew that they couldn't hold it forever.
OCC: Norham, is Willow going to Salamandastron?
OOC: He's going wherever Aggril goes. ;)
As Willow was walking down the stairs, he saw Aggril pass him to the Infirmary.
"Why, it looks like your about to leave!" He said, a little surprised.
He was unsure what to say next, but he worked up the courage. "Where to?"
Reven the squirrel knocked on the great abbey's gate, the sound echoing out into the path. He began growling to himself.
"So much for hospitality, we could be out here here for ages before somebeast lets us in..."
His muttering was cut short by Falco, his traveling friend.
"Calm down, we haven't even been here for two minutes! Maybe some creature on the walltops will hear."
Ignoring his companion, the powerful squirrel battered harder.
Aggril chuckled. "To Salamandastron" He said. "But I wasn't expecting you to go.
Willow stood still for a while. He looked down at the floor, and then at Aggril. "How soon do we leave?" He said with a smile.
"As soon as were all ready!" Aggril said, a smile creeping unto his face. "Abbes Rosemary would like to have a word with us right before we leave. I was just about to head out towards her. You coming?"
He gave one of his rare smiles. "Indeed I am coming!" He ran towards the steps, and stopped. "I'll go get my things!" He said with jittery excitement. As he rushed down the steps, he passed a few startled Redwallers. Not many people have ever seen Willow excited, and today he was very excited.
Arya bade good-bye to the Abbess, and walked off. She went to the Pond, and heard banging at the gate. She ran over as she heard more knocking, more powerful this time. She opened the little window in the gate, "Oh! Er, Friend or Foe?" she asked, rather start-struck. Two male squirrels, both rather handsome.
Argunath the cougar looked at the remnants of a recent fight, spotting some tracks. Some beast, no, two, at least had walked away from it. Moving the grass away with his long tail, he inspected the tracks more closely: It was a wolf. Straightening up, he noticed it going off on a meandering path, with drippings of blood always with it. Checking to make sure his sword and medical supplies were with him, he followed quickly, knowing that a wounded creature needed help.
OOC: what is the enemy position; looks like none has been posted
OOC: The wildcats? They're camped at the moment on the dunes by the sea. But they aren't near Salamandastron.
Reven looked at the squirrel, and smirking, he answered.
"Friend, now giz us yer best vittles!"
Falco laughed and punched his friend's shoulder.
"We're friends miss." he chuckled.
Arya laughed as she shut the window and opened the gate, "Hahaha....Well, welcome to Redwall Abbey, friends!" She ushered them inside and shut the gates. "Actually, this isn't the best time. We've heard of a wildcat horde coming for Redwall, so we're all a little more cautious than we would normally be. I forget my manners, I'm Arya Softtail, Warrior and Champion of Redwall. Not such a great last name, is it?"
Aggril had made his way out of the Abbey, and was about to go on his way to the Abbes when he saw Arya at the front gate talking to two squirrels he had never seen before. "I wonder..." Aggril said to himself. He then walked over to Arya and the two strangers.
"Oh, hello Aggril. When you go over to Mother Abbess be careful. She's practicing with her sling...I just hope she gets better with it!"
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Abbess Rosemary saw Aggril, Arya, and two squirrels standing by the gate.She walked over to them. "Hello, travelers. I'm Mother Abbess Rosemary. Would you like anything to eat or drink? Perhaps a bed?"
"I dunno, it's probably better than my last name," Falco said. "I'm Falco, and this here is me matey Reven. Wildcat horde ya say? Me and Revwouldn't mind lending a helping paw, we're good warriors, or so we like to think." he grinned. He swiveled around when the abbess spoke. "I think we're doing ok for now with vittles, could we prehaps send a night or two here?"
Reven said nothing throughout this, and was to busy looking at the huge abbey.
"Alright?" he said, nodding to a nearby otter who had just walked up.
Grag was upset at Grinda and Grain. Why couldn't they just attack the sandstone fortress; he was certain they could take it. But no, they insisted the captain gather a few scouts and search the area for weak points. So he was stuck heading to Redwall with two wildcats, a leopard and an ocelot. As captain, he was meant to lead the way, but had no real idea where it was exactly, and did not dare ask his touchy leaders. He would find it eventually.
Grang Bloodstripe stood at his windowsill, looking across the great sea at the rolling waves. His blood red cloak swirled around him in the ocean wind. His pilum rested on the wall next to him, collecting dust. it had been too long without war, and he could feel that the peace was about to end. It was like the calm before the storm. Heaving a great sigh, he turned and walked out of his chambers, heading to the mess.
Iceclaw Deathfur walked out from his tent and surveyed the horde around him. He strode forward to the top of a sand dune where he could see the other captain, Grag, was going to scout out the Redwall place in the distance. He was reluctant to attack it, because, from what he heard, many great warlords had tried to take it, and all had failed.
Grag left the camp heading east, and the others were soon lost to sight. He was glad to be doing something, anything, other than sit around. His chain mail clinked as his mace and chain bumped against it. Soon he would taste blood, he knew it!
Willow had everything packed. Minor surgical tools, medical pamphlets, and a few other things. His Dirk was sheathed on his belt. He had on his long thick tunic, and he put on his hide boots.
He ran out the front door to the lawns. He saw Abbess Rosemary, Arya, Aggril, and two strangers. He didn't like strangers. "Stranger means Danger." His mother always told him. But right now, he didn't care. Today was a good day.
He strolled up to the group. "Uh, Hello! Um, may I... Assist with anything?"
Aggril turned at the sound of Willow's voice. "Oh, hi, Willow. Might I introduce you to Falco and Reven. They've come to stay a day or two at the Abbey."
"Oh, well, I'm pleased to meet you both!" He said with a smile. He turned to Aggril.
"Whenever you're ready, let's go."
OOC: @Skarzs This post here would be called PPing. Could you revise it please? Grinda and Grain didn't order that there be scouts, they just TALKED about a scout failing to kill the owl who alerted the Redwallers. But I'll fix, but be a little more careful, OK?
Quote from: The Skarzs on January 17, 2014, 11:21:11 PM
Grag was upset at Grinda and Grain. Why couldn't they just attack the sandstone fortress; he was certain they could take it. But no, they insisted the captain gather a few scouts and search the area for weak points. So he was stuck heading to Redwall with two wildcats, a leopard and an ocelot. As captain, he was meant to lead the way, but had no real idea where it was exactly, and did not dare ask his touchy leaders. He would find it eventually.
BIC: Grain walked to the mouth of her tent, and saw Grag nearby. "Oi, you! Get a few horde members together and go to the Abbey. Search for weak points. I'll expect you to be back UNHARMED in five day. And make sure they don't see you!!"
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Arya looked at Willow, astonished. "You're going with Aggril? Well, I suppose he might need medical assistance."
Falco turned to the two otters. "Where are you going, if I may be so bold to ask?"
~
Yassen the wildcat sat nearby his older sibling's tent, sowing a spare shirt together. So, the horde was going to attack the abbey. He didn't want that to happen. The abbeybeasts didn't deserve such a threat. Some of them would undoubtedly be killed in the struggle. Suddenly he had an idea. He walked up the Grag.
"Hey, I've decided to join the scout team. When exactly will we be leaving?"
Iceclaw Deathfur saw a tough looking mountain cat strolling past. "Ah Chuh Kak. Come." He said, barely audible. The cat's keen ears picked up the sound and he walked over to his master's side. "Yes, captain." Ah Chuh Kak replied. Tell Grain I have a valuable peace of information for her. Go now."
Ah Chuh Kak saluted and walked off to do his master's bidding. Iceclaw was unlike any vermin captain he had ever met. He was smarter and more sly, and Ah Chuh Kak could respect that, but there was also something strange about him, as if there was a barrier between him and other beasts that would never be crossed. He snapped out of his thinking as he neared Grain's tent. " My Lady, Captain Iceclaw has important information he would like you to know." He called into Grain's tent. He waited, stiff and at attention, for a reply.
Grag looked Yassen up and down. The wildcat seemed sturdy enough to join, and he knew the wildcat was an assassin; useful. He allowed him to join, saying they would leave in a couple hours.
OOC: Sorry about PPing, Corny.
OOC: It's fine, almost every does unknowningly at one time or other.
BIC: Grain growled.."Bring him here and send him in....And make sure he knows that if I don't like his "Information," he is stripped of his rank." She looked at Grinda. Softer, "Be ready with The Cup. You know what I mean and require." She chuckled, a hideous sound.
"Yes, my Lady." Ah Chuh Kak replied, and then hurried off to Iceclaw. "Captain, Lady Grain would like to see you now, and if your information does not satisfy her, you will be demoted." "good." replied Iceclaw. He strode up to Grain's tent and entered it. "Lady Grain, I have important information concerning your horde."
Grang Bloodstripe entered the mess hall and beckoned a hare to him, "Get Major Colon and tell him I would like to discuss something with him."
Willow looked at Falco. "To Salamandastron, the Badger Mountain of old!" A light shone in Willow's eyes as he said this. He never dreamt of leaving the Abbey, but now that he could, and the adventure was unfolding before him, he wanted to go sooner than ever.
Falco raised his eyebrows when he heard the name Salamadastron. Him and Reven had passed by several seasons ago. "It's quite a journey to the fire mountain from here," he said, while looking the two otters up and down. "Mind you, you both look like you can handle yourselves. I bid you fairwell."
As Shadow walkes throught the Mossflower Woods he hear's creature's talking. He pulls his Bow out and stretches an arrow. Then he begin's to walk slowly toward the sound he moves among the tree's trying not to be seen. Shadow then gets them in view and he sits low to the ground and say's to himself I wounder if these are friends or foes. Only one way to find out.
Argunath had followed Shadow's trail for hours, and was getting close. Suddenly he saw a figure of a wolf crouched ahead with a bow. Wondering what was happening, he came forward cautiously; there could be trouble.
Siting as low to the ground he pull's the bow back and was about to shoot. But at the last minute he lay's his bow down and say's what am I ding this isn't me I'm not going to become like my father and kill helpless creature's that has done nothing wrong. But how do I walk up to them and ask for help. hmmmmmmmmm.
Willow turned to Aggril, with anxiety in his eyes. "Do we leave soon?" He said.
Seeing the wolf relax his bow, Argunath let off his guard a little bit and walked slowly up to the wolf, who was seeming to be lost in thought.
Shadow was lost in thought but then he heard Argunath. Shadow then turned around to face Argunath. Shadow looks at him in the eyes and ask please kind mate I have been badly injured and I have been left to die by my father. If you have any kindess in your heart please help me. As soon as he was done speaking Shadow passed out from all the blood that he lost.
Seeing the wolf pass out, the cougar rushed to his side. He had a bad wound in his side, and would not last must longer. He reached into his pack and took out what healing supplies he had. Bandaging up the wound as best he could, he started a fire. He had to close up the gash, and the only way he could was to burn it. Getting the tip of a small bread knife heated, he removed the bandaging and pressed it lightly. The smell of burning hair and flesh permeated the air; the wound closed, but left a painful blistering. The wolf was lucky he was unconscious. Suddenly, Argunath heard the voices that Shadow had been listening to earlier, and stayed silent. He was sure they knew he was there.
OOC: Iamthatis, you still need to work on your posting....And no need to use these, ' ' ' ' ' , every time. For example, how about "He pulled his bow back", instead of, "He pulls his bow back"
BIC: "Well, get on with your information already!" Grain said, snarling. Meanwhile, behind her, Grinda was doing something with a cup.
Do we leave soon?
"Oh, yes" Aggril replied, turning to Willow, "though, I'm not completly sure who's going and who's going. Mother Abbes will know, lets go ask"
OOC: Mother Abbess is there already....
BIC: "Well, as far as I know, it's you two, with Sister Fortuna...No, wait, she changed her mind. Although I have it on good authority that you'll meet someone in the woods. Whether or not they join you is a different matter altogether." Rosemary said, with a twinkle in her eye.
Grag was frustrated. They had left, and already he had no idea where he was. He had a basic map, but that was useless until his group reached a landmark. They pressed eastward for hours until they reached Mossflower Woods. Good, he thought. At least he wouldn't lose face in front of the others. "We'll stay here until dawn," He said. "Go find some decent firewood."
"Well, who knows who or what we'll meet on our journey" Aggril said briskly, primping up his harvest sack across his shoulder. "When do we leave, Mother Abbes?"
"Yes, Lady Grain, There is a stirring between a few of your troops and a captain, they are planning to assassinate you and take control of the horde." He said. "They think it foolhardy to attack the abbey." He noticed that Grinda was doing something strange with a cup, but he couldn't quite make out what.
Yassen wandered out from the temporary vermin camp in search of firewood. The young wildcat noticed a few tracks in the dirt, but couldn't make head or hide of them. This was one of the things that frustrated him. Although he was a very good fighter as well as highly intelligent, he lacked in field skills such as tracking and camouflage. He guessed they might be shrew markings, but didn't comment to his companions. If there was a family of helpless creatures nearby he would certainly not give away their location.
~
"So anyway, do yer happen to know the location of vittles in this here abbey?" Falco asked, attempting to look innocent as Reven snorted with laughter behind him. The tall dark-furred squirrel chided Falco playfully. "Now don't go on about food again Fal. You've already scoffed both of our supplies today!" Falco tried to keep a innocent face, but couldn't quite manage it.
Saurel, a tall, sly looking Wildcat, walked into Lady Grains tent*. "Yer highness, there seems to be a revolt amongst your soldiers and one of the captains start...well, I'm sure Iceclaw here has told you about it." Saurel said, nodding to Iceclaw. "What will you have us do, Lady Grain?"
OCC: Just wondering, who's playing the rebellious captain?
*OCC: Is it a tent? If it isn't, I'll fix my post.
OOC: Yes, it's a tent...No, I can't remember if someone's playing the mutinous captain! I have enough trouble keeping up with my own numerous characters.
BIC: Grain looked at them, and said, "Well, bring that captain here to me, fools! Oh, and when you have a chance, execute the ones who followed this captain. I have no use for followers who would start a mutiny. Well, what are you waiting for? GO!!"
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Bryony and Bryant were waiting for the travelers to come out, since Bryony'd decided to go with them. They were sitting in a tree at the moment, as they had since Dawn, eating a light breakfast.
OCC: Corny, do you want me to play the mutinous captain? I don't think anybody else is playing him right now.
BIC: "Yes, lady Grain." Saurel bowed. Then, beckoning to Iceclaw to leave the tent, he walked out into the warm sunlight.
OOC: @Corny: I don't think Bryony and Bryant are in this RP... :D
Iceclaw followed Saurel out of the tent into the bright day. He beckoned to Ah Chuh Kak, who was standing nearby. "Gather up the rebels, with force, if necessary." Ah Chuh Kak saluted and ran off to do his master's bidding. He had been wondering when Iceclaw would reveal the traitors to Lady Grain, because they had known about the mutinous beasts for a while. He had wondered if Iceclaw might even go as far as to join them, but he doubted Iceclaw would risk such an ill-planned move.
"So, Iceclaw" Saurel said, an evil smile creasing on his features. "What should we do with this mutinous captain? A quick kill wouldn't teach the horde something."
"That is for lady Grain to decide, all we must do is bring him/her to lady Grain." he said "but, lady Grain said we could what we want with the others." he said, turning his cold eyes on Saurel's face. Hearing a noise behind him, he turned to see Ah Chuh Kak and 3 other wildcats herding forward a group of hordebeasts. Some of the mutineers looked roughed up, as if they had struggled. Iceclaw's eyes narrowed as he let his paw slip down to his mace at his side.
"Well" Saurel said as the group of mutineers walked up. "Who's this bunch of rotten layabouts?" Saural said gleefully. He liked toying with anybody who was doomed to the wrath of his punishing whim.
OOC: THE WHOLE HORDE IS WILDCAT'S, PEOPLE!! @Shade, actually, they are. I made the characters, they should be on the second page of the OOC: @Ungatt, sure! You don't need to make a sheet for him though.
BIC: Arya chuckled at Falco. "I'll take you to get food....Would you like to come along, sir?" She asked, looking at Reven. She then bid Aggril and his companion good-bye.
After six days of darkness Shadow had finally woke up. When he opened his eyes he saw a beautiful sight. But he had no idea who how he got to this strange place or who helped them and are they friend or foe so many thoughts raced through his head at one time.
"Of course," Reven replied, "Couldn't let young scoffbag here steal and the grub."
Falco's ears perked up it righteous indignation when he heard Reven. "Hey, I'm only two seasons younger than you! He he, yes, could we possibly have rations now miss?"
OOC: Iamthatis! Did you even read the pages since you last posted? Good grief!
BIC: Arya laughed again, since she did that a lot. "Of course! Bry, Aggril and Willow again! Come back soon! Right this way...Er, what are your names again? I can't remember..." She said, looking a little bit guilty.
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Rosemary shook her head, watching the three squirrels. "If I didn't know better, I'd say Arya's getting a little too happy with those two. I hope they don't break her heart too badly. Anyways, it's time you two are off! Out you go, now! Good-bye!"
Grag, being an unpleasant creature, was disgusted when the rest of his troup did not wake up at first light. They had rested sufficiently, he thought, More than enough. Kicking and poking roughly, he roused the rest to continue their order.
Abbess Rosemary kept shooing the travelers out. "If I know them, they will be aggravated at not be off sooner!"
Aggril was standind at the side of things before he spoke up, "When will we be moving on, Mother Abbess?"
Willow had calmed down a fair bit, and composed himself. He stood silently, eagerly awaiting her answer.
"What do you mean, 'When will we be moving on'? If you're talking about leaving, then RIGHT NOW! Do I have to pick you two up and get you out of here myself? I can do it, you know."
"Falco and Reven." Falco announced grandly, with a grin, as he followed Arya. Reven followed silently, with a smirk on his face.
~
Yassen's eyes snapped open as he awoke. He snatched the slightly grimy trenchcoat he had been using as a pillow and slipped it on. Glancing up at Grag, he asked, "When do you reckon we'll sight the abbey?"
"Thanks...After you, Falco, Reven." Aryta said, stopping at the door to open it and let tthem go in first.
"Hopefully by next morning," Grag growled, "As long as you stop loungin' around." He was in no mood to say any more, and forced them all into march shortly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lieutenant Paisley Thwibscutt was having breakfast in the noisy mess hall. All around her, hares chatted loudly as they ate, their plates heaped full of food. Paisley just focused on eating, as nobody happened to be talking to her at the moment.
"Finally," Grag muttered under his breath. He had led his scout troop through Mossflower Woods for hours, getting caught in bogs, fighting through thick underbrush, and generally getting lost amidst the trees. Thankfully, they had found a path, and not far along it, Redwall. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled crookedly; at least he saved face by getting them here before he had anticipated. He ordered them to cut into the woods before they were seen by any watchful eyes. "Yassen, take another cat with you and go around to the east side of the walls. Two others, go west and north, and I will take the south. Report back to me if anything is seen."
Major Colon strod into the Mess, and saw Paisley. He walked over and slid into the seat next to her. "Oh hello Paisley old bean! Wonder when the Lady/Lord is getting up, eh?"
OOC: Because the character Shadow is not in this any more, I will have to disregard all I have previously written on Argunath and go in a different direction with his part.
BIC: Argunath had been travelling for over three seasons, wandering about the lands, keeping to himself. Now, while travelling through some thick woods, he happened across a path. Hmm, he wondered. It was a nice change from fighting through unfamiliar land, and roads always lead somewhere. After walking along the road for hours, the cougar caught sight of a massive sandstone building. He had heard rumors of such a place, and now he could see where these legends came from. Supposedly being good beasts, he hoped the inhabitants would let him in, at least for a little while, for he needed to resupply on food and other materials. Clanking up to the great gates in his heavy armor, he curled his great hooked paw into a fist and knocked three times upon the solid door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grag was enjoying being able to not have any in his company for the time being. They could be annoying, and noise was something he knew he did not want. Noting the wicker gate and the high walls of the south side of the abbey, he was suddenly aware of a noise from behind. He turned quickly, and saw it was one of his scouts that he had sent to the west wall. "Well," the leopard growled. "What do you have to report?" The other cat answered warily.
"We were scouting out the west wall, just like you said, when we saw another cat, almost as tall as you, walk to the gates and knock on them. He may be one of them."
Grag was not unduly worried; if it was a cat, he would probably not be an enemy, neither to them nor the creatures of Redwall. "Alright, just go back to your spot; we'll need to keep an eye on this newcomer, no matter whose side he be on."
OOC: Any chance that I could be involved in this plot again?
OCC: I need Shadefur to post soon so that me amd him can continue our line.
Over by the south side, Yassen eyed the wicket gate thoughtfully. Strolling up to it, he gave it a good shove, however, it didn't budge. Even if he had picked the lock, there was some sort of bar securing the door. Turning to his companion, he said, "Nah, I don't think there's any chance of breaking in with the equipment we've got."
Scarfang wasn't the sharpest knife in the block, and he illustrated this by staring dumbly at the gate and saying, "But can't you just pick the lock?"
Yassen groaned. The only reason he had chosen Scarpaw was because the cat was one of the strongest of the horde. Unfortunately, he lacked seriously in the brains department.
"Even if we did get in, we don't have the power to take the abbey."
OOC: Shade, please post as Falco and Reven soon. ATTENTION EVERYONE! Iamthatis will not be posting anymore, and please disregard his and Skarzs posting concerning each other! Norham, jump in! I can't hsndle any more characters, so you'd better post soon! :)
BIC: Bryant smiled, and after holding a silent conversation with his sister, jumed down behind the cougar. "Hello there! Wanting to get intot he Abbey? Well, as they say, friend, or foe?" He twirled his tail waiting for the cat to answer.
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Rosemary heard the knocking and was about to call out, when she heard Bryant. She chuckled, and waited for the unknown beast to answer.
OOC: Where are they again?
OOC: Going to the Kitchens for food, and Arya's holding the big, heavy, Abbey door open for them.
OOC: @Shade: remember that the reason for the scouting expedition is just that: scouting. The cats are not supposed to try to gain entry :P Thanks!
@Corny: please do not forget the size difference between Bryant (what is he?) and Argunath, like an apple to a watermelon. ;D
BIC: Argunath looked down at Bryant, and bowed stiffly in his armor. "Hello. I'm afraid I cannot say whether I am a friend or not, because I do not know if you are a friend or not. What I can say is that I am in need of assistance, for I am low on supplies. If some beast may be kind enough to help me with this, I will not press your hospitality any more than I need to, and I shall be on my." He waited for the (?) to answer, realizing he had his paw resting on the pommel of his falcate. He removed it slowly, remembering that these creatures were peaceful, or so he was told.
OOC: Bryant and his sis Bryony are squirrels, my favourite Redwall animal.
BIC: Bryant grinned, "Oh, well. Let me out it this way: Are you a friend or foe to those of Redwall Abbey, whose main gate you're standing in front of?" He was aware of the cat's paw on his sword, and was tensed to put a rock in his sling, which was at the moment serving him as a belt. He knew that Bryony would have also spotted this and would more than likely be ready to leap on him. Even if he was a lot bigger than them, when they got together and attacked, they were almost unstoppable, and it was two to one in their favor. He relaxed a little bit when he took his paw of the hilt, but he was still ready for anything. You never knew these days who was your friend.
OOC: Thanks, I'll fix it.
BIC: The cougar saw the squirrel tense at his sword; it was not hard to tell he was ready for anything, and would attack even a giant. He extended a massive, gauntleted paw in greeting, trying to show he was not going to start trouble. "Well, you do not seem to be one to attack those without reason; I have been told by others you were a peaceful bunch. I am a friend to those with good in their heart, and an enemy to those who would harm the innocent. Due to the cautions you are taking in making sure those who enter are trustworthy, it seems this place is in some unknown danger. I may be able to help. I will trust you if you will trust me." He smiled, exposing sharp white teeth like javelin points; he hoped the squirrel would not distrust him for his savage appearance. In one last act of faith, he unsheathed his falcate and placed it on the ground. "If you are still not to trust my word, then, on my honor, I will not defend myself should you attack."
OOC: Bryony's hidden in a tree!
BIC: Bryant relaxed even more when the cougar laid his sword down. "Oh, I don't live in Redwall, but my sister Bryony and I often visit. And as long as you aren't with the horde of wildcats coming to get Redwall, then I have no reason to fire my sling at you; and Bryony won't have to jump on you out of that tree."
OOC: Terribly sorry, I thought they were on the ramparts.
BIC: The cougar furrowed his brows. "An army of wild cats? I did not know of this threat. If thus is the reason for your caution, then it may be better that I help you." He picked up his sword again and sheathed it. "Shall we go in? And your sister needs a little practice in camouflage. Hello, little squirrel! Come down, you cannot stay up there all day." He smiled slightly at the squirrels; he was glad it had not come to a fight and their sad ending.
OCC: Can the players of the questers please come and start the journey with me?
OOC: Maybe they can meet Argunath and Bryant at the gate. . . ? Also, I need him to go inside before I can do anything else with Grag :P Sorry for the waiting game, Shade.
OOC: Nah, no worries mate.
OOC: SHADE!! FALCO!! REVEN!! ARYA'S STILL HOLDING OPEN THE DOOR!!!
BIC: Bryony was silently seething as she came down from the tree. "I heard every word you said, beetle brain. For your health you may not want to call me 'Little Squirrel' again." She said meaningfully, as her paw, holding her loaded sling, tightened around the sling handle. She didn't really care about calling him beetle brain; It wasn't that big of an insult and besides, she wasn't THAT small compared to him. She socked her brother on the arm, saying, " 'Bout time you quit chatting. Rosemary old friend, let us in! I saw you standing on the other side of the gate - I know you're there!"
---------------
Rosemary grinned: That was Bryony alright. She tried to open the gate, then impatiently said, "C'mon you two! I can't do this by myself."
Argunath raised an eyebrow at the squirrelmaid. "Beetle brain am I? Well then, it is good for your health that I find that not insulting. Come along, little creatures." He looked back down the direction he had come, and something caught his eye. Was it just a trick of the light, or did he see something yellow dart across the road? "I think it's better if we continue any conversation inside," he growled in a low voice. "Let's go."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grag listened to the latest report: the cougar had gone inside the abbey. He had learned all he needed for his scouting expedition: the creatures had heard of their coming and were holing themselves up in their stone fort. There were four entrances, one at each wall, but the bigger cats would have a hard time getting in through any but the main gate. He sent out the other leopard to gather the other scouts. It was time to leave.
Quote from: Cornflower MM on February 06, 2014, 09:56:49 PM
Major Colon strod into the Mess, and saw Paisley. He walked over and slid into the seat next to her. "Oh hello Paisley old bean! Wonder when the Lady/Lord is getting up, eh?"
Paisley swallowed a mouthful of food and smiled. "Aye. S/he's not usually late for brekkers, wot!"
OCC: What exactly do you want me to post about, Corny?
OOC: How about HELPING THE ABBESS OPEN THE GA"TE?!?!!!
BIC: Bryony scowled. "D'you know, Bryant, I do believe this cougar hasn't gotten it that I don't like being called little?" She said, then she ran up the gate and went in that way. She started helping the Abbess lift the bar. "Hello old friend! Would you like some help? Those two buffers don't seem to be. Say, where's the beasts I'm traveling with?" She remarked. Rosemary laughed at Bryony, "Hahaha! Oh Bryony! I see you haven't realized that the two beasts you just called buffers are the ones who you're going with! Almost there, Hup!"
Argunath pushed the gate open further to allow his bulk in; the walls were thick, and the hugeness of the structure astounded him. Even from where he came from this was large. He clanked onto the lawns, catching the evil eye of many who were about; evidently the idea of having a cat in their midst was an unpleasant thought. He was probably no exception. He was wearing dark armor that had seen the blood of dozens of battles; at his side was a large, deadly re-curved sword claiming the blood of many. His massive hooked paws were clad in steel gauntlets, with the tips sharpened for deadly use, and his battle-worn face was made more sinister by the presence of long sharp fangs that stuck out the sides of his mouth. Oh dear, he thought. Trust for me will come slowly here.
