A Dispute in the Marketplace

Characters: Tagger, William, Garolyn, Amethyst, Wilco, Dina,

Location: Ferravale

Ferravale: Marketplace

It’s another one of those oh so lovely days here in Ferravale. The days have been getting longer, and the snow has been slowly, ever so slowly melting. Many beasts are out today, especially around the marketplace where it has come to a main stay of most beasts who stay around the vermin city. Except those who aren't verminy. Tagger, an otter, enters the marketplace carrying with him a fishnet full of lovely northern trout. Its been pretty much his job ever since he came up here. And why not, he is pretty good at it. He walks up to the fish monger and starts to haggle the price for the day. The monger always screws the otter over. But Tagg doesn't mind. A few gold coins to keep him going is all he needs. For the 8 fish he got about 30 gold coins. Pretty nice considering. Tagg heads off toward the gate and his holt when a flower cart catches his eyes. He walks on over and looks at the many winter flowers they have on sale. The otter turning a few coins in his paw as he thinks. Do you think she likes

flowers?

What is this? William the potter is outside and not hidden away in his shop working? Strange as it may seem the rat has locked up his shop for a bit to walk about the village. Amy and Wilco are off shopping and for once Will is not heading for the tavern. The slush in the street squishes under his boots as he walks through the marketplace. He can just see his wife and daughter as they enter the spice shop farther ahead. The rat spies the flowercart and heads over toward it, almost before noticing the otter beside it. "Yew still 'round ere, Tag?" he asks coming up alongside his baby brother. The rat turns to face him and repeats himself to make sure the otter heard him.

Tagger look over some of a lillybuds, the otters favorite for obvious reasons. He hums at it before he senses a beast next to him. Then the beast talks and says his name. The otter blinks before looking over and jumping slightly in surprise, "Holy! Will! Arent you a sight for sore eyes!" the otter chuckles placing his coins back in his vest pocket, "Havent seen you in ages! Feel like you been cooped up in the pottery barn for ages!" he chuckles, "So. How ye been mate?" he asks still looking over the flowers with great intent.

William glances over the flowers while trying not to be too obvious about it. No need to encourage the otter. "Heh, Y-yeah," he grins, "Oi've been keepin' busy. Guess Oi'm good et thet." He omits his reasons for being by the cart, let the otter think he just wanted to chat. "Oi'm alroight," he says before smirking up at the otter, "Heard yew've been on a date recently. Didn't know we had more otters comin' ere." Will knows his brother'd been crushing on some vermin lass, but doubts a vermin maid would date the otter. If anything they'd beat him senseless for asking or so the rat believes.

Tagger doesn't think of anything more of the rat, then just he wanted to chat. The otter has seen stranger things for less reasons and always gives beasts the benefit of a doubt, "Well good. Thought you melted into a pot or something" the otter jokes before going a slight shade of red when asked about his date, "Yeah... Though.... It was..." he chuckles. Why does he feel embarrassed about it. He likes her, regardless of what anybeast thinks of it. He puts on a goofy grin and chuckles, "There hasn't been any other otters around here... Remember that ferret i had a crush on a while back..." he smirks, "Well. Turns out she likes me back." he smiles wide.

William isn't sure how to respond. On the one paw he's glad Tag is happy and with some beast and allegedly likes him back, but on the other paw she's a ferret and he's an otter. Which sounds quite abnormal to the rat. "Uh, really?" he asks trying hard not to look disgusted at the news. He doesn't know what to make of this. "Yew asked 'er out an she said 'yes'? Yew sure she didn't beat ya t death an yew had a dream 'bout dating 'er?"

Tagger chuckles and decides to buy the lillybuds. If she doesn't like em, at least he can keep em or something. Maybe grow them in a river. He will think of something. He buys a paw full about 3 stalks of unopen green and red buds, "Ah. These will be perfect. Thanks!" he pays the florist a small stack of gold before cradling them in his arm, before looking back at Will, "Yeh. /Really/!" he grins but then rubs the top of his head, "I think i would have felt that in the morning mate. I'm pretty sure it really happened" he laughs, "I know its weird. But i dont give a diggity what other beasts thinks." He finally ottered up about it. Then it hits him as he looks to the rat, "Is your wife mad at you?" he smirks. He can put two and two together eventually.

