Wildflower Inn

[The Grey Coincidence]

"I go by Olaf the Cleaver," Harlapple smiled, accepting the searat's paw and giving it a rough squeeze. He sat down. "Some nasty-looking wounds you got there," he pointed his snout at the rat's tail. "At least it matches your name." The mouse drummed his paw against the table. "So. How does a searat wash up so far from the sea?"

[Crafter Man]

At Olaf's mention of his tail scars Roughtail sneaked a weary glance at the mouse's barbed tail before looking over at his own tail as if to make sure it was still there.  The mere mention of it made him uneasy.  Had the mouse sensed his tenseness?  Roughtail decided to brush past the tail comment and considered the mouse for a moment.  "Nosey one aren't ya."  He had no explicit reason to give this Olaf beast any information, but his gut feeling kept urging him to tread lightly around this mouse, and if there's one thing he learned over the years it was to trust his gut.  "Thrown from the riggin' of me captain's ship." Roughtail said after a moment, deciding it was safer to give the mouse what he wanted. "Washed up on the shore a couple leagues south of 'ere and made me way inland.  Lost me chance at plunder an' glory that day."  The rat spit at the ground and growled at the fates.  "Lost me crossbow and me blade as well." he snarled in a low voice as he glared at the otters.   

[shisteer of nothing much]

  Nitsyok shrugged in reply to the glare, weaving through a couple of tables until he reached Olaf the Cleaver's untouched soup, picking the bowl up and bringing it back to the rat.
  "Here, this's slightly colder than usual, but it's still perfectly edible and the innkeepers seem a tad busy at present. As for your blade, it has been mentioned that you'll get it back once your fit enough to not hurt yourself with it. You may not have noticed amidst all the excitement, but you're body is absolutely exhausted and you probably couldn't drag yourself up the stairs."
  Having concluded that, besides the copious scratches and the need of sleep and food, the beast was fit to survive, Nitsyok made his way to the nearby table his friends had chosen, giving them both a tired smile. He hadn't expected such drama when they finally arrived at the inn. Hopefully things settled down soonish.

[The Grey Coincidence]

"Fascinating," Harlapple said, as the otter departed. He leaned back in his seat, placing both feetpaw firmly on the table, and glanced around for eavesdroppers. Spotting none, he went on. "This old Captain of yours, anything special? Or just a run-off-the-mill loot-hunter?"

[Mara the Wolf]

Maut and Veach decided they'd had enough and started up towards the bedrooms. Nyika decided to meet her fellow cats.

"Hello, I'm Nyika," she said, coming over to their table but not sitting down.

Outside, thunder boomed and lightning cracked, and a downpour quickly started, driving Mara back in. Masika headed into the kitchen while the wolf waited the counter. The otter came back out with pints of October Ale (and strawberry fizz for Harlapple/Olaf), bowls of fish stew & loaves of honey bread. "Sorry it's just the same thing over an' over. All we had prepared tonight."

[WorshipTiria]

OOC: The otter-maid returns, soaking.

BIC: "Didn't realize there was lightning." She offers some gold to Masika. "May I have a room?"

[Mara the Wolf]

(OOC is pretty much the authors talking, Tiria)

Mara smiled at the young ottermaid's return.

"Yes, of course," Masika responded.

[WorshipTiria]

( okay sorry )

She heads to her room.

[Crafter Man]

Roughtail hadn't meant for Nitsyok to hear his snarl.  They must have better ears than I'd thought.  Roughtail made to recover the situation and waved a paw dismissively, "ah wat ever, keep the rusty ol' blade if ya like.  Probably need a new one anyways."  It was partially true, he didn't care much for that particular scimitar, although he knew he'd never be able to replace his crossbow which he did care for.  He took the bowl from the otter's hands and began slurping it as slowly as possible as to not look desperate in front of his company. 

Nitsyok, which was apparently his name, appeared to be the one who had patched up his wounds.  He wasn't about to show it, but he was grateful for his hospitality nonetheless.  Maybe this otter wasn't so bad... Roughtail shook the thought from his head as soon as it came.  All otters were bad. "Ooh, Capt'n Toothsbane?" he said with a mouth full of soup as he addressed the mouse next to him.  "Nothin' too special, brutal beast fer sure, but what vermin capt'n ain't.  He likes t' take kits into his army, thinks they're more loyal if they've grown up most their life on 'is ship."

Roughtail thought for a moment as he wiped a soup laden snout on the sleeve of his tattered red wool coat.  "Don't think it worked, least not fer me.  Couldn't care less 'bout the old stoat or 'is ship.  I only stayed fer the chance of loot.  That an' the fact that he'd hunt me down and kill me if I'd deserted."  That was also only partially true, deep down the rat knew another reason he stayed was because he liked being in a horde with other fellow beasts.  Roughtail leaned in close to the mouse, making sure his voice was low enough that no other beast could hear.  "We was sailin' south when I was lost at sea.  Capt'n was talkin' bout some red place full of loot."  He smiled mischievously at the thought of gold.  And the rat's spirits were lifted even more as he spotted the otter-maid returning with his prized crossbow. 

[Jarky Thistlebrush]

Isaac finally reached Mayla and Fern's table. "Hello, you two."

[Ebantu the Kararehe]

  Fern glanced around quickly as she and her friend were accosted from two different directions and pulled her cowl over her face. "You do the talking."
  Mayla grinned at the younger wildcat's muffled order and waved at the two newcomers. "Hello! I'm Mayla an' this is Fern. She has anxiety issues about meeting new beasts, so she probably won't introduce herself or say anything."
  Fern peeked out from under the deep hood and glared. "I do not! I just...lack your enthusiasm for social interaction."
  "Whatever. So," Mayla turned her attention to the fox. "What might your name be?"

[Flib Bigboat]

A knock sounded at the door.

[Mara the Wolf]

Mara answered the door. "Hello, welcome to Wildflower Inn."

[The Grey Coincidence]

Harlapple raised an eyebrow at the rat's words and leaned in, the better to join in on the conspiracy. "Someplace red? Redwall Abbey, eh? Crown jewel of woodlanders everywhere, the most prized conquest in our existence and the bane of every horde, vermin and corsair. Sounds like you had a stroke of luck, falling overboard when you did. I wouldn't be too surprised if we hear about this... Toothsbane..." Harl wondered briefly whether the pirate had been the bane of his own teeth, or those of his enemies. "Being slain in a fortnight or two." Harlapple shrugged. "In any case he sounds inconsequential." Harlapple lowered his voice even further. "Now. Let's see what we can do about getting your weapons back."

[Jarky Thistlebrush]

Isaac harrumphed at Mayla disapprovingly. "Weren't you listening? Oh, I'll repeat myself if I must. Isaac Farran Larkington the Fourth. And no, you may not call me Isaac." He held out a perfumed paw for the wildcat to shake.