Thin Ice

Mossflower Woods: Bank of the River Moss

You stand at the river bank. The trees stand behind you as you face the water. further east,down the river, you see a bridge to ceoss the river. You glance at the muddy band and think the river might have overflowed every now and then.

Exits: [N]orth into [R]iver [M]oss, [U]p [R]iver, [W]est to [R]oad

Scioto is walking along the path, patrolling and looks back and forth, he mutters to himself, “I give up..rat is not here going home..”

Jasmine is close to the river as well, she walked off from her caretaker or least who use to be her caretaker, upon seeing the cat she backs up onto the ice, she glances on the other side, maybe she can get to the other side.

Scioto ears go back as he sees the dibbun and sighs, "Do not go on that ice..its dangerous child"

Jasmine frowns and only backs up more, hey he is a cat and she is unsure of him, she looks at the ice under her and back to him.

Scioto sighs, "Look, It’s dangerous. The ice is thinner the further out you go"

Jasmine whimpers and looks at the other side of the river and edges across slower now and is close to the middle almost.

Flicktail walks up he sees and is pretty sure he knows what is going on, "Marm...The cat is no threat nor am I..Look..My symbol of Redwall Abbey, I am Flicktail..abbey champion, while I am an otter Fox and trained by them to swim under the ice, last time I got very sick...so if you fall thru I am coming in after ya....better you risk that we are vermin hmm? Please? That water's cold”

Scioto looks behind him as he goes to the edge of the river, "Flicktail, not having you get sick, stay on the shore please." He addresses the small rabbit, "Come over here, there is a good chance you won’t make it to the other side."

Jasmine looks at them both and shakes her head no and sits there, not moving either direction.

Flicktail asks, "Chieftain I'm not gonna just stand here if she goes thru the ice and watch now am I? "Miss if we back away will you come to where it is safer?"

Zork is singing, singing and walking at the same time, he slows as he hears voices and goes quiet till he gets to where the group is.

Scioto shakes his head, “I..Could try and...then again, one problem with that idea."

Jasmine frowns and moves a tiny bit and ice crakes some, she shakes her head, "go ways!"

Flicktail looks up "Zork! Zork come ere", He speaks loudly enough so both Zork and Scioto can hear him "Chieftain back away..maybe the Daft bunny will trust the badger, Zork see if you can coax her off before I have to get wet....My fur gets all poofy”

Zork watches from the shoreline and studies the problem, he speaks , "Ya both back off, that be best here, He lays his sword down and tests the ice with his footpaw, solid enough so far, he looks at the rabbit, "Ok..move ya self here lass or stay still..either one."

Scioto glares towards the badger, "How dare you order me you.." He quickly holds back what he was about to yell and coughs roughly to clear his throat.

Jasmine shivers and her eyes are wide at the large badger, she doesn't move still any one direction yet.

Flicktail moves away and toward the cat, "Sorry Chieftain, I don’t mean to sound like that..it really was a request...I just don't like cold water”

Zork looks for any sort of long stick and shakes his head, he moves closer slowly, he is skilled at this from a life in the northlands.

Scioto mutters , "I was yelling at the...badger"

Jasmine watches the badger get closer and starts to panic again and looks like she rather run, she slowly stands and takes a couple steps and slides on the ice causing it to crack a lot this time.

Flicktail says, "Well I'm sorry for him then too Chief. The bunny is gonna be on ice and well..the badger means well..try not to be upset with him. He’s a northerner..."

Zork frowns as the ice is cracking and cracking ice does not hold well when too much is on it., "Ok..move slowly lass...slowly, come on."

Scioto whispers, "He is a stripe dog it’s what started to say."

Jasmine frowns, ok she is scared now, she finally nods and tries to scoot closer and gasps as the cracks get larger.

Flicktail shakes his head, "Chieftain do you have a nice warm blanket? looks like I am goin' swimming...”

Scioto says, "I do not carry blankets, they would be in Ferravale, like in the infirm or the town hall"

Zork sighs and moves slowly and reaches out to grab the rabbit somehow.

Jasmine is just out reach of the badger still and is a little afraid of him, but also the icy water as well.

Flicktail says, "Boy if I saw them claws reaching outta me..." , He smiles.

Scioto watches, "just let the badger handle it, seems he knows what he is doing.”

Flicktail says, "Aye he's a GOOD Badger....I love his name too", He grins.

Zork reaches out and almost touches the rabbit when the ice crakes a lot more and he mutters under his breath.