William sighs. "Yew take after Pa way more than yew ought t'," the rat says slightly annoyed at being caught. "Th' rest of th family know what sort a girl yew were dating?" he asks, "Or anythin' about 'er?" He finaly selects a winter rose and a bud of the same type. He's found that it's better to get some for his daughter just in case she's present when his wife gets her 'gift' to avoid being pestered by the dibbun. He drops the coins in the vendor beast's paw and turns back to face Tag. "Bet Ella'd have some words t say when she finds out," he says.

Tagger doesn't know to take that as a compliment or not, "That's what Kentar keeps saying..." he hums as he rolls that around his mind before being asked another question, "Ermmm.. Well. All the stoats know... And now you..." he knows what the rat meant and he sighs, "No. I haven't told any of my blood family yet..." he leans on a wall, crossing his arms to tap on his elbows, a sure sign of nervousness, "Ella can jump in a river for all i care. She is dating my mortal enemy! She has no power over my dating life!" he then rubs his eyes feeling worked up, "Venei would probably read a book or something. That's what she always does for everything... And as for mum..." he sighs, "I have no idea... She might like the idea. Its always hard to tell with her..." he sighs and pulls his paw over his face, making a funny face stretch before shaking his head. Yay! More brick walls to overcome!

Garolyn has just come back from her...let us say work trip. She looks none the worse for wear, if a little irritated. She has ditched her bag wherever she is currently staying, but her little pouch clinks less than usual. She has not yet noticed anyone in particular in the area. Her hood is up, and though she stands tall and her head is head high, she doesnt care to really look around and survey the area in the way she normally does. So she doesn’t!

"Oi wouldn't be a hurry t' tell Mum. Not until things get serious between yew two. Mum's busy researchin' an stuff. Wouldn't want t upset 'er needlessly or give 'er reason t come up ere t kick yer rudder around th place either," Will says to Tagg. The rat doesn't really notice the ferret just like he doesn't notices most random beasts that walk past him and Tag. Even if he didn't take notice of her he wouldn't know who she was. The half blind rat eyes Tagger up and down for a minute. "Oi don't really know wot t say. Oi just hope yew don't get hurt too bad if things don't work out or even if they do." The rat secures the flowers he's bought to his belt so he won’t risk dropping them. "An ere Oi thought El' was th rebellious one of yew three," he says smiling a little at Tagg. He may not approve, but he knows the otter could probably beat him in a fair fight and certainly in an unfair one, best not to push things. The rat was already in enough trouble as it was.

Tagger pulls at his chin fur at the mention of his mum, "I will tell her eventually, in good time. She is usually the last to know everything anyway... Mostly because she moved to Redwall a few seasons back... I hardly ever see her any more." he chuckles, as he gets off the wall, "Ella is still the rebellious one. I'm just..." His new sense has kicked in, and he looks directly toward the ferret and smiles, "I'm just the strange one... Well look who it is!" he points toward the ferret as she walks through the marketplace. He straightens out his headfur, but there is no point as it poofs right back up, "How do i look?" he poses and grins stupidly.

William shakes his head. "Horrible, yew look a lot loike Pa. Don't know wot she sees in yew." Will looks over at the ferret his brother has pointed at and tries to study her a bit so he can describe her to Amy and also so he recognize her should he meet her again. "Strange is right," he says, "She know a good part of yer family ain't otters?" he asks.