Willow took his bearing as he was shoved out the gate. He nearly bowled over Bryony. He picked himself up, and dusted himself off. He shuffled awkwardly in the sandy path. "Um, ahem, I didn't know we were, um, traveling with anyone... else." He smiled, to let her know he wasn't angry about it, but he still felt terribly awkward.
Argunath turned around and addressed the abbess. "I'd like to speak to the creature in charge."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grag had waited until all his group was back together. Then he announced one last thing. "Yassen, open that side gate. I know we're here on a scouting mission, but we need to see how easily we can get in this place. Maybe even get a hostage, eh?"
"Well, think again, buddy! I thought that this sounded like heaps of fun. My life was getting a little too...monotonous. Oh, and one thing: I'd like to do the cooking, if you don't mind. Don't worry, I won't poison you. I'll take a test run tonight." Bryony said, quite friendly. "And next time, try not to knock me over, 'Kay?"
-------------
Rosemary drew herself up, and said, "I am the Motgher Abbess here. Who, pray, are you? Forgive if we do not trust you; We have cause to believe that a horde of cats like yourself mean to come here and take the Abbey."
----------------------------
Bryant ran out the gate and gave his older sister a hug. "stay safe, got that, grumpy bum? And I advise you two to let her do the cooking. She's quite good at it."
--------------------
The colonel swallowed, and replied to Paisley. "Aye, that S/he is. Wonder when s/he's going to feel it fit to come on down. We better take charge until then, eh old gel?"
Paisley nodded. "Aye." She wasn't very talkative when she was eating.
OOC: What are Paisley and the colonel going to take charge of, exactly? :D I mean, there's nothing to boss the other Long Patrollers about.
OOC: Well, there's always the Long Patrol Runners, and other Mountian business. Not to mention that there's some people coming from Redwall.
Placing a gauntleted paw on his chestplate, Argunath bowed low. "Then I greet you; my name is Argunath, from the far western mountains, and I am honored to be in your home, Mother Abbess of Redwall. I understand your hesitation to trust; not many beasts as I ever have come to this land." His long tail twitched behind him. "My monstrous appearance is a burden in this land; but believe me when I say I will help, although I doubt any of them are from the land I come from, and will most likely be far different from me. I would like to offer my services in helping to protect and fortify this place; may I have your permission to look around and see what I can do?"
Rosemary pressed her lips together, then spoke. "First thing for you to do is quit with the formalities. The next thing is: Look around to your hearts content. But remember to keep our rules, the main to never, ever hurt anyone here. Unless they mean harm, of course."
"Many thanks. You have my word that I will hurt no beast lest they attack me first. Now that the formalities are over, I shall first take a look at the walls; I need to know any weak points to be watched for and taken care of. If your enemy finds them, then you will have trouble on your paws. Good day." The cougar turned and found the stairs leading up to the ramparts, taking them two at a time with his broad strides.
"Good day to you too, Argunath." Rosemary called, but whether the cat heard her or not she didn't know, She shrugged and decided to go to the kitchens.
OCC: I'm sooooo sorry that I haven't been on lately! Can somebody else please help the Abbes open the darn door!?
OOC: It is open. :P
I need Shade to post as Yassen
Both warrior squirrels laughed when they heard Bryant's remark. "Good at cooking eh? Good at cooking and good looking," Falco grinned, feeling slightly more at home now. Reven simply chuckled, relinquishing the thought of fresh supplies after their tiresome travel.
<><><>
Yassen strolled casually to the door, and tapped it in several places. Turning to the small crowd of cats. "Dagger please?" Several knives were offered to him, and he grabbed one, before inserting it into the tight space between door and wall. After three sweeps, the blade hit against what appeared to be two things on the other side. Noting that one of the interfering objects had been metal, he handed back the dagger to it's owner and addressed Grag.
"There is what I think is a bar securing the gate, and what I assume to be a padlock of some sort," he said. "We could probably deal with the bar, but the lock... if only it was this side, I'd be able to pick it then."
"Try anyway," Grag growled. "If we absolutely can't, then we can't. Just do it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the ramparts, Argunath watched a baby hedgehog and a baby mole wandering around on the lawns; what he would give to be as carefree as them. He saw them scurry to the south wicker gate, and decided to keep a closer eye on them. Unfortunately, he was on the west wall, and was too far away. He had inspected the walls; very solid construction. They would not be a problem unless the cat army had catapults. Suddenly, he noticed the two young creatures stack themselves up; the mole under the hedgehog. They were undoing the gate bar. Realizing what danger they could be in, the cougar began running, his paws pounding on stone and his armor clanking as he rushed to them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grag heard a scraping sound, and the noise of metal on stone. Creeping up to the door, he heard voices.
"Urr, you'm be a'hearing things, zurr 'edghog. There baint any voices."
"Quiet and lift me higher! I've almost got the metal thing out!"
The leopard grinned evilly; they were opening the gate for them. He hid out of sight of the gate, and waited until the two Dibbuns poked their heads curiously out.
"See yurr," said the mole. "There bain't be no one here, bo hurr. Now we'm get in trouble, ho aye!"
"But I was sure. . . Eeeek!"
Grag swiftly caught the two by their paws and pulled them out of the gate entry. "Ha harr, gotcha!"He signaled furiously to the other cats. "Get going! Somebeast is sure to have heard this brat's scream!" They ran off into the woods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argunath had heard the scream, and knew something was wrong. Being too bulky in his armor to fit through the small gate, he had only one choice: jump. I hope it is true that cats land on their feet, he thought.
Luckily, he did, just in time to see the fleeting sight of yellow fur. Another screech was heard from the baby hedgehog. Drawing his sword, the mountain cat tore after them.
Bryant quickly let go off his sister and said, "Bryony! Don't hurt him!" Bryony took no notice of her brother's words and walked up to Falco and clenched paw, drew back, and swung, aiming for Falco's face. Arya hurled herself at Bryony, but didn't know if she could stop Bryony in time to save Falco's face from the punch. Bryant merely groaned and put his face in paws, shaking his head.
It was easy for Argunath to keep after the scout group; they were not bothering to cover their trail, and were leaving in quite a rush. He was catching up, but fear the worst for the mole and hedgehog.
~~~~~~~~~
Hearing a crashing sound behind them, Grag ordered a halt. Peering through the trees, he spotted a cat clad in armor rushing toward them with blade drawn. Setting the hedgehog and the mole down, he gave and order. "Form a line! We've got a follower, but just one." Nevertheless, he stayed at the back of the others. "Yassen, hide in a tree. When you get a chance, stick 'im!" They waited until Argunath broke through into their area.
"Let the babes free, leopard!" he roared.
Grag thought quickly. "You want 'em," he pulled a knife out and put it across the hedgehog's throat. "Come an' get 'em! But if you step one more paw," he pressed at the blade, "This one dies!"
Argunath called the bluff; he knew if he wanted the hedgehog dead, he would have killed it already. "Now, you wouldn't kill a hostage; what good would it be then, eh?" He inched closer.
But Grag was not bluffing. Blood spurted as he slit the babe's throat before the cougar, who was lost in horrified surprise. The baby mole screeched and ran behind Argunath. "You," he said softly. "You will die for that. Try and kill me; I dare you, you slime."
Grag pointed a claw at the mountain cat. "Kill them both!"
Some of the cats had slings, and threw stones at the two creatures. Using his broad back plate, Argunath protected the mole as the stones bounced off with pinging noises. Still guarding his life, he grabbed the mole and tossed him back in the direction of the abbey. "Run!" he yelled, as a stone hit his shoulder. "Run to the abbey and don't look back!" The little creature did as he was told, and Argunath turned to the cats. He rushed at them, swinging his falcate in a deadly curve. Cutting down one of the leopards, he was suddenly pounced on by the rest, who wrestled him to the ground in a pile.
In his mind, Argunath remembered. He remembered a battle as this, surrounded, helpless to defend, while she died.
His eyes turned red. Deep in his chest a low rumble was heard, and he began to make a great sound like a spine-chilling mix between a roar and a scream. The bloodwrath was on him. He fought his way to his feet, bleeding from many wounds, and threw the mass of bodies off him. He used his falcate with deadly efficiency, slicing a wildcat in two with a single slice. Another he pierced through the belly, smashing the skull of another against a tree trunk. His bloody rage lasted until there were bodies littering the ground around him, and only two were left. He pointed at Yassen, "You'd better run, cat, or you'll be seeing Hellsgates before noon."
Turning to Grag, he advanced. The leopard grabbed his mace and chain and started to swing is slowly from side to side. Argunath roared, and charged Grag, who ducked to one side as the blade went slicing past, sticking into the tree behind him. As the cougar tried to release his blade, Grag swung mightily with his mace, making a dent in Argunath's back plate. As he went in for another swing, the cat let his sword go and leaned backwards. The spiked ball hit a glancing blow on the right side of his head.
Now using only his paws, the cougar swung wildly with his clawed gauntlets, each dodging the other's attacks, until Argunath let the long chain wrap around his arm, pulling it from his attacker's grasp and flinging it from them.
Grag knew he was losing, and went in for one last desperate attempt. He jumped and latched his teeth into Argunath's neck, tasting blood as he bit deeper. Suddenly, he could not breath. The cougar had him around his chest, and was squeezing the life out of him. His chain mail could not stop the force from crushing in, and he gasped helplessly in pain. He released his jaws, and was forced to look into the blood-red eyes of the avenging Argunath. "I said I would kill you, scum. You have no more reason to live, you baby killer. Let the devil know who gave you justice, cat. I am Argunath." He crushed harder, and Grag screamed as his spine snapped, along with several ribs, collapsing his lungs and puncturing his heart. He did not stop until the leopard moved no more.
Then, letting the body go, he hurried to the fallen hedgehog. It had already bled out, it's eyes glazed over in death. A single tear rolled from his blood-red eyes, and he screamed and roared his pain to the skies.
Willow held up his paw as he neatly tripped Bryony. "Everyone, quiet!" He perked up his ears. "Did anybeast hear that? I heard a scream!" He said grimly. His eyes widened. "A dibbun, it sounded like!" He ran past everyone toward the south wallgate.
Falco dodged the punch Bryony threw at him, his swift reactions coming into play. However, her fist still glanced of his chin, causing him to stumble backwards. "Hey, what are you doing?!" he yelled, before taking up a fighting stance. He was tempted to draw his sword, but what would be the point? He could never bring himself to attack an abbeydweller.
~~~~~~~~~~~
As soon as Reven heard the scream, he darted towards the source of the sound, from the wallgate. He was overtaken by Argunath however. Once out in Mossflower, he lost sight of the great armoured cat. After several seconds of mental decisions, he decided to wait at the wallgate. While following his trail back he heard several crashing sounds from someone running through the undergrowth. The black squirrel spotted something... yes, a cat. Although it looked lost, Reven wasn't taking any chances. He quickly snatched up a large piece of wood, and moved in. With a single blow he knocked the wildcat out. He would do a good hostage.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Yassen was horrified. Not only had the entire mission pretty much failed, but the monstrous cat that had chased after them had killed all the cats and quite literally torn apart Grag. Inwardly the young wildcat cursed the scouting expedition leader, what had he been thinking, killing the hedgehog babe? He had been thinking all this whilst running, he had already put a good distance between him and the bloodly scene. Now what? He had no idea where the rest of the cat horde was, and he lacked the field skills to track them. Hundreds of thoughts flooded his brain. He couldn't afford to be caught by the Redwallers. No way. Especially with that huge savage cat. No, mustn't get caught... what was that? He could have sworn he saw some sort of shadow...
Darkness shrouded him as in a split second he realized something had been swinging towards him.
Arguntath could not control the Bloodwrath. He shook all over as he desperately tried to calm down, shivering and shaking with grief and rage.
His body bled from every gap in his armor, creating small puddles that grew all around him. His left arm was torn at the elbow, his neck throbbed from Grag's bite, he had a nasty gouge in the side of his head that spilled into his eye, and he had half a dagger stuck in his leg.
He had been the death of this baby hedgehog.
He killed it by stepping forward.
He was the reason she died too, all those seasons ago. He collapsed in a heap of metal and flesh, not caring if he died there.
Arya landed squarely on her friend, who was growling. Arya straddled Bryony and held her face with her paws. "Bryony! He was paying you a complement! There was no reason to hurt, you-you lump of fur! You know as well as I do that fighting is not allowed here, yet you did it anyway. Why?"
Bryony just growled and said, "Get off of me! I promise I won't hit him again. Just let me UP" Arya groaned. "It's against my better judgement, but alright....Just remember that if you hurt Falco again I'm going to be forced to use my status toi exile you from Redwall." He got off of the squirrel maid, who glared at Falco and spat out, "You're lucky that we are in the walls of this Abbey. If no0t for that I WOULD kill you. That was no complement to me. You've been warned. I don't say things lightly." She turned on her heel and stalked toward toward the south wall gate, where everyone else had gone, fuming. Arya spoke to Falco, "You're quite lucky you know, but you can be sure that as roses are roses, if you don't get out of that fighting stance, I'll be forced to throw you out. Rules are rules, mate, and if the Abbey Warrior doesn't follow 'em, then all vittles will break loose."
OOC: the baby mole did run back to the abbey, so you could ask him what happened and where Argunath and the *ahem* deceased creatures are.
Y U no posty, any one? :'(
OOC: Hmm...Guess no one's been on. OR they haven't bothered to post.READ THE RULES PEOPLE!!!
BIC: Mole babe ran back to the gate as fast as his little legs could carry him without looking back, sobbing his little heart out. His best friend, Dunkle the hedgehog babe, had been killed. He got back to the gate and there was Willow! He ran to him and clutched his habit and kept crying.
Argunath growled, fighting the pain in his mind.
He clutched at his head, shaking it and trying to rid himself of the Bloodwrath. One word echoed in his mind, torturing him and messing with his reasoning: Monster.
He was a monster.
No!
Murdering animal, something out of a nightmare. You took that step, you were warned it would have the hedgehog killed.
No! How could I have known!
You're an abomination, sick in the head. You kill without effort, you cause death wherever you go.
It isn't all my fault!
It is. You know it. You are a danger to any you call friend. You are a monster in the eyes of infants.
Monster! Monster!
The unrest in the cougar's mind grew too much, and he closed his still-red eyes in a forgiving unconsciousness.
OOC: Seriously guys! Post!
Willow gasped in a little when the Molebabe clung to him. Since Willow was a rather shy person, he had no Idea what to do. He patted his head and kept saying. "It's ok, don't worry, everything's fine..."
He figured out fast that this wasn't helping. He looked pleadingly at Arya, who was standing nearby.
Arya had just gotten there when she saw Willow giving her a pleading look, obviously a little uncomfortable and unsure what to do with the little mole babe clutching his habit. She went over and crouched. She held out her arms and the little mole ran into them, still sobbing. She rocked back and forth for a few minutes, stroking his head and making comforting noises until he started crying a little less. She un-hooked his little paws from around her and backed him up a step. She started looking him over, and satisfied that he was fine except for some scratches and bruises, she asked gently, "Would you like to tell us what happened?" He nodded, and started spilling out the story. When he was done, he ran forward and buried his face back into her already soaked habit and started crying again. She started rocking again and then told Bryony who was standing around rather awkwardly to go and fetch the Abbess, and then go look for the hedgehog's body and Argunath, and see if she could find Reven, if possible. There was squirrel tracks leading out the gate, and she'd seen him run this way, so he must have gone out the door. She also told her to get her brother for help. Bryony nodded and was off like a shot.
Falco shrugged, he hoped this dispute didn't rear it's ugly head later, the last thing he wanted was to rupture the peace of this abbey.
"She attacked me first, I simply wanted to defend myself. Lets talk of this no more."
~
Meanwhile, Reven had managed to drag the mysterious wildcat to the wallgate. He reckoned the cat had something to do with all the screams and the sudden clash of battle, but he wasn't sure. Well, a vermin is a vermin, he reasoned to himself. He'll make a nice hostage.
OOC: Sorry I can't post right now, I used up most of my time looking for B-day quotes!
OOC: I can't post because there is nothing I could post to further this :(
OOC: 'Kay.
BIC: Bryony suddenly ran into the Kitchens, where the Abbess was having a snack, and ran over and grabbed her arm. "Rosemary! I'm so glad I found you. Come on, bring the rest of your food, but Arya wants you by the south wallgate! Hurry! I'm going to go find Bryant." With that, the squirrelmaid shot off out of the Kitchens as quickly as she'd come into them. Rosemary grabbed the remains of her hunk of cheese and ran out of the Kitchens also, heading for the wallgate. She arrived there about six minutes later, panting and out of breath. She saw Arya comforting a mole babe, and Bryant and Bryant running down the wall. The wallgate was open, and Reven was standing in it with an unconscious wildcat. "Reven, what do you have there? Arya, why don't you take the little fellow to the Infirmary? It's peaceful there."
Reven glanced up at the panting squirrel. "I'm certain he's a wildcat miss," he said. "Do you think I should get him inside? He'd make a nice hostage, and I don't think he'll be waking up any time soon judging by the knock I gave him."
"No, he'd probably use the information that we'd give him if we took him inside against us. We'll keep hi out here for now." The Abbess decided, then she took a bite of her cheese.
Willow stared at the Wildcat. He looked familiar, like he'd seen him before.
He looked up at the abbess. "Miss, haven't you seen him before?" He looked back at Argunath. "I saw you talking with him earlier on, I believe."
OOC: Hold it. Nor, Argunath is in the woods leaning against a tree unconscious, surrounded by the grisly remains of his battle. Why are you talking to him?
Ooc: Because Reven found him, and everyone came to look at Argunath. The Abbess came, and I was talking to her, not Argunath.
OOC: Oh, sorry. Took a closer look at it. :P Never mind.
Ooc: For a second there I thought I was wrong. Glad I was wrong about my wrongness. :P
OOC: I need someone to awaken Argunath.
Ooc: Consider it done. 8)
Bic: Willow, not sure of what to do ( just as always), promptly emptied his canteen over Argunath's face. He leaned over him and pounded his chest with his paw.
Argunath was wrenched from his slumber and his reddened eyes shot open. Still not fully awake or recovered from the Bloodwrath, he swung out with his gauntleted paws, spluttering water.
"Get away!" He cried, "Get away from the monster!" He half got up, but slumped back down, still bleeding.
"Why, Argunath! are you alright?" The Abbess exclaimed, then the realization sunk in. "Monster? You're no monster. Bryant, would you get Willow's supplied?" Rosemary asked, sinking down to her Kees by Argunath.
His eyes were beginning to clear, but the cougar was still not calmed.
"Not a monster? Look around you!" Blood dripped from his paw as he pointed at the destroyed corpses littered about, their faces masked with pain and death, the crushed body of Grag nearby, and there, in a small bundle of spikes and fur, the little hedgehog. "I did this! I killed them all! They were powerless against me! And the little one's life. I could have prevented this! I did not have to kill! But. . . that's all I am: a monster that kills and destroys."
He rose and supported himself against the tree.
"Say the word and I'll leave; I'm just another thing out of a story to warn your children of when they are bad. I'm just another monstrosity to blemish this land."
OOC: Haha, I actually intended Yassen to be the one dragged over, since it would be a PP if I knocked out Skraz's character like that. :D I suppose it can work this way though. (Will get in a post when I've got more time.)
OOC: Skarzs, Argunath isn't in the woods any more. Shade's character Reven dragged you over to the wall gate, remember?
BIC: Rosemry rapped his paw sharply, "You are no monster! You did what you thought was right. And you're NOT leaving until you rid yourself of this RIDICULOUS idea!"
OOC: Sorry. Didn't see that.
BIC: Argunath gritted his teeth and wiped away the blood that spilled into his eye from the cut on his head, and dug into his leg to pull out the dagger blade. His faced twitched in pain as he extricated the bloody piece, holding it out and showing Rosemary.
"If you do not see me as a monster, then what am I?"
"Someone with a terrible infliction by the name of Bloodwrath, and a tendency to blame himself for any misfortune that falls around the beasts around him. Realize that things happen for a reason, no matter how dreadful. And please don't shove that thing in my face."
The cougar said nothing, but threw the offending object into the underbrush.
He took a few steps toward the abbey, but sunk to his uninjured leg. His vision blurred as he groped for something to support himself with.
"Lost too much blood," Argunath mumbled wearily. He looked up for a moment at the sandstone building.
"Oh. . ."
He collapsed again.
OOC: He needs medical attention. His leg is now openly bleeding, his head is bleeding, his neck is torn from Grag's bite, and he is hurt in all the gaps in his armor.
"Oh! Bryant, pleae hurry!" Rosemary muttered under her breath, then ran over and started packing some leaves from a bush nearby in his head wound. That nifty trick always worked, and she started putting them in the other places where he was bleeding.
Willow was glad Argunath was alive, but he wasn't sure how long that would last. "Abbess, is there any way that I could assist?"
"Yes! Go find Bryant, I sent him to fetch your medical supplies and herbs. Oh, there he is! Do you thing!" The Abbess said, still tearing leaves off the bush and packing them into the chinks of the cat's armor.
-------------
Bryant came running over, huffing and puffing, he shoved Willow's bag at him, then collapsed on the grass, a stitch in his side. He rolled over onto his elbow, "Is...Huff, huff,....He...Puff, puff, ...going to be....Pant, pant, ....Alright?" He asked, breathing hard. It was a long way from the Informary to the wallgate, and he'd ran it and back in an incredibly short time.
Willow patted Bryant on the back. "Good run, impressive." He leaned over Argunath's bleeding body and set to work. He pulled out a sparkling clean needle, and some thin vine string. "This is an herb that will seal the wound faster." He said as he gestured to the string. He began stitching the various wounds together. "Abbess. Milady, you can stop stuffing his head with leaves, now." He removed a few of the leaves, and poured some salvant on a cloth. "This should clot the bleeding." He said.
OOC: I actually started laughing at, "Abbess. Milady, you can stop stuffing his head with leaves now."!! I'm still stopping to laugh every few letters!
BIC: Rosemary stopped, rather sheepishly. "Oops. Well, it worked." She said, blushing.
---------------
Bryant received Willow's pat, and just lay there, panting. He propped himself on one elbow when he heard Willow say, "Abbess. Milady, you can stop stuffing his head with leaves, now." He burst out laughing, just 'cause ity sounded dfunny. Stuffing his head with leaves!
Ooc: Wow, was it that good of a joke? ;)
OOC: Yes! Stuffing his head with leaves! Hahahaha!! Oh, dear me....Heehee!
OOC: I don't find that funny. :P Am I missing something or am I just that emotionless?
Wow, I sound so serious. Geez.
Ooc: I meant it purely as sarcasm. Apparently its funny. :D Oh well. So, is Argunath gonna bolt awake anytime soon?
OOC: Say it out loud, Skarzs. Stuffing his head with leaves!
OOC: Nope. Still not working. :P
I'm such a terrible person.
@Nor: Yeah.
BIC: Argunath jolted awake. He sat up quickly, but immediately regretted this impulsive action, lowering himself back down. His head throbbed with pain and his neck ached; thankfully it felt they had stopped bleeding. He opened his eyes, seeing the faces of Willow and Rosemary. Turning his head slowly, he also saw Bryant chuckling about something.
Keeping his expression serious and his voice deadpan, he inquired of the squirrel, "Aren't you supposed to be going on a journey or something?"
A bit odd that those was the first words out of his mouth as soon as regaining consciousness from his wounds, but he did not wish to be the cause of further delay.
"Who, me?" Bryant asked, then said, "No, Bryony's the one going with Willow and Aggril. Speaking of him, where IS Aggril?"
Argunath grunted and covered his eyes with his tail; it was a wonder it had never been cut off in all his battles. The cougar grit his teeth and sat up slowly.
"Abbess, may I make a request?"
"Of course. But you are not leaving this Abbey until you've rid yourseklf of the idea of you're being a monster, which is untrue." Rosemary said, glaring at the tail which was covering the cat's eyes.
The cat moved his tail aside, looking seriously at the abbess. "My request is that I may have some food. I have not eaten for a very long time." He smiled weakly.
"I will admit I am not a monster when I prove I am not. Also, though I respect your authority and order that I stay until I say I am not a monster, I doubt anybeast would have the ability to stop me if were to leave."
"Of course you may have some food! Bryant, if you're recovered....??" Rosemary said, looking at Bryant, who obligingly picked himself up and started walking away. "It won't get here quite as fast as Willow's things, but it won't be long." He called, now trotting. Rosemary then looked at Argunath again. "I'm sure I could use my sling accurately." She said threateningly. "You WILL stay here."
"Good luck with that," he mumbled. He had no real intention of leaving; indeed, how could he? He could barely sit, let alone stand and walk. He knew the abbess had only the best intentions in mind, but what if he lost control again? It would indeed be a tragic day for all.
"Thank you, for your help." He said quietly. He moved his paw to his empty scabbard. "And may somebeast retrieve my sword? I believe it's stuck in a tree, back there." He furrowed his brows. "There was one more cat back there; gave him a chance to flee. Have you seen him?"
Willow smiled as Argunath revived. He stood up silently and yanked the sword free of the yew tree.
"Aye, here you go." He said, as he solemnly handed him his sword.
"So, are you staying?" He said, in a lower voice.
Bryant walked leasurely up, carrying trasy with food on on them on each paw, balancing them perfectly. "One for the big cat, and one for me, which I will gladly share." He said, setting one of them down. It had scones, with meadowcream and a small selection of jams and jellies on the side, some nut farls, a bowl of vegetable soup, and a large slice of cake. With a knife, fork, and spoon, of course. "Hope you like it, mate." He said, then at down and started eating from his tray, which had similar fare, except his veggie soup had a large selection of diced nuts in it.
Argunath took the falcate easily from Willow's paws and stuck it in the ground beside him. His face twitched in silent pain as he twisted to get his food. "Thank you, squirrel." He sipped the soup straight from the bowl, as the spoon was much too small for his paw. "This is very good; thank you. And to answer your question, Willow: Yes, I am staying. Circumstances require me to stay, and others do not permit me to leave." He propped himself up against the wall. Taking a scone, he bit into it, purring contentedly.
He stopped himself suddenly; it was slightly embarrassing for others to see him purr, as it was peculiar in a cat of his size. "Alright, you three. If any of you, mention to any beast that I purr. . ." He shook his gauntlet at them.
"All cats purr, don't they?" Bryant asked, looking at Argunath quizzically. He took another sip of his soup, stowed a a particularly hard and stubborn nut in his cheek, and said, "Oh, by the way, my name's Bryant, not squirrel. And I most certainly not tell anyone that you purr, even though it seems that that would be a natural thing for all cats to do." He then started crunching his nut.
Willow got up and walked over to Bryony. "So, when do we plan to leave?"
Bryony shrugged, "Whenever you're ready, I'm ready."
OOC: Not all cats purr; the cougar is the largest cat to be able to do so. :P
BIC: The cougar, satisfied they would not tell of it, ate the rest of his meal in silence, enjoying the good food and watching the others. "Bryony and Bryant, eh?" he said quietly. His siblings had names similar; brothers and sisters far, far away. A sudden bit of homesickness leaked into his heart, then was gone and replaced with his constant grave manner.
He could never go back to those high mountains, with their coldly refreshing wind, hills of green covered in tall trees, and air with the feeling as if it had never been touched by a living thing before.
Far away.
His goal was to go back one day, but whether alive or in spirit he knew not. But first. . .
He tried to get up to help the travelers be on their way, using his sword for support and wobbling uncertainly from his wounds. He stepped slowly forward. "Is there anything I can do?"
Reven stared uncomfortably at the large cat, wondering wether to apologize for the fact that he had dragged Argunath to the abbey intending for him to be a hostage. The cougar could probably rip him in two if he still held a grudge, but since this hadn't happened already he reckoned he'd got off lightly.
~
Meanwhile, in the fringe of trees just off Redwall, Yassen leaned against a trunk. The young wildcat's mind was still fraught with worry; Where was he meant to go now? He noted it could be possible to break into the abbey, but that again there were at least four well-trained warriors there, including the monster cat. He didn't fancy his chances against that lot.
OOC: How far away is the army?
OOC: 'Rip him in two'. ;D Well put.
BIC: "I'd like to thank you for getting me back here," Argunath said to Reven without turning to him. "Though why you did it is beyond me. Don't bother explaining; I'd rather not know." He limped painfully away from the others, toward the abbey pond, all the while leaning heavily upon his falcate.
