[finished] Cheesethief vs. Turnob (Ashleg vs. TammLeo)

[Captain Tammo]

@Ashleg, would you like to start this one off and set the scene? I am roleplaying as Turnob, a ferret from Groddil's fanfiction, We Happy Few. Turnob is a regular hordesbeast, but a pretty competent vermin and not a bad archer. That's all I think you really need to know as of right now. After all, you wouldn't know your opponent too well if this were real life

[Ashleg]

Do you want to set the scene? I'm lacking energy right now and really, anything would be fine with me.
I'll be playing as Cheesethief from the first Redwall book if that's alright... 

[Captain Tammo]

Sure!

Mossflower country was a staggeringly large region brimming with secrets and friendly to everything. Some wanderers said that it was so big, one could walk from end-to-end and back and only run into a pawful of creatures. With conditions like this, it was of no surprise that running into another creature out in the woods was a special occasion. This was a way that life-long friends met, lovers met, or, in one ferret's case, foes met.

Turnob paced himself. He had been walking for hours and certainly had a ways to go. By order of The Great Malumgula, he was to find a flower by the name of 'foxglove', a popular choice when mixing poisons. Turnob wondered, however, why Malumgula was looking for poison - this was a creature whose obsession with fire was becoming notorious, as well as his most defining characteristic. Turnob shrugged to himself and pressed foward. He had not the slightest clue what a foxglove flower looked like.

His stomach growled and he put a paw to it and curled his lip. He needed food.

For a beast lacking formal training or long experience with a bow, Turnob was actually quite a good shot. Additionally, with Mossflower being such a hospitable land, he had no trouble finding a lazy-looking robin perched in the tree coverage. One carefully aimed shot brought the bird down, although when Turnob approached the body, he saw something peculiar...

OOC: Hey Ash, I was thinking there could be two arrows in the robin. One from Turnob and one from Cheesethief (or a spear or sling stone, etc..). Then, the two vermin get in an argument over who keeps the kill and they end up dueling over it. If you like that idea, feel free to set it up so that we're using bows, or paw to paw, or maybe something else. I personally think that we could take the term 'duel' literally and have both beasts (assuming cheesethief has a bow, that is) stand back to back, walk ten paces, and start firing volleys of arrows at each other. Although, being vermin I suspect that cheating would be involved somehow

[Ashleg]

"Hey; that's mine!"
Somebeast yowled from behind the tree. Out poked first the snout and then the rest of an angry looking
rat. Cheesethief's messy brown fur stuck up in some places and was matted in others, though he would have seemed extraordinarily scrawny if it wasn't for his tunic.
Luckily for him, a fearsome snarl shown upon his face.

"See that? That's my arrow in that bird!" He snapped, pointing truculently.
"I hit it first!"

[Captain Tammo]

Turnob looked down at the bird carcass and then back at the rat that was claiming ownership. Could he really not tell that there were two arrows in the bird? There was not have time for this. Turnob knew that Malumgula would feed him to the fire if he did not bring back what he had demanded in a timely fashion. Although, it had been ages since he had eaten a good bird like this before. He curled a thin, black lip back at the rat and gritted his teeth. "My arrow is in the bird too, we'll split it and go our separate ways." what a waste he thought to himself.

OOC: Ashleg, your move. Feel free to take a little bit of control over Turnob if it helps the story along. Just as long as you don't make any huge decisions for him!

[Ashleg]

Cheesethief gritted his teeth.
Ever since he'd fled from Cluny it had been extremely difficult to catch things eat; and now that he finally did, there was this vermin standing him up.
If only the rat had not been as foolish as to try on his Chief's armor! Then he certainly wouldn't have had to fake his death at the claws of Constance and run away into the woods.
Cluny certainly wouldn't be very happy if he found him alive.
If he's even still alive. I haven't seen him anywhere. Old blighter! Cheesethief thought.

Sneering, he rounded on the ferret.
"Listen, I saw it first an' I need it more than you!"

[Captain Tammo]

For a brief moment, Turnob though to himself. He would have shrugged and kept moving under normal circumstances, but now his pride was at stake. While Turnob was smarter than some vermin, and quicker than many, pride was every weasel's weakness. To hear that threatened was akin to being held at knifepoint. "Don't say I never gave you a chance." Turnob acted quickly. He unshouldered his bow and notched an arrow in what he thought to himself must have been a single motion. "The world doesn't give handouts t' the needy. I'm taking this bird wit' me because I'm stronger than you are. Try your luck, pignose, we'll see 'ow yer feelin' when you've got an arrow between yer eyes!"

Hardly had Turnob looked up at Cheesethief when he saw another loaded bow pointed back at him.

!!!

Turnob threw himself to the side and simultaneously loosed the arrow from his bow. It would probably land off target, even if he was considered a good shot. Trying to tuck into a roll, Turnob hit his arm on a rock and scratched himself up on a protruding root from a nearby tree. Though that did not matter as much, now. What mattered most was that Turnob was faced with a decision: either run away and lose face to a complete stranger, or fight and quite possibly wind up dead over a piece of game.

I ain't killin' my pride off. No way! he thought to himself. Coming out of his sloppy roll, Turnob stood back up and prepared himself for the next move.

OOC: your move, Ashleg!

[Ashleg]

Cheesethief had growled and ducked out of the way of Turnob's first arrow and then fired a few more himself.
Anger pulsing through him, the rat called out, "You looked like a dying fish with that roll!" and then he shouldered his bow and dove for the bird.

[Captain Tammo]

Turnob saw Cheesethief go after the bird and tried to act as quickly as he could. He grabbed another arrow from his quiver, but fumbled twice in notching his arrow.