Tagger pulls at his tunic to straighten it out again, sticking his tongue out at the rat, "Hush you. You and the stoats said the same thing!" He finds it slightly annoying and funny at the same time. He rubs his paws together, "She knows. But she just doesn't know why yet. I will tell her eventually the story of you and pa, and how that all came to be. But thats a story thats too long for right now" he clears his throat before picking up his feet and heading toward the ferret. He hides the flowers behind him as he walks right beside her, matching pace and even footpaw falls. He doesn't say anything just yet. But he hopes the fact that he is one of the only beasts that doesn't give her a wide berth a clue. Though she may just shank him. Its a risk that Tagg is willing to take.

Garolyn has a moment of panic as she realizes that Tagger is here. She doesnt have any remaining bloodstains from work, does she? Of course not. Her fur isnt dirty or anything? Nope. Her gloves are straight and her poisons and keys are safe, meaning not here, where she would have to explain why she had poisons? Yup- all at home. Nothing to worry about, only need to keep cool, not blush, -wait. Her brother is not here, is he? She turns around, looking over her shoulder, and- nada. Nothing there. Good. She heaves a sigh, and raises a paw, flipping back her hood. She grins, and today you can tell. She took her veil off after she finished her job the other day, and has neglected to put it back on. The remaining light of the day glitters off of her metal canine tooth.

A bell jingles as one of the shop doors opens and out comes the blind rat Amethyst. Her staff in one paw and her young daughter's arm in the other. Wilco leads her mother out of the shop. The dibbun wears a pack on her back which is quite full, a roll of fabric stick out of the top. William notices the glint off the ferret's tooth, but doesn't think much of it. He walks over to his wife and whispers something in her ear as he places the rose he bought into her paw and takes Wilco's place at her side. The dibbun starts to tugg at her father's belt until he hold the rose bud out to her. Pacified the dibbun takes the flower and looks around the street. "Hey, there's Uncle Tagg," she exclaims pointing at the otter. Will grabs for his daughter but misses as she runs off to greet the otter.

Tagger stops when she stops, slightly bouncing on his footpaws, but still not saying anything just yet. Must keep up the charade! So when she takes off her hood and he can see her grin at him. Tagg smiles widely and tried to say something. But he immediately becomes tongue tied. So he just smiles back and shows what's he is hiding behind his back. Three unopen lillybud flowers. Mixed red and green. The otter smiles and the first thing that comes to mouth is, "Hey there" He grins right before he is assaulted by the young rat. And now he really is tongue tied, "Oh! Hey there Wilco!" he stutters.

Amethyst and Will are far enough away the they can't hear Tagg. The rat parents are talking about something as they walk along the shops back toward the pottery shop. They don't seem to be in any hurry to get there and keep stopping every so often.

Garolyn was about to say something nice, because /Tagger/ was being nice, but then the dibbun runs up and she laughs. Oh, Tagger. Awkward things apparently just have to happen to him when she shows up. She reaches out to take the pretty flowers. "Aw, thank ye, Tagger. Ye are so sweet. How are ye?" She holds out her arms, wanting to give him a hug. It feels like she has been gone for weeks, even if it was only a few days. She also feels slightly guilty. Tagger was thinking about her, and even bought her some flowers. Yes, she was thinking about him (often), but she didnt stop to get him anything on the way back. Ah well. Hopefully he wont really notice, or at least not care. But next time! She will not forget.

Coby holds her rose bud up to show the otter. "Look what Papa, gave me," the dibbun announces, a big smile on her face. The dibbun's brown eyes flick over to the ferret when she moves. "Hi, Are you one of Uncle Tagg's friends?" she asks Garolyn.

Garolyn blushes bright (Thought with her fur color, it just makes her look darker) as he kisses her- there goes the plan of keeping cool- and laughs at his comment. "Twas not seasons!" She swats his shoulder playfully. "Only a few days." She bends down so she is shoulder to shoulder with him. "Wilco, eh? I am Garolyn. I suppose, in a sense, I am a friend of..Uncle Tagg's..." She giggles, looking at Tagger from the corner of her eye. That sounded really funny, her calling Tagger Uncle.

