There's something in the grass!
Location: Grasslands
Characters Involved: Gero, Tweep, Benar, Flicktail, Verious NPCs
Early morning. The Camp has been made here to keep them stable for the time being while they break from a Rescue party for Antioc. Novice Gero has been...Quiet...he's been very quiet. He's sitting near the fire, drawing in the ground with a stick.
Flicktail sits carving the mousesname into the handle of his shovel
Gero sighs quietly and looks over to Flicktail. "I am sorry I didn't listen to you when I should have Flicktail..."
Flicktail aye.. But we learns, twernt yer fault
Gero shakes his head. "Flicktail..." he looks over. "You are not a horrible beast. Your not vermin...You are the kindest, nicest beast i've ever met in my life..." he says. "no matter what you've done...You're a good beast now...thats all that matters" He then looks up again. "And I...i'm just dropping down to
that beasts level...heh....I promised I'd never do that..."
Flicktail says, "Wot if it ad been yer Savannah Oi ad took and snetto er death..all scared...befor oi becomes agood beast... would ye still feel Oi be nice?"
Gero watches him for a moment..."I...i would hate you...I would hate you more then anything..." he says. "and i never would forgive you for it...But...You're trying to make things right now Flicky. That's what matters."
Flicktail says, "But can ye mean that..ot about at beast wots killed e mouse....wot if e wont's ta
tries.....ye se..Oi ave got more beasts illed en you, an oi ave ta lives wi it"
Gero thinks for a few moments "If..he makes an honest effort to try to change, then...all I can do is help him change...I cant...forgive him for what he's done. Nor is it right to take his life for it. But I can try to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else...without hurting him"
Flicktail says, "unless e tries to urt another...then..we does wot e forces us ta do..but if we kin we brings im back for Fr Abbot to judge im"
Flicktail says, "it be wrong to let abotherbeast hurt others if we kin sops im, even if at means urting im...wot matters be WHY ye acs"
Gero looks to Flicktail. "I know...i know...But...I dont want to hurt him...if we have to, then we should
do what we must." he nods a bit. "I just want to get out of this without anyone else getting hurt...and I still dont know if Antioc is dead or alive...”
Flicktail says, "Folow e tracks in e snow..but do we look forim..or e dibbun...e dibbun may be alives too and alone and skered"
Gero nods. "Right now, Flicktail...Finding Antioc should be our main focus. I am...More worried about
the Dibbun then Antioc, but...The chances of Legol still being alive are...slim to nothing"
Flicktail sniffles a bit at that...but says nothing, Gero is the leadr
Gero hrms and thinks for a few moments. "Flicktail, I'm sorry...But I cant take chances. If The dibbun is already dead, and we continue to look for him, then Antioc has a risk of dying as well...I really...dont
need two deaths like this..." he says before falling quiet, starting to think about something.
Flicktail says, "oi did not say ye were wrongs....."
Gero Nods. "I know you didn't but I know how you feel about the dibbuns. Its probably harder on you
then anyone else...maybe harder on me because I have to pick now...I dont now...this could be one of the problems that whatever I Do...someone could die...Its....hard..." he looks around some to the
group that's here.
Flicktail says, "not easy bein a leader..it not..feel every on o ye beasts hurts..loiks it be yer own"
Gero nods. "yes...but...I dont want to be the leader of this...I never did" he looks up. "I need to make
a call...Who lives...who dies...if both beasts are alive...then there's a chance that if we go after one...the other could die...Flicktail...Who do you think we should go after?" He asks.
Flicktail says, "Oi doesn't knows, no leader won'ts ta lead..but sommon must, oi not be a wise beast...so ye knows better and oi will doe wot ye says"
Gero takes a deep breath. "Everyone...we Leave in about 30 minutes...we're going after Antioc" he says before taking another deep breath. "Who have I just killed..." he asks himself quietly.
Benar steps back into the impromptu camp and looks around. The squirrel has been off scouting. "Why has Antioc gone somewhere on his own?"
Flicktail is carving the name of a dead mouse...now set to the side wrapped in a blanket, in his shovel "this beast ere kin elp advise ye as to wotto do better an I kin, oi am not as good as a squirrel
Gero looks up. "Taken is our guess...We found his scouting partner dead with a slit throat...We...think
Antioc was taken somewhere...since there were...another set of tracks" he says.