Jasmine frowns, she screams as the ice cracks form around her and moves quickly, maybe too quickly to grab Zork and the ice under her breaks but she manages to grab onto the edges of ice, only to make cracks worse, but grabs again the top of the ice.

Zork frowns and ends up going through the ice and under it, he grabs ahold of the hare maid if she is with him and keeps her close to him as he goes to get back up to the surface of the water and coughs out water and shivers, he goes to slide the rabbit back towards the others if able to and climbs half out of the ice, but only half and shivers.

Jasmine eeeeks and her eyes are wide in fear, under..she is UNDER!, she kicks out and when they surface and she is sent across the ice and frowns and curls into a ball of wet fur, now on the much thicker ice.

Scioto frowns and carefully goes to get the rabbit, weather she wants him to or not he picks her up and backs up to the shore again.

Jasmine shivers as she is cold, wet and scared.

Flicktail watches as the Chieftain Gos for the Bunny “I have the badger" He moves to grab Zork.

Zork shivers, "F..Flicky...b..back up." He tries to get up, even with Flicktail it’s a little hard.

Scioto sits the rabbit down and goes to help get the badger out, very slowly and carefully.

Jasmine watches all this and frowns.

Flicktail says, "Oh stop being stubborn Zork...glory hound" He grabs at the badger "Let’s get this lot to the Tavern.....where it is warm" He waggles his fingers to Jasmine, how can a bunny be scared of a finger waggling fox :)

Zork gets up with the help and groans,.."It’s...c...c...cold..water."

Scioto says, "may need a healer too."

They ead back to the village and into the tavern.

FV:Tavern

Outside a sign swings on a rusty creaking frame above the doorway of the tavern depicting a faded painting of what appears to be three rather rich looking skeletons slumped over a table around a black chalice, perhaps such a thing could be taken as a warning but it doesn't appear to work on the locals. The noise within on a normal day is usually heard before the door is even opened and only rises in volume when one actually steps inside.

There are the typical qualities of a tavern within, from the bar to the chairs and booths and the odd drunk who never seems to move it's the little details which encourage a patron to pay his tab if he likes his fingers. One look at some of the staff or customers might give the impression but the room is decorated to the fiercer tastes with bones, mostly skulls cropping up here and there to fill a gap on a shelf or decorating the walls above the doorways, fireplace and bar, a pair of axes joining the one over the fire with some signs that they've been yanked off to join in a fight a couple of times. Some of the comfier chairs are lined with fur and very rarely one might be found with a few pointed bits of bone to decorate the back. Despite the looks there is entertainment and fun to be had, some form of music usually played on a small stage in the corner and at least one bouncer usually tries to keep the peace while beasts gamble, drink and be merry.

A small door behind the bar leads out the back to the kitchen and cellars while one wall has been opened up in a wide arch to increase the space off into the next room where what seems to be a wooden fence with gates on either end has been set up as a fighting pit as further entertainment and something to bet over.

Exits: [Out]

Scioto enters carrying a wet rabbit wrapped in a blanket and looks to see if the others are following.

Flicktail goes and throws more wood on the fire and helps Zork along to sit him by the fire.

Jasmine shivers and looks around, her eyes wide at the place and she whimpers.

Zork allows the help and coughs, he gets by the fireplace and shivers and sneezes.

Sasha is sitting in the first booth closest to the door. A candle is lit in the middle of the table and she has a tankard of....ale? It's something liquid in any case. She looks over at the party that just came in and frowns, looking worried. She starts to stand then stops. She would let them get settled before asking them any questions.

Flicktail moves to the bar, and brings Zork a snifter of Brandy, "This will warm ya up" e smiles, his head notices the Squirrel and the Todd fox nods to her politely.

Scioto leaves ad finds blankets and comes back in and hands one to Zork knowing he was in the water, he dries off the rabbit and gets her a new dry blanket and sits her close, not too close, to the fireplace for warmth and sits down.

Jasmine tenses up and then noticing he is helping and relaxes.

Zork shivers and coughs roughly he looks at the brandy and shakes his head.."Su...sumting else..."

Sasha catches Flicktail's nod and smiles lightly. Ah HA! This fox seems to know something about the situation and he seems to be unoccupied for the moment, so she stands quickly and makes her way toward him. When she arrives beside him she chews on her lip nervously before asking: "Wha' happened?"

Jasmine whimpers, she ends up falling asleep by the fireplace.