Coby exclaims, "Eeewww!" The dibbun makes gaging noises when her uncle kisses Garolyn's cheek. It's bad enough her parents do things like that; do these two have to do it too? "That's gross," she says and smiles a bit when the ferret swats the otter. "Maybe more than friends, huh?" Wilco says after Garolyn bends down to meet her at her level like Tagg had. "But you're not an otter," she says a little puzzled as to how the two could be a couple. "Are you allowed to do that?" she asks looking from one to the other.

Speaking of otters, one makes her way into the square for the first time. placing her webbed hands on her hips, she takes a deep breath-then proceeds to gag loudly. "The sweet smell of vermin in the evening..." Her keen green eyes scan the square with military finesse, before spotting.."Holy hells bells, is that Tazan!?" Dina screams loudly, before strutting over to the small crowd.

Tagger rubs the spot where she swatted him, "Ow! You got a mean swipe!" he chuckles, then raises an eyebrow when she calls him uncle Tagger. He holds back a snort before looking back at the little one, "Well. Yeah. Its allowed..." he looks to Garo and smiles, "I guess you can call her my..." and he is gonna take this relationship to the next big step, "My girlf-....Oh Dear God..." he looks up as his last name is called, And he sees his squadmate and worst of all. Some beast he had history with. His brain has decided to go on vacation leaving a sign that says 'You are on your own'. So the otters mouths hangs loosely and, if it could, sparks fly out of his ears.

Garolyn laughs gaily. This little rat is so cute! "Ye are a rat, and thy uncle is an otter. Is /that/ allowed? And I am sorry, Tagger. No harm intended. Comes from swatting bad guys around." She jokes. She hears the scream, and her ear twitches back. She spins on the toes of her boots and stands in one fluid motion. She looks down and notices the look on Tagger's face. This cannot be good then. She immediately goes on defensive. So sense in /not/- and being a mercenary, that is her first instinct. She crosses her arms stands up even straighter, if that is possible, making herself slightly more imposing. She wishes she had not taken off her veil, for whatever reason, as she looks the newcomer up and down with a critical, cold eye.

"By the deep blue of the sea, why the 'ell are you out in vermin country you mutt!?" Dina says in a loud and confidant voice. As she she walks closer, she pushes past other creatures a tad rudely. HEY its not like vermin have feelings or anything! The giant sword seems to keep any retaliation away for the moment. walking up to Tags, Dina looks the other otter square in the eye before giving him a coy smile. "You got a bit fat there chubbs." She takes a finger and pokes Tagger in the guts. Satisfied at her asessment, Dina puts both paws on either side of Tagger's face and gives him a big ol' smooch right on the lips. Pulling away, she smiles at his look. "Brain farting there?" She laughs, "Same old Tazan."

Tagger brain is still not functioning correctly as he stands and looks at Dina. Still not comprehending what he is seeing, "Wha? Wy? Wh...." he blurts out, trying to say anything but cant. His brain has gone fishing. He doesn't notice anything around him, or else he might be a little wary of Garo. He gets poked down in the belly and he looks down slowly, as if she was ripping out his soul and then. She kisses him. That's when his brain yells at him, 'HEY WAKE UP DUMMY! WAKE UP! YOU ARE GETTING SCREWED' And Tagg becomes back to life as he tries to push her away with no luck. He gasps and takes a few steps back and wipes a paw over his mouth, "What the hell?" he asks Dina.

Garolyn doesn't move, and so Dina bumps her gently as she goes past. She growls sharply as Dina kisses Tagger, and she shoots out a paw, going to catch the female otter around the middle and pull her back. She is REALLY trying to control her emotion and not pull her claymore. That would not be good, and may even get her kicked out of the town. But who cares if it gets this presumptuous otter away. No giant sword is going to keep her from retaliation! "Keep thy paws from Tagger." She growls. Eyes narrowed, showing off that sharp metal tooth as she speaks. She /emanates/ danger signs. Tired, irritated, she hasnt even been /home/ yet since she was out on that work trip, and now here comes a sassy little otter who thinks she’s in charge.