Benar frowns and sniffs the air. "Then we go after him... if there is a chance he is still alive we go find him. We know there is a better chance of him being alive then a dibbun who has been missing some time.. It.. is not a nice decision but wer have to do what we can."
Flicktail winces but says nothing
Gero nods. "Thats...what I made the call for..." he says. "But...If both beasts are alive...I've just killed
the one we're not going after..." he sighs. "The abbot makes leadership seem so easy..."
Tweep chrrs unhappily. She's off to the side, nestled in the grass, having deteriorated in mood since breakfast this morning. She mutters something about 'landworms', casts an unhappy little look at that blanket bundle and huffs.
Flicktail moves to sit near twerp
Benar sighs and leans on his bow. "It is.. never easy. Leadership is a difficult and unhappy task."
Gero nods. "That it is.." he replies. "So..." He glances to Tweep for a few moments. "someone should wake her up...we're going soon"
Benar pads over to the robin and reaches out to touch one of her wings. "Miss Tweep.. We are ready to leave."
Flicktail marks the bundle so it can be taken back toteh Abby and buried in the abby cemetrary
Tweep moves to look at Gero, tilting her head and giving him a curious look. "Thisbird beum wakea'ready..." Even as Benar is reaching to touch a wing. "Thissumbirdready! Tweepready..." She mutters, standing, looking a little grumpy.
Gero looks to Two beasts, nodding towards the body. "Take him back to the abbey...Let his family know what has happened. I am sorry I must place that on you both but..." he sighs before just...getting his things together.
Flicktail puts his shovel on bis back ad his shield on his arm
Benar bows to the bird and steps back, "My appologise, I thought you were sleeping."
Two mice take the body in a sling Stretcher before they go off towards the abbey. "Alright..." Gero takes his pack, his arrows, and his bow before standing up properly. "is everyone ready to go?”
Flicktail smiles to the bird "ye be a good Robin Twerp....oi be elpin ye if ye needs anna things
Tweep hops and fluffs herself, blinking and shaking her head at Benar. "Squirrelworm beforgiven. Thisbird nosleep. Justarestin'. Thanka foxworm. Amfine."
Benar plucks his bow-string then knocks an arrow. "Let us.. go and do this.. the sooner we can find everyone the sooner we can get home."
Gero looks about and gets nods from everyone. "Alright...Move out" he kicks snow onto the fire and starts to follow the tracks. "Tweep..can you fly up in the air just above us to keep an eye on things?"
Tweep dips her head, flaps her wings twice to stretch, "Thisbird cando. Tweep keepum watcheye.
Landworms staysafe. Norunoff? Hardtowatch manybeasts outspread..." And then she's airborne.
Flicktail exclaims, "Be careful Twerp!"
Benar nods his head, "Thank you Tweep, we shall not run away too fast."
Gero starts walking along. "Thanks Tweep" he calls out to the bird before smiling a bit.
Flicktail says, "Twerp be noice"
Benar folds his ears back and starts to look around warily. "Let's get along then..."
Flicktail takes up a guarding position with his shield
Tweep stays in the sky, keeping an eye out. As long as they don't all run in different directions, she's happy.
Gero nods. "That she is. Nice...its good to know that we have help in the Air now. Its rather hard" he looks up to Tweep. "See anything?"
Benar sways his tail from side to side and looks around the grasslands, searching for tracks to follow.
Tweep exclaims, "Nottum yet! Willshoutum ifdo! Allclear!" Is Tweeps loud, chirping response. She's keeping with the group easily, and enjoying the flight. "
Gero nods. "Let us know if you see anything" he nods before looking down to the tracks that are now
clear in the snow. "Alright...Two sets...One Antiocs...the other...I dont know..."
Flicktail says, "ask Benars bets e knows"
Benar pads forwards, leaning down to examine the tracks, he sniffs over Antiocs then examines the
others, trying to work out what they are.
Gero Looks at Benar. "Any idea who or what we're following?"
Benar sniffs the ground, "Stoat... stoat tracks leading away... with Antioc... come along." he starts to move along following them
Flicktail keeps looking abouteyes aroudn whiel other beasts concentrait on tracks
Gero frowns deeply. "That stoat...its the same one I bet anything..." he frowns as he goes down, following the tracks. his bow is in his paw, and an arrow ready to fire off.
Benar sniffs the air and starts to speed up slightly. "Come along.. lets hurry this up."
Flicktail Follows along
Gero looks ahead as they go. "Our best ally right now is our strength...dont go any faster then you
have to..." he calls to everyone.
