A meeting with Old Din

[Faclan]

Something that's been on my mind for awhile and thought I best finally get it out of there so it stops taking up so much space. This is kind of a profile I suppose just written oddly of a character idea I've had for awhile. Perhaps he'll show up in a future RP.

Hope you enjoy Dins turbulent life :>

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Had it been a fall? A skirmish? Just getting lost and trying to settle down for some kind of rest before trying to retrace your steps. It was however a different location where you woke up now. With a weight over your body, a crackling fire, and the smell of herbs. Looking up you would hear a quiet chuckle. Craning your neck around to see an old stoat sitting next to a pot. Stirring it with a bindle sat next to him. It wasn't a huge pot, and likely hung from the stick during travel. But the stoat spoke up.

"Calm down young'in. Nothing the matter here. Just relax and rest. Your foot could due with the rest and soon this soup. So sit back. You youth like stories don't you? I'll regale you with one of my favorites. Mainly so I never forget it and hopefully you learn something." A taste of the soup before he continued. "The story of me, and the luck that got me here. Back when I was still fresh off the horde training fields, eyes full of pride and conquest, and a certain large mountain."

-

Dinah skulked through the dunes closely following the lead tracker. The mountain loomed ever present over them. Dwarfing them in its shadow. But shadow was what the six vermin hoped would keep them hidden as they scoped out the base of the mountain. Approach from any angle would be difficult and more worrying in the open. A small force could stay hidden in the dunes easy enough but a whole horde? No chance.

Crouching down with his spear propping him up against the dune Din grunted at their progress so far. "Its a well chosen location I'll give them that. Almost couldn't be anything better around here to see the Sea and the Dunes."

"Aye," the tracker responded as he gnawed his lip and tossed his dagger from paw to foxy paw. "But still...we need something for the Chief."

Rolling his eyes Din stopped them mid roll as he stared at the mountain. "Wait a tic...was there always a hole there?" Pointing with his spear at a black splotch at the mountains base. "I don't remember seeing that before."

"Well that, vermin, was how we got out to surround you. Wot wot!" The scouting party taken completely aback as Hares seemed to rise out of the dunes with weapons poised. A particularly rotund specimen with a magnificent mustache and wearing pink of all things who still hadn't been spotted spinning an arrow in his hand as he nodded and continued. "Righto, you blaggards, drop the kit and come along peaceful lik," was as far as he got before Din stepped sideways and tried to skewer the hare. His youth filling him with fire and hope. But then Pinky was right beside him. Making a tut tut noise before there was a horrible ringing in his left ear before it all went black.

-

The stoat tilting his head toward you as he cupped a paw around the left ear. "Clonked me real good did Major Branwaithe. Deaf since then in this ear. He was kind enough to say that he was impressed I didn't scream or immediately go down in one punch. Took two. But that's probably what broke it. Ah well." A few more sweet smelling leaves added to the fire. "The group tried to fight back but we were all taken alive. It was really forgone in that situation. And held deep in the bowels of Salmandrastron for a few weeks. The hares nice enough to keep us fed and even occasionally brought out under guard to stretch our legs along an underground cavern. A small pool for washing in which I at least took advantage of. The ear issue made walking unsteady but the Major was often there to encourage me to take it slow. Often said it was a shame that I was born a Vermin. Such 'vinegar' as he often called it was lacking in the youth these days. I often wonder now how his life worked out."

"Those were the nice days however, on occasion we would be dragged out of the cells and pulled to a small room where we were beaten and questioned about the horde. It was one Lieutenant Saltum - female. Thunderous voice and very...very effective with her short blade. I wont bore you with the scars she gave me but in the end I told them everything." A shrug. "It was either that or she would have more time with me. And none of us wanted that. I assume through the interrogation of all of us they pieced together numbers and a profile on the Chief. Perhaps even when he planned to attack. And with his scouting party entirely missing he went in unprepared."