 Placing one paw on her hip she rolls her eyes. "Sorry to make you look soft and squishy in front of your vermin ..err.. friends, but I can't help myself. Its been.. seasons!" Dina does a little twirl, EVERTONE WATCH OUT .....SWORD!  "..besides, we did alot more then a bit of snogging last time we were together.."  She feels the ferret grab at her waist, and ticks her head to the sad. "I put my paws where I like missy, and if you want to keep yours I'd suggest  removing them." Her tone is happy, but it does mean business.

William had turned when his last name was called just as Tagg had. The rat grips the hilt of his sword but doesn't draw it. Beside him Amy frowns. "Wot's goin' on now?" she hisses at her husband. "Some ottermaid with a loudmouth an little sense is askin' Tagg's ferret gel t cut 'er t pieces," he replies. "Coby!" he calls to his dibbun, "Get over ere!" He trusts Tagg and his girlfriend to take care of this otter, but his daughter doesn't need to be in the middle of it. "Hey, Waterdog, iffen yew don't loike vermin wot yew doin' in one our villages?" Will calls to Dina.

Tagger is slowly catching up with what's going on here. The brain takes it one at a time. Dina is here. Who he had a short fling with back during the north wars. But they broke up, and everything was okay. That was seasons ago. But she is here, and SHE KISSED HIM, right in front of the beast he is courting. He wishes his life wasn't so complicated. Why couldn't Dina just stay away until he was called back to service? His head hurts. The otter can start to feel his blood boil. But he takes calming breathes, though his fists clench cracking every single bone as he glares at the fem otter. Dina would know that Tagg is a prized paw fighter, but against her sword, he is useless., "Everyone take 3 steps back from each other..." Trying to calm everyone down so his brain can come up with a way to cool the situation. Though he is not sure how.

Coby scowls up at the new arrival. She doesn't like this otter’s attitude. The dibbun ducks as the otter twirls. The otter is very big and not very nice. She crawls backward before standing up again and backing away slowly. She spits at Dina before making a mad dashing toward her parents. "Aikuen Tazan would not like you!" she shouts as she runs.

Garolyn takes a step forward, removing her paw, and making her tone happier, but you can still see a storm in her cold eyes. " Ye put thy paws where ye wish, and I will put mine where /I/ wish. Twould take moren ye to remove my paws, so keep a latch on thine lips. And put thy paws anywhere but Tagger." As she gets angrier, her accent becomes heavier. She notices the dibbun, and smiles inwardly. Tagg may be useless against the sword, but Garolyn wont be. One paw makes it to the hilt of her claymore- she isnt in a mood to be trifled with. And she isnt in a mood to back down, no matter what Tagger has asked. Dina picked a perfect time to show up.

Well didn't she just step into a hornets nest! The smile on her maw flickers with unease, green eyes narrow as she takes everycreature a bit more seriously. "Good lord, I thought vermin knew had to have a bit o' fun." Her ears pin back as she is spat on, and heckled she reaches for her own sword. The ferret keeps on talking, with a bit of temper in her voice now. "Look lass, Tags here knows how to handle himself and me. I'm not here to hurt him!" Maybe vermin are as thick as they are grumpy?

Tagger's head explodes as their might be a bit of a skirmish, if he knows Dina. He takes another calming breath. Slow. Calming. Breaths, "Dina. Calm yourself. Or am i gonna have to explain this problem to Heith?" Heith is their commanding officer, and a real stickler when it comes to vermin-woodlander relations. The otter then looks to Garo, and without trying to sound too desperate, "Garo. Please." He looks back to the female otter and takes another breath, "Dina... What are you doing here?"

Coby runs to her mother and wraps her arms around her wide middle. Amy grabs hold of the dibbun and boxes her ear sharply for running off. "Yow!" Wilco exclaims. She sobs a little and rubs as her sore ear. The rat mother lifts the now sniffling youngster inot her arms and pets her head. William just watches the ferretmaid and ottermaid from a distance. He may have some skill with a blade, but this isn't a fight he wants to be a part of if it doesn't directly involve him. "Lass," Will calls to Dina, "If yew do cause trouble th guards will escort yew out. There's rules ere same as anyplace else."

