Minor Collision in the Marketplace

Characters: Udat, Christopher, William

Location: Ferravale

Ferravale: Marketplace

Udat makes his way down the road, keeping to the leeward side of the storefronts to help cut down on the chilling wintery winds. His gaze drifts to the various shops while one hand keeps a steady grip on his staff, the other clutching what can only be described as a metal box with holes, though a careful eye might see what looks like the flicker of a flame from inside its confines.

Well, a bakery needs supplies right? In rain or snow, its Christopher's job to make sure he gets them. Though unfortunately, he's had a bit too much to drink. He's pulling a little wagon of supplies, but he's all over the road, stumbling this way and that, stopping for a moment and almost falling over. He doesn't even notice the newt in front of him and heads straight for his back, unaware he's actually there.

Udat hears the wagon, but there's a few things that go wrong. First, it's cold. Cold blooded in cold weather makes for slow reactions, and the newt's also got to deal with the stumbling, drunk, unpredictable path... Both work well enough together to leave him far less than able to really get out of the way. At least he's able to avoid a wheel, though, as he's bowled into, stumbling forward and dropping the staff and box, the latter clattering open as the smell of lamp oil fills the air around it.

Smoke flows from the chimney of the pottery shop into the winter sky. The door to the shop is open to keep the shop cool as the fire from the kiln is kept going day and night. The owner of the shop leans against the doorway just outside the shop. The one-eyed rat had been taking a break from his work when he spied the stoat heading for the newt. The rat opened his mouth and took a step forward to try and intervene but he's too late to warn the newt or stop the two beasts from crashing into each other. Will catches the scent of the oil and hurries over to try and help.

Chris blinks a bit when he finally notices Udat. But that's only after he sits up from the collision, rubbing at his head. "What did I just hit?" he asks himself a little bit quietly, his eyes trying to focus on the newt. "What is a wall doing in the middle of the road? OH...its a newt." he slowly, but wobbly stands. "I didn't know newts liked snow..." he blinks when he smells the oil but then shrugs it off, turning to find his wagon.

Udat pushes himself up slowly, reaching first and foremost for his staff, which gets a critical look over. "Not injured, are you?" He seems content the staff is not harmed and looks himself over, fingers pressing on a few spots...no, too soft a collision to cause injury there. He sighs, reaching for his box and frowning as he notices the flame inside it, as with all the oil, is out. "So much for that..." He whirls about on the stoat. "Bloody oaf, can't watch where you're going?"

William doesn't defend the stoat. The rat is standing close enough to the stoat to catch a whiff of his breath. "Surprised 'e kin walk," he mutters before addressing the newt. "You alright, zurr?" he asks Udat. The rat is silently glad that stoat doesn't seem injured.

Christopher isn't COMPLETELY drunk. Just...okay, yeah, he's drunk. He can't find the wagon's handle after a little bit before grabbing it and starting to stumble towards the bakery. When Udat addresses him he shakes his head. "No, I'm fine." he grumbles out before eyeing the new carefully. "Can you stop being a tree? The road is to walk!" and at that he stumbles again. That doesn't REALLY count as walking, does it.

Udat carefully sets the tip of his staff out to...well, to say he's trying to trip the stoat is perhaps being too kind. But, yes, he's out to trip the stoat. "I'm fine," he offers the rat. "He should not be out pulling a cart like this."

"No 'e shouldn't," Will agrees as he tries to push the newt's staff down with his boot. "'Elpin' 'im break 'is neck would do either you a bit o' good though." The rat has no intention of breaking the staff, but deserving of it or not he'd rather the stoat not be injured by the newt.

Udat eyes William as he tugs his staff to safety. "If he were injured he'd be seeing me anyway." He offers his hand to the more sober of the two. "Udat, Apothecary and newly appointed practitioner in the infirmary down the road."

Christopher didn't seem to pay any attention to his uncle or the newt anymore. HE doesn't even SEE the staff come his way, so he's easily tripped. He stumbles forward comically before landing face down in the snow with a groan. "Ugh...ground, stop flying." he grumbles out before he just lays there quiet, and still.

William takes the offered hand in paw and shakes it. "William Tazan. Potter," he says guestering to his shop across the street. An' th' drunk fool's th baker when 'e's not drunk off 'is tail." The rat doesn't even turn to look when the stoat falls. "Anythin' get damaged when 'e crashed int' yew?" the rat asks, seems one of yew spilled some oil all over.