There is legend of a long dead searat captain who was known for his swearing. On one instance, the steersbeast of the ship ran their vessel aground on a reef. All crewbeasts on deck said they heard their captain run through more curses in three seconds than was thought to be ever possible. Turnob, in his quick,  panicked fumbling of his arrow and occasional glance up at Cheesethief, who now had the bird and was darting away, had just cut that time in half. A shame that nobeast nearby was listening to him do it. He would boast about this for seasons to come and not a single one would believe him.

Finally getting a grip on his arrow, Turnob pulled back and let loose his arrow into the brush after Cheesethief. There was no time to relax, first, or take a deep breath and test the wind. He just pulled the arrow back, closed one eye at his foe, and sent it flying after him into the thicket.

[Ashleg]

"YAaAagh!" Cheesethief yelped, rolling onto his side as the arrow embedded itself deep in the flesh of the bird. Had he not held it to his chest he'd be a dead beast.
The rat bared his teeth in fury and fired off another arrow at Turnob, aiming for his shooting arm.

[Captain Tammo]

It was not turning out to be a good day for the ferret called Turnob. As he chased after his opponent, the rat had picked up his bow and fired a shot at him. Unbeknownst to Turnob, Cheesethief had fired at Turnob's arm, not his torso like he assumed would happen. Turnob ducked, threw his arm over his face, and slowed down his running out of instinct. A grunt escaped his lips as the arrow fixed itself straight through his left paw.

The pain was too much. Turnob forced himself to halt and duck behind a tree to fix up his injury. Half of the arrow was on each side of his paw and it hurt immensely. Knowing that it would be foolish to take a break to think things over in a battle, the ferret braced himself and snapped off the pointed end of the arrow as close to his paw as he could. Then, like ripping off a bandage, he went to yank out the rest of the shaft and gritted his teeth with frustration. It took him three consecutive (and very quick) tugs to free himself completely from the arrow. He was glad that it was over, but now Turnob realized what a serious mistake he had made. As of that moment, he hadn't the slightest clue where his foe was among the trees, he could no longer use his bow, as it was now lying several yards away from where he got hit - not that it mattered anymore. Even if he were to retrieve his bow, Turnob knew that he would not be able to use it. All he had now were his arrows. He needed to find Cheesethief and close the distance between them as quickly as possible. If he played his cards right, Turnob knew that his foe would stumble as soon as the fight became too close for bow and arrow. If that happened, Turnob would be able to slip an arrow between Cheesethief's ribs and get away.

Cheesethief probably knew where he was at this point. Pulling out the arrow made enough noise for just about anybeast to find him. His only hope was to get the rat to loose his arrow and miss him. Then the battle would be his! At his feet, Turnob found a good, paw-sized stone. Lucky for Turnob, he was right-pawed and the arrow and struck his left. One well-aimed toss would be all that it would take to knock down Cheesethief. Then he could close the gap. Now... where had the rat gotten off to?

Holding the rock close, Turnob ventured the slightest peak around the tree to see if he could spot him.

[Ashleg]

Cheesethief had taken the bird and ran in the opposite direction, smugly looking over his back to make sure that the ferret wasn't following.
Oh, what a lucky day indeed! Nobeast messed with a warrior of Cluny the Scourge and got what they wanted.
The rat cackled to himself and began yanking the arrows out of his beautiful catch.
Why kill him and risk myself? he mused, I wanted the bird and I've got it. There's no need to be stupid.

A sudden screech escaped the rat's jaws as he crashed headlong into a thorn bush, sending the bird flying up and out of his paws.
It landed somewhere beyond his reach and he pulled himself out, dazed and spitting needles.

[Captain Tammo]

The ferret did not see Cheesethief, but the rat's not-so-distant cries told him exactly where he was.

He could be trying to trap me Turnob thought to himself. Better move slowly, maybe run up from a direction he's not expectin' me..

Turnob did not waste any time. He dashed toward the east about fifty feet, then cut south to where he could hear his foe grunting with frustration. There! Turnob saw Cheesethief appearing to pick a series of thorns from himself as he hurried around a large bush to grab something before setting off again. Turnob tried to move as quietly as possible, but he was no thief - stealth was not his strong suit. The soft earth of Mossflower woods squished underfoot as the ferret trod over them as lightly has heavy boots would allow. Steady, steaaady... One well-aimed rock toss and it would knock the senses from his enemy. Then he could get the jump on him and finish the job for good!

At this point, Turnob did not even care about the bird - he wanted pride! Happy with the short distance between himself and Cheesethief, Turnob raised his arm and threw the rock in his paw with as much force as he could without getting sloppy. It sailed through the air, heading straight for the side of Cheesethief's large head!

[Ashleg]

Cheesethief turned and cursed his luck.
A rock was spinning toward him!
The rat let out a petrified scream and moved to duck, though the stone still managed to hit him right below the ear.
Gasping with pain, he dropped to his knees and felt around dizzily for the bird.

[Captain Tammo]

Turnob was thrilled to see his throw strike true. Readying the arrow he had been carrying, Turnob seized his opportunity and dashed forward. While the pain from his still-fresh paw wound did not fade away, it was also not enough to distract him from trying to claim his victory. As the ferret leaped the last bit of the distance between himself and Cheesethief, Turnob held the arrow in his good paw, over his head and poised to thrust downward. The battle was his for certain!

OOC: alright, Ash, what do you think? Should we start wrapping things up here? Either Cheesethief manages to turn the tide of the battle and end it here, or Turnob's arrow hits its mark! But I think we've taken a good chunk of time with this battle and we now need to keep the competition moving.

Wait a minute... I just realized there is an OOC board I should've been using this whole time. Is, er, that going to hurt my results this time around? I've only ever really done an RP once and that was a couple years ago. My bad, I'll start posting over there!