Garolyn takes a step back, but maintains her general spot slightly in front and to the side of Tagger without dropping her paw from her claymore. She does not like hearing Tagger sound desperate- it is quite a change from how he usually is. Then again, this is not a usual situation! She ignores the calls from William- they do not mean much to her. In fact, she is ignoring pretty much anything that is not Tagger and Dina. The beasts around the marketplace have extended their empty bubble from just Garolyn to Garolyn, Tagger, and Dina. And then some /more/ space, just in case. A few more drunken creatures linger, wanting to see a fight.

Well, the otter maid is confused as hell. All she did is give good ol Tags here a smooch and now all beasts are freaking out. "The commandah will have no problem with me defending myself. What the 'ell kind of place are you livin in? I came in to buy some supplies, saw you... hell Tagger, it’s been seasons. I missed your stupid face." she keeps a paw on the hilt of her sword and glares at every creature.

Tagger brain is also confused as hell. But it’s finally keeping up and it’s finally making more legit decisions. So, he puts on a smile, but a fake one at that, as he tries to resolve the situation as best as he can, "Alright. Let’s start over shall we... Dina. Let’s just say your visit was less then expected. And the way you greeted me was also a little odd. Very odd. In fact you just made it a HELLGATES awkward." he shakes his head, "But anyway. I guess. Welcome to Ferravalle..." he clears his throat.

Garolyn gives Tagger a weird look, and shakes her head minutely as she takes her paw from the weapon and crosses her arms, looking down her nose at Dina. "Aye, welcome to Fer/ra/vale. I trust ye already know the rules, as the guards let ye in. Ye break them, ye get kicked out. Get it?" She will oblige with the no-killing thing, but that does not mean she must be polite. She extends an arm and points, grinning cheekily. "The gates are that way."

"Odd!? When did you get all prude on me?" Dina looks the other otter up and down. "You alright- the vermin didn’t go and do somethin to your noodle there did they?" Dina does not relax much, keeping her paw firmly on the hilt of her sword. As Garo speaks, Dina's whiskers prickle. "Aye, I see them -vermin-. Astute your observations be."

Tagger has always been prude when it comes to awkwardness. It’s his go to feeling. When she asks if she is alright, his left eye twitches, as there was one of the reasons why they broke up, "I'm fine. In fact. I'm better then fine. I'm great. Never better..." then when Dina calls his gal-pal Vermin, that term used dripping with insult. Tagg feels his blood start to reach a breaking point and he takes a huge step forward, looking down at Dina, "And. YOU Will address my girlfriend with her proper name. And nothing else..." he growls through fangs. His eye twitching. Dina should know that he might go ape in a second.

Garolyn chuckles dryly, maintaining her fo-cheerful attitude. "As thine are clever, too, riverpup. I am indeed a vermin." She doesn’t care nearly as much as Tagger, but it sure is touching that he cares! She reaches out to take his arm gently. "Tagger, leave it be. That is not the first time I have been called a vermin, and nor will it be the last. She does not know my name." The ferret says quietly. Hell, she gets called vermin as an insult by other vermin! So why should she care that Dina called her vermin? She shouldn’t, so she doesn’t. Tagger freaking out freaks /her/ a bit, but she doesn’t let it show. She and Tag can talk over dinner or something later.

Well, Dina feels like she just got the wind knocked out of her. The otter maid visibly staggers back once. "Scatt...Tags." She shakes her head slowly, bangs casting over her green eyes. "..all that crap we have been through, and you’re seeing a ferret?! You've pulled pikes out of them in the field... They've stuck swords through...our friends...?" She sounds both shocked and hurt, but then Dina gets angry. "And if yer lady friend wants to be treated differently, she aught' not to act like a git then." Clearly, Dina isn't afraid of the larger otter. Still, the warrior can't get over the shock of...well, them.