Rosemary chased after him, yelling, "Hey! If you're going to walk around - Which you shouldn't be - At least use a proper stick!!"
--------------
Bryony saw a flash of homesicknes in the big cat's eyes, and thought maybe he wasn't so tough as he liked to appear. She walked over Reven. "Hey, promise me you'll take care of Bryant and Rosemary while you're here and I'm gone, will you? I don't think I'd rest easy without someone looking after them." She said, looking up at his face; He had a good two inches on her!
"Indeed, I am not supposed to be walking. But I'm not about to be helped about like a senile old fart who can't take care of himself." He did not like not being able to move about; it wasn't natural to him to stay under some other beast's care. He reached the pond bank before Rosemary reached him, and eased himself down onto the grass.
"Oh, you stubborn old cat!" Rosemary cried, then reached him and flopped down.
Argunath looked at her. "Is the molebabe alright? I fear he will never be the same after that experience." He suddenly remembered one more thing, and cried out in painful remembrance.
"The little hedgehog; he is still out there midst the dead cats!"
He attempted to go retrieve the sad little bundle for proper burial. He would do what was right if it killed him.
Arya walked up just when Argunath asked about the mole babr. "Yes, Guggum is fine physically, but I fear he will never forget the shock of wht happened out there." She said quietly, and when Argunath remembered the hedgehog, "Stay there! I'll go get his little body to bring him back to Redwall." She said this sharply, for she did not want to take any chances on him going into a rage again. She continued, softer, "I can go be tree and have less chance of being spotted by any other cats out there. I'm sure you want to do the right thing, and that is resting at the moment." She then started walking quickly toward the wallgate again, and out into the woods.
The cougar was torn between listening to Arya's common sense and the pressing feeling of responsibility for the loss of the hedgehog.
To try and remove the thought from his mind, he took off his gauntlets and unbuckled his armor; he couldn't keep the battle-worn shell on if he were to rest. Taking it off, he looked down at his tunic: ripped and blood-stained from countless battles. Between tears in the cloth he could see the horrible scars inflicted upon his many seasons ago, when he lost her. . .
Argunath crossed his arms in an effort to hide some of the revealed scars.
Rosemary coughed, then politely asked, "Would you to change and freshen up?" He couldn't very well go wandering around Redwall dressed ion that rag!
"Yes, actually." He was quite embarrassed and awkward; all other creatures around were wearing nice green habits, while here he was clad in a filthy relic of a tunic that had not been complete for seasons.
He put his armor back on.
"Okay. I'll go in, prepare your room and bring in a ready tub, come get you, then leave again. Sound good?" The Abbess said, standing up. "Oh, and do you have any preference to habit cord color? I'll lay some out in your room with your habit, since I'm afraid that's all we have." She said as an after thought. They had all sorts of nice colors, and some beasts were picky. Besides, wouldn't you like it better if you could choose?
The cougar chuckled. "Anything big enough to fit me will be fine, thank you. I learned a long time ago not to be picky and choosy for such things as those. I will be here."
These were good beasts, he thought. Kind, peaceful, respectful. . .
Nothing like that lot further south; but they wouldn't be bothering any goodbeast anymore.
He turned his thoughts to the horde of cats he had been told about. How many were they? How well armed were they? And would they get any help from the 'fire mountain' called. . . Salamerstan? Such odd names in this part of the world. If the horde was very large, they would need all the reinforcements they could get. Perhaps they were already being attacked?
So many questions unable to be answered.
Willow had gone back to his dorm. He swapped out his sandals for some leather boots he had made in his spare time, and kept them a secret. He laced them on, and put on his gloves. He plopped himself down on his bed.
"Why was that Wildcat here? I know he's on our side, I think. But why a wildcat? Weren't we warned against them?"
He got up strapped his dirk across his waist. He sprinted across the lawns, and to the gate where everyone was.
"Hey, nice boots Willow!" Bryant commented, eying his sister and the guys` squirrel. He didn't like it, not one bit.
OOC: Just a need for clarification. What didn't Bryant like? ???
OOC: Bryony and Reven standing there yapping. Standing kinda close, yapping. ;)
OOC: Ah. . .
BIC: Argunath felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, as if somebeast was watching him. Turning, he looked a couple Redwallers glance quickly away from him. He sighed inwardly. So, just because he was a cat, that made him bad in their eyes. They probably didn't know of his recent fight with members of the enemy, but it still peeved him. He had seen squirrels and mice as bad as Grag and the other cats; stereotypical ideas could not be trusted. Trying to keep calmed, he turned back and ignored their gaze.
Trust.
There were few things so hard to do as change the way you firmly believe as true and trust something that is. . . different.
He wondered how many more creatures here were suspicious of him.
Rosemary came back, as his room was ready. "It's ready!" She said cheerfully, glaring at a Redwaller was backing away from Argunath, looking at her like she was crazy. Maybe she was. She didn't care, really.
Reven was relieved that the big cat didn't want to know more about his treatment. Indeed, if the cogour had been awake during the incident he doubted he'd be lining up the shake Reven's paw any time soon. The dark-furred squirrel tried to turn his mind to more important things like... Bryony?! Reven was almost angry with himself. No. Don't go down that road. Love and being a mercenary was not a healthly mix.
~
Yassen had come to the realization that there was not a settlement of civilization for miles besides Redwall. He had come up with a plan for survial; When night came he would pick the lock of one of the wallgates, and then sneak into the cellers,or storerooms, whatever was easiest. He would then scoff as much as he could, and then grab a sack or something and fill it with as much goods as possible, then creep out again. Mayhaps this would be enough to keep him going 'till the horde arrived. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was the only thing he could come up with.
The big cat grunted as he rose. "Thank you, Rosemary. I'll find it on my own." He looked at the main gates. "I hope their journey is unhindered, for their sake and yours. I know what it's like to lose a friend." He shuffled away towards the abbey building.
"Dinner is going to served in an hour!" Rosemary called, then walked hot the Kitchens, still hungry.
-------------------------------
Bryony waited for Reven's response, then looked rather hurt when he didn't say anything. "Okay then, it was nice to meet you. I can ge someone else to make sure that they stay safe, " She said quickly then walked over to Bryant.
Reven snapped out of his thought chain instantly.
"Oh, sorry! Head in the clouds, ya know?"
The dark-furred squirrel was annoyed with himself for showing such bad manners to these kind abbey beasts. Hopefully sometime soon he would be able to prove he was grateful for their hospitality.
After a bit of searching, Argunath found the room prepared for him. At least he didn't have to wind his way around too many creatures; anybeast in front of him kept a good distance as soon as they saw the cougar. Some were slightly angry, and many were afraid;he wished it were otherwise.
Putting aside his articles, he found the bath warm and comfortable. Argunath was pleased; he had not had a warm bath since he was a child. When he was done he put on the tunic Rosemary had gotten him. Thankfully it fit him. Inspecting his wounds one last time, he sat down in a chair to rest.
Bryony stopped, and turned back toward Reven, and walked a step closer. "Ah." She said, eying him. Then she reached down, swiped one of Bryant's farls, and munched it, ignoring his "Hey! Give it back, you lazy bum!" She asked Reven, "Hang on a moment, will you? Hold this, please." She passed him the bread, then promptly got Bryant into a headlock and ruffled his headfur, saying, "Not anymore, ya big beetle brain! You stay out of trouble, baby brother, got it? And I'm not the lazy bum, that's you!" She let him go, reclaimed her nut farl, and took a bite out of it. "{Hey, I just ran from the Infirmary and back, then to the Kitchens and back, and I'M the lazyt one? Then again, you're the one who's going to have all the fun, going to that mountain, and I have to go back to our tree house!" He protested, wanting to with Bryony. She cuffed his ear playfully, then turned back Reven, ignoring her brother's sulking. "Sorry about that. Baby brothers, you know."
-------------------------------------
Arya came walking over, and watched the her two friends tussle, and shook her head. "Oh, that Bryony." She muttered, adjusting the sword on her back, nodded to Reven, and then called, "Hey, Bryony! I'm going to be right back. Can I trust you not to go punching anyone?" Then, she disappeared over the wall. She came back in still wide-open gate in a few minutes, carrying the baby hedgehog.
"Aye, used to have one meself," Reven grinned. He smiled in amusement as Bryony and Bryant tussled. Him and his brother used to be like that... Used to. The scarred squirrel hid a tear as he remembered the fate of his younger sibling. It was as fresh as yesterday, that haunting scream as a savage wildcat's spear impailed his younger brother. His brother had been too slow. As he wiped damp eyes, hoping no beast would notice, Falco strolled up to him.
"Hey. Dinner's gonna be served in about an hour, apparently. So you can scoff to yer heart's content."
Reven rolled his eyes, and shoved Falco back playfully. "Look how's talk, ya great fat branch-bender."
Bryony looked at Reven, and saw him trying to hide a few tears. She looked away, and heard Falco walking up. "Oh, it's you again." She said without much enthusiasm. Hey, she was perfectly happy without a mate. Any guys paying her compliments got punched. Friends she could do. Mates she could not. She acknowledged Arya's call with a bob of her head. Speaking of Arya, maybe he could try her paw at match-making! Not such a bad idea. Her and this squirrel, not the other one. Yes, those two would be good together. "Are you two brothers or something?" She asked, noticing how they pushed each other around. Just then, Bryant sneaked up on her, and put his paws over her face. She shrieked and spun. "Don't DO that, Bryant!" She scolded, then she gave him a playful shove. Thew two of them started wrestling, and did not notice Arya walking by with the dead Dibbun she carried. ?Arya gave a small, sad smile at the male squirrels, but continued walking, even though the Dibbun was quite heavy.
Argunath left his armor, but kept the sword in the sheath at his side. Leaving the room, the cougar moved as quietly as he could, careful not to disturb anyone. Making his way to the abbey doors, he looked out, seeing Arya carrying the sad bundle of the baby hedgehog. He began limping toward her; he was determined to help.
Arya saw Argunath, and bit her lip, not really wanting the cougar to see the Dibbun. But then, certainly he had a right? Besides, there was only one way into the Abbey.
Upon reaching Arya, Argunath looked down at the hedgehog. "I am sorry, little one," he whispered to the dead Dibbun. He closed his eyes and gripped his paws, restraining the fiery urge to seek out revenge, despite the amount of lives he had already taken. Relaxing, he spoke to the squirrel. "Where is he to be buried?"
"I don't know yet. Right now, it is my job to take him to the
Infirmary, so that he may be ready for burial." Arya said, pausing for a moment. Then she continued walking, and walked up to the Abbey door. "Would you....." She asked, motioning with her head to the door.
Argunath obliged. He walked past her and held the door open. It was the least he could do in the situation.
Ooc: I know this is an important moment and all, and I would love to post with Willow, but I can't really post until we leave (on the adventure). So, any suggestions?
OOC: I thought you guys were already out the gate. :P Ehm, maybe you could come back 'cause you forgot something? I don't really know.
OOC: You are still in the gate (Bryony's going, and she's tussling with her brother, who's sulky because she won't allow him to go) But Ungatt hasn't been on. Anyone want Aggril? I can't take him; I'm too overloaded.
OOC: Who is Aggril again?
OOC: Aggril is Ungatt Trunn's character. Ungatt was the first one to join the RP as a Quester.
OOC: Oh, aye. Hmm. . . Maybe any in the group leaving to Salamandastron can PP him for a bit, till Ungatt comes back.
OOC: Then they would have my full agreement. Skarzs, perhaps you would?
OOC: Sure! I'll look closer at his character sheet and the posts as him to get an idea of how to best 'be' him. I'll do my best.
Okay, I'm pretty sure I could do his character for a bit. Hope that's alright? :)
OOC: What time 'o day is it? It's probably been stated before, but I'm so blissfully ignorant. ::)
Afternoon, I believe. :P
OOC: That's fine with me Skarzs! But do please remember your OOC:s. Shade, it's late afternoon. But not so late as the questors can't go!
OOC: Oops. :P
BIC: Aggril walked up to the tussling squirrels. "Bryony, when you're done saying your goodbyes, can we leave? It's getting late." He motioned to Willow to follow him to the gate. "Last one to Salamandastron is a boiled frog!"
Bryony ruffled Bryant's headfur one last time, said a quick good-bye to the others, and ran out the gate after the others. "Wait for me, you rotters!" She yelled.
"That's 'otter' to you, squiggle!" Aggril called back. He was glad they were on their way; they had taken too long. Adjusting the pack on his back, he breathed in deeply. "Ah, can you feel it Willow?"
"Hey, I'm no Squiggle! I'm a squirrel!" She said, catching up to them. "I'll do some scouting ahead, OK
?" She asked, then went up a tree without waitring for answers. No one moves faster in trees than squirrel, just as no one moves faster than otters in water.
Willow sighed. "Oh yes, I can feel it Aggril. It feels nice." He smiled a rare smile, and inhaled through his nose. He was enjoying this, even though it had just begun. He had a good feeling about this, and he hoped it would stay this way.
Bryony came back, putting the sling as she used as a belt back around her waist. "All clear; I just had to knock out a weasel. He's tied up over there." She said, then motioned back the way she'd come.
The otter raised an eyebrow. "Took out a weasel already?" He was quiet, then laughed, slapping Bryony heartily on her back. "Ho ho, this means good luck, mates!" He ran off a little. "Adventure awaits!"
Yassen was out foraging, as he reckoned he ought to be doing something until he raided the abbey, when he heard voices. Brushing through the trees, he sighted two otters and a squirrel. There might be more, but as far as he could see, that was it. He suddenly realized this could be his chance of surrival; All he had to do was steal their food packs, it should be easy in theory. All plans of breaking into the abbey went out the window. He started to stalk them, keeping a good difference between.
Argunath had seen Bryony leave, and silently hoped for the group's safety.
He followed Arya inside, his presence keeping all creatures out of the squirrel's way and making a clear path to wherever they were headed.
Arya went to the Infirmary, and laid the poor Dibbun down. "There.....Now I just have to find the person in charge of the Infirmary." She said, then wiped away a tear. "He's just so young...." She said, her face starting to tremble, then she made an effort to pull herself together.
-----------------------------------------
Bryony was nearly knocked over when Aggril slapped her on the back, and by chance saw a wildcat through the trees. She went with the two otters for a few paces, then slipped away from the group, attempting to get him from behind.
"Wha-" Aggril wondered why Bryony had gone off suddenly; it spelled trouble. "Come on, mate, we're not about to lose our luck now; we just started!" He said quietly. The otter motioned Willow to follow him, silently following after Bryony.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argunath folded his paws behind his back, not sure what to do. He had never had to console anybeast before, but he tried anyway. "Ayr, or whatever your name is, little squirrel, you did what you could. I am sorry you have been brought into this." She was trying not to cry, he could tell; crying was not something he had dealt with for seasons. The cougar decided the best thing to do would be to was to remove her from the area. "Come, let us find the Infirmary keeper, and maybe see if there is anything to do or help with, somewhere else. . ."
Willow drew his dirk. He knew something was up. He got low in the bushes and crept forward, slowly in the direction on Bryony. He was as silent as a shadow, moving from one tree to the next.
He saw Bryony's target, a Wildcat. His blood ran hot. These were the beasts that attacked the Abbey and slew the baby Hedgehog. His mind was working in a way he had never seen it work before.
Thoughts ran through his mind. Revenge must be exacted. One swift stab. You can do it quickly. His back is turned.
Before he could stop himself he was already behind the Wildcat, blade raised. Before he plunged down, he had the mercy to just use the pommel, cracking it down on the back of the Wildcat's skull, hoping to just incapacitate him.
Arya swiftly wiped her eyes, managing a chuckle that sounds rather off, "Look at me, the Abbey Warrior, crying like a babe!" She said, then noticed the big cat's akwardness, and that he did not know her name as she was leaving the room. "Oh, er, I'm Arya, Champion and Warrior of Redwall Abbey." She extended a pw.
Argunath shook the preferred paw. "Well, Arya, Champion and Warrior of Redwall Abbey, I can tell you fit the position. You are not a killer as myself; you have more compassion than I." A sister came to the door, standing a respectful distance away from him. "Are you the Infirmary Keeper?" He asked. The shrew nodded nervously. "There is a little hedgehog in there who needs to be prepared for his final rest." He said this solemnly, and the sister entered the room to. . . do her job. He himself felt the need to leave. "Tell me, Arya, do you have a weapon for your rank?"
Arya nodded, then she drew the sword that was always on her back. "This is the blade of Martin the Warrior, a Founder of the Abbey. He went to his final rest countless seasons ago, but it is rumored that the Badger Lord of the great Mountain Salamandastron made this blade from the metal of a star. There hasn't been a blade yet that can best the one!" She said, then did a little demonstration with it, which including giving Argunath's whiskers a haircut. She then proffered it to him, handle first. "Care to try it?" She asked, smiling slightly.
Argunath scratched at his shortened whiskers. "Haven't seen a beast swing a sword like that since my grandfather." He took the blade; little more than a dagger in his massive paw, but a very well made and deadly weapon nonetheless. He tested the edge. "This is an excellent knif- I mean, sword. The metal," he bent it slightly, and it sprang back, "Is incredible. I hope it comes to good use in your capable paws." The cougar gave back the weapon.
"When do we eat?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aggril watched Willow swing his dagger pommel, and could only hope for the best.
"Aye, it's a good blade." Arya said as she took the sword back, and in one fluid movement, sheathed it again. "Whenever you're hungry, all you haver to do is ask and food will appear, if you're in the right spot." Arya said, then managed a small laugh, "Come on, dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes."
"Thank you," said Argunath. "If the food given to me earlier was anything to gauge on, I will certainly enjoy it."
"That? That was nothing!" Arya laughed, walking down the stairs, and then across the Great Hall. "Why, we have only the best cooks here at Redwall. Cooks that can cook soup, broth, stew, scones, cakes, trifles, pasties, pies, and more! Plus cellars full of October Ale, and fizzes, cordials, wines, and surups! Not mention the cheeses! Oh, the cheeses! I do rather like cheese." She continued, then looked at Argunath and added teasingly, "Is your mouth watering yet?"
"If you say any more I might eat you to keep you from continuing your torturous list of delicacies." He chuckled. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean it literally, of course." He went silent in awkward apology.
Ooc: Ahem? I'm beating a wildcat to death with the pommel of my dagger. Um, you're the GM, so I can't PP what happens. So, what happens? ;D
OOC: I was not going to post as Aggril until Shade posts. When he's on, go poke him in the ribs to post here.
OOC: What is it with you people! My dad is starting to wonder what happens here that's so funny! I keep laughing at your posts, Nor. Stuffing his head with leaves? Beating a wildcat to death with your dagger pommel? Anyways, we wait until Shade posts, since I don't want anyone to be doing any PPing with the other guy's permission.
BIC: Arya smiled, "Hey, not all of us are that paranoid." She saiud, accepting his apology in a way that wouldn't bruise his ego. She hoped. "So, eat me huh? You won't have too! Race you to Cavern Hole!" She said, seeing out ofg the corner of her eye one of the Friar's Assistants coming out of the Kitchens with a pot and ladle, which he began banging, and then the bells tolled.
Argunath smiled; he could go fast even with his injured leg. Backing up, he ran, then jumped and sailed over her. "Better try to keep up, squirrel!"
OOC: Wow, I didn't think it was that funny. I guess my subtle sense of humor is appreciated. ;D
I might fill out a roleplay form so I be someone at Redwall. ;)
OOC: Yeah, sorry about that Nor. Certain difficulties... :P BIC:
Yassen spun around at a slight sound behind him, but he was too slow. The pommal of a blade hit a glancing blow to the back of his head. His vision blurred slightly as he saw a shadowy figure. The wildcat grabbed hold of a low branch a flipped himself up. He snapped a partly rotten piece as defence and called out, still not quite sure what had just attacked him.
"Show yerself, stoat. I ain't afraid of sneaky vermin."
He peered through the leaves, wondering if his attacker would flee or reply.
Bryony motioned for the two otters to stay put, than vaulted up the tree noiselessly. She was a squirrel, after all. "Stoat,. what stoat? I do believe you mean otter, kitty." She said, tapping him on the shoulder. She was lounging on the branch, obviously trying to hold back a smile. "Oh, and if you don't want a flying lesson, you might want to open your mouth and start talkin', kitty." She added, being serious. She did have powerful legs. And add to the fact she'd had to shove others off a branch before. Hey, who said living in Mossflower Woods wasn't dangerous?
---------------------------------------------------
Arya grinned, then put on a burst of speed and ran up Argunath's back and pushed off his shoulders when he landed, landing in Cavern Hole. She ran over to the table and placed a paw on it. "Hah!"
Yassen growled. He had the skills the best any creature in a tree. Apart from a squirrel.
"Well? What do you want? I ain't got anything of value here."
He glanced at the other two beasts that were with her, which he could see were otters. Mayhaps he'd be able to outrun them. He didn't see what good he'd be to them anyway.
"Well, it would sure be nice to know why you were interested ion my and my mates." Bryony said coldly, all pretenses of being jovial gone. She was dead serious. And, if need be, she'd follow up on the "Dead" part. "I suppose you're a scout from the horde bent on capturing Redwall? Because if you are, then I have a messgae for to take to that Grain and Grinda." She growled. Then, "Well, what are you waiting for? Speak up!"
Aggril came up cautiously to the two creatures, keeping his javelin ready; he decided it was time to get a different approach on the wildcat. "Listen, I don't think I can keep my friend here from killing you for very long, or cutting off your claws one by one, so I suggest you tell her for your safety. I don't want to see you die." He winked secretively to Bryony.
"All I wanted was some food," Yassen said. "And what do yew know about Grain an' Grinda? I don't know where they be. And yew..." he turned, his flaming orange eyes directly on Aggril. "... if yew were the one wot hit me, yer better keep yer eyes open. I might decide to take revenge."
He thought for a moment, then he had an idea. "How about I take yew bunch to the horde, and yew can have a nice scount around, like. In return I get some vittles. How about that?"
Aggril crossed his arms. "Alright, we'll give you somethin' to eat; but if you really want food, you're going to stay right there for a few moments." The otter beckoned Bryony down. "We need to talk about this."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argunath stalked in after Arya. "I would say you cheated, but it matters not." He grinned showing his fangs. "Maybe next time you will be beaten."
He looked around at the tables. "Where shall one sit?"
"You're a guest, so naturally you sit by the Abbess's chair." Arya said, walking over to a spot near a huge, ornately carved chair, with a somewhat smaller, but still carved exquisitely, chair near it. She pulled out the chair on the other side of the huge one, that was less fancier than the Abbey Warrior's chair, but nicer than the rest. She pulled it out, "This is the visitor's chair. Mine is that one on the other side, and the great big fancy one is the Abbess Rosemary's." She said, then ordered him to sit. "I'm going to help the servers." She said sternly.
Argunath stood uncertainly for a moment, then went to the "visitor's chair" to sit down.
It broke beneath his weight.
Looking around at the astonished faces around him, he removed the fragments of the late visitor's chair, mumbling that he would be fine sitting on the floor.
OOC: Argunath and Arya are early.
BIC: Arya heard splintering wood and turned around, and saw Argunath on the floor amidst the remains of the visitor's chair. "Oh! Well, it was a bit rickety anyway." She said, telling the truth. "Good thing that our carvers decided to replace it, and were going to tonight."
"Oops."
He rose to get rid of the broken pieces. Great, he thought. I'm going to destroy everything here. This place wasn't built for creatures like me.
"When will the Abbess be here? I need to ask her something."
Kaylan the young ottermaid entered Cavern Hole for a moment to see if dinner was being served yet. She immediately spotted a large cougar standing by a pile of splintered chair. The ottermaid had heard about some big cat visiting Redwall, and she had been surprised that the Abbess would have permitted such a thing. After all, there was an army of wildcats coming to attack the Abbey, and there was a very real possibility that the cat was a spy. And now here he was, right in front of her, with her new friend Arya close by.
She stood at the bottom of the steps without speaking to the cougar, but nodded at Arya. But at the same time, she was wondering why, with the threat of war looming, nearly everybeast seemed to trust the cougar - what was his name, Arkumath? Well, she definitely didn't trust him. He's totally a spy, she thought. She'd already mentioned her suspicions to several other Redwallers, but hadn't had a chance to talk to Arya about it yet. The ottermaid mounted the stairs to Great Hall and ran a paw over the bow and quiver of arrows slung across her back. I just know he's up to no good. I have to convince Arya. I just don't get why nearly everyone I talked to blindly trusts the Abbess even if she allows a CAT into Redwall. She headed up the stairs, intending to go to her room for a little while before dinner. She determined to talk with Arya later, when Argunath wasn't around.
The ottermaid wasn't naturally malicious - she was well-liked by her friends - but her prejudice against "vermin" was deeply ingrained. It wasn't her fault, really; she'd been orphaned as a Dibbun and raised by Skipper and his ottercrew, many of whom believed vermin were irredeemably evil. It was only natural that she'd come to believe the same thing.
OOC: Jukka, Great Hall is only used for big occasions, like Feasts. Dinner, however, is being served in Cavern Hole. :)
BIC: Arya started cleaning up the pieces, and was straightening up when she saw Kaylan., who ignored Argunath but nodded to her. "Hey, Kaylan!" She said, then sighed. "Um, I'm going to go get the new chair, OK?" She said, then went up the stairs and left Cavern Hole, and headed for Kaylan's room, hoping to catch up with her. She walked quickly, and soon saw the ottermaid. "Hey, Kaylan! Can I talk to you, please?"
Argunath watched Kaylan out of the corner of his eye. This was most definitely one of those who did not trust him. He put a paw on the hilt of his sword, still sheathed at his side, then took a deep breath, taking his paw off it. Now is not the time for rash actions, he thought. Not everyone trusts me, and making a scene will only make them even more distrustful.
Arya went toward the ottermaid, and he wondered what would come of it.
The cougar turned, stumbling on a fallen piece of the chair. Biting back a cry of pain, he looked at his leg wound: it had opened up again. Dragging himself to a corner, he lowered himself down, tightening the dressing on the wound. He would wait until food was served to move again.
OOC@Cornflower: Oops, I thought they were in Great Hall. :P I've fixed it. Skarzs, you may want to tweak your post slightly 'cause now Kaylan just stands there and then leaves, and doesn't walk past Argunath. :P
BIC: Kaylan turned to see her friend Arya. "Sure, what is it?"
Arya took a deep breath, then spoke, "Kaylan, I know that you don't really like vermin, but Argunath saved a Dibbun earlier, which would be why he's wearing bandages right now. Couldn't you be just a little more welcoming?" She asked, hoping the ottermaid wouldn't take it the wrong way./She didn't mean it rudely, or meanly, but in an semi-understanding and hopeful way. "I'm not asking you to go up and hug him and that sort of thing, just acknowledge him, please." Arya said, then put an arm around her shoulders and said laughingly, "Now, dinner's about ready. Perhaps we should see what kind of gruel they're serving?" She said jokingly, fervently hoping to lighten the tense mood.
"Well, if yer don't mind, could ye hurry up with yer talking? Cuz I'm stavin'." Yassen said. The cat didn't wish to be rude, all he wanted was a bite to eat.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Falco and Reven sat down silently at the table. They marveled at the amount of food displayed, but then again, hadn't they heard the legends? Redwall held enough to keep everybeast full for seasons.
Aggril spoke quietly to Bryony. "He know where the wildcat camp is; that could be helpful. At the same time, that isn't what we left to do, and we're already taking a great risk going out remotely near their camp. What do you think?" He glanced at Yassen. "I'm not about to deny a little food, even if they are a vermin."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argunath watched creatures coming in for the meal; he would wait a little longer before he joined them.
Kaylan let Arya speak her piece, but then replied, "Look. There's an army of cats about to attack this place, and Abbess Rosemary allows one inside! He's probably a spy or something! I'm not mad at you, I'm annoyed that nearly everybeast seems to trust that guy - whatshisname, Arkumath?"
The ottermaid paused, looked at her friend, then grinned momentarily. "Alright, let's go and eat. But I don't want to sit anywhere near that cat," she continued, face sobering. She left her room and headed back down the hall towards the stairs, then turned. "Coming?"
