The Undecided

[Ashleg]

Like the effect a bucket of icy water would have on a fire, Darrin's words brought a shadow to Twisty's face so dark that it extinguished even the smallest trace of his grin.

"Sick of me," said the rat, turning round. He extended a claw towards his sword hilt and picked at it.
The long-stagnant bloodlust inside of him had reached a boiling point, but other vermin were watching... they were always watching.
With their eyes on him, Twisty straightened up and dropped his paw from his sword, stepping back. He was not going to attack.
"It's funny," he murmured, "Since I've been sick of you, Darrin." Without waiting for the ferret's response, he lashed out and grabbed Raleigh's arm, pulling her towards him. "And I know what you want, and you're not getting it!"

The rat's brown eyes shot to and fro and he hastily made up his mind to run towards the bushes and try bringing her with him, and try he did.

[Dannflower Reguba]

       Raleigh had slowly started to right herself as Darrin confronted Twisty. Her left paw strayed slowly outward, preparing for anticipated aggression from the rat. Strangely, at the crux of the tension, Twisty backed off, not really that surprising; However, this thought was immediately followed by a violent jolt as Twisty's arm nabbed hers as he made his getaway. All things considered, there didn't really seem like much to run from since Darrin wouldn't waste time chasing them. This line of thought was quickly severed by a knob of wood slicing into her right shoulder and sliding down her arm in passing a tree, evoking a sudden, panicked gasp. Her attention was thus caught up in a frenzied attempt to maintain balance whilst being pulled backwards almost to the point of dragging, a feat that was already difficult enough without being biffed upside the head by the occasional low-hanging branch, small as they were.

[Ashleg]

Twisty skidded to a halt and spun wildly round to face Raleigh, sucking in a restless breath. "No, no, no, Purtty, you've gotta be careful!"
His voice was normal again. So was his diction-- yet there was something there, in his eyes, which betrayed his anger.
"There's blood on yer arm..." The rat dug his claws into his fur. "Is that 'cause of me?"

[Dannflower Reguba]

       The sudden halt forced out a pained bark as Raleigh fell to a knee. She took a quick peak, but her assessment was already complete. dazed as she was. All but ignoring Twisty's words, she spat out her words through firmly clenched teeth, "Water.... 'nd fire..... Need't run to water!" Her grimace tightened, making speaking nigh impossible. She hoped desperately that Twisty could locate water soon, the cut in her arm wasn't dangerous, not yet at least, but the bleeding was only going to worsen. The severe lack of materials and supplies gave her a single, grim option.

[The Skarzs]

  Although not completely unexpected, Twisty's action left Darrin staring after him dumbly. Finally, when he realized what happened, the ferret shook his fist in the cat's direction. "Good riddance, you dead-pawed, bald-tailed creep! You an' the stupid squirrel! Didn't need you anyways!"
  He turned back to his crew, who were watching him silently. "Well?" He snapped. "What're you lot looking at? Get going!"
  Soon they were on their way, going in the same direction through the forest, Darrin hoping he had left all his troubles behind him.

~~~~~~~~~

  Hacklaw pressed on through the forest, following the clear trail of not one but three groups of creatures. The morning was growing old when he spied shadows moving in the trees ahead, and coming toward him. He raised his paw, and his own vermin stopped. The big stoat brandished his weapon, and the others did the same as the unknown figures came closer.
  Soon, there was a cry as they were recognized, and Hacklaw relaxed. "Oi, you 'alf-baked spineless deserters! Where the 'ell have you been, an' why are you comin' back?"
  "Rallowan's gone crazy!" came the reply. They were the vermin that had left Rallowan to hunt Darrin by himself. "He don't follow you. We ain't gonna follow him no more. We knew you'd want us back at the castle."
  Hacklaw grunted. "Huh. Always knew that fox weren't to be trusted." He raised his voice for all to hear. "Alright, boys! What ones o' ye wanna go, go back! We've only got one fox an' a bunch o' scared ninnies runnin' with their tails between their legs! I'ma have fun, now!"
  When the ones who decided to stay with their leader we're decided, Hacklaw was left with around twoscore vermin, and they set off with fresh vigour.

[Ashleg]

And fire?
Twisty perked his ears and listened for some sign of a stream or river, but heard nothing. He knew they'd passed one a while ago, but that would require him to go back... and he didn't want to lose sight of Darrin's team.

The rat turned to the squirrel. "How 'bout a puddle?"

[Dannflower Reguba]

       There was a clump of dock not far beyond Twisty which Raleigh stepped over to slowly. She responded to her companion after she had managed to snatch two of the leaves, "I'll settle for a," she was interrupted by her own rasp as she clamped the leaves over her upper arm, just to the side of her shoulder. She continued after catching her breath, "A small pond... Not much, but enough." Wincing again, her priority shifted to gauging the surroundings herself, looking for anything that would indicate water.

[Ashleg]

"Fine," Twisty grumbled, and started walking. "Let's backtrack a little, then."

[Dannflower Reguba]

       It wasn't very long before the pair happened upon what could hardly even be called a pond. Still, there was enough to be submerged in, albeit narrowly, but enough was better than Raleigh could hope for at this point. Then again, there was a part of her that dreaded their find simply because it brought the looming treatment ever closer. Painfully but quickly, she gathered enough sticks and moss to kindle a flame before realizing a potential problem, "Twisty, do you have a knife, and do you know how to start a fire with friction?"