Tagger clenches his paw once more, his blood reaches, just about to pop. Soon everyone would see what the Tazan blood looks like... When he gets his arms taken. And he looks to Garo quickly. His eyes have dilated to blackness, twitching angrily. Looking like a wild beast almost... But as quickly as she would have seen it. Something flows through his body. A calming soothing feeling. As if his brain said 'Calm yourself, before you wreck yourself' His blood boil begins to subside to a mere simmer. To mere lukewarm. The green color returning to his eyes as takes a deep breath, reaching with his unclenched paw, and placing it on top of hers. He looks back to Dina, and smiles, a real Tagg smile, "I know what we did in the war. And im sorry for all the comrades that we lost. But not all vermin are evil. Some are just like us. Just trying to live out their lives. And what if i do fall in love with one... You an me are no more... And you should respect that." Tagg blinks and looks around, "What. Just. Happened." He is really confused.

Garolyn sobers up a bit at Dina's words. Aye, the otter maid does have a point. But that point can work two ways. She REALLY has to work not to freak when Tagger turns to her- she clearly has more to learn about him! She takes a deep breath and turns back to Dina, arching an eyebrow. "Why am I seeing an otter, then? I have family that was killed by otters. Maybe I am not the only villain here. Miss." She adds, trying to be more polite. She doesnt remove her paw from under Taggers, and she nods at his words, but doesnt feel inclined to add anything more. It rather /is/ between him and Dina. She gives Tagger one of those 'i don't know- tell me later' looks to his last question, because she honestly /doesnt/ really know what just happened. The crowd of beasts starts to disperse. If Garolyn and Dina are not going to fight, then who cares anymore?

Finally, the ottermaid removes her paw from the hilt of her sword. She stands there, quietly for a few moments- her green eyes wandering on the slushy muddy ground. "It is wrong, Tagger." Her voice quiet, almost frail. "You do her wrong.." Her gaze snaps up, seeking his full of challenge. "There be creatures here that would sooner slit her throat for just holdin hands with you." Dina's voice now a dangerous whisper. "And if the danger of....-it- be damned, think about it Tags.. You can't give her pups. you risk /her/ so much and you can't give her a family in return." With a flick if her neck, Dina casts her gaze down at the ferret, narrowing her green eyes. "Aye, it be possible that there bea handful of dark hearted riverdogs out there, ferret. But I can tell you this, for every one of /them/ there are hundreds of your kind that would stick a dibbin between the ribs if it would do them better. I've seen it." She glances at Tagger, "He has too."

The Tazan rats care. Well they mostly care about Tagg as he's family. Wilco wiggles in her mother's arms and tries to get back onto the ground. Will watches the otters and ferret, claws taping on the hilt of his sword. He half wishes Ella were here to give her opinion on things, after all she was raised alongside 'vermin' for a good part of her life and she has a battle axe.

Tagger looks from Garo, blinking slowly as if he just magically appeared here. In this situation. He looks from her to Dina as she talks and surprising, her words actually hurt him. And that takes skill. But she would know. His stomach makes a few flips before settling like a sappy rock inside him as he takes deep breaths to keep the manly tears at bay. He takes a solid breath before saying slowly, but enunciating every word. Clearly, "We have to at least. Try. I like her, not for what she is. But for who she is. And I know we might not be able to have pups." he flinches at that but continues, "But. You never know..." He takes a deep breath before continuing again at the last bit, "I know what I do for a living. I know my duties. I know what I supposed to do..." he pauses looking down, "But I know the way I feel has made me better. A better... Beast. No one told you. As it’s supposed to be a secret. But I was nominated for the one of the camp paladins, for the way I feel toward. Vermin..." he looks Dina straight in the eye, "You. Were passed over."