OOC: Shade, the food ain't served yet.
BIC: Arya grinned, then frowned when Kaylan said her piece. She jogged to catch up to the ottermaid, and looked at her. "Kaylan, I know you don't like vermin, and I know that wildcats are going to attack, but he hadn't heard of the horde. You very well that I have a gut feeling of whether or not I'm being lied to, and it said that he truely did not know. Please, Kaylan. Just be a bit more welcoming. Do I have to make you sit next to him?" She said, finishing off teasingly. But still, she was worried: What if Kaylan's insistence that Argunath was bad and a spy convinced
Abbess Rosemary to show her the away out of Redwall? Then she was broken by her thoughts when they passed some woodworkers with the new chair coming out of a room ahead.
Argunath stood up with a little grunt, watching the proceedings. Arya had brought the otter back, and a new chair was being brought in. Looks sturdier than the other one, he thought ruefully. He swished his tail in anticipation for the meal; he was quite hungry again.
Walking back to the tables, he waited.
Arya noticed that Argunath's bandage was rather pinkish, but did not say anything. Yet.
Kaylan seated herself at a table next to a family of mice and waited for the food to be served. She watched Argunath warily out of the corner of her eye. Arya's just too trusting. Okay, so maybe that cat saved a Dibbun, but that was likely just a clever ploy to get everybeast to trust him. She'd heard of a similar incident before, and didn't want her Abbey friends to all be killed thanks to their apparent gullibility.
Argunath sat silently, knowing he was being watched by at least one creature. Folding his paws, he too waited in silence.
OOC: Hey Corny, could you address Aggril? I can't really do anything with Yassen before him and Bryony talk. :P
OOC: Yeah, it's been a while wince you posted as her. :P
OOC: Sorry! I'm juggling WAAAY too many charries.
BIC: Bryony thought for a moment, then said, "No. No going to the vermin camp; For one, it's too risky. And two: Why on earth would he want to take us there? So, here's what I say: I escort him to the Abbey, and come back in plenty of time for us to actually get somewhere today. Now, don't say anything; Yes, he can climb a tree, but no beast can out do a squirrel in a tree, especially a squirrel who's flexible and has lived in the woods her whole life."
Aggril frowned. "We'll continue on until night; if you don't catch up by then, we'll wait until morning. I know you can handle yourself, but. . . bring the cat to the abbey? To Redwall?" He shook his head. "Alright." Then the otter remembered something. "Hey, that other creature! What was his name, Willow? He's there, and will probably be able to handle any trouble this cat gives him." He waved Bryony on. "We'll be seeing you, then!"
"Alright, I'll tell him." Bryony said to Aggril, then walked back over to the tree. "Hey, you up there! We've reached a decision. I'll take you to the Abbey of Redwall, and you may have some food there. Meanwhile, you will point out the direction of the horde, so my friends here don't walk right into their campsite. Oh, and you will stay at the Abbey until I or Abbess Rosemary says so. Deal?" She asked, glaring at Yassen. She'd added a few things, but they weren't big things.
Yassen dropped the dead branch he was still welding, and swiftly clambered out the tree. "Is this some sort of trap?" he growled. "I know what's in that abbey, a giant cat. We met earlier. I don't think he liked me. What's to say he won't rip my head off?"
"Nothing. But you stand a better chance in there than you do out here with us." Willow said, grinning. He had caught on to Aggril's plan. He begad idly pawing his dirk handle.
"If anything, he'll be your. . . 'protection'. So calm down and go with the nice squirrel," Aggril said. "C'mon, Willow; let's see how far we can get by dark. See ya later, mate!" he called to Bryony as he walked away.
Dinner was soon served, and Kaylan ate hungrily. It tasted like food always tasted at Redwall - delicious! Downing the last of her bowl of hotroot soup (made especially for the visiting ottercrew), she glanced at the serving trolleys laden with food, deciding to try some mushroom-and-leek pasties next.
Argunath was not quite sure what to eat; his diet as a child had consisted of hardly the diverse amounts of food served here. He piled his plate with everything, and ate with surprised satisfaction. He was in the middle of taking a bite from a large turnover when he stood up suddenly, hearing giggles and squeals as several Dibbuns were dragged into the air, holding desperately onto his long tail. He poked at them, and they giggled as they fell off.
"Mister Kitty tickles, hee hee hee!"
"Gaw, lookit the size of 'im! 'E's nearly as big as the whole abbey!"
"Can you play again, Mister Cat, sir?"
The cougar was surprised at this, and looked around pleadingly fro somebeast to help. He had never had to deal with little ones.
Willow followed quietly alongside Aggril, then piped up. "So, what do you say we do with the cat? I mean, he is kind of a threat. Do you think Bryony can handle herself with him?"
"Well, the only one he really has a quarrel with is you; good job back there, hitting him with yer knife, mate. Not only that, he has more than Bryony for the good ol' motivation: food. That cat only wanted some vittles. And he won't be expecting what he gets. I don't feel good doing it, but she insisted we go, and that's that. She seems a stubborn beast."
"Right, mate. Salamandastron, here we come." He said. He knew that they must make it there, and avoid danger, but somehow, he was more and more feeling ready for it.
Bryony grinned, "Catch ya later!" She called to her friends, then looked at .Yassen "Well, time we're off!" She said cheerfully, then set off briskly,
.............-----------------.............-....-.-.-.-.-.-.-.---.-.-.-.-.
Bryant was busy downing a bowl of his favourite soup when he heard
Dibbuns giggling, and then saw Argunath looking around pleadingly, with the babes surrounding his tail, begging him to play. He smiled at the big cat, and nodded encouragingly.
"Alright. . ." said Argunath slowly. "You little ones want to play?"
They all squealed.
"You ever played, 'juggle the babies'?"
"Hurr, what be that?"
The cougar smiled slowly. "I'll show you. All of you just relax, act like rocks, and get ready for a thrill."
Picking up three in his paws, he tossed one up in the air, then another, catching the first one and throwing the third one at the same time. He did this for a little while, then set them all back down, catching the last one expertly with his tail. He did this to the other three Dibbuns until they were all walking around giggling, thinking it was all great fun.
"Now I can eat", he chuckled. Turning back, he saw his plate pillaged of any sweet items he had, a last joke from the mischievous babes.
Bryant snorted with laughter, the collared a passing Dibbun who was eating something from Argunath's plate, whispered something in his ear, and gave him an apple turnover, from a batch he made. He wasn't a very good cook, but his apple turnovers were better than those of the Friar's. Everyone knew that, and he always had to make them every time he came to visit. The dibbun trotted up to Argunath, and held up the turnover, grinning like thus Cheshire Cat, so to speak.
Argunath picked up the little one, and took the turnover from his little paw.
"Thank you, tiny one." He smiled, and his teeth showed.
The Dibbun touched a fang. "Oh, it vebby sharp!"
Closing his mouth, the cougar set him down. "Yes, and so is a knife, tiny one. Now go along and eat."
He watched the innocent Dibbun scurry off, and he bit absentmindedly into the turnover. "Hm," he mumbled in satisfaction. Then he turned to the Abbess. "Who made this?"
OOC: I assume she is at table.
OOC Yeah......She's just really enjoying her vittles!!
BIC Rosemary looked at the turnover, then answered with a question: "Is that an apple turnover?"
He finished the morsel. ". . . Was an apple turnover. It's gone now." He grinned again.
"Bryant, then. He's most definitely not a good cook - He''s burned a few salads - But he makes the best apple turnovers." Rosemary replied, then grabbed the plate that was being passed up. It had two turnovers left, and she gave one to Argunath, and kept one for herself, then handed the plate to a Kitchen Assistant to be refilled.
"Thank you. And I must thank him as well." He sat back down. "I am concerned about the safety of your home. I do not know how far the cats' camp is, nor how many they number. The walls are secure enough, but the gates can be broken, and I do not know the amount of fighters you have here. I know this is not the best time, but the subject must be considered."
Rosemary noticed a few of Skipper's otters choke on their food, then glare at the cat next to her. "Um, how about we meet to discuss this right after dinner? I don't want them overly worried. They'll panic, which will help nothing." She asked, touching his paw. The plump little Abbess was quite concerned about the panic level in her Abbey, and discussing war tactics s at dinner was most decidedly NOT going to help.
Kaylan wasn't sitting too close to the Abbess, so she didn't hear anything she said. She continued eating, wondering when the wildcat army would decide to make their move. She was slightly nervous about the prospect of an all-out war, having only been in a skirmish with a small band of vermin the season before.
"Sorry," said Argunath. "It can wait, I suppose." He rose from his seat. "Thank you for the food and hospitality; I think I will take a little walk around the building, if it is alright."
"Yes, of course!" Rosemary replied, then attacked a pastime as big as her head enthusiastically.
The cougar limped off, toward the direction of the Great Hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aggril looked to the position of the sun as he and Willow trekked on.
"Well, we'll be able to travel a bit further; shame we didn't get too far today. Willow, mate, how be the goin'?"
Bryony had set the pace energetically, and hoped the cat could keep up.
As dinner was over, Kaylan headed to her room and set about fixing one of her arrows, which had broken.
After dinner, Arya had wandered off, and was going to her room to do some sword polishing and whatnot. As she passed Kaylan's room, she peeped in. "Hey, Kaylan! How's the arrow-fixing going?"
Travelling, David decided, was not so fun when you were on your own. Unfortunately if you have no friends or family and no home, it was an inevitable part of life. The cat was not one to think things over, he acted brashly and without thinking, the only time he ever thought was when he was bored. Boredom comes with not having fun, thus traveling is boring. Coming to this conclusion he sat down at the base of a tree and pulled out his notebook. The notebook was primarily used for two things, drawing and talking, the former was what was needed to alleviate boredom. He took one of his charcoal sticks from his belt and began to sketch, he had just finished drawing the basic outline of the head and shoulders of a cat when a squirrelmaid walked through his little patch of solitude, a wildcat trailing along behind her
"Hey, Kaylan! How's the arrow-fixing going?"
"Fine," the ottermaid replied. As the arrow shaft had cracked near the tip, she had cut the shaft off below the break. Right then she was in the process of fastening a new bone tip to the now shorter shaft. Kaylan finished a moment later and held it up so Arya could see. "There. Good as new."
OOC: Jet, I'm pretty sure Yassen is a wildcat, not a leopard. :P
BIC: Argunath stalked along the halls of Redwall, looking around at the high decorated windows and tall, proud pillars. Then he came upon a large tapestry. The cougar searched it with his eyes, his tail twitching behind him. His gaze came to rest on the likeness of a mouse in armor, holding the sword Arya had in her use. The mouse's face was stern, but also kind, and patient. Behind his confident stance vermin fled, as well as a wildcat. Argunath smiled slightly, remembering the one whom he had told to run.
"Deceased warrior, I know not your name, nor how long ago you lived. But I can tell that you honor this place with your spirit: a strength, a hope. Wherever you be in death, I ask you help your creatures here, for this new enemy will be like none ever faced."
OOC: Huh, I thought he'd called himself a leopard earlier but I looked back and apparently not, I'll change it
Yassen glanced at the squirrel, wondering why she had sped up, curious. He glanced in the direction of some movement, and was surprised to see a cat, doing what appeared to be sketching. He made no comment as he continued, now sighting the spires of the enormous abbey. If it hadn't immpressed him before, it did so now at this angle. Who had been the mastermind of this safe haven for woodlanders? Mayhaps he would find out upon entering. Hopefully the food would live up to its reputation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Falco and Reven had decided to take a look at the famous abbey before they hit the sack, but, inevitably, this lend to getting lost. As usual, they blamed each other.
"How did ye manage to lose track of direction this time?"
"Whoa whoa whoa, who said I was meant to know the way?"
"What are these beasts gonna think when they find-"
"Shuttup! Look, there's, er, Ayra? Let's ask her."
The two squirrels came up to Arya, who appeared to be in conversation with someone else, and waited patently.
Kaylan then noticed that two squirrels were standing in the doorway, and since Arya was facing her and couldn't see them, she glanced at the squirrelmaid, then nodded briefly in their direction.
OOC: That alright, Corny? It's a slight PP, 'cause you never said which direction Arya was facing.
OOC: Yes, of course.
BIC: Arya saw Kaylan's nod, and turned. "Oh, hello you two! So, can I help you with anything? Perhaps directions?" She asked, smiling happily. Newcomers frequently got lost in Redwall. That's what came of it being so darn big!
------------------------------------
Bryony glanced around, and saw a cat sitting at the roots of a tree, sketching. She immediately grabbed a big branch and pointed it at the cat. "Who are you? What's your purpose here? And are you with any contact with two wildcats by the names of Grain and Grinda?" She asked in rapid fire succession, and sounding rather threatening.
David held up his paw for her to wait, flipped to the back of the book and began writing
Sorry I can't talk, literally, as in my voice doesn't exist, no sound can come from my lips, my vocal chords are closed, all of that metaphorical stuff. In answer to your first question, my name's David Strider but you can call me Dave if you want. In answer to your second question, there is none, I was just looking for a place to stay for a while. Finally, nope never heard of 'em. So now that I've answered all your questions, let me ask you one of my own: Do you sign?
When he was finished writing he threw the book at her
OOC: Well, that's interesting.
BIC: Argunath bowed to the likeness of Martin the Warrior in respect for the dead, and walked on.
He decided to go out into the lawns; the falling darkness was welcome, actually. It had been a long day.
"Ow!" Bryony hadn't caught the book, and it had hit her in the nose. She looked at the cat oddly, then picked the book up. It had fortunately fallen open to the page that the cat had written on, and she quickly read it. "Okay...." She said, then blew out a gust of air. "So, you can't talk, you've not heard of those ******** cats Grain and Grinda, you've no real purpose in Mossflower Woods. Is that right?" She asked, then without waiting for an answer, she said, "Oh, and no, I'm afraid I don't sign. Well, I can, but it's not understandable. But just because I can't sign doesn't mean I don't know how to read it, or whatever you call it." She lightly tossed him his book back. "Now, why on earth have all these cats come to these woods? Even the ones who aren't with the horde's population has gone up from none to two." She said, puzzled, then sighed. "Well, would you like to come with me to Redwall Abbey?"
OOC: The asterisks represent things that should not be spoken in polite company.
David raised an eyebrow at her language (Not that she could see, his eyes hidden under his hood as they were), most beasts weren't comfortable saying that then again they were conquerors and probably deserved it. He began moving his hands in complicated patterns which signed out You sure you can understand this? Before as an afterthought adding an obscene five-letter word that you might call a female dog. It was just to test her, he didn't actually mean it! But he was fully prepared for any retribution that the squirrel might choose to dole out. He knew his language was atrocious, as his bro had repeatedly informed him, whilst hypocritically using the same kind of language, jerk. Perhaps Dave should have tried not to pick up his brother's bad example, it was partly on account of his language that he had to convey what he wanted to say through hand gestures and paper, ah well, he got along just fine with his language the way it was thank you very much, then again he hadn't met anyone since that old, deaf dormouse in the woods and that had been last month-oh look his mind's going off on one of it's legendary ramblings again, he should probably stop thinking in time to see her reaction, sometimes he wonders what it's like to be a normal person who doesn't view life through glasses tinted with metaphors oh look he's doing it again also that was a metaphor about metaphors, how much more ridiculous can his mind get? What was it that she had asked him, he couldn't quite remember, darn it you crazy mind, what have you gotten me in to?
OOC: Whoa! That was the longest sentence I've ever seen!
BIC: Bryony watched his paws, and then when he signed the the insult, she shrieked, "Why, you little **********!!!!" Then she threw a rock at him. "Of course I can understand that! That was rude! You're quite lucky I don't have very much extra time on my paws, you ************!!!!" She snarled, then waited for his answer, glaring.
OOC: I know it isn't actually being said, but can we cut down on the intended swearing please?
BIC: Walking out on the lawns, Argunath looked up at the appearing stars. They are like the ones we have at home, he thought. There, the North Star, and there is the moon.
He sat down on the wall steps and gazed at the ever-darkening sky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's near time to stop," Aggril said. "Let's get a small fire going."
OOC: Bryony was only, ah, swearing because she's a very profane squigglemaid. It should tone down very shortly.
David dodged the rock and gave a chuckle which sounded like a series of raspy breaths Sorry about that he signed had to make sure then he frowned What were you saying before I started running my m- uh hands off? I got distracted
Bryony growled, not convinced, then said, "Before you started insulting me, I was asking if you wanted to come with me to Redwall Abbey. Oh, and just so you know, Grain and Grinda are leaders of a cat horde, and they're set on getting Redwall. So it would be safer for you not to come with me, but then there's also numerous vermin gangs wandering around Mossflower, and Redwall's never been held by vermin for more than two days." She said, all on two breaths.
Hey, I apologized didn't I? he frowned I could draw you something to make it up to you if you're still mad. That reminds me, can I have my book back? It's kinda precious and by "kinda" he meant too precious for words but she didn't need to know that
Bryony hadn't realized she still had the cat's book, and blushed. "Sorry. Here's the book back." She said, then tossed it quite lightly over to him. "So, do you want to come with me or not? Because I'm supposed to catch up with a few of my mates before morning, and Redwall's not exactly what you would call close."
OOC: I thought Bryony had already given him his book back?
David caught the notebook and hung it on a hook on his belt Redwall Abbey sounds like a place where a cat doesn't need to sleep with one eye open, lead the way- uh, you didn't tell me your name He scratched his head, how had this squirrel managed to get him to say his name without telling him her's first? Usually Dave didn't tell ANYONE his name but he'd told this squirrel with no second thoughts, why had he done that? Idiot
OOC: I looked back and realised she hadn't
OOC: First off, that grinning caterpillar in your sig is very....Off-putting, Jet. In a good way, though. Second, no, she'd not given back the book.
BIC: "Alright then. Come on. Oh, and the name's Bryony." She said, then she checked to make sure Yassen was still with her.
Arguanth lifted himself off the stairs, and began to walk around the abbey building.
OOC: I don't really know what to do with him right now. :P
OOC: It's a green slime ghost from Ghost Busters
Oh yeah, you didn't say anything about that wildcat, who's he? Also he probably has no idea what I just said after saying that David pulled out his notebook, not anticipating a need to talk again, and flipped back to the page he had been drawing on earlier, adding features, a nose and whiskers, a smirking mouth before finally moving onto the eyes, they were smaller than average eyes and, from the looks of the drawing, they were slightly sunken in. Those eyes, he drew them every day, he remembered them and their owner vividly, even if three seasons had passed since he last saw them
Six seasons ago
"Nice one li'l man!" the large cat smirked "you almost got me that time" the younger cat grimaced and swung his katana upwards, but the other had already moved, he was now standing on the other side of the circular arena. The young cat sprinted forward and slashed sideways but the older cat caught it with his own blade and pushed back. The young cat stumbled back and the older swung his katana down, the younger cat met it with his own blade and dug his feet into the ground. The older cat twisted his wrist hard and the younger cat's blade flew out of his hands and landed quivering upright in the ground. The older cat smirked and sheathed his sword "Better luck next time, eh?" the younger cat sighed dejectedly
"You always say that but I never do"
"Hey, don't worry about it, you're improvin', that's what matters"
"But you're so good! You're impossible to beat and you're so fast!"
The older frowned "If I'd expected you to beat me first time I'd have never asked you to pick up a blade. I was just as bad as you when I was your age, hell I was worse than you, but when you're livin' where we are you gotta learn quick 'cause if you don't you die quick"
"It was a mistake to catch your sword like that"
The older cat gave a genuine smile "Makin' mistakes ain't bad, it's parta life, the important thing is that you learn from 'em and move on, you got that Dave?" The younger cat nodded. The older cat lifted Dave onto his shoulders "Right, let's get outta here, think you've earned a ride home"
OOC: Hey, Corn. Maybe Argunath could open the gate for Bryony and Yassen?
OOC: Look. She
did give his book back. :P
Quote from: Cornflower MM on April 21, 2014, 07:20:01 PM
She asked, then without waiting for an answer, she said, "Oh, and no, I'm afraid I don't sign. Well, I can, but it's not understandable. But just because I can't sign doesn't mean I don't know how to read it, or whatever you call it." She lightly tossed him his book back.
BIC:
Kaylan looked the two squirrels over while Arya was talking to them. She didn't recall seeing them before, but the Abbey was a big place, and she'd only gotten to meet a relatively small number of creatures so far.
OOC: GAH!!! Oh well.....@Skarzs: Sure!!
BIC: Bryony said, "He's going to the Abbey also." She said, looking back at Dave. "What's that?" She asked curiously, stepping a small step towards him.
He hastily stowed the sketchbook back on his belt None of your business he signed with a growl Has he told you his name? he asked, nodding at the wildcat, trying to change the subject
OOC: Maybe there were two books. :D BIC:
Yassen glanced at Bryony, irate. "Can we just get to Redwall, and either take him or leave him? I'm wasting away here."
Willow was tired, and eager to rest. He sat down next to Aggril, who was attempting to build a fire.
"So, do we sleep here?" He said.
Aggril struck his flint and steel, and some sparks landed on the tinder. Blowing gently, he breathed the fire into light.
"Yes; but we'll take turns keeping watch. No tellin' what else is out there, and we could make sure Bryony makes it back."
"Alright. I'll take first watch. I think I'm a little more awake than you." He said. He rolled a small log over to the fire and sat on it. He drew his dirk and sat.
Bryony put up hers paws, "Easy! I was just curious! It's the way squirrels are, in case you didn't know. And no, I don't think he did. And he might want to have better manners! I'm not soft-hearted, and I wouldn't hesitate to hurt either of you." She said, at first her tone apologizing, then threatening.
"Thanks, mate," Aggril said. "Wake me in an hour."
Yassen was tempted to walk off and get in Redwall himself, he knew there was no way they would let him in by himself. He needed Bryony. "Just hurry up," he growled.
OOC: Shade? You haven't posted as Falco and Reven for awhile. Just saying. :)
OOC: Yeah....Kinda need you to post as them.
BIC: Bryony was quite tempted to smack this cat. "I'll take my own sweet time, thank you very much!" She snapped.
OOC: Oops. Sorry about that. :P BIC:
"Yes! Directions!" Reven said. "Er, do you know a room where we could possibly stay, with two beds? If so, where is the beauty?" The dark-furred squirrel wasn't sure wether to be embarrassed or amused how he and Falco had got lost so quickly.
~~~~~~
Yassen grinned at the apparent short fuse of Bryony. "Touchy touchy! It was just a suggestion. Seeing as you're not really getting on with him either." he added, nodding to the cat with the sketch book.
"Well, if you don't like me taking my time, even though I have better things to do, why don't you go find the Abbey yourself?" Bryony suggested sweetly, too sweetly.
----------------------------------
Arya raised her eyebrows, Did this cute squirrel just call me, "Beauty"? Wow. Times must be rough if he's flirting with rather plain looking me. Arya thought. She was wrong, though, she wasn't "Plain looking" In fact, she was quite pretty, even if she didn't realize it. "There's no need for you to stay together, unless you absolutely want to." She said, then called over her shoulder to Kaylan, "See you later, Kaylan!" She smiled again at the two squirrels. "Well, this way!" She said laughingly, then playfully hooked her arms through theirs and led them towards the guest rooms.
OOC: Lol, this is getting a bit awkward.
BIC: Aggril rested his back against a tree, and his eyes began to droop. Soon he would be asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argunath was walking on the ramparts again, and he hummed a song as he remembered the words in his head.
How long, how far, are you today?
Seasons and trials, have driven away,
All we were, all we could be.
Not what we did want.
Now gone, and vanquished, is our love.
No one can put back, what we have lost.
In my heart, I wish to have
And I still long for thee.
Broken, and wasted, and still far away.
Great is the wound that plagues me each day.
Will you wait, to find me come,
Some day back, to you. . .
Kaylan watched Arya leave with the two squirrels and shook her head, appalled. She hated lovey-dovey stuff. What's up with Arya?
But then she shrugged, tucked the repaired arrow in the quiver slung over her shoulder and then slung her bow over that. Then she strode downstairs and outside, intending to go up to the walltop for a little while.
It was evening. Clouds scudded across the sky, and a light breeze floated past. Kaylan mounted the wallstairs and gazed out over the western flatlands.
Argunath peered at the west wall, seeing a form standing there. The cougar strode toward the form, curious as to who it was.
"Stop messing about, you know as well as I do they won't let the likes of me in be myself," Yassen said, exasperated. "Look, I can nearly see the spires from here. I don't quite know what you're doing, but is a short walk to the abbey so much to ask? Besides, don't you want to carry on traveling?"
~~~~~~~~~~~
Reven laughed when Arya suggested serparate rooms. "I think the reason is he's a bit scared of the dark," he whispered conspiringly. "Yes, that's got to be it."
Falco rolled his eyes at his friend, slightly annoyed. "Oh, grow up Rev. Sometimes you can be a bit immature. Like you can talk, anyway. Remember three moons back when we were camping in the forest and you "heard a noise"? You tried to dig a hole to hide in."
"Always got to have the last answer haven't you?" Reven grinned. "Er, Ayra, how far are you taking us?"
Kaylan sensed somebeast was watching her and turned around. Through the shadowy evening twilight she could see a figure approaching across the Abbey lawns. "Oi! Who's there?"
It took a little for Argunath to recognize the otter as Kaylan. "It is I, Argunath," he called back.
The ottermaid was a bit surprised, then suspicious. She casually fingered her bow. "Oh? What're you doing out here then?" Probably scouting out the Abbey grounds so he can report back to the wildcats about the layout of this place, she thought.
Arya laughed, enjoying the two squirrel's bantering. "Oh, it's not far....Only about five more minutes." She said, smiling. She was enjoying their company, besides, the one called Reven was quite cute looking. But why he'd fall for her, she'd no idea. It wasn't going to happen. But she could be friend's with him. Right? Right.
------------------------------------
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do. Are you coming or not, cat?" Bryony said, her temper's fuse growing short.
Argunath mounted the wall steps. "I am walking. And now I am talking."
He looked hard at her. "I know you do not trust me, otter; nothing tells you otherwise. Can you tell me why?"
Kaylan squared her shoulders and replied coolly, "Because you're a vermin. And vermin don't change. All they cause is death wherever they go. Yeah, I've been hearing some gossip about you saving a Dibbun. But I also heard that in the process you caused the death of one. How d'you explain that away?"
She backed off slightly and awaited his reaction, at the same time reaching discreetly for an arrow. If he tries to kill me 'cause I suspect he's a spy, at least I'll have some sort of weapon for close range. You never know what vermin are gonna do.
Argunath's vision glazed red; a deep growl welled inside his chest as he tried to calm down. The cougar spoke haltingly as he clutched his head, the entire scenario from earlier happening again in his mind.
"Nooo! The little one was innocent. . . helpless!"
He looked at Kaylan suddenly; his pain and anger at the unjust death showing. "I am not a vermin, but a cougar, a devil cat, for everywhere I go death follows! I am a monster! Everyone I care for dies! All the good I do still causes sorrow!"
He pounded the wall with his fist, and his body shook; he was losing control and the Bloodwrath was getting stronger. He took his paws from his head and roared.
OOC: Well....That post was interesting, to say the least. Maybe a touch too dramatic, but hey, I'm no judge on that!
OOC: No kidding. I'm tired; sorry. :P :-[
OOC: Hey, I LIKE dramatic! Hah, you should see some of my posts in HWTW and AWTFYH.
OOC: Whoa. I feel really bad for Argunath. BIC:
Kaylan stared at the cougar, alarmed. Well, that settles it. He's crazy as well as a spy. She slowly backed away, then ran down the wallstairs, across the Abbey lawns, and into Great Hall, looking for somebeast to help get Argunath under control.
Rosemaqry was just walking into the Great Hall when Kaylan burst in. "Is everything alright?" She asked, a little worried. Kaylan's expressions was.....A bit off-putting.
Argunath growled, his fangs and teeth gleaming in the moonlight, which also reflected in his crimson eyes.
David watched this exchange with a degree of interest and a higher degree of amusement. As fun as it is to watch you two bandy words like this he signed I'd also like to get to this abbey place so I don't have to worry about being killed in my sleep so can we hurry this up?