Benar settles into a loping, easy stride, one he can keep up for hours.
Flicktail keeps his shieldnear Benarbest he can
Gero hrms. "Does anyone know a song we can sing? May help lift our Moods..."
Flicktail says, "well..er..oi were told by e guard, if Oi sings again, ay will shoot me"
Benar says, "I really do not think singing is suitable right now....." the squirrel murmurs, eyes following
the tracks. "I do not want to give whoever kidnapped Antioc warning.""
Gero frowns. "Fine fine..."he says. "I doubt that they would hear us from this far away..." he mutters
before just quietly walking along.
Flicktail whsipers to gero "learn frm yer expirnce, ye dobtd any vemins was round lasttime
Gero sighs and nods. "Right...I suppose" he whispers back to Flicktail.
Benar nods his head, just pacing along swiftly, quietly, the warrior squirrel watching the grass lands roll by.
Flicktail Begins looking fearful of benar
Gero keeps his eye on Benar before just keeping his eyes ahead of where he's going.
Benar flicks his ears, tail swishing back and froth, the squrirel seems to be quite professional about
this. Taking the hunt seriously.
Flicktail tries not to let Benar see a worried look he sometiems wears.
Tweep chirps in response to some far off birdcall, fluttering up and down, quite high above them now. There's a reply to her chirping, and then she lets out another few notes in response to that.
Then all of a sudden...there's a LOUD cracking sound coming from behind them. Then a yip...then quiet again.
Flicktail says, "Twerp sings noice...and doesn't tell e Vemin we be commins"
Benar spins at the cracking sound, bow up, arrow drawn back and ready as he scans for what may be
there.
Flicktail DUCKS! as the bow trains right past hm
Gero raises his bow as well, turning around to see what happened.
CRACK! Comes from the other direction this time.
There's more chirping, several new bird voices joining in. That noise spreads panic through treetop birds like a ripple. And Tweep is coming down to investigate.
Benar moves to stnad back to back with Gero, facing one way so the Mouse can face the other. "Who is there... show yourself."
Gero Eyes the surrounding Areas. "Is everyone okay?" He asks. Theres a few nods but there's some missing. The group has been cut down in size. There was 9 but now there's only 7.
Flicktail says, "oi be o.k..." his shield up"
Benar frowns at the group and looks around, "Traps... traps in the foliage.." he starts to move forwards slowly, towards where one of those yelps came from.
"Ow...Something Just bit me!" A voice chimes from the group. "Ow...Something stepped on my tail!" another says.
Tweep is hopping in the trees now, continuously chirping to other birds and trying to see what's going. "Thisbird no likey..." She mutters, not far above the group at all now.
Flicktail only moves with Benar, with his shield protecting teh Squirrel
Benar turns, muttering something something abhout the fox and pushing his shield out of the way. "I need to see fox.... keep that out of my vision..." he snaps angrily at having his vision blocked by that shield as he searches for those who are missing. "Everyone... stay still.. something is here.."
Gero eyes the grass. "Over there...somethings moving...quickly.." The grass is moving about wildly
where ever there's a cracking noise.
Tweep chirps in response to some far off birdcall, fluttering up and down, quite high above them now.
There's a reply to her chirping, and then she lets out another few notes in response to that.
Then all of a sudden...there's a LOUD cracking sound coming from behind them. Then a yip...then quiet again.
Flicktail says, "Twerp sings noice...and doesn't tell e Vemin we be commins"
Benar spins at the cracking sound, bow up, arrow drawn back and ready as he scans for what may be there.
Flicktail DUCKS! as the bow trains right past hm
Gero raises his bow as well, turning around to see what happened.
CRACK! Comes from the other direction this time.
There's more chirping, several new bird voices joining in. That noise spreads panic through treetop birds like a ripple. And Tweep is coming down to investigate.
Benar moves to stnad back to back with Gero, facing one way so the Mouse can face the other. "Who is there... show yourself."
Gero Eyes the surrounding Areas. "Is everyone okay?" He asks. Theres a few nods but there's some missing. The group has been cut down in size. There was 9 but now there's only 7.
Flicktail says, "oi be o.k..." his shield up"
Benar frowns at the group and looks around, "Traps... traps in the foliage.." he starts to move
forwards slowly, towards where one of those yelps came from.
"Ow...Something Just bit me!" A voice chimes from the group. "Ow...Something stepped on my tail!" another says.