Din stopping as he spooned out two bowls. Limping over to set one near you but not getting much closer before returning to the fire to work on his own. "They were slaughtered. Down to nearly the last besides those that didn't run. We were finally brought outside after that. Forced to dig the mass graves of everyone we used to know and individual graves for the Hares that had fallen." Sip. "Took us almost four days to do it all. And afterwards the Major gave us all a parting gift." Turning so his back was to the fire he tilted his head forward. Showing a circle branded into the back of his neck, inside of which was a triangle with an S in the middle. "So others would know what we had tried to do." Turning back Din would actually be smiling. "It filled me full of rage back then. But eh - life goes on. Its given me a long time to think about it. That's for sure. Shoveling sand over the dead faces of all who I used to know. Rage building as the Hares ordered us to keep going. But it was done eventually. And we were told to leave and never come back. Into the marshes and dunes we roved. Till I was found by a group of forest bandits."

-

The supplies from those hellgate Hares had been exhausted yesterday. And weaponless Din had run himself ragged to get away from those toads. He wasn't even sure if what he was seeing was real anymore. Stumbling almost headfirst into a tree as he ran his paws up and down it. Yes...a tree. A real not dead tree. Something on solid ground. Stamping a foot on the ground and nodding. Solid, he was out.

"Feeling up the tree won't make it drop its treasures Mate." Looking up in his semi comatose stupor Din could see a Rat youth looking down on him from the tree. Pouch of wooden throwing darts on his side as he idly kicked his feet. "Nice job making it out of the swamp."

"W...food? Water?" The youth rolling his eyes as he picked and dropped down a pear. Which was stuffed in the stoats mouth and sucked greedily despite the taste.

"Nice to meet you too oh valiant savior." The rat standing up and walking back and fourth on the branch. "Oh brave and wonderful Grub thank you so much for saving me and helping me out." Striking various hilarious poses as Din continued to eat. "I will be happy to help you out in payment for my life that you saved oh Grub you are so brave and dashing!" Hopping down and nodding at Din as he held out a sling. "Ever used this?"

Feeling far better than he had been before Din nodded as he took it and the pouch of stones. He had seen the other eyes watching him from the bushes while he was eating. This coy ploy was just a show to see how he reacted. He was sure this rats buddies or family we ready to dash in if he acted aggressive to the boy. "A few times, birds?" Grub nodding as he turned on his heel and headed into the forest.

"Yup! Need some for dinner, catch a few and you can even come too! We could always do with fresh paws in the gang."

-

The soup finished as Old Din filled them both up with water water from the stew pot and handed the bowl back to you. "I was with them for a few seasons if I remember. They were a decent lot even if only Grub and his mother had brains. They mainly waylayed Goodbeast travelers on the main path for shinies. I learned a lot from them; camouflages, living off the land, knowing a comfy hiding place from a snake den. But after learning I was from a horde they were eager to learn how to fight." A frown and a sigh. "I wish I hadn't. But I was still so full of anger for what the so called 'goodbeasts' had done to me. So I taught them all I knew. Footwork, staff fighting, basic tactics. Grub and his mum knew it was just to help them rob better. But the majority of the rats - especially Frogspit - got too confident. Thought that with their new skills they could raid something bigger. Something like a small Guosim family. You can probably imagine how well that went even if you've only heard their name in passing."

Washing off his paws and face Din refilled his bowl and set in a small pouch before tossing another one over. "If you wanted some tea, keep it regardless. You can often trade those for a good amount to the right people. Make them myself. A skill I got after the disaster Frogspit set us up for."

-

"Ya' See!" The large rat shouted as he held up the fancy rapier he looted off the Guosim he had just beheaded. "It was easy! Easy pickings! Nothing will stop us now." Din and Grub however were backing up. The other robbers quickly moving in to snatch and grab the loot from the camp and bring the logboat up from the shore. It had been too easy. And one of the shrew bodies was missing. Both of them on the same wavelenght as they turned. Just in time to be met with a literal horde of red eyed Guosim. Din diving sideways to bring Grub to the ground as arrows thrummed past them. Taking out almost the entire band in one fell swoop as Din tried to look up before a thick seaboot kicked him right in the forehead. Sending him tumbling backwards. Barely able to even hear Grub gurgling through his good ear and ringing head as he was run through his back as he tried to crawl away. The screams of the rats almost completely silenced in just a few seconds of arrows and stabbing. Leaving just Dinah and a few remaining rats who were shoved and kicked into the shallows of the river. Arrows trained on them as the Guosim muttered between each other that they should just kill the scum now. But one slightly taller than the others stepped forward and squinted at Din. "You! Ferret! Step forward!"