"Mother Abbess!" the ottermaid exclaimed, gasping for breath. "Y'know that cat that came here earlier today? He's gone into some kind of lunatic rage! He's up on the west wall, last I knew."
In the reddened haze that clouded Argunath's vision, he saw the big sandstone building. He went down the stairs.
"Oh, goodness gracious!!" Rosemary said, then ran out, heading for the walltop.
---------------------------------
Bryony nodded. "Alright, come on you two." She said, then set off at a fast pace. She couldn't wait to get back to Aggril and Willow, and she'd alreaduy wasted an a hour dealing with Dave.
Kaylan stood undecided a moment, then followed the Abbess. Despite Rosemary's apparent naivete, Kaylan in the main respected her and didn't want her to get hurt. Besides, she wanted to see what was going to happen.
As she ran back outside, she could make out the figure of Argunath on the lawns. I'm surprised he didn't jump off the wall or somethin', seein' how crazy he is, she thought, rolling her eyes.
Argunath growled as he saw two forms come out onto the lawns.
Kaylan continued sprinting across the lawns, following the Abbess.
Abbess Rosemary slowed down, and said quietly, "Kaylan. I know you're behind me. Now, I want you to keep an arrow nocked, and if he tries to kill me, shoot him in some nonlethal place, to distract him so I can get away. Understand?" She asked, then she strode forward a few more feet, and called, "Argunath! Calm down!"
Kaylan obeyed, swiftly pulling an arrow out of her quiver and nocking it to her bowstring. She watched the cougar warily in the dusky twilight as Rosemary approached him.
The enraged cougar didn't care who it was who spoke. He roared as he made a great leap toward her. His leg wound had opened back up, as well as a couple others. The pain went unnoticed by Argunath, who reached at Rosemary's throat to pick her up.
OOC: I feel like I shouldn't be interupting a good fight scene. Oh well. ::) BIC:
The two squirrels exchanged worried glances. Five minutes? Surely the abbey wasn't that long. Falco was the first to realize Arya had been joking. He felt unbelievably dim-witted. Maybe it was the rich food. Or the ale. One of the two.
~~~~~~
What's he signing?" Yassen asked. He didn't have a clue what sort of gestures this sketching cat was making meant, but than, judging by some of Bryony's reactions, maybe he didn't want to know. But he was still curious.
Kaylan reacted instantly. Dodging to the side so she wouldn't accidentally shoot the Abbess, the ottermaid drew back her bowstring in the same movement and launched an arrow in the direction of Argunath's leg.
OOC: Mind if I do a little PPing? It won't really hurt anyone.
OOC: You're asking me, right? If so, okay.
OOC: Thanks.
BIC: Argunath grunted as the arrow dug into his lower leg. He turned toward the new aggressor, and screamed as only a mountain cat can. Rushing forward as well as he could, he caught Kaylan by her throat, lifted her from the ground. But as he glared at her, his thinking began to clear. His hackles relaxed, and the crimson in his eyes dimmed. "Wha. . .?" he said quietly.
When Argunath rushed towards her, Kaylan was so surprised she didn't even have time to react. He grabbed her by her throat and she dropped her bow, choking as she frantically tried to pry his fingers from her neck. Then he seemed to calm slightly, but didn't put her down. She was unable to breathe properly and was sure she was going to die.
"Why?"
Argunath could only barely think. Suddenly he realized he was choking the ottermaid named Kaylan. Setting her down swiftly, he stumbled backward. "No, what have I done?"
OOC: Now I've been thinking... would you actually start choking right away if someone picked you up by your throat, or would it take a few minutes? :P
BIC: Kaylan stepped back and caught her breath, then glared at Argunath and quickly picked up her bow. "Stand back!" she yelled angrily, stepping in front of Abbess Rosemary and nocking a shaft to her bowstring. "Stand back! I'm not afraid to use this again!"
Argunath went on one knee, setting a clenched fist on the ground. "Do it," he spoke quietly. "Rid the world of another monster."
Taken aback, Kaylan lowered her bow slightly. "What?"
"I said: shoot me. You've seen what I do; you've seen what I am. Huh, you were right. Death follows wherever I go. If you wish to stop more deaths, then you will destroy me."
Kaylan was now slightly nonplussed as well as angry. Why did he want her to kill him? She did suspect he really was crazy, but still... And he was unarmed, and vermin spy or not, it didn't seem right to shoot him.
But on the other hand, he had attacked her. Should she shoot him? She actually began to draw her bow, but then abruptly stopped, put it up, and said decisively, "No, I'm not going to kill you." Then she turned and walked rather quickly back to the main Abbey building.
EDIT:
OOC: Changed the entire scene.
OOC: Perhaps her conscience might have gotten the better of her. But it works alright.
BIC: Odd. The ottermaid had seemed so intent on killing him, but then decided against it. He hung his head. "So, my torture continues." Pulling out the arrow shaft, he sat still, not wanting to move or think.
OOC: I changed the entire post. Take a look at it. Guess I didn't really think it through when I originally posted yesterday - but afterwards, I realized Kaylan came across as a cold-blooded killer who'd slay without a second thought. Which isn't what I'd intended. ::)
OOC: My post still works. Thanks!
Rosemary had watched the whole thing in horror, and was now ashamed that she'd stood there, watching, when Kaylan was picked up by the throat, and was about to kill the cat. Then, when the ottermaid left, she walked over to him and sighed. "Torture? No, not torture. At least you can do some good in the world; Did you ever think of that?" She asked, seating herself next to him and began tearing up her Abbess's robes to rebind his wound.
The cougar said nothing. He stared at the ground, his brows knit and face downcast.
"No. . ." he said quietly.
"Well, why don't you?" She asked, wrapping the old hem of her robes around his leg. "Too tight?"
"Because of what I do." He rubbed the bandage. "I destroy lives. Everywhere I travel, death is what I bring. I always see some wrong, and try to make it right. . . but all I make is more filled graves."
"Argunath, look at me." Rosemary commanded. "Do you see what I see? I see a cougar who's struggling to accept that he's got a terrible affliction. I see see that he can't see the good in himself. I see that he dwells on the past, and doesn't know that tomorrow's a new day, no mistakes in it yet, and that perhaps he should look forwards to it. Argunath, you have to learn to except yourself and learn not to dwell on the bad things, and instead thunk of the good."
Argunath looked at her. "And I see a squirrel who wants to help, but for all her well-meaning cannot understand what haunts me every day. The past enters the present as every action I do reminds me of something I have done. The good I see, the good I feel, even the good that is given freely and generously to me, cannot stop my memories from blighting them with horrifying truth." He gripped his paws. "It gets harder and harder to hold back. . ."
As soon as Kaylan entered the Abbey building, she went straight up to her room. Taking her bow and quiver, she set them on a chair and then flung herself on the bed on her stomach, resting her chin in her paws so she could think. The ottermaid was reasonably certain she had done right in not killing Argunath; though she was almost sure he was a spy, she couldn't justify slaying an unarmed beast. That would make her as bad as the vermin she so despised.
Then Kaylan's thoughts wandered to another aspect of the whole thing: the Dibbuns. She hadn't heard the full story, only bits and pieces from some equally uninformed Abbeydwellers. So, the cougar had saved one of the little ones from some cats in the woods? Why? Was it staged so he could earn the trust of the Redwallers? But yet he - or his accomplices - had also caused the death of another one. If the whole thing was planned so everybeast could trust him, why on earth would they kill the other Dibbun?
The ottermaid lay there for a while, trying to figure everything out. Eventually her eyelids began to droop. She fought to stay awake but finally lay down and drifted off to sleep.
OOC: He also tore apart the scouting party, but she might not know that.
Willow sat wide awake. His eyes didn't droop for a moment. His swift gaze flitted to and fro between the darkness of the woods.
He glanced down at the sleeping form of Aggril. He wanted to sleep too, but he had to stay awake.
His thoughts drifted for a moment, and he thought of home. He checked himself. "Already? Forst day away and you're already homesick? Shameful." He said out loud, though mainly to himself.
"Homesick, eh?" A voice said from behind him.
Aggril's eyes flickered as he heard a voice, and only seeing Willow, mumbled "Until you wake me, can you keep the talking in yer head, mate?"
Willow nudged Aggril in the ribs. "Get up!" He said, drawing his dirk. He began scanning the tree line for the source of the words.
"What is it, Willow? Something wrong?" Aggril rose warily, gripping his javelin.
OOC: So, what's going on here? A charrie I approved a million years ago but have forgetting that he or she exists?
BIC: Rosemary sighed, "Argunath, you have to let go of the past. I don't know from experience, but I'm sure it's hard. But were there's a will there's a way. I'm just not sure if there's a will here or not." With that, Abbess Rosemary got up on her paws and went into the Abbey, leaving the cat to think on what she'd told him.
"Let go of the past. . ." The cougar forced himself to pat attention to what Rosemary had said. Resting his chin on his paws, he stared into the darkness.
For seasons you have been wrapped in grief, he thought to himself. Your life changed when. . . she died, and it can never go back to what it was. But what you can do is help these creatures without hindering them with your own problems. He sighed. Even listening to yourself is difficult.
The cougar decided to sleep on the wall; he was too accustomed to sleeping in the open to be cramped inside the abbey.
Arya reached the guest rooms, and opened two doors, one for each. "Here you two are! You should fine everything you need, butr if you don't, I'll be around here some where." She said, then smiled.
OOC: Cornflower could you please post as Bryony? We do need to get to the abbey. Also Yassen asked her a question
OOC: I did, didn't I? EDIT: Aha! Found it!
QuoteBryony nodded. "Alright, come on you two." She said, then set off at a fast pace. She couldn't wait to get back to Aggril and Willow, and she'd alreaduy wasted an a hour dealing with Dave.
OOC: Yes but since then Shade has posted this
Quote from: The Shade on April 30, 2014, 09:39:49 PM
What's he signing?" Yassen asked. He didn't have a clue what sort of gestures this sketching cat was making meant, but than, judging by some of Bryony's reactions, maybe he didn't want to know. But he was still curious.
OOC: Oh, right....Thanks, Jet!
BIC: Bryony sighed, "None of your business, cat. Are you coming? Because I'm going to start walking in thirty seconds." She said, then started counting in her head.
OOC: Argunath will open the gates for you when you get there.
OOC: Okey doke!
OOC: It's nighttime at Redwall - what time of day is it for Bryony, Yassen and David? I just want to make sure everyone's time's in sync.
OOC: Evening-ish.
The wildcat shrugged. "I've been waiting for you to start walking. You don't need to count thirty seconds." And with that he started walking.
Bryony was at fifteen when the cat started walking, but she ignored him and continued counting. HE needed her, after all.
OOC: Shade, could you please post as Falco and Reven?
David rolled his eyes at the squirrel's apparent stubbornness and started after the cat, walking alongside him whilst signing rude things. Hey, what else would you do if you were with someone who didn't understand what you were saying? Of course you're going to swear at them in as many ways as possible then laugh at their apparent confusion, this was the only logical course of action Dave thought. Well, not so much with the laughing, even if he could David was too cool for laughing or at least that's what he told himself, the real reason was because you shouldn't give out your emotions freely, emotions get people hurt, emotions are dangerous.
Bryony got to zero and caught up with them. "Hey, quit signing those things, please." She said, being rather uncomfortable with David signing rude and impolite things, while the other cat had no idea what Dave was signing.
David frowned Hey, don't ruin my fun he signed he didn't even have enough time to get confused yet he paused I don't actually care, just clarifying that that was a joke, not being able to convey sarcasm is really annoying. Anyway, don't try to talk to me unless I don't realize when we get to the abbey. and with that he pulled out his sketchbook, flipped to a new page and began drawing again. This time it was a full-body portrait of a fox, a young fox by the looks of him, with a haughty look on his face and a straight sabre by his side. Underneath the drawing David scrawled a great many words, the kindest among these were "liar", "traitor" and "jerk"
"Okay, okay." Bryony sighed, then raised an eyebrow at his drawing, wincing at the words underneath. Then, looking ahead, she estimated that the Abbey was only about fifteen more minutes.
When Dave was done with the fox he flipped onto the next page and sketched out a circular house with a pointed roof, adding in a garden with a shed in it and a fence around the garden before adding a slightly open door. Without thinking he drew a group of silhouettes, foxes and weasels, carrying weapons. Nononononono you idiot, why did you draw that?!?!? he mentally berated himself as flashes of memories sprang unbidden into his mind, they were terrifying. He mewled like a pathetic kitten as his eyes brimmed with tears which fell and splashed onto the paper below, blurring some of the lines. He dropped the sketchbook and fell back against a tree, clutching at his head and begging the memories to go away, why wouldn't they go away?
Fists thudding against flesh, the sound of steel clashing on steel, laughter, blood, "No stop", "What was that Strider?", "STOP", more laughter, "HE'S JUST A KID", the laughter didn't let up, "PLEASE!"
Dave was breathing heavily, trapped in his mind as he shrank to the floor and curled into a ball, why wouldn't it stop?
OOC: Perhaps a tad dramatic. I wasn't planning to do this until later but people'd stopped posting and I couldn't think of anything else so yeah, have a traumatized cat.
OOC: Hey, I like dramatic! What's wrong with dramatic?
BIC: Bryony glanced over when she heard mewling, and was startled to see David crying, then dropping his book and staggering over to a tree, hugging his head. "Dave? Dave!" She said, then remembered an old mouse that seemed to have done something like this before...."David! It's only in your head, it's just memories...Just memories! C'mon, Dave, snap out of it! Nothing like what's in your head here. LKisten to me...David, it's alright." She said, then took his shoulders and gently shook him, trying to get him out of his head.
OOC: Slight PP there; Want me to change it?
OOC: No it's fine, what I was expecting and hoping in fact
Dave felt himself being shook and heard a voice calling his name, it snapped him back to reality and he could vaguely remember what Bryony had said Memories can hurt he signed thanks for that anyway he sighed Maybe it's not the best idea for me to go to Redwall, you said they were being attacked by cats well that's automatically a point against me. Then you take the fact that I'm broken beyond repair and I'm gonna freak them out and they'll kick me out so I might as well save them the hassle and just not go.
OOC: I had to chuckle a little bit thinking about how ironic it is what David is thinking when Argunath has already had a berserk fit back at the abbey. :P
"David! Broken beyond repair? No one is! Well, except those who are dead. But, anyways! You're not dead! And, if I'm any judge of age, I'd say you've still got a lot of your life ahead of you. Yes, memories can hurt...You've just got to master them....Don't let them master you. Easier said than done, though. AND, they've already got a cat at the Abbey! Who showed up today! As for freaking them out, well, they'll deal! And you're going, alright, even if I need to tie you up. Got it?" Bryony scolded, silently relieved.
Argunath was wrenched from his slumber as a dream from the past came back to haunt him in his sleep. Breathing heavily, he rested his head back on the stone parapet, quietly calming himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Willow. . . ?" Aggril asked again. "What's going on?"
OOC: Oh, for grief's sake would someone please PM Nor?
OOC: Already done.
OOC: Thank you! Has he been seen lately?
OOC: You kidding? He was on about ten minutes ago. :P
Quote from: Cornflower MM on May 08, 2014, 04:49:12 PM
"David! Broken beyond repair? No one is! Well, except those who are dead. But, anyways! You're not dead! And, if I'm any judge of age, I'd say you've still got a lot of your life ahead of you. Yes, memories can hurt...You've just got to master them....Don't let them master you. Easier said than done, though. AND, they've already got a cat at the Abbey! Who showed up today! As for freaking them out, well, they'll deal! And you're going, alright, even if I need to tie you up. Got it?" Bryony scolded, silently relieved.
David got to his feet and turned away from her after about two minutes he sighed and turned back
I used to think that way too but I've been proven wrong, I watched someone who had always seemed unbreakable crack into a million god-damned pieces and he was definitely broken beyond repair and it was my fault. Tears started to fall again but he wiped them away angrily before continuing
He always treated life as if it was one big game, took everything easy, got in trouble with the *******s who's territory we lived in? He stared 'em down, cool as ice, it took all of their resources to bring him down, didn't have to do anything to him, he wouldn't break no matter how hard they hit, if I'd have been as tough as him they would have just given up and gone home but after I broke, he broke too. He resorted to begging, he was just sitting there tied to a chair screaming and this was a guy who had never raised his voice in his entire life and he was broken for the rest of his life admittedly that wasn't a very long time but he was broken beyond repair. He snorted at her next comment
Are you actually serious? I have got a long life ahead of me yeah, so long as I'm still too much of a coward to run myself through. I'm sixteen Bryony, sixteen.
I'm way too young for this ********. The younger you are, the more easily you break and I definitely broke easily. He stared at her
I'll come to Redwall, if only to stop myself from being tied up because honestly it was horrible the first time and I never intend for it to happen again but you've only got yourself to blame if your idiotic plan backfires and they kick me out, it'll probably be worth it just to see you eat your words.
Ooc: Sorry for the lateness. School. Nuff' said.
Willow turned around, seeing a weasel, and he didn't look happy. "Aggril, we're surrounded. Please, um, get up. We may have to deal with this promptly." He said coolly. He lunged at the weasel, catching him in the low stomach. He despatched him, and turned, seeing at least two others.
Aggril hopped toward them, driving his javelin up as he came forward. The ferret (That okay?) let out a gurgle as he was stabbed through the throat. He hit the other with the javelin butt.
Ooc: Fine with me.
Willow saw the other go down as the other dropped to his knees. He put his dirk up to his throat.
"Tell us your purpose, and do it quickly..." He said angrily.
"We was lookin f' food!" He said with a sob.
"I dunno, Aggril, do we believe this guy?"
Aggril hauled him up by his ear. "If'n you were looking for food, there's an apple tree right there, ya meat head!" He pointed at a tree close by.
Quote from: Jetthebinturong on May 08, 2014, 06:40:04 PM
Quote from: Cornflower MM on May 08, 2014, 04:49:12 PM
"David! Broken beyond repair? No one is! Well, except those who are dead. But, anyways! You're not dead! And, if I'm any judge of age, I'd say you've still got a lot of your life ahead of you. Yes, memories can hurt...You've just got to master them....Don't let them master you. Easier said than done, though. AND, they've already got a cat at the Abbey! Who showed up today! As for freaking them out, well, they'll deal! And you're going, alright, even if I need to tie you up. Got it?" Bryony scolded, silently relieved.
David got to his feet and turned away from her after about two minutes he sighed and turned back I used to think that way too but I've been proven wrong, I watched someone who had always seemed unbreakable crack into a million god-damned pieces and he was definitely broken beyond repair and it was my fault. Tears started to fall again but he wiped them away angrily before continuing He always treated life as if it was one big game, took everything easy, got in trouble with the *******s who's territory we lived in? He stared 'em down, cool as ice, it took all of their resources to bring him down, didn't have to do anything to him, he wouldn't break no matter how hard they hit, if I'd have been as tough as him they would have just given up and gone home but after I broke, he broke too. He resorted to begging, he was just sitting there tied to a chair screaming and this was a guy who had never raised his voice in his entire life and he was broken for the rest of his life admittedly that wasn't a very long time but he was broken beyond repair. He snorted at her next comment Are you actually serious? I have got a long life ahead of me yeah, so long as I'm still too much of a coward to run myself through. I'm sixteen Bryony, sixteen. I'm way too young for this ********. The younger you are, the more easily you break and I definitely broke easily. He stared at her I'll come to Redwall, if only to stop myself from being tied up because honestly it was horrible the first time and I never intend for it to happen again but you've only got yourself to blame if your idiotic plan backfires and they kick me out, it'll probably be worth it just to see you eat your words.
OOC: My apologies, Nor!
BIC: Bryony raised her eyebrows. "Sixteen? Well, that makes me older than you. And, if you hadn't just consented to coming, then I probably would have pulled the I'm-older-than-you-so-you-have-to-do-what-I-say card. Dave, you gotta let the past go. Now, preferably. And I'm going to follow you until you do." Bryony said, putting her paw on his shoulder. "And it
was not your fault...What would he think of you, blaming yourself for his death?" She asked, staring him in the eye. She had no idea who "He" was, but that didn't matter right now. "He resorted to screaming and begging because he loved you, and it's easy to see why. Even though I've known all of thirty minutes, I'm starting to feel like you're family. Oh, and I NEVER make idiotic plans. Just ask Bryant." She smiled, "Come on, if you're alright then it's time we get going again."
OOC: When will you be reaching the gates?
OOC: In a few minutes, RP time.
Quote from: The Skarzs on May 08, 2014, 01:09:16 AM
OOC: I had to chuckle a little bit thinking about how ironic it is what David is thinking when Argunath has already had a berserk fit back at the abbey. :P
OOC: The emotionally unstable characters of this rp and AWTFYH all snapped at pretty much the same time, maybe it's a SIGN :D
The ghost of a smile hovered around Dave's lips which betrayed the true emotions he felt at Bryony's comment even if his hands said differently
You've got some pretty messed up family if you think I fit into it. But if I apparently feel like family then that would explain the I'm-older-than-you-so-you-have-to-do-what-I-say card you were about to use 'cause that only counts if you're talking to siblings his face grew stony as he addressed the next point
It was definitely my fault he died, not just the breaking thing but it was because of my actions that the soldiers came a-knocking he frowned
You're about to make the first idiotic plan you've ever made then. I'm guessing Bryant's your brother, judging by your similar names. Yeah, you're right, let's go. He picked his book up off the floor, tore out the offending drawing and crumpled it into a ball before throwing it as hard as possible in the direction opposite to what he assumed was Redwall.
"One: Well, does it matter whether or not it was your actoins that got him killed? Because /guess what? It's in the past!" She said, then bonked him on the head. (That OK? Trying use a little tactic from The Loin King) "Two: I do NOT have messed up family! Three: Why are you throwing paper balls towards Redwall? Oh, and four: If this IS an idiotic plan, then I'll make you something. Whatever you want." She ended, Smiling.
Dave rolled his eyes again, it was more of a reflex action than anything, no one would be able to tell because of his hood Oh right, it's in the past so obviously it doesn't matter in the slightest. Secondly, if your family isn't messed up then I don't fit into it and should not feel like it. Thirdly if you think I'm throwing random bits of paper around then you need your eyes tested, or did you think I just had an emotional breakdown for no reason? he raised his eyebrow at her last comment Something? What kind of something? What do you make? I can draw and play guitar, used to be a pretty good singer too but obviously can't do that anymore.
"Oh, hush!" Bryony said, then said, "Er, you know what I mean! Something? Um, I can make flans, pasties, soup, cakes, bread, rolls....Basically anything. But if ypou want a turnover, you'll have to ask my brother for that."
Yassen only had half an idea of what was going on thanks to Bryony talking. He had now given up hassling Bryony to hurry up, and sat quietly drawing patterns in the dust with his tail.
Quote from: Cornflower MM on May 09, 2014, 05:21:59 PM
"Oh, hush!" Bryony said, then said, "Er, you know what I mean! Something? Um, I can make flans, pasties, soup, cakes, bread, rolls....Basically anything. But if ypou want a turnover, you'll have to ask my brother for that."
Oh right, food, for a moment there I thought you were like a fletcher or a sculptor or something. he rubbed his eye tiredly
Can we just get to Redwall already? I need to sleep
"Okay,....But, if you don't mind, I'll carry your book, as I don't want any more of what just happened." Bryony said firmly, holding out her paw.
David looked at her I mind he signed but if you're concerned I'll draw something stupid again I'll leave it where it normally is he hung the book on the special hook he had on his belt right there.
"Okay. Now, off we go." Bryony said, withdrawing her paw, and started off to Redwall again.
EDIT: Alright, Shade, here you are:
QuoteArya reached the guest rooms, and opened two doors, one for each. "Here you two are! You should find everything you need, but if you don't, I'll be around here some where." She said, then smiled.
"Thank you very much," Reven said thankfully, dissappearing inside. Falco went inside the other doorway, nodding gratefully at Arya. The facility's were basic, but good. The first thing Reven did was throw open the window, staring at the view. It was an amazing sunset.
OOC: I'm feeling terribly immaginative. ::)
OOC: Oh, don't worry about it.
BIC: Arya smiled at the two, waved, and set off to her room.....When she got there, she threw herself on her bed. Then she sat up, and started to see if any of her arrows were damaged, or need re-flighting...That sort of thing. She realized that she needed an extra two feathers, and decided to see if Kaylan had any extra, and so she went over by the long way, past the visitor's rooms, and tripped over an un even stone in the middle of the hall outside Reven's room. "Ouch!" She yelped, and sat down, rubbing her knee.
Argunath decided to walk along the wall again; he wanted to clear his head of his disturbing dreams.
Reven was finally relaxing when he heard some sort of shout outside. Curious, he strolled over and opened the door. Arya was there, sitting rubbing knee for some reason. He realized she must have hurt herself.
"What are you doing back here, are you ok?" he smiled. "You want a hand up? Or is that where you sleep around here?"
"I was going to ask Kaylan for something. And, no, I don't sleep here." Arya said, smiling.
OOC: Not meaning to nag, but when are Bryony and the other two going to get to the gate? :P
OOC: I don't freakinbg well know! I need Jet to post! Yeesh! What IS it with guys?!?!?!??
OOC: Oh, I was kinda waiting for you to post about us getting to Redwall before I was going to post, what exactly is it that you want me to do?
OOC: Oh, okay! Nothing much, maybe start a conversation.
OOC: Not really the sort of thing he'd do, he doesn't trust either of you yet
OOC: Ah. Then I'll just time-skip, and we're at the Abbey.
BIC: Bryony started pounding on the Main Gte, yelling, "Hey! Anyone in there? Lemme in! It's Bryony!"
OOC: Now, I know Skarzs is gone, so, maybe you'd like to PP someone to lert them in, Jet? Or would you rather wait?
OOC: I'd rather wait, we had that plan but we couldn't carry it out before Skarzs left and tbh I'd feel a little guilty if we went back on that :/ (Yeah I feel guilty about weird stuff)
Yassen felt slightly nervous as he stared at the abbey, waiting. The last time he had been near the place it was a scene of mass murder, mainly of the cat scout crew, but also of one abbey dibbun. It suddenly occured to him that an abbey-dweller might realize who he was. He did not want that to happen. If such an event happened, he was sure those who had known the dibbun would want to average it's death.
Dave stared up at the abbey, completely terrified. People. How do you be a normal person? How do you make yourself part of a community? After the incident he had gone on strike from the world, isolated himself from others, keeping away from people. People are terrible. People are terrifying. What is society? What is community? How do you be normal? The questions flitted through his brain and he found he could answer none of them. What stupid thought possessed you and made you think this was a good idea? Sure you got a roof over your head, sure you didn't have to fear death in your sleep, sure you got food that you didn't have to work until you bled for but was that worth it? Were all those things worth having to come into contact with people? People, people, people, people, people, horrible, terrible, fear-inducing, terrifying people. How do you be a person? How do you make it seem like you're not afraid of people? How do you hide yourself away from people? Were people clever enough to work it out? Your biggest weakness, was it obvious to Bryony and the cat? They'd seen you at your weakest, more dangerous than any other people. People. People. People. Evil, violent, scary, horrifying people.
OOC: Wow, that was depressing to write. Has my plan of making him gradually more vulnerable every time I post as him worked?
OOC: Well, I'm glad my days away didn't stop too too much, but I'm back now.
BIC: Argunath heard a voice calling from the gate, and he strode down to it. Opening the gate, he saw Bryony.
"Oh, hello. I thought you had left. . ." Suddenly he noticed a shabby-looking wildcat, and the cougar recognized the face. Flashes of memory brought back the realization of who it was.
"You," Argunath growled. He also saw a rather unsure cat, smaller and more timid than Yassen, yet at the same time wrapped with problems.
"I suppose there's a reason for this, little Bryony."
OOC: Yes, Jet, your plan is working.....Be prepared for the Abbess, and Bryant mothering, as Bryony's going to be leaving. And, Skarzs, no, it did not stop too much...And I'm glad you're back!