Garolyn is over angry, as long as every other beast is. And both what Dina and Tagger have said is rather hard to hear for her, too. She blinks hard and looks away, mentally reflecting on a few things. A thanks to Tagger, for standing up to Dina. A thanks to her younger brother, for making her who she is- otherwise she may have taken after Kaol. That would have been unbearable. She takes her paw from his shoulder and takes his paw instead. A little more comfortable, and nicer. She hesitates to do so, especially after what Dina said, and she looks like she is going to hang her head like a naughty dibbun, but then she lifts it and looks Dina in the eye, proud as she always is. "Try we shall. Tagger is pure. I was taught to believe things, not unlike ye were. But Tagger is different than what I was told to think." She holds out her free paw, if Dina is willing to take it. "I am Garolyn."

Dina asks, "Well that’s not surprising, aye?" Dina says with a savage grief in her voice. Unlike Tags, she doesn't attempt to hide it. "Somebody needs to do all the dirty work, and my record will never be sparkly enough." She wears her heart too much on her sleeve. "Regardless, /Sir/ good luck with your nomination..." Dina wants to say more, but she bites back her tongue. The offering of a paw takes Dina by surprise, and after a few moments she shakes her head. "I can't.." Why? Maybe because it’s because a ferret did for Tagger what she could not. Maybe it’s because of her own experiences of war..? Slowly Dina spins on her heels, and turns to walk away."

Tagger is glad to take Garo’s paw. And even gives it a little squeeze as they make a united wall against this otter. When Garo talks, Tagg feels such a pride within him. He knows that this will work if they both have that attitude. Guess a reason why he likes her so much. Then Dina speaks and he looks her straight in the eye. But he is no longer feeling awkward. Or angry. Just. Confused and proud all at the same time. And he is just as surprised when Garo offers her paw. Maybe this will all work out... Maybe not. But when she turns on her hells and leaves. Tagg uses his free paw and gives her a proper camp salute, "Lieutenant." he gives her rank.

Amethyst frowns and adjusts her grip on her daughter. The ratwife starts to protest, but Will shushes her. He makes a mental note to talk with Tagg soon. Wilco continues to pull faces at Dina. "You better stop being a big meaniehead," the dibbun scolds the ottermaid quietly, "Uncle Tag doesn't like you to kiss him and your being mean to his girlfriend." The little rat is still a bit mad at the ottermaid. Will shakes his head at her. The dibbun ducks her head, goes silent and scrunches up her face in a pout.

Garolyn releases Taggers paw to pull her sheathed sword from her belt and stick it, sheath point first, into the ground. She folds her gloved paws over the hilt and rests her chin on it, watching Dina leave. As Tagger speaks, she sighs heavily and rests her forehead on the hilt instead. She mutters. "I need a nap." Now that she spent what little energy she had left on Dina, she is ready to just collapse. She closes her eyes and enjoys the light breeze that ruffles her headfur. The interaction with Dina was taxing, and now she has all these thoughts whirling in her mind. Upon opening her eyes, she sees the flowers. They lay where she dropped them right when Dina showed up, layered over each other in the snow. She crouches down, kneeling in the slush and mud, and picks each one up, wiping them down with her cloak hem. Then she just sits there, holding them, looking down at them, wondering what comes next.

For now, Dina doesn't have any more words for Tagger. She just walks, only slowing enough to give the rat dibbin one very cold look. After that, she continues up the road towards the lake, where she plans on making camp during her stay in this forsaken place.

Tagger watches Dina leave. Surprised, that she did not return the salute like he swore she would have... She is still his squadmate. And she will always will be. Maybe she will learn, but Tagg doubts it. Its just another hurdle. Another obstacle. Another problem. When Garo lets go, he lets that paw dangle, using his other one to rub his eyes slowly, "Oh aye. And a stiff drink" This was not how he wanted things to go. But he knew it would have happened sooner or later. When she crouches, he plops down on his rudder. Planning to make this is home for the next few hours. Let the snow cool him. He watches her pick up the flowers and stares at it, before saying, slowly, going back to his accent, "There is a lot i have to explain... Isn't there..."