Udat nods and holds up his box. "It burns oil, keeps a fire, heats my body in the winter. Makes places like this survivable when I'm working in them." He sighs. "I'll refill it later, just a matter of not getting overly cold between now and then."

William squints at the box with his one eye. "Never seen th' like of thet b'fore. Wot yer need t get it workin' again?" he asks. "It's still a bit of a walk from 'ere t th infirm or tavern. Got t keep th fire going near all th' time at th' shop. Always more than warm enough in there. Might be able t' find some oil for yer box thing." Will looks over at the stoat as he's fallen mostly silent. The rat nudges the stoat with a boot confirming that the drunk is now sound asleep. "Might need to drag 'im inside 'fore 'e freezes. 'is Dad would skin me iffen I left 'im out 'ere," Will says more to himself than the newt.

Udat nods slowly. "Oh, wouldn't be the first drunken oaf I've had to drag inside." He coughs softly as he grips his staff and box. Well, the box is useless for now, he sets it off to the side to free up an arm. "I'll get this side, you get that one?" He moves to grab Christopher's right arm.

Christopher is out. Even snoring lightly. Resists naught as he's dragged.

Ferravale: Pottery Shop

William grabs the stoat's other arm and drags him back toward the pottery shop. "Oi know just th' place t' put 'im," he says to the newt as they enter the warm building. "I kin drag 'im th rest of th way," he says waving the newt away for the moment. "Hey!" he calls into the back area of the shop, "We got a stoat 'ere thet needs t be watched."

Udat shall take the stoat as far as needed before turning to retrieve his box with a soft snort, there's a faint mutterance of drunken fools and buffoonery, but he returns, box in hand, and rests his staff off to the side. "Well, glad I could help at least..."

"Bring 'im back 'ere then, long as it's not th' nasty one," a femine voice calls from the back area off the shop. "Iffen 'e causes any trouble I'll take care of et. 'e's gettin' a might old t still need a sitter," the unseen female grumbles.

William nods at the newt. "Oi don't mind th help. Thanks," he says, "Yew kin warm up by th kiln furnace if yew loike. It get very hot so don't get too close." The rat drags the stoat into the back area and beyond. "Et's just Chris. Oi wouldn't bring Thane back 'ere. I'd rather drag 'im th extra way t th infirm then have t put 'im up 'ere." Will can be heard saying from the other room.

his way towards the fire to soak in a bit of warmth. "Ugh...winters will be the death of me, I know it." Udat says, "Oh...me and heat, never something to worry about there. I'd be dead before I knew it..." He makes

William returns soon after just catching the newts words as he came back into the shop. "Yew sound loike my ole Dad," he says, "'E hated winter an cold too. 'E was from some place thet was always warm or somethin'. Didn't have as good a reason as yew do t complain so much."

Udat bahs. "It's nowhere near as bad as Ruingate used to be. This is warmer, but cold is still cold for us." He settles himself down, opening up the box. It's very much like a lamp, a reservoir for oil, a wick, but instead of a class housing to let light out, it's metal, ventilated for the fire to breathe while it heats up.

"Never really been t' Ruingate. Thought about movin' there once, but thet was seasons ago, 'fore we moved 'ere." the rat says. "Want t' see about gettin' thet thing refilled?" Will offers. "I think there may be some lantern oil in th' supply room someplace."

Udat offers the box over. "If you would be so kind. I can offer replacement oil when I get back to the shop.

Udat hmms. "Well," he turns his attention to the staff, looking it over now that he's some light to work by. "If you must take it out of his hide, let me know and I'll make some business out of it in the infirmary." He manages a soft chuckle.

The rat returns quickly with the box. "Here ya go," he says passing the refilled box back to the newt. "Oi'll think about et. Oi can't tear int' 'im too bad since 'e's family, but Oi'll keep yer offer in mind."

Udat hmms. "Family?" He chuckles and lights the wick before closing the lid on the box. "Well, always something to keep in mind. Don't have any of that myself, so...it's hardly an issue." He sighs. "I suppose I should be off."

"Yeah. 'e's my nephew. 'Is dad was adopted. Long story," Will says skipping the details. "Oi'll been seein' ya then I guess. Around th' village hopefully an not so much as a patient," the rat replies as Udat seems ready to leave.

Udat takes the box. "Well, indeed. Rest assured, if I have to fix anything broken, I'll make sure you learn your lesson." He chuckles and hugs the box in tight. Blessed warmth. "Thank you for your hospitality, best wishes to you and the family. Be well."

William chuckles, "I doubt yew'd be any worse then my Dad was an thank yew."