BIC: Bryony stamped her paw. "One, don't call me "Little Bryony"! Two, of course there's a good reason for this! Three, either you let us in, or I get Mother Abbess by going up the wall. Four, if you start anything, please remember that I'm outside the Abbey, so I'm wouldn't be breaking any rules by hurting you." Bryony said. Then instinct grabbed control of her mind for a moment, and she grew David closer to her, curling her paw protectively around his shoulders. Family was family, and she considered this little guy part of her's.
OOC: Is that alright, Jet?
OOC: Perfectly alright
David promptly flipped out, a close approximation of his thought processes at that current time would be Waitwhatarghholy****she'stouchingmewhatthehellgetoff! As you might be able to tell, he didn't deal too well with physical contact. He writhed and wriggled in her grip, eventually managing to leap away. After he had calmed down a little he signed out an angry request By all the denizens of the Dark Forest and the souls lost at Hellgates! Can you please not do that?
Bryony blushed, "Oops...Sorry. Hey, it's instinct! I do things like that for my family. Can we talk about this later?" She said defensibly. She didn't want to get into an argument right here, right now, with that other cat here, and Argunath.
David shrugged Well I don't know, try and curb your instinct or whatever. Is that even possible? he frowned Again I can't possibly think of how I could be family to you in any way but whatever and yes, yes we can. Just bottom line is don't touch me 'cause it makes me panic for some reason
"Okay." Bryony said, then turned back to Argunath. "Are you or are you not going to let us in?" She said, then frowned, and started to tap her paw.
Argunath had stayed silent, thinking as to his decision. He was not about to turn creatures away who had shown no hostility as of yet, but he was more worried about the safety of the rest of the creatures in the abbey. He decided he would more have to keep an eye on them; the otter Kaylan would surely oblige in watching them as well.
He opened the gate wider for them to enter. "You should find the abbess; talk to her."
Dave gave a smug grin and whipped out his notebook I can't really do that he wrote being mute and all. Maybe that was directed at Bryony, it probably was but whatever I don't care. after handing Argunath the book he signed at Bryony Can we hurry it up with the talking to the abbess thing? Mental breakdowns are kinda exhausting and I need to sleep he added another line in his thoughts not that that helps at all
Argunath rolled his eyes.
"You know what I meant; I can tell you have that much intelligence. I also don't need this writing to know you are a mute. Have you been so all your life?"
Dave was instantly on the defensive Maybe man but is that really any of your business? What do you do when you meet a stranger? Ask them personal questions without even getting to know them, geez you people need to learn how to respect peoples privacy he shot a glance at Bryony and physical boundaries It was a massive overreaction to a really not very personal question
"You want to know what I do when I meet a stranger?" Argunath asked. "Alright, I'll tell you. I study them. I look for what is in them: good or evil. Out of habit, I also seek out weaknesses. For example, if you attacked me right now, I already have the size advantage, as well as having a weapon easily drawn. Your bags would hinder you in a fight. I also noticed that the wildcat behind you is annoyed with this, and that Bryony is anxious to leave back to her companions."
After a moment, he spoke again, a little quieter. "I also can tell that you have gone through something traumatic that has changed your every action."
Dave shrugged Whatever man, I'm not gonna stand here and talk about what traumatic experiences I may or may not have had in my life especially not with some giant cat who's about twice the size of me. He gave another smirk For the record, your size advantage wouldn't do you much good in a fight with me, I'm too quick, hit hard then I'm gone. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee and all that jazz. My rules of engagement are if the guy's bigger than you, run the hell away and if that's not an option, drive him to madness with loads of tiny cuts. he paused Or maybe use unarmed techniques because dang if my bro tutor wasn't insistent on me being good at that stuff.
Argunath did not say any more, but stood by the gate, waiting until it was clear to close.
Bryony rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay! Can we quity all the yapping about how'ds win if you two fight?" She said. more than a bit eager to get back to her other companions. "Alright, let's find the Abbe- Bryant!" She said, then ended in a squeal. She walked over to him, and gave him a hug. "Stay here and play chaperone, would you? I'm going to get Rosemary." She said, then zipped off to Rosemary's room. Meanwhile, Bryant was staring at the newcomers. "Hello, I'm Bryant." He said finally, offering his paw. He was a bit unconfortable, as he'd been going to sleep in one of the trees in the Orchard, and wasn't very comfortable with strangers. Especially strangers older than him.
Argunath put a paw over his face; he was never going to be able to rest at this rate.
David eyed the paw warily before finally taking it. He let go almost immediately and scribbled in his notebook I'm Dave or David, whichever you prefer. You're Bryony's brother right? Can you also read sign? Writing gets a bit boring and repetitive Wow he even rambled when he was writing, who knew? Okay so maybe that was rambling earlier when he first met Bryony with all that talking about how he couldn't speak stuff. Okay that was definitely rambling, there was no maybe about it. He handed the book to Bryant
"Yes, I'm Bryony's little brother. It's nice to meet you, Dave. Um, I can read sign, just not very much. At all. But, hey, practice makes perfect, right?" Bryant saiud, then tossed the little notebook lightly. He was studying this cat, and he was liking what he was seeing. He seemed to be friendly, and nice. Well-mannered, too.
Yassen wasn't sure how to feel as he stepped inside. He shot a quick glance at the huge cat. Had he realized who he was? Almost certainly. Oh well, at least he hadn't had his head ripped off. Yet. Now for some vittles...
He tapped the Bryant fellow on the shoulder. "Hey... I'm Yassen. Know where the dining room is?"
Argunath looked hard at Yassen; he recognized him from somewhere, possibly from when he was in a berserk rage. His mind did not work properly at such times, and, while some memories were vivid and nightmarish, others were distant and clouded. Trying to delve into those memories and awaken them was not an easy task, and sometimes took indefinite periods of time. The cougar shut the gate, securing the solid oak doors with the sturdy bar across them.
Bryant glared at Yassen. "First, don't touch me unless I invite you to touch me first. Got that? Second, of course I know where the Kitchens are." Bryant said, rather colder than he intended. He did not like being touched, unless it was by, say, Bryony, or the Abbess. But unless he knew you really well, you did not touch him until he stuck out his paw to be shook or something. And even then, he preferred it if the pawshake was short. Like Dave's.
OOC: Shade, could you post as Reven? I'll quote my last Arya post...
Quote"I was going to ask Kaylan for something. And, no, I don't sleep here." Arya said, smiling.
This is from May 13. Shade, you really need to pay more attention!
OOC: Yikes. Sorry about that. :P BIC:
Reven grinned. "Well, I figured as much. I suppose I'll see ya soon, it's getting late." He smiled one last time before going back into the guest room, yawning as he did so. It had been a rather long day.
~~~~~~
Yassen shrugged. He hadn't meant to insult the squirrel, but also couldn't help in if Bryant took offence. "Couldn't you just point me in direction then, please?" he asked.
The wildcat glanced around, sensing he was being watched. His heart skipped a beat as he realized in was the enormous cat. Increasingly nervous, he quickly looked away, wondering if he had been recognised.
"I'll do better - I'll take you there." Bryant replied coldly, still upset over Yassen's touching him. "I don't think you ever told your name, though, cat." He added, then addressed Dave: "Are you hungry, Dave? There's plenty of food." His tone was somewhat warmer. Just then, the Abbess and Bryonu came up. "HEllo, all! I'm Mother Abbess Rosemary." The Abbess said, a bit out of breath.
----------------------------------------------
Arya smiled once again, and got up. She continued on to Kaylan's room, without any other incident.
Kaylan was a light sleeper, so upon hearing a pawstep outside her door, she awoke. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and asked, "Uh, who's there?"
OOC: I've noticed that the questors and the people at the Abbey are at two different times, I'm just going to make it twilight, okay? It's going backwards a bit, but I hope no one minds...Just so y'all know.
BIC: Arya tapped the door, and said, "Hey, Kaylan, it's me, Arya. I was just wondering if you had any flights?"
Dave shook his head at Bryant's question and turned to face the abbess, raising a hand in greeting. Had Bryony explained his situation? He'd find out soon
"Hello. Are you the the mute oine or the rude one?" Rosemary said, following Bryony's descriptions.
Dave gave another one of those raspy chuckles The mute one he wrote but I'm rude too when I'm in the right mood. David Strider, pleased to meet you
OOC: He flips between proper grammar and language and improper grammar and language seemingly at random, as you may be able to tell from previous posts
OOC: Ah...Well, it must be tiring. Hell, I do it too! When I first start out handwriting a letter or something, my grammer's great....For the first half or so. Then, it goes out the door.
BIC: Rosemary smiled. "I see..." Then she switched to sign language: "Are you sure you're not hungry? OR thirsty?"
David raised his eybrow, smiling a little. That was unexpected, two people who knew sign language in one day? Well night, whatever. Positive I'm not hungry he signed and I've got drinks on me if I get thirsty. All I really am is tired
Argunath slipped away from the enlarging group, not wishing to speak with the abbess, for he had attacked her, and nearly killed Kaylan. Besides that, he was getting increasingly tired, and his wounds ached. He limped off to the wall again.
"Yeah, I do," Kaylan responded, getting out of bed and opening the door for her friend. She led the way to a small table where she kept her kit of arrow-related stuff. "Here, take your pick."
Quote from: Jetthebinturong on May 22, 2014, 10:28:16 PM
David raised his eybrow, smiling a little. That was unexpected, two people who knew sign language in one day? Well night, whatever. Positive I'm not hungry he signed and I've got drinks on me if I get thirsty. All I really am is tired
Alright; if you're sure. Come on, I'll lead you to a room you can stay in...I do hope you don't mind staying near two squirrels, though..We've a lot of visitors at the moment. The Abbess signed, rather apologetically. She smiled when Bryony approached and said, "Well, do try and take care of yourself...I suppose it's not alright to give you a hug, or a pawshake at least?" She asked, realizing that he did not like being touched, a bit like her brother.
--------------------------------------------
Arya looked over the flights, and chose two. "Thanks, Kaylan! Right, I'll let you get back to...What you were doing." Arya said, then smiled and slipped out the door.
David gave another chuckle You don't need to sign at me he signed there's nothing wrong with my hearing. Yeah sounds great, thanks. He turned to Bryony Pawshakes are fine he signed and stuck out his paw
"Okay, then!" Rosemary said, .aughing a littl eat herself.
OOC: Hey, Jet, Bryony just asked Dave if it was okay if she could give him a hug or a pawshake.
Argunath observed the creatures on the lawns from his darkened point of standing. Should there be any trouble with the newcomers, he would be able to deal with them.
Although. . . if something happened with him again. . . they would be the ones to deal with him, and he worried for the safety of any who might earn his wrath should it happen again.
Kaylan watched Arya go, then shut the door, yawned and went back to bed. She didn't get to sleep for a while, though, as she was thinking over what had happened earlier with Argunath. The ottermaid still kind of suspected him of being part of the cat horde, but she was puzzled about what she'd heard about him from some of the Redwallers. After a while she drifted back to sleep.
Quote from: Cornflower MM on May 23, 2014, 08:38:30 PM
"Okay, then!" Rosemary said, .aughing a littl eat herself.
OOC: Hey, Jet, Bryony just asked Dave if it was okay if she could give him a hug or a pawshake.
OOC: Whoops, sorry about that! I'll go back and edit it
OOC: Hurk! Missed... five... pages... *dies*
Willow caught his breath. This banter with the vermin was making his breath come short. Anyways, with Aggril scolding the weasel, they were safe for now.
"Aggril, I say we make a deal with this guy..."
He bent down and kneeled in front of the weasel. The weasel's knees knocked a little bit.
"If you wish to live, grab some apples, and start running. By the count of 10, you had better be out of my sight. Understood?"
Willow turned to Aggril.
"Sound good to you?"
"Right," Aggril said, booting the weasel's rump. "I'm going to let my friend here count for me, 'cause I count slower than he does." He winked at Willow as the weasel scampered as fast as he could toward the apple tree. "Better start, matey!"
OOC: Thank you, Jet!
BIC: Bryony smiled, shook his paw, and then smiled again, at the thought of this cat joining her family, whether he liked it or not. "You and Bryant should get along fine. Now I can leave with a clear conscience: I've got Bryant looking after the Abbess, and having a possible friend...Yes, that should work out well." She said, then walked over to Russina, gave her a one-armed hug, said, "Now, don't eat too much cheese!" Then she walked over to Bryant, was having a not-so-friendly conversation with that other cat. She gave him a big hug, and told him,. "Take care of yourself! And take care of Dave over too. Now, behave yourself!" She said then announced, "Alright, see you all, everyone! I'm off again!" She raced out the door, vaulted up a tree, and put on some speed. All that you could see of Bryony now was the rustling tree tops, and a tail occasionally.
Argunath watched Bryony go, and was glad that she would be able to rejoin her companions. He continued to watch over the others.
"Yassen. Name's Yassen." said Yassen, slightly taken aback by Bryant's frosty attitude. "And yes, it'd be much appreciatied if yer took me there."
"Alright, then, Yassen." Bryant said sullenly, after watching his sister leave. He started marching to the Kitchens, not checking to see if Yassen was following or not.
Good, they were going inside, Argunath sighed silently. He rested his back against the cool, hard stones again.
David yawned widely, well this was awkward. So is that showing me to a room thing happening anytime soon? he signed
"Sorry, dear." Rosemary said, then started after Bryant and Yassen. Although she checked to make sure Dave was following. "Dave, I've an inkling of an idea in my head, and I'd like to talk to you about it after breakfast tomorrow...Alright?" She asked,remembering the time when a former Infirmary Sister had helped a vole recover his voice. She'd have to look through old manuscripts, though, and she'd only pursue it if Dave agreed to try.
OOC: Since the difference of times, can we fast forward in a little bit so that Bryony just arrives at Willow and Aggril, and then we can time-lapse to the next day?
OOC: I was about to mention that, I need it to stay night for a while (David plans) and I was hoping I could include Argunath (Will elaborate in PM)
OOC: Corn?
OOC: Um.....Skarzs, I can get Bryony to Aggril and Willow soon. Jet, yeah, sure, it can stay night for a bit....Does that sound good, you two?
OOC: Yeah, if we need to discuss this more, we can do it in the OOC.
OOC: Sounds good
OOC: Got that,m and it should be straightened out....Now, Jet, could you respond to Rosemary? Or, rather, have Dave do it?
OOC: Hergerburgershmergur. (I have no idea, really. . .)
OOC: Can't really, he's following her meaning he's behind her meaning he can't communicate also he doesn't really have anything to say to that because it's incredibly vague. You could just timeskip to us getting to the room
EDIT: Just realized she turned around to face him sorry
BIC: Dave cocked his head to one side quizzically Alright he signed
OOC: Okay, afether this, thewy;re in the room. Then, it's nighttime.
BIC: Rosemary grinned from ear to ear. "Great! Now, we should be at your room in just a few moments." She said. About three minutes later (She took the shortcut) She opened a door to a room. "Here you are, Dave. Good night; I'm off to my bed." She said, the hurried off.
OOC: Une moment sil vous plait, do you mean to say that my next post will be during the night or my post AFTER my next post will be during the night?
OOC: She said it was nighttime now in the OOC. :P It think it's safe to assume it is night.
OOC: Yes, it's night! Yeesh! You guys complicate things far too much...*Marches off scowling*
OOC: Sorry.
OOC: ::) Alright, no more posting in OOC: for a bit! We need to get on with the RP.
OOC: I'm just gonna go straight into the plot, we've wasted far too much time already
It only took about an hour after he fell asleep before David was writhing around in his bed steel on steel, flesh on flesh, blood, shouting, laughter. Dave sat bolt upright, his entire body was drenched in sweat and his head was pounding. The cat punched a wall in frustration and regretted it instantly, that hurt. He climbed out of bed. Forgoing his tunic, he threw his sword belt over his shoulder, making sure that his sword was where it should have been. He crept out of his room and padded through the corridors and down the stairs, crossing the great hall and stepping out into the night. David shivered slightly, it was quite cool compared to inside, he almost regretted not grabbing his tunic, almost.
Dave made his way through the grounds around the abbey until he found the perfect place. There was a large expanse of ground by the pond, it was pleasantly still and calm, not for long. Dave drew his sword. Dave made a few quick slashes at the air, ducked back, made a blocking motion and sprinted forward a few steps, slashing diagonally upward. He closed his eyes, imagining he was back home, the beat of drums in the background, his brother standing in front of him. "All right li'l man, let's do this" said imaginary Bro, stepping forward and slicing horizontally at Dave who did a backward roll and sprang up to meet another swing with his own blade. Dave and the apparition clashed a few more times, stepping, blocking and ducking when the fight demanded.
Dave made a particularly powerful swing, knocking his brother's sword out of his hand, his eyes widened and his brother raised an eyebrow "Nice one kid, unarmed now" Dave stabbed his blade into the ground and immediately swung for his brother's face with a left hook. Imagibro simply chuckled, dodged to the side and sweeped at Dave's legs with one of his own. Dave jumped over his brother's leg and threw a lightning fast punch at fake-Bro's chest which connected solidly and knocked him back a few paces. Dave followed it up by cartwheeling forward, catching the imaginary tom under the chin with one of his feet and sending him staggering back. The older cat grabbed Dave's waist and attempted a flip but Dave punched him in the throat and he released him. Dave leaped back and then jumped up again, driving forward with a powerful kick which knocked the older cat to the floor. Dave had won, Dave never won, Dave wasn't supposed to win. The young cat collapsed on the floor and sobbed into his hands, he had started this by trying to alleviate stress, all he had done was create more.
OOC: The word tom in the final paragraph means male cat, it is not Dave's brother's name
Argunath opened his eyes slowly, letting his vision adjust to the dark; he was sure he had heard something. The moon shone in his eyes as he became silently more aware of his surroundings. There; he heard it again. Standing up, he watched the newly-arrived, Dave, if he remembered correctly. The cat was practicing with his swordplay, it seemed. The cougar came slowly down the steps, observing the strange spectacle. Now Dave was fighting without his sword, having thrust it in the ground. He jumped, punched, and kicked. For some reason this. . . strange, way of practicing upset the young cat, and he began to sob. Argunath limped over to him, and stood silently for a moment. Walking over to the katana stuck in the ground, he pulled it out and tested the blade. "This is a little dull; have you never had a need to sharpen it?"
OOC: Yes, he realizes Dave is mute; that answer doesn't really need an answer.
Dave was shocked, he hadn't realized that there was someone else out here. He sat up slowly, he felt more exposed than he ever had before, there was no hood covering his bright red 'demon' eyes and no tunic covering the massive scar than ran diagonally down his torso or that all important scar across his throat. He shook his head at the cougar's question
Argunath noticed Dave's eyes, and imagined it was a bit like what his own eyes looked like when he was in the so-called 'Bloodwrath'. But scars were nothing new to him; he had seen, given, and received far too many to be surprised any more. He stuck the weapon back in the ground and sat down near him. There was a little while of awkward silence before Argunath broke the ice. "It's difficult to lose someone close to you, isn't it?"
Difficult didn't even get halfway to describing how losing someone close felt but Dave nodded anyway, it would be best not to complicate things
"There was once a big cat who had one creature closest to his heart. He knew another cougar by the name of Elmeath. She was like family, yet closer. They traveled together for a few short seasons, but were caught in a battle, and he could not protect her. She was run through by spear, and in his grief he destroyed them, all twenty with his bare paws; they could not hold his rage, and they were torn apart. He came near death, his back ripped open, his leg broken, and his left arm rent like a curtain. But he still managed to bury her; she lies now in a grave in the south, sealed below ground with a rose upon the stone. He wanders around, never resting, and never caring if death takes him." Argunath sat silent, telling his own tale. He told it not only to Dave, but to himself, listening to his life as if it was a story to learn by.
But no; change could not happen. What had happened all those seasons ago had formed him like iron, and, unless broken, it would ever stay the same.
Dave hesitantly placed his paw on Argunath's shoulder. Dave knew what it was like to feel responsible for the death of a loved one, he however had actually caused his brother's death, from what he could tell from what the cougar was saying, he just wasn't in the right place at the right time. Nevertheless their situations were similar and he could try and offer some comfort to this cat
Argunath stiffened at Dave's paw, and moved it from his shoulder. It was not that he was ungrateful for the kind act; he just felt like he did not need any comfort. "You probably could use more comfort than me, in truth, for you still weep. But it may be worse that I do not cry, because of what it has done to me: my heart has turned to iron."
David shrugged, maybe he did need comfort but he sure as hell didn't want any, his life was already consumed by guilt as it was, he really didn't need reminding of his failures
"Do you still wish to practice?" Argunath stood and drew his falcate.
Willow counted down from ten, and before he hit seven, the weasel was pretty far off.
"Well, Aggril, that does that. What say we keep going?"
"Nah, mate; we gotta wait a little longer for Bryony. She should be back here soon."
Bryony had been there since Willow had hit "Five." She jumped down, and said, "Bryony's been here, ninnies! Ever since five, actually." She said, the yawned. "Ming waiting while I take a short snooze? Unlike you two sleeping beauties, I've been up for.....I don't know how long." She said, then plopped down to the ground, and started sleeping. She slept for ten minutes, then woke up. "Alright, I've had a few winks. Let's get going - The mountain's not getting any closer."
OOC:Jet, nice job! That post just about moved me to tears - Scratch that - It did.. *Goes and gets tissue* Okay, better now. Skarzs, also a nice job....But, I've got to admit, it didn't move to tears like Jet's did. Well, now that the two's back stories are a little more clear. Now, it's gonna be morning. Like, right NOW.
OOC: Right. BTW, it wasn't supposed to be moving, as he was only telling himself what his life had become.
OOC: I know, Skarzs. Can we quit posting in OOC:?
OOC: So it's morning now, timeskip?
Dave shook his head at the cougar's question, the other being there had somehow made the night better. He picked up his sword, lifted a paw in farewell and made his way back to his room, from then his sleep was undisturbed by the nightmares.
In the morning he awoke feeling refreshed. He threw on his tunic grabbed his book and went out, the other cat had shared something deeply personal and, if the cougar wished it, he wanted to reciprocate
OOC: Skarzs please post with what Argunath is doing and where he is so he can come and find you
Argunath had not pressed the cat any further, and went back to the wall to sleep. In the morning, he watched out along the battlements, searching for anything. He had not bothered with breakfast, and began to grow hungry. He decided to watch a little longer before eating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aggril had kept a wary eye about him since they continued on, because one could never be too careful.
OOC: Don't you mean Aggril?
BIC:
Kaylan slept through the rest of the night without waking. In the morning she awoke, dressed and slung her bow and quiver over her shoulders, like she usually did. She was still puzzled about Argunath, but didn't try to think about him right then; it was just too confusing.
Kaylan left her room and headed in the direction of the stairs. If the ottermaid had known that there were now two other cats at Redwall, she would not have been pleased. But she didn't know, and so she calmly walked downstairs to Cavern Hole, wondering if breakfast was served yet.
Arya had been up and about for awhiole, and had heard the news. Her eyes widened as she spotted Kaylan walking towards Cavern Hole to get breakfast. Uh-oh. "Kaylan! Kaylan!" She called, dashing to catch up to her.
Kaylan turned. "What?" she asked, pausing near the stairs that led to Cavern Hole.
"Um...During the night, we somehow acquired two more wildcats. At the moment they're probably going to be going to get breakfast. I just thought I should warn you." Arya spilled out, nervously.
"WHAT?!" Kaylan spluttered. "That - that's just - I don't..." She leaned against the wall. "What's up with the Abbey being under threat of attack by cats, and yet the Abbess allows THREE of them inside?"
David, who happened to be walking nearby as this exchange was going on, quickened his pace, so much for no one caring. Luckily the otter seemed focused on the squirrel and he was able to pass unnoticed. He crossed the great hall and went out into the grounds. Seeing a shadow up on the walls he made his way towards it, that was where Argunath had been when he'd arrived at the abbey, presumably where the cougar had been last night and where he had gone when Dave had left
Quote from: Jukka the Sling on June 01, 2014, 02:33:42 AM
"WHAT?!" Kaylan spluttered. "That - that's just - I don't..." She leaned against the wall. "What's up with the Abbey being under threat of attack by cats, and yet the Abbess allows THREE of them inside?"
"I don't know!" Arya cried, throwing her paws up in the air. "Yes, I agree, it's nuts and ridiculous! But since I was asleep at the time, I couldn't do anything about it!" She said, venting a bit. "Furthermore, I hear one's mute, I know one's unstable, and the other's rude! What, you think I
like having all these cats roaming around my Abbey? I don't! But I can';t do. One. Single. Thing. About them!!" She said, finishing her venting.
Argunath was about to go down for some food when he noticed David walking toward him. He waited to greet the other cat at the top of the stairs.
Willow cringed when he heard Bryony's voice. "Ugh... Great. Here we go again." He thought. He strapped on his backpack again and started walking without saying hello to Bryony. "Come on Aggril, we want to make it to Salamandastron before we die of old age, right?"
Aggril kept on walking. "Yes indeed, mate. Let's hope this leg of our journey will bring less distractions."
"Huh, just yesterday you were defending that Argunath guy when I was complaining about him," Kaylan replied. "Didn't know you felt the same way." She paused, then went on, "And I know for a fact he's unstable. You know what happened last night?"
Unaware of the of the distress on Arya and Kaylan he was partly responsible for, Yassen sat happily munching oatmeal in Cavern Hole. This was the first proper grub besides supper last night he had had in days, and he was certainly grateful for it. The wildcat hadn't actually seen many creatures at the abbey; mayhaps they were avoiding him. This slightly narked Yassen, but he guessed most of them had a right to be fearful and hateful towards "vermin" like him. Each to their own he thought.
~~~~~~~~~~
Both Reven and Falco had woken and decided to stick together to prevent getting lost again like last night. Eventually they found the entrance to Cavern Hole. Just before they were about to enter, Reven heard earnest disscussion, and glanced back to see Arya and an otter talking. They seemed rather passionate about something, but Reven decided it was none of his bussiness, and followed Falco into Cavern Hole.
Quote from: Jukka the Sling on June 02, 2014, 09:01:39 PM
"Huh, just yesterday you were defending that Argunath guy when I was complaining about him," Kaylan replied. "Didn't know you felt the same way." She paused, then went on, "And I know for a fact he's unstable. You know what happened last night?"
"WHAAAAT?!?!?!?!?!?! Rosemary let an UNSTABLE CAT into REDWALL?!?!?!?" Arya shouted, her temper rising to the surface. "Ggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr." She muttered, her jaw working, and he fists clenching.
"Uh, yeah, she did, apparently. I mean, that cat actually attacked me and Abbess Rosemary last night!"
OOC: BAAALD EEAAAGLE!!!!! Sorry....There was a bald eagle. Which is a very VERY rare sight for me.
BIC: "WHAAAAAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!!?!??!?!??!?!?!?!?!" Arya screamed, then turned around and punched the wall. Quite a few times.
Kaylan was a bit surprised at Arya's tantrum - or whatever it was. She gave her an odd look, but then continued, "I kinda caused it without meaning to. I was up on the wall, and he came up there and asked me why I didn't trust him. I told him it was 'cause he was a vermin, and I also mentioned the Dibbun that died, and he just went crazy. I ran back to the Abbey to get somebeast to calm him down and the Abbess came out with me, and told me to shoot him in a nonlethal area if he tried to attack her. Which is what ended up happening. Anyway, then Argunath went after me and grabbed me by the neck, but then calmed down and dropped me. I stood in front of the Abbess with my bow drawn. He told me to just kill him and rid the world of another monster. I didn't know what to think. He was unarmed, though, so I didn't kill him, and I just headed back inside. So yeah. He's definitely what I'd call unstable."
David waved to Argunath and quickly wrote out a short message
So I wanted to thank you for talking to me last night, it really did help and since you shared that story about you which was probably really personal, I wanted to share my story, I mean if you want that is. Also, I never got your name
He hesitated for a few moments before handing the book over
Arya then started banging her head against the wall, moaning. "I was either flirting or looking over my arrows, and you and the Abbess are being attacked. I'm so stupid!"She said, still banging her head against the wall.
"No you're not," Kaylan said quickly, putting an arm around her friend. (OOC: That alright?) "How were you supposed to know that was going on?" She turned towards Cavern Hole. "Come on, let's have breakfast. Don't worry, I'm not gonna attack those vermin or anything if they happen to be down there. I'm quite stable," she added with a hint of a smile, heading down the steps to the breakfast area.
