Unnatural

[The Skarzs]

OOC: I'm too tired to post with Rangi right now, I'll do it later. Skarz, is it alright if he meets up with Haenrok?

OOC: That's fine.

BIC: Haenrok approached the soldiers semi-warily, swallowing back some threatening panic; while he wasn't unduly worried, it would be easy to get agitated in similar circumstances.

"Hello, sirs. I was wondering if you could possibly point me in the direction of the nearest settlement." The soldiers looked at each other, then at the sea otter with his stony face and dark expression.

One of them, a weasel, stepped forward with his spear at an obvious relaxed-but-ready position. "Y'know, we could tell you, but as a patrol we have to keep our border safe from. . . unwanted creatures. What business do you have in the Trecor area?"

"I'm just traveling; what's it to you?" said Haenrok bluntly as he heard some of the other soldiers whispering.

"What do you think? He's the right age. . ."

"Shouldn't take chances; we'll take him to Trecor just to be sure. Might turn out to be nothing but at least we could keep an eye on him."

The weasel extended his arms as the other soldiers spread out slightly. "Look, mate; I'm not tryin' to be unreasonable. I'm just doing my job! Now, we're gonna haft search you. . ."

"No." The sea otter tightened his paw into a fist. "You have no right to do that to a free creature." His brows furrowed, making his eyes look even more dark under their shadow. He was easily twice the weasel's size, possibly more, but he had no weapon and he was outnumbered. Haenrok tried one last time to use words, pointing a claw at the weasel. "Look, I don't want trouble, but if you don't. . . !"

A small whack was heard as something struck the weasel's paw. "Aah! Ow, ooh, ee!"

"What is it, Benk?"

Benk held his throbbing paw. "That derned sea otter jus' threw a rock at me; get him, boys!"

[Unimaginative]

Rangi lunged forward, swiping at the Sea Otter, but purposely missing, not wanting to injure one of his own species.

"I'd jus' surrender, and not force these vermin t'attack yew. They know what they're doin'." whispered the tattooed otter when he was close to Haenrok, before retreating back to the other loyalists.

[Lady Ashenwyte]

OOC: Is it okay if Ayashe and Bane II meet up with Haenrok? I can always edit my post later.

Ayashe and Bane II were travelling to Trecor for a short rest and then they planned to move on to Noonvale. Suddenly, they heard the sounds of battle and stopped. Ayashe pointed at the vermin attacking the otter and nudged Bane, telling him to move forward. "You better remain here and watch, flee if the battle is lost and tell some locals." Bane said before charging into battle with his poleaxe, howling like the wind in a storm. Ayashe simply nodded and sat down, hoping that Bane wouldn't be too vicious this time and leave some survivors.

[Faiyloe]

Osullad Azocar, King of Trecor, stood on the balcony overlooking the marching grounds, where a little over a score of solders prepared to depart. while his son Pheidon leaned on the railing behind him.

"The reports are getting more and more frequent, and these magic beast more and more confidant," Pheidon said.

"the threat they represent to our house is growing by the day, They must be eliminated," Osullad said...

Below Archel and Erich entered the grounds and the men stopped what they where doing and stood to attention like a well oiled well tuned mechanism.

"At ease," Archel said before shouting some orders

"I want at least five spear beasts, two nets, and four archers  The rest of you stay well armed and alert," He said passing threw the grounds and climbing up the steps to the barracks to stand above the men.

"We have another one on the loose, this time near the city, in the forest. You must keep your whits about you, and your eyes pealed for purple smoke. This one has already killed two civilians, maybe more. Now we go out there today and we all know that sacrifices will be made, but we do this not for ourselves but as our duty to our family, friends, the countless people who live under our protection, and for the crown and our king, Azocar, Azocar, Azocar!" He began to shout punching the air with every word and the beast below began to chant with him. He looked up at the balcony where the king stood and as he shouted he maid eye contact with his king. He was filled with emotions all honorable and good.

***

Alarie Looked at Canny a bit puzzled "Rats? No, not since yesterday. Why?" She asked sitting down with her back to the wall.

[BlueRose]

Selva was running. Again. It never surprised her, the necessity to run. As a pickpocket and a beggar, she ended up running nine out of ten times. This time, she had almost succeeded, and to be honest, she still had what she tried to steal, but then that nasty patrol had marched into the square and spotted her. Now even the other pickpockets were after her, hoping that if they caught her, they could get a reward. 

Good. The city gates just happened to be open. It was into the first with her until the search died down. Maybe a day or so without food, but it was worth it. Her pursuit died down, her peers not wanting to risk being out in the woods when the gates closed, and the soldiers needing to get back to their posts. The young otter slowed down as she entered the woods and made her way to the small building she had found empty the last time she came.