There was no point even trying to correct him as Din did as he was bidden. "Turn around!" Splish swish. "Ooohoh! Looky here Guosim! We got a career scum on our hands here! Survivor of a Salmandrastron attack!" Din screaming as he looked down to see a Rapier jammed through his right shin. Before it was ripped out and he was shoved face first in the water. The Log-A-Log kicking his badly bleeding leg again as he shouted at the other Shrews and Rats. "Get swimming scum! Guosim! Make it their last!" The arrows and even thrown rapiers came in fast as Din and the remaining rats were carried away on the current. Din especially easy to follow as his bleeding leg left behind a easy to spot trial as arrows seeked him and the others out.

-

"Truthfully," Just sat around the fire as he continued. "I don't really know how I survived. I know I was hit several times but all I could think about was trying to hold my breath and stay under as long as I can. Let the current take me away. They didn't chase us afterwards however. But I was told by my rescuers that they sent the corpses of the gang down after us. And..." Sigh and wiping off his face. "It was the corpse of Grub that stopped me to be picked up by them. Its a shame what happened to him. All he had wanted to do what make his mother proud. Live up to the good memories of dad she had left. And Frogspit threw it all away and the lives of nearly all of them."

Stretching out his limp right leg Din rubbed it as he let it stay near the fire. "At least I was mostly balanced after that, crippled on each side." Chuckling and shrugging before flexing out his handpaws. "But these still work fine. And its what got me through the last chapter before we find ourselves here Young'in."

-

Nothing like a fox to fix. Din had been told that many times when he was still a babe playing with a toy spear back at in the horde. And sure they had a few healer foxes in the horde most of them were too busy practicing their thieving and sneaking on their fellow hordebeasts. And its not like Din had ever really been healed by them. But he sure was after the shrew attack. They had dragged him from the shallows. Staunched the bleeding, cleaned, and wrapped the wound. Before carrying him off to their little caravan in the watermeadows. It was a small Skulk of them. Gypsy's and healers for the most part as well as full time thieves.

A backstory they had regaled Din with as he lay with his leg splinted inbetween the times when they were tallying up all he owed them now for saving his life from; bleeding, drowning, weapon wounds, and intense system shock. Din had no idea what the last one was and always assumed they were making it up as he cleaned mortars and pestils all day and quickly learned how to sew up their clothing and tents. Soon graduating to mixing and measuring herbs and liquids for use in their concoction. Finally learning how to make them himself. As before he learned all he could. Thinking that this time he could maybe stay. Maybe this time things would be calm. After two completely botched combat chapters in his life he was fine hanging it up for now. Take some time to realize how lucky he had been to survive two terrible events that had taken the lives of so many. The Stoat ruminating on this as he overheard their next location. A Holt of River otters.

Limping along with a backpack full of herbs and dressings Din put on his best smile as the very angry looking otters searching them all thoroughly before they were allowed closer. And to the foxes credit they actually did help several of the otters with injuries and pulled muscles. But from the other side of the deals as he assisted Din saw the many items that were stolen as well.

This would not be the third chance fate had for him. So during a fortune telling for the Holt Skipper Din ducked back. Using the skills Grub had taught him to fade into the forest. Turning and not looking back.

-

Putting out the small fire Old Din would rinse out his pot before using his staff to haul himself to his feet. Reaching down to assist you up as well as he offered a smile. "That's about all I can do for you Young'in. Some food, some medicine, and a safe place to rest. I'll be off now. Don't want to cause you any stress or make awkward questions of someone else happens upon us." Clipping the pot to the staff the Stoat turned and started to limp off into the early dawn gloom.

"I know your wondering if I'll give a speech. But nay - what you take from the story of Old Din is yours to ponder. I just hope you were as lucky as I. And find something to keep you out of trouble."

[The Grey Coincidence]

*Finishes reading*

You ought to write more.

[Faclan]

Aww thanks! That makes me feel happy :>

Was there a specific bit or style you liked the most?

And more of Din specifically or just more stories in general?

[shisteer of nothing much]

Ooh, very nice! You should definitely write more stuff, either of Old Din or other characters. I enjoyed this very much.

[Faclan]

Thanks Shisteer! I wasn't expecting to get such a response so quickly! Maybe I'll have to whip up some more Din adventures. Perhaps a potential mugging. Or he finds some squirrels or otters. But this makes me feel happy either way