OOC: Huh. Well, Arya is definitely going to be more careful around Argunath. :P
BIC: Argunath read the message, and he thought a moment before he answered. "I'm glad I was able to help. My name is Argunath, and I'm from the far western mountains." He held out his paw.
David took his paw and shook it briefly. He pulled down his hood and raised an eyebrow, looking down at the book and then back up
"Oh, here," the cougar said, quickly giving it back to the smaller cat.
Dave gave another of his raspy chuckles
I wasn't asking for it back, I was wondering what your answer to my first question was
OOC: Dang these are getting progressively worse, I need to step up my game
"Ah, about your story. I can't say I'm not curious about your past. Please, I would like to hear of it." He waited for Dave to begin to write, though it might take a while.
Quote from: The Skarzs on June 03, 2014, 12:01:09 AM
OOC: Huh. Well, Arya is definitely going to be more careful around Argunath. :P
OOC: A bit frosty, too.
@Jet: There's not as bad as my posts were when I first got here....Actually, my posts are still a bit iffy, until I get into my writing mood.....Then, they're a paragraph. :P
BIC: Arya allowed Kaylan to put her arm around her and lead her to Cavern Hole. "Still, though...Besides the fact that you and the Abbess were being attacked, I probably looked really stupid. I mean, I wouldn't know romance, or flirting, if they fell on my head from a tree!" She moaned. She really did think that she had probably been silly, and made a fool of herself last night.
Dave sucked on the tip of his quill, contemplating how to phrase his answer before finally deciding to tell it as Argunath had done, as a story
There was once a young cat named Dave, the cat's parents had died when he was very young and so he was brought up by his brother. Dave and his brother were great friends and got along well however the young cat's life was not all happy, the people where he grew up bullied him because his eyes were a freakish red colour. He of course did not tell his brother this, how could he? But somehow, the brother found out and the consequences were drastic. They left their family home to look for a better place to live. Eventually they settled down in the territory of a family of foxes. Dave's brother started to teach him to fight so that he would be able to protect himself should anything like before happen again. Meanwhile the cat had become friends with the son of the fox lord. The two were friends for many seasons and the cat became complacent with his place and this was his downfall. You see, Dave forgot that he was dealing with the son of a lord here and when his friend did something he didn't like, he got incredibly angry mouthing off with as many colourful curse words as he could think of and even resorting to physical violence. The fox lord was understandably unhappy with this when his son told him and he sent his soldiers to deal with the cat and his brother. You see, the cat's older brother had repeatedly failed to pay the taxes that the landowners demanded and it was only Dave's friendship with the fox lord's son that kept the consequences from them. Long story short, the two of them were tortured and the brother killed. Dave was meant to die as well but the person who cut his throat was obviously incompetent and the young cat was able to crawl to the home of the healer who lived in the settlement, he survived but it cost him his voice. After this the cat left to go traveling, trying to put the past behind him.
Dave's handwriting became progressively worse as he wrote, he found that it was harder to repress his memories as he went along. His hands were still shaking when he passed the book to Argunath
Dave's emotions showed, and Argunath read the words carefully. He said nothing through the entire thing, and handed the book back to him when he was done. "I understand you a little more now," he said. He saw down on the battlements. "You were some seasons younger when this happened, correct? Wisdom is not something we posses as a child; it's as if we have the right to be stupid." He smiled briefly at something he remembered as a little one, but the moment had passed, and he was his stoic self again.
"I can't say who was in the wrong or the right; it seems it was meant to happen."
He looked up at the sky. "You seem ashamed by your eyes; I see nothing to feel shame from. They make you unique. At least for you, that color is normal.
"But for me. . ." he clenched paws. "My eyes turn red, oh yes. The blood rises into them and blurs my vision. The good part of me is dragged down silently screaming inside, replaced by something that does not rest. I have slain dozens with my hands. My eyes are like the fires of hell shining out, and I cannot stop it. But your eyes are always like that, only far different. No destructive rage; no restless and fearsome hate. You should be glad, for it is only the color and not the spirit."
"Oh, come on. I'm sure you didn't make a fool of yourself," Kaylan said lightly, trying to reassure her friend. Actually, she had sort of thought Arya was acting a little weird the night before, but she knew nothing about romance, so who was she to judge?
Dave shook his head
You misunderstand, I am not ashamed of my eyes, I hide them because of what others have done because of them he smirked personally I think they're cool. He frowned as he addressed the next point Yes I was younger not by much though, only three seasons and I'm technically still a child, I'm sixteen. He was about to hand the book over when he remembered something We should probably go down to breakfast
The cougar's stomach growled loudly. He chuckled. "Yes, that might be wise." He limped down the stairs, leaving a small, dripping trail of blood from his wound he had received the night before.
Quote from: Jukka the Sling on June 04, 2014, 10:13:10 PM
"Oh, come on. I'm sure you didn't make a fool of yourself," Kaylan said lightly, trying to reassure her friend. Actually, she had sort of thought Arya was acting a little weird the night before, but she knew nothing about romance, so who was she to judge?
"Do you really think so?" Arya asked as they approached the tables. Then she bit her lip, swallowed her pride, and told Kaylan something. "Um, Kaylan.....I think I might have the smallest, tiniest bit of a crush on Reven." She confessed, then stole a glance at the otter's face.
Argunath opened the door to the abbey, waiting until Dave entered before he could close it.
Dave went inside, nodding his thanks to Argunath and made his way across the great hall. He had only gone about ten paces when he realised he had no idea where he was supposed to be going.
"This way."
Argunath led him to Cavern Hole, where he saw Arya and Kaylan talking. Passing it off as just another conversation, he found an empty space.
"Really?" Kaylan inquired, not terribly surprised. Her attention was momentarily diverted when Argunath and Dave walked by, and she eyed them for a moment, wondering where the third cat was. Then she noticed Yassen sitting at a table stuffing his face. She clenched her fists in frustration, processing the fact that there really were three cats at Redwall, but then turned back to Arya. "So, um, do you think he likes you?"
Dave was looking around for the abbess, didn't she say she wanted to talk to him? He saw her sitting in a big chair at the head of the table and made his way towards her
OOC: If she's not at breakfast yet, tell me
Argunath was still uncomfortable around the other abbeybeasts; he filled a platter with food and left for an unoccupied corner to eat. Seasons of living open to the elements and in constant survival mode had made him that way.
Quote from: Jukka the Sling on June 06, 2014, 09:25:33 PM
"Really?" Kaylan inquired, not terribly surprised. Her attention was momentarily diverted when Argunath and Dave walked by, and she eyed them for a moment, wondering where the third cat was. Then she noticed Yassen sitting at a table stuffing his face. She clenched her fists in frustration, processing the fact that there really were three cats at Redwall, but then turned back to Arya. "So, um, do you think he likes you?"
Quote from: Jetthebinturong on June 06, 2014, 10:01:16 PM
Dave was looking around for the abbess, didn't she say she wanted to talk to him? He saw her sitting in a big chair at the head of the table and made his way towards her
OOC: If she's not at breakfast yet, tell me
Rosemary noticed Dave, and got up and went over. "Good morning, Dave. Sleep well? I saved you a seatr." She said, motioning over to were she sat - There was an empty seat next to the big chair.
-----------------------------------
"I don't know, Kaylan! I don't even really know what to say, or do around him." Arya admitted, blushing a little bit.
Dave nodded to her question and sat down. So what did you want to talk about? he signed
"Well...." Abbess Rosemary hesitated, then decided to just blurt it out in one big rush: "What would you think if I could find a way to help you talk again?" She said, then bit her lip, anxiously watching Dave's face...Or what she could see of it.
Dave was tired of hiding, Argunath didn't care, he didn't care about his eyes or his scars, maybe they wouldn't either. He pulled down his hood and looks Rosemary in the eyes That's literally impossible he pulled down the neck of his tunic to show her the scar that ran across his throat I'm never going to speak again. It occurred to Dave that if no one had ever spoken to him about it, if no one had ever encouraged him to stop, he would probably have kept hiding them forever. The old squirrel who had healed him and who he had spilled his story to, laced with the self-loathing and guilt had once said to him "It seems like this is something that has been bothering you a long time, but I'm going to tell you right now, it's high time you stopped feeling responsible for the actions of others!" Dave had left right at that very second but now, finally, he understood the truth in the healer's words. It's not my fault my eyes are red and it's not my fault those people were jerks, it's time to stop feeling like it is! Dave was filled by a sense of purpose and a perhaps misplaced anger, it was time to stop hiding under a hood, it was time to face the world.
"Oh... well, I'm afraid I can't really help you there. I know nothing about romance," Kaylan admitted.
She walked over to a table, sat down, and started serving herself some scones and jam, at the same time keeping an eye on the cats. The ottermaid saw that Dave was talking - well, signing - to the Abbess, and she realized he must be the mute one.
Rosemary was shocked, but hide it well. "Dave, has anyone told you you have very nice eyes?" She asked. She really did like his eyes.....Although the Abbess had no idea why. "And, Dave, nothing's impossible. Nothing. Just look at the Abbey. If Martin the Warrior thought it impossible to build this place, then no one would be here today. Nothing's impossible." She said, then took a bite of her oatmeal, holding up a paw so Dave wouldn't speak. She swallowed, and continued; "Now, if you've gotten that through your head, creatures from a long ways around come to the Abbey to be helped, especially if they have an injury. We are known Healers, David! There may or may not be something in the Abbey Records. At least let me try, Dave. I won't do it if you don't want me to, but I'd like it much better if you'd say yes. After all, it can't hurt to look, can it?" She asked, her tone patient, and wise. She hoped that David wouldn't take this the wrong way.
-----------------------------------------------
"I was hoping you'd know." Arya said, then sighed. "Oh well....Perhaps I'll manage to get along, eh?" She said, joking a bit. She also was keeping an eye on the Abbess and the cat, and then stood up (Even though she'd just sat down ten seconds ago) and made her way over to the Abbess. "Mother Abbess, if you have some spare time today I'd like to talk to you." She said, her voice firm. She looked at David, but wasn't surprised, or repulsed. She acted like his face was just like one she saw every day. Then she turned and stalked away, passing Argunath. She said, rather icily, "Good morning, Argunath." Then she stopped, and said, "For the sake of my Abbey., may I ask that you try to keep your temper under control? Thank you." Then she stalked away, also passing Yassen, and she stopped to introduce herself: "Hello, my name's Arya, and I'm the Abbey Warrior. Please mind your manners, and keep a civil tongue in your head. If you do not, then I'm afraid to say that you will answer to me and my sword. Have a nice day." She said icily, then stormed off to where Kaylan sat, and sat down again. Hard.
Dave blinked, then blinked again then grinned like a Cheshire cat Thanks, for the compliment and the offer but I'm afraid I'll have to decline. As much as it sounds stupid, I like being mute, sure it can be annoying at times, having to convey things without relying on tone and volume but it makes me unique and it feels like it's become part of who I am. Also unless you can work magic then there is no chance you'd be able to do it, the squirrel who healed me explained it. My larynx was cut open and can't be closed up, that means I can't talk.
"And for the sake of every beast alive, I hope I can keep my temper under control," he said quietly. So, she knew about his berserk attack; indeed, how could she not have found out? He had nearly killed Kaylan, and, had he not somehow calmed himself, he would have killed the Abbess as well as countless others.
He handed his platter of food to a passing hedgehog, who'd jaw dropped in surprise; he had lost his appetite. Argunath needed something to do, to use his muscle on something.
He asked around for a shovel, and, after a little while, was gotten one. Walking out the main gate, he made his way to the place where he had encountered the cats. . . and killed them all. Looking upon the bodies of the dead, flashes of what he had seen in his raging Bloodwrath filled his mind. He gasped, shaking his head to clear the images. Then they were gone, and he was free to work. Pushing the shovel into the dirt, he began to make a grave.
"Alright. If that's what you want." Rosemary said, somewhat disappointed. But he said sense, and it was his voice.
Kaylan had watched Arya as she ate, somewhat amused by her performance. She hadn't heard all that the squirrelmaid had said to the cats, but she saw from Arya's expression that it was none too friendly. When her friend returned to their table and sat down hard, the ottermaid grinned at her. "What'd you say to 'em?" she asked, chuckling.
After a little, Argunath needed to rest; his wounds still ached and he risked them opening back up if he worked too hard.
"Oh, I just asked Argunath to control his temper a bit, and told the rude one that he better keep a civil tongue in his head and mind his manners or else he'd really get to me and my sword. I didn't say anything to the mute one because he was talking with Rosemary." Arya said, then shrugged. She then took a bite out of a scone piled high with meadowcream and strawberry jelly.
"Oh... By the way, how do you know that one guy's rude? What did he say, exactly?" Kaylan asked, figuring that Yassen had spoken to Arya earlier and offended her.
"It's just what I've heard. From Bryant, actually. He didn't say anything to me." Arya said, taking another bite of her scone.
Argunath had been thinking as he dug. How many more were in the horde of cats? Surely many more than this. The creatures of Redwall would be hard pressed to keep alive. If maybe he could thin their numbers. . .? No. He shook his head of the thought. It would be a foolish act.
Rosemary finished eating, and tapped Dave on the paw. "I've got some things to do, If you need any help finding your way around, or something, just find me or Arya. Or anyone, really.," She said, then got up and left.
The cougar continued digging, concentrating on his task lest his mind wander again. He was nearly a third of the way done.
"Who's Bryant?" Kaylan inquired a bit absently, letting her gaze wander across Cavern Hole. She watched Yassen for a moment, then glanced at Dave, then at Argunath... wait, where was Argunath? He'd been there only a little while before! The ottermaid stood up quickly, a note of surprise and worry in her voice. "Arya, where'd Argunath go?" He could be anywhere! she thought. And what if he goes into another of his lunatic rages and kills somebeast?!
"Bryant's a squirrel who makes awesome apple turnovers, and is now being babysat by us from order of his sister, Bryony, who left to go to Salamandastron.. There he is." She said,m absentmindedly, then shot up as Kaylan asked where Argunath was. "Oh, gods! I don't know!" She said, then quickly went over to Bryant and grasped his arm. "Bryant, have you seen Argunath?"
"Yeah, I have....He went out of the Abbey a minute ago, and headed for the wallgate, the one where we all gathered up yesterday."
"Okay, thank you so much!" Arya replied, then raced off, leaving behind a very puzzled Bryant. He asked Kaylan, "What was that all about? Name's Bryant, by the way." He said.
Argunath was about halfway done, but he needed to rest again. Being wounded took it's toll on the body. He looked at the shallow grave he was digging. It would hold the bodies, hiding them from the world, but never from his memory.
Arya dashed out of the Abbey, heading for the wallgate mentioned. She saw the little gate, open, and ran through it. From there, she took to the trees, scanning the ground. When she saw him, he was digging. She went silently to the tree above him, and asked, "Just what on earth are you doing? Do you realize that I just freaked out, seeing as you were missing, only Bryant had seen you, and I know that your mental state isn't the best?" She asked, sounding weary.
"I'm staying away from anybeast I might harm, and I'm cleaning up the mess I made." He dragged himself up to dig some more. "My mental state is unstable, I know. It has been a constant fight to not give in to it for seasons. Sometimes it snaps, as you have heard, by something." He gasped slightly as his shoulder gave him a sharp pain. "Tell Kaylan and the abbess I am sorry I almost killed them."
Dave, sufficiently full, pulled his sketchbook off his belt, grabbed one of the graphite sticks that hung next to it and began to draw. At first he considered sketching the abbey but decided against it, it was far too large to keep on one page and he'd never been good at landscapes anyway. A stroke of inspiration hit him like a lightning bolt, friends. He'd never had them before, of course he'd had his brother and the fox lord's son but never any others. He'd draw his friends, or at least those HE considered to be HIS friends. Bryony, Bryant, Abbess Rosemary, Argunath, yes, he would draw them. Having decided on this, Dave began sketching the head and shoulders of a squirrel
Bryant sighed, and picked at his food. He really wasn't hungry any more. So, he brought his tray to the Abbey Hare ((Anyoen may PP him/her)) and then went off on on his way, passing Dave. "Oh, hello Dave. Did you sleep well?" He asked, watching the stick.
--------------------------------------
"Why don't you tell them yourself?" Arya asked, springing down from the tree, and checking his shoulder. "Argunath. Your shoulder's bleeding again....Stop digging. I'll dig for a while." She said firmly.
"I'm Kaylan," she said quickly. "Um, that big cat, Argunath, left Cavern Hole without us noticing, and he's kinda unstable mentally, so yeah... gotta go!" she finished, dashing off after Arya.
She soon saw the open wallgate she'd heard Bryant mention, ran toward it (making sure to shut it firmly behind her), and ran into the woodlands. After only a moment, however, she lost her friend's tracks. "She must've tree-jumped," she muttered to herself. Despite the lack of tracks, the ottermaid headed further into the woods. "Arya!"
A few minutes later, Kaylan spotted Arya and Argunath through the trees. She ran forward, surprise written on her face. "What's going on? Are you okay? And, um, why is he... digging?" she said in a rush, glancing at Arya.
Arya heard a voice calling her name, and looked towards it. A moment later, Kaylan appeared. "I'm fine, Kaylan. What's going on? I have no idea. As for why he's digging, it's because he wants to clean up his mess." She said, then put her paw on the shovel. "Arguanth. Go. Sit. Down." She said.
Argunath realized it would be better that he should tell them himself, but said nothing. Throwing the shovel-full of dirt, he said stubbornly, "I should be doing this myself; I started it, I should finish it."
"What mess? He started what?" Kaylan asked, not comprehending. Then she saw several corpses piled to one side of the clearing. "Oh..." The ottermaid took a step back from Argunath. "Uh, Arya, what happened there? Who are - uh - were they?"
Arya shrugged, then talked to Argunath again. "Argunath, you can finish it.....Just lemme do a little bit of the work in the middle."
Argunath let Arya take the shovel, answering Kaylan's question for the squirrel in a firm voice. "These are the bodies of the scouting party that tried to take two of your 'Dibbuns'. I killed them, but lost one of the little ones." He closed his eyes, trying not to remember what happened. "This might explain my wounds: I killed them all."
Kaylan had noticed the cougar's wounds, but hadn't figured them out until that moment. She was now extremely confused. "Waitwaitwait... what? You... killed creatures from the horde you're a part of...?" she asked incredulously, still believing that the cougar was a spy, albeit an unstable one.
OOC: Corny, what's the horde doing right now? :P
"Part of them?" Argunath growled loudly. "Look at that leopard; he is from the southern lands; many of them are. But I, I hail from a land of cold hills and mountains far across the western ocean; the Barkhills! I didn't know of this horde's existence until I came here."
Dave nodded distractedly, engrossed in his work. He added eyes and a mouth with a kindly smile, abandoning the face and moving up to draw ears (with half of one missing) before moving back down and drawing whiskers. With Bryony done he flipped onto the next page and one again started drawing a squirrel's head and shoulders, male this time. He finished drawing the outline and started work on the features
Kaylan stepped back a little further, her thoughts racing along in a confused tangle. Everything she'd believed about Argunath had been shattered in an instant. She stood silently for a moment, processing what he'd told her. Now that she thought about it, everything made sense. In spite of herself she accepted his story as the only possible solution to yesterday's happenings. But if he isn't from the horde, why is he here?
"Why did you come here?" she said aloud, referring to what he'd said a moment before.
"I have a restless spirit; I killed a rat when I was little more than a child who was trying to hurt my sister. Since then, I have not been able to stay in one place for more than half a season. My wanderings brought me here." He was silent, letting Kaylan take it as she will, either a foolish story or the simple truth.
OOC: Forgot about them....But then, most of my horde playing people have disappeared! >:(
BIC: Arya took the shovel and dug, listening to the two talk. The hole was soon quite a bit deeper than it had been when she took the shovel, but not deep enough.
------------------------------------------------
Bryant watched, amazed, as Dave drew Bryony. "Wow.....You're fantastic!" He breathed.
Argunath put a paw on the shovel. "I will continue from here, Abbey Warrior."
"Rest just a few more minutes." Arya insisted, and continued digging.
She didn't know why, but she believed this part of his story as well. Well, the first part makes sense - why should he lie about the rest? she reasoned. But despite the fact Argunath's story explained everything, she was still wary of him - even if he had saved a Dibbun, the cat was unstable.
But then she realized that she was admitting Argunath had done something good. The full impact of that fact and its implications hit her like a ton of bricks. He had saved a Dibbun. Her thoughts spun. Why had he done it? He, a vermin, had saved the life of an Abbeydweller. Vermin were irredeemably evil. Weren't they? She'd never heard of one that had done anything good...
Kaylan had never been so confused in her life. Without speaking, she turned and walked away from the clearing, so wrapped in her own thoughts she barely realized she was heading back to the Abbey.
"Hmm....I do believe Kaylan's coming around to the fact that not all vermin are evil." Arya said, then finally handed over the shovel. "Alrigfht, here you are, Argunath." She said.
"I'm not a vermin," Argunath growled softly. "I am a cougar, part of the cat family. One should recognize the difference." He refused to speak any more on the matter, only digging quietly and efficiently.
"figure of speech, Argunath." Arya said quietly.
"It's large enough," Argunath said, putting the shovel down. He went over to one of the dead bodies and dragged it over to the grave; it would take a while, but he would bury them all.
Arya rolled her eyes and sighed, then went over to another dead body and tsarted to drag it over. "No protesting." She ordered.
Argunath only tossed the body in the pit-grave, going over to another that was slightly in the bushes. Grabbing it by the cold paw, he was shocked to see only the top half of the cat come with it. Once again, flashes of horrible memories clouded his mind, and he stumbled back, resting against a tree. Blinking furiously, he banished the images, going back to pick up the body, this time without looking.
Arya looked up and shrieked with surprise, and was half-way up a tree when she realized what she was doing. "Uh, Argunath? You know that body's torn in two, right?" She asked, then had to go over to the bushes for a minute.
"Yes."
He tossed the gruesome object in with the rest. "From what I can remember I cut him in half." He went to the broken body of Grag and put that in as well. "And I crushed this one's ribs and spine."
Arya retched for a few more minutes, then returned, after wiping herself up a bit. "Sorry. That was just too much." She apologized.
"I suggest you not look when I get the other half, then."
Argunath was having a hard time keeping the memories away from his mind, but he grit his teeth and continued his job. He had gotten used to seeing the gore; it was the memories that really tore him apart.
Arya did not look, but went to get a head that she saw poking out of the bushes. This one was whole, mostly )He was missing a paw, which she also collated) and draggerd it over to the hole.
After gathering the rest of the bodies, Argunath shoveled dirt over them.
Since Argunath had the only shovel, Areya started to help by kicking some of the dirt into the hole.
Filling the hole would be quicker than digging it out; Argunath continued.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aggril looked at the position of the sun, adjusting their course of walking. "We should make it to the mountain by tomorrow," he announced to the others.
"You're joking, right?" Bryony said, looking at them. "I've visited the mountain before, and it took me three days, minimum."
"I didn't say when tomorrow," Aggril grumbled. "And, if we move quickly, we will make it there by tomorrow."
"Okay. What's your miracle shortcut, then?" Bryony asked, not unkindly, just puzzled as to how on earth they'd get to te mountain tomorrow.......It took Martin the Warrior a season!
"They went the long way around; we're taking the most direct route. Alright, so we won't make it there by tomorrow; what's the harm of being wrong sometimes?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They were almost done covering the grave, and Argunath was glad there would be one less thing to think about.
Bryony just rolled her eyes and sighed. This was going to be a long journey.
When they were done burying the bodies, Argunath made his way back to the abbey; he had to talk to Kaylan and Abbess Rosemary.
Arya looked at Argunath, and sighed. "Would you like me to stay behind, or would you mind if I tree-jump?" She asked.
"Why should you stay behind? There is nothing left here but a haunting memory. Come, I'm sure you don't want to be here any more than I do." With that, the cougar left Arya to her own decision.
"Alright. I was just wondering if you'd like some company." Arya said, then vaulted up a tree and set off for the Abbey, going slower than usual.
Argunath heard a sound opposite from Arya's direction, and knit his brows. Going over to investigate, he was slightly surprised to see a weasel jump out in front of him.
"Alright, surrender, or I'll tear yoouuuhhh, oohh, shi-"
The big cougar caught him by the neck and showed his teeth as he spoke. "Get out of this land before I eat you."
He dropped the terrified vermin, who ran off whimpering in fear. Argunath shook his head, and turned back to the abbey.
Arya was at the Abbey, and was waiting for the cat to appear.
Argunath pushed through the brush until he saw Arya waiting for him at the gate.
"What took you so long?" Arya teased, then tried to open the gate. To her surprise, it was unlocked - With three Dibbuns on the other side! She raised an eyebrow, and then turned to Argunath. "I wonder if these three Dibbuns know that I chop the tails of runaway Dibbuns after skelping 'm." She remarked loudly. With a squeal, they ran off.
"They know now," Argunath said dryly. "It might be wise to raise the lock on the gate." What took you so long? "Oh, nothing. Just a weasel who didn't realize he was trying to rob someone four times his size."
Arya chuckled, then rolled her eyes. "They know I was just teasing. So, I'm guessing that you gave that weasel a fright." She said, putting a tadbit of emphasis on fright.
"That. . ." The cougar looked back over his shoulder. "Would be an understatement. I don't think he's coming back after I threatened to eat him."
:Okay. So long as there's no more bodies in the woods." Arya remarked, then looked at the sky, "Hmm...Breakfast's over. And I barely got any. Ay yi yi. Well, I'm going to go coax something out of the cooks." She said.
Argunath also felt hungry, and his stomach growled. "Could you get something for me as well? I need to speak to the abbess and Kaylan."
"Sure. Oh, and could you ask Rosemary to meet me by the redcurrants about noon? Thanks." Arya asked, hen wandered off to the Kitchens.
---------------------------------------------
Grain was not very happy as she threw the bones, feathers, sticks, rocks, and shells, muttering under her breath. "Uh, Grain? I've got bad news."
"What?" The cat snapped.
"The scouting party failed. They're all dead." Grain said, then winced, and waited for the rage to come. I t did. The she-cat roared and started destroying things.
After about ten minutes, Grinda was calmed down enough to growl out, "Get the horde together. We're attacking the Abbey. Tonight." Grain bowed and said, "Of course, sister dear." Then she hurried out of the tent, which then started getting destroyed.
"I will." Argunath said simply, and searched out the abbess first.
OOC: Where is she?
OOC: Ermmmm...........How about......The attic?
OOC: Okay.
BIC: After asking around, Argunath was finally told that Rosemary was in the attic. Squeezing his way up, he found her. "Abbess? I would like to apologize for attacking you and Kaylan last night."
Rosemary looked surprised. "Hmm? Oh. Well. Argunath, it's not a big deal. But I accept the apology. Pehaps you've thought on my words?" Abbess Rosemary asked, then went on before Argunath could speak. I'm just reading the journals of a past Abbess."
"And what knowledge would you gather from such. . . archives?" Argunath didn't bother answering what the abbess had asked before, seeing as she pushed the matter aside.
"Oh, this and that. They're really just interesting to read." Rosemary said, then picked up the journal she held and said, "Well, shall we go downstairs? It'd be much easier to read this one downstairs."
Argunath stepped politely out of the way so she could pass. "If you want to. Oh, Arya said to remind you of meeting her by the redcurrants at noon."
Rosemary grimaced. "Ah. That. I'd forgotten.....She's not happy about all of the cats we have. Especially since that horde's coming..." Rosemary said, then sighed.
"Are we going to do nothing?" Argunath asked. "I fear we will not be prepared for them, but this place is under your charge."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feshr saluted at Grian as she walked by. "What news, milady?"
"You don't want to know. But I can tell you this: Pack up. We're attacking the Abbey. Tonight." She said grimly, and walked on, shouting at everyone to pack up and be ready to move out.
----------------------------------------
"Oh, no. We're doing something. We're going to fight back." Rosemary said grimly.
"Yes, milady," Feshr said obediently, and began to get the other cats moving. "Pack up! We're moving to attack wherever our leaders tell us to, so get moving or pay the consequences!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Good; I am hoping that will keep me from attacking anyone else in the abbey," Argunath said.