Tweep is hopping in the trees now, continuously chirping to other birds and trying to see what's
going. "Thisbird no likey..." She mutters, not far above the group at all now.
Flicktail only moves with Benar, with his shield protecting teh Squirrel
Benar turns, muttering something something abhout the fox and pushing his shield out of the way. "I need to see fox.... keep that out of my vision..." he snaps angrily at having his vision blocked by that shield as he searches for those who are missing. "Everyone... stay still.. something is here.."
Gero eyes the grass. "Over there...somethings moving...quickly.." The grass is moving about wildly where ever there's a cracking noise.
"Ahh...No no no! You've Ruined them! You've Ruined them! Why did you Ruin Them!" There's a sort of squeaky voice coming from the moving grass. "It took...took...all winter to set those up! Why did you ruin them!"
Flicktail's eyes widen
Benar turns and points his bow and arrow at the moving grass. "Come out.. come out now or i shoot.."
Tweep chirps. And heads for one of the cracking noises. Which is probably going to put her as an obstruction to Benar's shot, but the robin doesn't worry. Landworms and their arrows... Peh.
"What? I am out you blind squirrel...i'm right in front of you!" A small paw sticks out of the tall grass.
"Right here you Oaf!" the paw vanishes and there's another Snap. "Ungh...Do you have any idea how long it will take to fix these!?"
Benar pads forwards slowly, moving up besides Tweep and parts the grass with an arrow. "You appear to be shorter then the grass friend... if friend you are. Were are our companions?"
Flicktail says, "Wot...wot be that beast?"
Tweep warbles softly as Benar moves beside her. And hops back a little.
There Stands a shorter shrew then normal! "Unh...What Companions? The ones who broke them?"
The shrew asks as he goes around collecting small black boxes from the snow. "Unh..." Snap!
"oohhhh....i want you to pay for these! you dont just go around breaking the little guy's boxes!" These black boxes that he's gathering are made of wood...and they look like some sort of...traps.
Flicktail gets low to lok at a box
Benar frowns at the box, "yes.. our companions who broke the boxes. Where are they? Look I am sorry we broke them but someone has kidnapped a Novice from the abbey and we are trying to find them."
The box is just small, and wood. thats it. Only the ones the shrew has in his paws and under his arms are shattered and splintered. "Mhn....What are you blind!" He asks. "Over there! They're the ones that broke my traps" he points to a few of the mice that had yipped. "And I don't no nuttiun bout no Novice"
Flicktail says, "um..wot be ye trapin?"
Benar asks, "What about a stoat? He'd have come through here with a ferret in a green robe." he scratches his ears, "I'll pay for your boxes myself if you can help us.""
The shrew looks to the fox. "Trying to capture Ants! Why Aren't there Ants! Your just lucky I didn't catch anything again..." He then glances to Benar again. "Sorry...Didn't see nutting. Was asleep waiting for my Boxes to catch ants!"
Flicktail asks, "wot do ye DO wi e ants?"
Benar sighs and nods his head, "Well.. we should get out of your way then and move on... come to
the abbey in a few days and I'll settle with you for the boxes. Unless you wnat to come help us free a
kidnapped aBbey beast?"
Tweep mutters, hopping further back. "Crazybeastum..."
"I eat them! My favourite snack...Its too bad I never get any in the winter...wonder why..." he goes back to getting his boxes. "Meh...I dont wanna help. I wanna get my ants" he says with a nod. "I'll see you in a few days at the abbey!" The shrew mumbles.
Flicktail says, "aye we ave ants inna abby at be true"
Benar says, "Yes... we habve ants in the abbey should yuopu come to visit us. But we must be getting on.""
The Shrew nods and starts going back threw the grass. "Stupid...abbey beasts" he mutters before vanishing into a small hole in the ground.
Gero hrms. "That...was odd" he mutters quietly before shrugging. "Okay. lets continue!"
Benar frowns, he could have sworn some of the group had been missing, making sure to count that they have 9 beasts and not 7 before starting on again. "Ok... let us carry on. Follow the trial."
Flicktail follows
And then...oddly enough...Beasts come back to the group. "We...um...ran...s-sorry!" They say to the two leading beasts...Gero just mutters and starts walking.
Benar shakes his head, "it is ok.. those snaps gave us quite a fright. I thought something had happened to you. Stay close now."
Gero looks around after a little while longer of Traveling. "Alright every beast! Set down here for a break...we'll continue after lunch" he says with a nod.