Surprisingly, it wasn't empty. She growled in the back of her throat at her misfortune. It wasn't often that her day went this badly...

[Izeroth]

 After giving a final salute to the King, the army marched away from the palace. With their bright armor and fine weapons, they were surely a force to be reckoned with.

When they reached the gravel road that lead into the forest, Erich turned to Archel. "Sir," he said, "I think we should split up. You could take three-fourths of the group along the main forest road, and I would bring the rest along a backcountry route. That way, we can corner the scum if they try to run away."

[Unimaginative]

"There were rats yesterday?" Canny asked. "Which way were the headed?"

"So I can be sure not to go that direction." the Fisher Cat though to himself.

[The Skarzs]

Haenrok jumped back away from the attacks, doing his best to dodge them but knowing he couldn't keep it up for long. He was getting a bit desperate, for the attack was unexpectedly quick to come. Was that weasel crazy? He hadn't thrown a rock at him!

The sea otter looked at the one otter in their midst, nearly the same size as he, and he gritted his teeth. "Please, leave me alone!" Haenrok felt his blood rise, and his vision began to redden. No, not now, he pleaded in his mind. I have no weapon, I won't be able to control myself!

One of the soldiers jumped forward with a powerful swing at Haenrok with his axe, and the sea otter held up his arms desperately and hopelessly to try to block the strike, but. . .

Clang!

Haenrok opened his eyes; he had felt the impact, but it was only like he had been hit with a small stick. The soldier was hopping about holding his stinging paws as his axe lay seriously damaged on the ground. "Wha. . . ?" Suddenly Haenrok realized he could no longer feel his arms. "No, no!" Were they gone? Had they been chopped off? With a sickening feeling in his gut, he tried raising his paws to see. . .

These weren't his paws; these were the paws of. . . a statue!

"What's happening to me," he cried. "What is this!" The soldiers had now recovered from their moment of confusion, but as they advanced on the sea otter he swung at them, sending bits of stone flying like so many slingstones.

Turning tail, Haenrok ran.

[Dannflower Reguba]

       Saurrel had been listening to the beasts getting acquainted, when he started to notice the sounds of others rather close. He could feel the hearing start to fade, but he did catch one thing before it stopped.

" ~~ That way, we can corner the scum if they try to*"

       Quite a confusing mix... Then it hit him like an avalanche hits a flower patch, they were after the one of the other three! The way the soldiers were handling themselves would suggest this was another magic chase, which would also explain the apparent stranger's seeming attempt at hiding. He usually avoided getting anywhere near the army and their work, but he couldn't allow the needless extermination of another gifted soul! He sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him, stripping out the heels of his boots as he made the treeline. His lack of knowing exactly where they were narrowed his choices down to one, rather unwanted option, "ALARIE! PATRICK! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Saurrel bellowed for all his lungs were worth, he knew he could beat the soldiers to wherever they were going, but getting them away would be quite the job.

[BlueRose]

Selva heard the commotion and looked around frantically for a hiding place. The small building  was out of the question, who knew what the creatures inside would think of a thief, and this area of the forest was otherwise unfriendly to a runaway. The sounds were growing nearer, so she sighed and  looked around for a place with little to no light. Finding nowhere, she gave another low growl, stashed her loot in the knot of a nearby tree, and stumbled dramatically into the building, wimpering pitifully.

[Unimaginative]

Rangi, rather than pursuing the fleeing sea otter, sat back lazily, preferring to let the others pursue him. Anyways, the Otter wouldn't be able to get far with arms made out of stone. As he lounged, Rangi wondered how he had done that. The otter knew that there was such thing as magic, but he had never bothered trying to learn how it worked.

[Lady Ashenwyte]

OOC: Um, what about my fox? He went to Haenrok's aid.

[The Skarzs]

OOC: No offense, but I'd like to point out that Bane's actions were a bit irrational, rushing off into battle without knowing anything of the situation. Perhaps he can have a talk with Rangi to try to find out what was going on. Besides, he would have arrived to the battle near the same time it ended.

[Izeroth]

"ALARIE! PATRICK! WHERE ARE YOU!?"

The words hit Erich like an iron hammer. The beasts who lived in the woods were an odd lot, but they didn't just scream for fun. One of them had to have spotted his group!

"Hellgates," Erich cursed under his breath. The entire operation could be in jeopardy, and all because of one stupid beast. With a bit of luck, however, Erich knew that he could still catch the magic-users.

"Into the forest!" The white ermine yelled to his soldiers. "We have no time to lose!"

[Dannflower Reguba]

OOC: You guys are chasing a character that I didn't name, also, how would you know the names of the beasts you're chasing? You're working off of a vague report.