"It might. Who knows? Say, do you have any practice with the sling? I do believe I need a bit of help.....Just don't tell Arya." Rosemary said, then giggled.
"I am well versed in many weapons, sling included. I will help."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feshr kicked a wildcat in the rear. "The lady Grian said to pack up, not pack your face. Get moving!"
OOC: Grain, not Grian.
BIC: Rosemary smiled very big, "Thank you!"
". . . As long as you don't mind a cougar who tried to kill you earlier help you. I still have yet to apologize to Kaylan for. . ."
"Why should I mind that?" Rosemary asked, in a tone that implied Argunath was being ridiculous.
The cougar shook his head, dismissing the subject. "How long have you been abbess? Also, what decides who becomes 'Abbess'? We have no such title where I come from."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feshr reported to Grain that a good portion of the horde was packed.
Grain sighed, and faced the tent....Or what was left of it. She walked over, and touched Grinda "Grinda? Most of the horde's packed. Shall we start to set out?"
--------------------------------------------------------
Rosemary smiled, "Oh, I've been Abbes for about........7 seasons? And, the Elder Council decides who becomes Abbess or Abbot when the old one dies or retires." She explained.
Argunath nodded. "I see. I must stop by the kitchens, as I have not had anything to eat yet."
"Alright." Rosemary said, then wondered if she should start heading for the red currants. No, too early she finally decided.
As Argunath went into the kitchens, he saw Arya there. "Is there any food left?"
"Yeah. I didn't know what you'd want, so I got you some of everything." Arya said, then handed him a plate.
The cougar nodded his thanks, and went out to Rosemary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feshr was awaiting his leaders' command to move.
Arya stayed to toast her feet by the ovens and think a bit.
"Shall we go outside?" Argunath asked the abbess before eating a scone.
"Sure!" Rosemary replied.
Dave had not heard Bryant and was engrossed in his work, the drawing of Bryant was done and he was about halfway through sketching Rosemary. Eyes, ears, mouth, whiskers, done. Finishing off on Rosemary he started on Argunath
Bryant was mesmerized. "Wow....." He breathed, his eyes wide. As far as he was concerned, Dave was w next to the Abbess, Arya, and Bryony.
As Argunath passed through Cavern Hole, he noticed Dave. "I wonder what he's up to; Bryant sure seems interested."
Rosemary walked thrlugh the door, adding "Thank you, Argunath."
OOC: Don't mind this.
OOC: Blah blah, do dee do.....
OOC: I don't know about Bryant but Dave's still in Cavern Hole
OOC: I didn't think that was right, but I was really tired last night!
OOC: Oh, sorry. :-\ Maybe those posts could be reworked. . .
OOC: Yeah.
OOC: That would be a good idea
OOC: Edited.
Upon reaching the Abbey, Kaylan had wandered over to the gatehouse. She knew the gatekeeper wasn't there, for she'd seen him as she crossed the lawns. All the ottermaid wanted right then was to be alone and sort things out.
She entered the gatehouse and shut the door after her, glancing around. There were several large bookcases, a small, unlit fireplace, a bed in the corner, and a large overstuffed chair, with a small table next to it.
Kaylan threw herself in the chair, then leaned forward and rested her chin in her paws. She was confused and a little worried, too. What would Skipper and the ottercrew say if they knew that she had believed a vermin's story and almost accepted that he had, indeed, done something good? She still didn't know if vermin could be good... But, she then reminded herself, Argunath definitely has done something good. It's weird, but... seems to be true... She sighed, then frowned. But how could he have done something good? Skipper knows about vermin, and he says they're evil. So Argunath can't be good, not really, she argued.
The ottermaid leaned back in her chair. As she did so, she caught sight of a small brown book sticking out from a shelf. Anxious for something to get her mind off the troubling thoughts running through her head, Kaylan rose, walked over, and pulled the book from the shelf. She settled back in her chair and opened the book. The first page informed her that it was the personal journal of a long-ago Abbot called Saxtus. The original diary had fallen apart many seasons before, but had fortunately been copied by a Redwall brother. That copy had also been lost due to its age, but a young Abbess named Fern had copied it, and it was that copy, pages now yellowed and cracking, that Kaylan now held in her paws. Intrigued, the ottermaid began to read.
The first few pages told of day-to-day happenings at Redwall, but soon the pace picked up. Abbot Saxtus wrote of two searats that came to Redwall, then of how they murdered the badgermum, Mellus. Kaylan clenched her paw, enraged that such a thing should happen. But she read on, about the surprising actions of the searat Blaggut, and how he proved to the Abbeydwellers that not all vermin are evil.
At last Kaylan closed the book. In it she had unexpectedly found more proof that not all vermin have to be evil. And, unable to think up another argument, she simply accepted that Argunath was one of those good vermin.
OOC: @Jet: Modified also. Oh, everyone? I'm taking over Argunath, for Skarzs. He's gone off on a road trip that will take a month. We arranged this in PMs.
*+@Jukka: Ooh, very nice post!
OOC: Okay.
And thanks! :D BIC:
Kaylan remained in the gatehouse a little longer, just thinking. At last she put the journal away and headed back out of the dim gatehouse into the sunlight. She knew she had to apologize to Argunath. It was the right thing to do, even if it hurt her pride. She had seriously misjudged him, and the least she could do was try to make things right.
Riosemary shrugged. "I don't know. Shall we go see?"
The cougar shrugged. "Sure." He said. BEsides, Rosemary was already heading over.
--------------------------------------
Arya had finished toasting her feet and thinking, and she passed through Cavern Hole, noting all the beasts there, and went out onto the Lawns, bringing Martin's Sword with her, planning on practicing outside the Gatehouse. As she got closer, she saw Kaylan's head through a window, and thought she'd pop in and check up on her. "Hey, Kaylan." The squirrel said, opening the door.
As Kaylan put her paw to the latch, the door opened suddenly. She stepped back a little, but then it saw it was only Arya. "Oh hi," the ottermaid said in reply to her friend's greeting. "Um, where's Argunath right now?"
"Back in Cavern Hole. Why?" Arya asked, looking at the ottermaid quizzically. "MAybe once you're done talking with him (If that's what you're going to do), you could come help or watch me practice?" She asked.
"Sure! Where should I meet you? Oh, and yeah, I'm gonna talk to Argunath. I have to apologize," she added a little uncomfortably. "I've been really rude to him, because I thought he was up to no good... But now I think he means well, even if he's a bit unstable."
"Well, I was planning on practicing over here. Then I saw you and decided to pop in and say hello." Arya explained, pausing for a moment to draw a breath. "It's a good idea. I mean, apologizing to Argunath. You were, ah, quite chilly."
"Yeah, I know. Well, you kinda were too, this morning at breakfast," Kaylan pointed out, not unkindly.
so I was!" Arya said, laughing at herself. "Well, see you in a bit." The squirrel said, then walked over a spot, and drew her sword.
"See ya!" Kaylan said, and headed off in the direction of the main Abbey building. She entered Great Hall, walked down the stairs to Cavern Hole and almost immediately saw the cougar. The ottermaid slowly walked over, trying to figure out how best to start.
"Argunath?" she began. "I'd like to apologize. For how I've treated you. I've been really rude and misjudged you, and I'm sorry."
Argunath looked at the ottermaid, and rumbled, "It is alright. You were brought up that way." The cat said this with an even tone of voice, but he actually a little bit puzzled.
The ottermaid looked down at her footpaws. "Yeah, but that's really no excuse. I should've tried to find out more specifically what happened with the Dibbun, instead of immediately assuming you saved him with some ulterior motive. And I was just rude last night, saying that vermin cause death wherever they go, and all that. I know now that not all 'vermin' are evil." She paused, then remembered the rest of what she'd intended to say. "And I'm sorry about shooting you in the leg; the Abbess told me to be ready with my bow in case she, uh, was in danger. I'm - I'm truly sorry for everything."
"It is forgiven, little one." The big cat said, then added, "I must apologize as well, for attacking both you and the good Mother Abbess. I am sorry; I was not in my right mind then."
---------------------------------
Rosemary was tactfully staying out of the conversation, watching the otter and the cat.
OOC: I'm not sure what I should be doing right now, seeing as you're playing Argunath and I am only here temporarily. :P
OOC: Play him when you're on, PLEASE!!!! I don't know this charrie, and he's not mine, and I have no clue how you would play him!!! Just play him when you're on, and I'll manage....Hopefully....
"My rage becomes me; just pray that it never happens again, for you have seen what I am capable of."
Argunath would say no more of it, only looking at what Dave was doing. "What is that?"
Dave tore a page out from underneath the one he was drawing on
It's you
Argunath was surprised. "Why would you draw me?"
Dave bit his lip, trying to decide how to word his response
I've only ever had two friends and one of them betrayed me, to be fair to him he had a pretty good reason but it still happened, so anyway I like drawing but my drawings don't have any personality to them unless I actually know the people I'm drawing, therefore I've only ever really had two people to draw and one of them's dead and the other's dead to me. After the death of everyone who's ever been close to you, you start to lose the will to live and the only reason I was still living when Bryony found me yesterday was because I couldn't find a way to kill myself that didn't involve me doing something that required me to be actively involved in my death he gave a sort of sad smile I'm a coward to the last. And then yesterday, when I met Bryony it just felt so easy, she didn't hate me or ignore me, okay I may have sworn at her and she may have thrown a rock at me but it felt like I'd met someone I could invest myself in and then when I came to the abbey you and Rosemary and Bryant all welcomed me too and Bryant was pretty friendly as was Rosemary and then that night and this morning, you helped me, you shared your secrets with me and you reacted neutrally when I shared mine and I felt I had befriended you. That's four friends, more than I've ever had, I had reason to draw again and more importantly, reason to live again
OOC: Have some more insight to how Dave's mind works
"I know your rage isn't really your fault..." Kaylan said, unsure of what to say at Argunath's last statement. He didn't seem to have heard her. "See you later." And she headed up to Great Hall, and back outside into the sunlight.
She soon saw Arya over by the gatehouse and ran over to the squirrelmaid. "I think things are smoothed over between me and him now," she told her, feeling better about everything. She always felt awkward, admitting she was wrong and apologizing to others, but she knew she really had been in the wrong in this case, and was truly sorry.
"I see," Argunath said slowly, understanding what Dave had said. (He had considered killing himself at one time, and he actually had tried. He stabbed himself with a dagger, but the pain made him go berserk; ironically, it saved him.)
I know your rage isn't really your fault. . .
These words dug into the cougar's heart. He was the one who had not saved Elmeath; her death caused him to gain the Bloodwrath. Ultimately, in his mind, it was his fault. A small part of his mind told him it wasn't, that he was too hard on himself, and he should heed what the Abbess had told him, but he pushed all such thoughts away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The cat captain made sure the other cats were obeying their masters' orders, and he was restless to get to the abbey.
OOC: Interesting...
BIC: Rosemary had wandered away, leaving the others behind as she decided to go take a nap. Bryant, meanwhile, hand quickly read the words, upside down, and was shocked. "I don't mean to interrupt, but my sister threw a rock at you? Huh. Looks like we gained a new member of the family....If you'd like...." He said, rather cautiously.
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Arya neatly turned, and brought Martin's Sword within an inch of the ottermaid's whickers, then did a fancy twirl and stuck it in the ground. "Good." She said, pleased. Argunath seemed like a nice cat; It would be a shame if they let prejudices get in the way.
"Abbess, do you still wish to practice?" Argunath asked.
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OOC: Can I PP the horde into marching, or are you doing that?
OOC: Hold on just a sec, please.
BIC: Grain and Grinda were marching at the back of the horde, Grain still in a dangerously bad mood.
OOC: Okay, go on ahead.
BIC: "Sure!" Rosemary replied, heading for the door.
OOC: 'Kay.
BIC: "Alright! We move straight east until we reach the abbey called Redwall! We go hard and we don't stop! The ladies Grain and Grina command it!" Feshr roared out. The horde moved faster.
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Argunath opened the door for Rosemary.
"Thank you, Argunath." Rosemary said, then walked out the door, going into the sunlight.
"Whoa! Watch where you swing that thing!" Kaylan said jokingly, stepping back a little. "Hmm... if you don't need any help, I might do a bit of practicing too. I mean, I'm pretty good with my bow, but I need to get better with it."
She didn't wait for Arya's response, but simply unshouldered her bow and pulled a few arrows from her quiver. The ottermaid looked around for a suitable target, and spotted a knothole on the trunk of a small tree near the wall. She nocked an arrow to her bowstring, sighted, pulled back, and let fly. The arrow whizzed through the air, burying itself in the tree on the edge of the knothole. Kaylan walked over to inspect it, and heaved a sigh.
"Oh, come on. I meant to get it dead center. I can do better'n that!"
So she grabbed the arrow, hurried back to her former position, and shot another arrow. This time her aim was better, and the arrow actually buried itself in the knothole. She grinned and ran over to retrieve it.
As she walked back to where Arya was, she decided to ask her about what she knew of the wildcat horde. Frankly, she was nervous about a battle, but tried not to show it. "Um, Arya, do you know, roughly, how many creatures are in the horde?"
Arya had pulled her sword from the dirt, and was practicing a swing when Kalan walked over. Being as skillful as she was, she swung down, so that it barely missed the otter's toes. "Oops." She panted. "Well, from what I heard, there's, oh, about......1000. Give or take." The squirrelmaid said, acting like it was a mere one hundred.
Dave chuckled at Bryant's words You know your sister said almost the same thing. Sure I'd like it but it still doesn''t make much sense to me
"Does it have to?" Bryant joked. "But, watch out for her next missile...It could be anything." Bryant warned, remembering the time his sister had uprooted a small tree and thrown it at him.
Argunath went to the lawns with Rosemary, setting down his finished platter. "Have you a sling?"
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Feshr and the other captains made the horde move at a swift jog, not intending them to stop until they reached their destination. The cat was confident their large force would crush the foolish woodlanders.
"Aye. Right here, around my waist." Rosemary grinned, unwinding it. It was an old one, but it good.
"Good; now," he picked up a stone, looking at it for a moment; it was much to large a stone for the mouse, so he found a pebble a better size. "Get a proper grip on the sling, and set the stone in the pouch. Swing it back and forth a little as you judge the distance you wish to throw. If you want to make an arching throw, swing it in an underpaw circle. If you want a straighter shot, do it overpaw."
"Like this?" Rosemary asked, doing it completely wrong.
OOC: You guys may want to go ahead as Bryony and Aggril to Salamandastron for a while. Willow's there, and if you need him, just PP him if necessary. :P I really don't know what to post, seeing as I've been gone for a while.
OOC: EUUURGHH!!!!!! Now I have to take control of Willow, too?!?!?!?!?! Ay yi yi.....IS THIS WORTH IT?!?!?!?!?!?
Kaylan was dumbfounded. She'd heard the horde was quite large, but a thousand? She hadn't expected that at all. "Um, wow," the ottermaid replied, chuckling nervously. "I hope the creatures on their way to Salamandastron get there in time. How many able-bodied beasts do we have at the moment?"
"Yeah, I know." Arya sighed, doing a mental tally in her head. "Ummm....I'd say the Abbey has 500, the woodlanders are about 100, and I don't know how many Salamandastron will send. That's, roughly, two to one. Then again, we have the walls. That counts in our favor."
OOC: Nvm, I'm available for now.
Willow was absolutely exhausted. He had been overly excited for this trip, up until about now. His legs felt weak, and his feet felt heavy. He walked grudgingly along till he dropped over onto a tree. He sighed, and moaned.
"Can we take a break now?" He said.
Aggril glanced at Bryony, stopping for a moment. "Well, mate, we can stop for a bit, but we've gotta keep movin'. I know you're not used to this sort of thing, so we'll wait a little."
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"No, not like that," Argunath growled softly. "Hold one end between your last two claws, and the other between your thumb and foreclaw, like this," he helped her position her sling.
Willow breathed a sigh of relief. He could rest. He laid down on his bedroll and yawned.
"So, how much longer d'you it'll take us to reach the mountain?"
Aggril grumbled. "If it were just me, I'd push meself as fast as I could and make it there in a week. But Miss Optimistic over here says it's gonna take us a season."
The otter sighed as he opened his pack for a small meal. "It doesn't really matter how soon we can get there; what's more important is that we do get there."
"Okay, so we have more beasts than I thought. And the walls are a bonus," Kaylan replied, somewhat relieved. She fiddled for a moment with her bowstring, then asked, "So, do you know where the horde is positioned at this moment?"
"Not ecatly. But there should be scouts out." Arya replied, noting Kaylan's relief. "Have you ever been in a big battle before?" She kindly asked.
--------------------------------
"No, I'm saying it took Martin a season. The land's changed since then. I may know someone who knows someone who knows a major shortcut." She added. going up a tree a short distance and sitting on a branch.
"And would you happen to know this shortcut?" Aggril asked hopefully.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argunath stepped back for Rosemary to release her sling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feshr kept pushing the horde cats forward, zealously making their way toward Redwall.
"Um, I haven't actually," she responded. "Unless you count a skirmish me an' the ottercrew had last season with a small group of vermin. It was over within minutes, an' I barely did anything." She sighed. "I just hope I'll do alright when the wildcats finally attack."
The ottermaid then turned and nocked another arrow to her bowstring. She fired and the arrow slammed into the tree trunk, a quarter inch off the knothole. Off the center again! she thought as she went to retrieve it.
When Kaylan came back, she had another question for her friend. "Um, what do you think of the other cats that arrived? You think they're a threat, or not?"
Rosemary swung, let go, and her stone hit the target dead center. "Look! I did it!" She squealed. "Thanks, Argunath!"
------------------------------------------
Arya was about to reply, when she suddenly gave a moan, and her eyes rolled up into her head, and she fell hard, and started twitching.
"Arya! What's wrong?!" Kaylan shrieked in alarm, throwing her bow down and dashing to her friend's side. She looked around frantically for somebeast to help, but there was no one in sight.
Bryony sighed. "My meory's a little rusty." She said.
----------------------------------
Arya didn't reply, still twitching as her mouth started foaming a little.
Kaylan was panicking. "Okay, okay... just a minute, I'll be right back!" she yelled, running off to find someone. A moment later she saw Abbess Rosemary practicing with Argunath helping, and she ran over to Rosemary. "Abbess! Please hurry! Arya's having some sort of fit, lying on the ground twitching, and - and, please, just come! I have no idea what's wrong!" So saying, she turned and ran back to where she'd left Arya by the Gatehouse.
"Oh, no! Not again!" The abbess gasped, and ran after the otter.
Kaylan barely heard her. She knelt down by her friend, unsure of what to do and extremely worried.
Rosemary knelt beside Kaylan, and wiped away the accumulated foam. Rosemary hadn't seen a bad fit like this in a long time. The Abbess stuck her paw inside the squirrel's tunic, and swore under her breath. The old wound was hot, very hot.....And slightly moist. "Kaylan, go get me some lavender, rosemary, tea tree, and peppermint. Go, girl!" She commanded.
As soon as the Abbess finished her sentence, Kaylan was off, running toward the Abbey. She sprinted through Great Hall and upstairs to the Infirmary. Bursting in without any warning, she told the Infirmary keeper: "The Abbess needs lavender, tea tree, rosemary and peppermint! Hurry, please! Arya's very ill!"
The Infirmary keeper quickly got her the things she needed and the ottermaid ran back outside as fast as she could. She was breathing heavily by the time she reached Arya and the Abbess. Handing Rosemary the herbs, Kaylan sank to her knees and asked, "Is... is she going... to be... alright?"
"Aye, she'll be fine....Hopefully." The Abbess responded, snatching the herbs and tearing them, then chewed them. she spat them out and applied them to the old wound. The mouse started to slap her paws and cheeks, and shaking here shoulders. "Kaylan, help me try to revive her before her torso really starts bleeding." She commanded.
Kaylan wondered briefly why on earth Arya would be bleeding when, as far as she knew, the squirrelmaid hadn't been injured. But the thought was fleeting and she simply grabbed Arya's arm and shook it hard, unable to think of any other way to try to revive her. "ARYA!"
The squirrelmaid gasped, her eye flicking open. Her other arm flew over, about to sock Kaylan in the nose when she registered what happened and stopped herself. Breathing heavily, she said, "I'm alright now, Kaylan, Abbess. You can let go now."
"Oh, Arya! You're alright! I was so worried!" Kaylan exclaimed, letting go of her friend's arm. The ottermaid was close to tears, which was unusual for her. "One minute you're just fine and the next you're on the ground twitching and-and... what happened?!"
The Abbess shared a look with Arya, and Arya asked, "What did you tell her?"
"Nothing. I wasn't sure if you'd want me to." Arya nodded, and stood up. "I don't know what it's about, Kaylan, but I think my 'episodes' have something to do with this." As she was speaking, she had undone her belt. Then she drew her tunic over her head. There was horrible scarring, that had a little bit of blood on it now, all over her front.
The ottermaid gasped, at a loss for words. She'd never seen any scarring as terrible as Arya's. "H-how did that happen?" she asked, shock written all over her face.
"You don't want to know." Arya said grimly, pulling her tunic back over her head. She sighed, and asked, "Do you really, really want to know?"
Kaylan didn't want to know, yet somehow she did. She shrugged and nodded at the same time. "Um... maybe..."
Arya blew out a breath, thinking. Is she DID tell Kaylan, she kind of worried about the impact that would have on the otter. On the other side of the leaf, though, she deserved to know. In the end, she smiled at the ottermaid, and said, "Perhaps I'll write it down for you. That would probably be better...Although, the last time I tried to tell it I ended up taking a bad trip down Memory Lane." She grimaced at the memory.
"Don't tell me, then. I don't want to make you remember anything painful," Kaylan said quickly. She had begun to realize that although Arya appeared feisty and cheerful, she had a very painful past, and Kaylan didn't want to bring it up since it obviously hurt her friend to talk about it.
"No. I need to talk - Or write - about it some." Arya said firmly, the stiffly stood up, retrieved Martin's sword, and started to walk stiffly towards the Abbey.
Kaylan stood uncertainly for a moment, then followed her friend.
Arya was muttering "Ow." At each step, but by now she was used to it.
Kaylan, meanwhile, was wondering what exactly had triggered Arya's "episode", or if it was just random with no cause. She had once met an old otter who had gone through a horrific experience and had flashbacks in which he got incredibly violent, but generally his fits were triggered by somebeast mentioning vermin. Not always, but usually. So now she wondered if she had perhaps inadvertently said something that caused the squirrelmaid's fit. "Arya?" she asked, walking a bit faster to catch up, "was your, um, episode back there triggered by something I said or did?"
Arya jumped. "Wha-? Oh, no! No, it wasn';t....At least, I don't think so." The squirrelmaid shrugged. "They're a mystery to me. They come randomly, with no warning. I was unprepared for it this time. Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, I owe you an apology. I nearly hit you; I'm sorry. "
"Oh, that's alright," Kaylan answered, rather relieved that she hadn't caused Arya's episode. "You weren't yourself at all right then. It wasn't your fault."
"Reflexes kicked in at the moment." Arya explained, still not quite comfortable.
"Like I said, it wasn't your fault," Kaylan said, giving Arya a smile to show she really wasn't concerned about it.
"Okay, if you say so." Arya murmured as she opened the Abbey door.
Kaylan followed her friend into Great Hall. "So, now what?" she asked, unsure if when Arya said she wanted to talk or write about her past she meant right now or some other time. She thought it was probably the former, but wasn't certain. The ottermaid also wondered if perhaps she shouldn't have followed Arya; maybe the squirrelmaid wanted to be alone right now.
Arya thought for a moment. "Well, for now I think I'm going to go take a bath, then I'm going to do some writing. Okay?" she said, then started slowly for the stairs.
Drawing, Dave decided, was the best thing for him to do when he was bored but what to draw THIS time? Out of the twenty-eight pages he had drawn on (he flicked through them) in his book (It was fairly new, he still had others) twelve pages had drawings of his brother, four had drawings of his friends, three pages had drawings of his old fox "friend" and the rest were random landscapes or miscellaneous creatures. It should come as no surprise that when he re-opened the book to a random page, he found himself staring at the most common drawing in the book. His brother's eyes stared out at him from the page, he was smirking in that cocky, self-assured way he always had, the way he had still looked when he answered the door to Captain Ondartet. The memories came back, not strong enough to consume him this time, but strong enough to wound and to hurt and to break.
Knock knock knock
Creaking
"Ondy, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
An evil smile
"You might want to ask young David about that"
Fear
Wide-eyed, clinging to Bro's leg
White hot tears
"I'm so sorry!"
A cruel smile
"And so you should be, you've brought death down on yourself and those you love"
Growling
"Leave him alone"
Laughter
"Sorry, we were told to make this slow"
A new reason to live does not outweigh an old reason to die. Dave stood abruptly and hurried out of Cavern Hole
Arya was surprised when one of the new cats came hurrying out of Cavern Hole, almost running into her. "Whoa! Where's the fire, young 'un?" She asked, only semi-teasing.
Dave shrugged and smiled apologetically, moving to the side and continuing on his way
"Okay," Kaylan replied. She turned to go back outside, but then saw Dave emerge from Cavern Hole, rather quickly. She recognized him as the mute one. Wonder what his story is, she thought. For that matter, what's Arya's story? She was almost scared to know what had happened to her friend, and half wished she hadn't asked. Wrapped in her thoughts, she wandered back outside, heading back to where she'd been practicing outside the Gatehouse.
Arya raised her eyebrow, muttered something under her breath about how rude beasts were this days, and continued up the stairs. Having episodes always made her cranky, she realized as she filled her tub.
Kaylan reached the Gatehouse, pulled an arrow from her quiver, and sent it flying into the tree trunk, as she reflected on what had happened so far that day. After seasons of believing that vermin could never change, she had accepted that not all vermin were evil and had apologized to a cougar. On top of that, she had discovered that her new friend Arya had a terrible past that the ottermaid wasn't even sure if she wanted to know about. It was a crazy day by anyone's standards.
As Arya got into the tub, and was thinking about how she'd put her story down.
Kaylan continued shooting arrows and retrieving them, her thoughts turning to the wildcat horde. She was still a bit worried about how she'd do in an actual battle.
Dave quickly made his way across the lawns, mounting the wallsteps, his heart beating in tune with the sound of his feet slapping on the stone. He stepped out onto the battlements and climbed on top of one of the crenelations, he undid his sword belt and dropped it behind him, maybe they'd find it later and realize what had happened. Dave's heart pounded against his ribcage. Just do it. He shuffled over to the very edge of the wall. Just one little step. he raised his foot. One little step and this will all be over. His head felt lighter. Just one little step and you can see your brother again. He felt dizzy. One little step. He felt like he was going to be sick. Do it. He turned around, stepped back onto the battlements and collapsed sobbing against the wall. Coward
Out of character. What do you guys think of a parttwo?
Argunath had witnessed all that had happened, and was curious at Arya: her wound had not closed; peculiar. He himself tended to heal quickly, but the squirrel's wound was. . . odd. He allowed the abbey creatures to work by themselves, staying out of the way lest he cause some harm. When they had left, he stayed on the lawn, looking at Kaylan's bow. A sharp pain in his knee caused him to twitch in pain as the memory brought back what he had done. The cougar walked away, noticing Dave up on the battlements. What was he doing? The smaller cat looked as if he were to. . . "Don't be a danged fool," he muttered, hurrying to the wall. Something stopped the cat from jumping, and he stepped back down. Relieved that Dave had not taken the fatal step, Argunath went slowly to him.
OOC: Sounds good, because this is getting a little, y'know, slow. :P
Out of the corner of her eye, Kaylan saw Argunath cross the lawns and head up the wallstairs. She stopped shooting for a moment and turned to see what he was doing. The ottermaid then realized that the mute cat was also up on the wall; she hadn't noticed him before, seeing she was preoccupied. She wondered briefly what was up, but then decided it was none of her concern and resumed practicing.
OOC @Corny: Fine with me.
Out of character. Okay, that leaves Jet.
OOC: Yeah I'm fine with that and this does seem like a perfect stopping point
Out of charater. Okay, nobody post here anymore. I'll start up a Part 2 Out of character thread.