Flicktail sighs as his hard work is for nought, he looks to see if there is hot soup for the Badger and Jasmine. To Jasmine he says. "Out on the ice getting away from the big bad vermin?" Then smiles to Sasha, "Hullo there..." He points to the rabbit "I think she went out on the River ice....nervous about Me and the wild cat..." He points to Zork , "Badger thinks he's an otter went in after her”

Sasha looks at each of them in turn as they say their names and as each of them speaks she gives them a polite nod, the gray in her eyes seeming to swirl. She then dose a full out bow and says, "I am Sasha, from the order of Shellknock." She rolls the /sh/ off her tongue and then turns to Zork. I hope you get better. I once knew a beast who fell in a river and they di-" She cuts herself off. Talking about a beast who died is probably not the best thing to do at this time.

Flicktail says, "'Ahh he's too much a Badger to let cold water get to im'....order o Shellknock?" ,He says rolling the SH as she did.

Scioto listens as they speak, “Where is that located?"

Zork frowns, he eats a little more of the soup and pushes away the bowl, he coughs again .

Flicktail Squints at Zork "Wots wrong with the soup?”

There is a loud WOOSH from outside the doorway, and a scattering of snow. Then, walking on clicking metal claws a great barn owl enters. With a flick of a wing, she opens and closes the doorway. Large black orbs flicker as she takes in the creatures here, before walking towards the bar. Click, click, click.

Sasha waves her paw absently in a generally southern direction. "It's a place on a tropical island, nothing too important." She move on quickly, leaving the description of her home quite vague. She frowns at Zork. "Don't you think he should see a healer" Sasha jumps a little as the owl enters and her eyes widen.

Zork doesn’t answer he just frowns, he coughs some more and groans slightly.

Flicktail looks first at Scioto "Chieftain, do you have Owls here?", He looks at Moria, "Hello there....”

Scioto watches the owl fly in, "Well..now I do, she is not a village member unless she wants to be"

Zork stands and walks out quietly.

Turns to regard the white-fox and the cat. She frowns, her beak twisting sharply. "Is there something I could help you two with?" She inquires, "I was under the impression that this is a free establishment. As such, I should be able to come and... enter, without pain?" Moria flicks a gaze to Sasha, but for the moment keeps her eyes on the Fox.

Scioto nods, "Beasts may come and go yes."

Sasha turns her eyes away from the owl, scowling as she does so. Why must owl use such academic language?

Flicktail says, "You are quite Right marm" He says to the Owl, "I have just never been so close to an owl before, quite wonderful plumage" He then looks to Scioto, "Um chieftain May I pay for some food Chieftain/ for all of us?"

Moria dips her heart shaped face to Scioto, before making her way towards the bar-keep. While the owl talks, she clicks her talloned feet on the grimy floor. After finishing her order, she turns again to regard the creatures here. As the fox speaks, Moria listens. When Flicktail finishes she says sharply. "Where I come from, speaking of another's plumage in such a disrespectful way would warrant punishment, fox. You are not my comrade, you are not my mate. Thus, I would appreciate if you kept you and your own thoughts at a distance." Then she turns to the oddball of the group, the squirrel. "And you, tree-mouse. You are far from Redwall. Why are you here mingling with vermin, hmm?" There is a slight smirk on her beak as she says this, "Out for an adventure are we?"

Flicktail looks at Sasha after the owl spea,k "Looks like I have a lot to learn about how Owls live, I wonder if the abbey has any books on heart shape...I mean on Owls" He says not wanting to offer insult again.

Scioto gets an ale to drink and has been quiet.

Sasha brings her face up and stares back at the owl, her dark gray eyes seeming to mutter to each other. "I, for one, have no idea where or what Redwall is and theses beasts hardly seem like my definition of vermin." She takes her eyes back down, holding her breath and hoping the owl would not get angry.

The barn owl looks surprised at this. "I find that rather unfortunate. Redwall was known as a place of great knowledge. For it to not have any literature on avian species, like /barn/ owls, is a great disappointment." Moria says to the fox. Seeming to sense Sasha's distress, Moira walks towards her. Each step a double click, one from her talons, the second from her metal claw seaths. "...a tree mouse unfamiliar with the great red abbey?" Moria seems to ask herself, "Now you, darling, seem to hide a story." As for the comment on vermin, the raptor just laughs.

Scioto sips his ale, "I am sure it has lots on barn owls"

Sasha shrugs at Flicktail. "You'll have to look around, I suppose. If I find anything out I'll let you know." She then listens to the owl speak, but as the bird starts to walk toward her she flinches on the inside. Drat! Avoidance tactics not working! She brings her eyes up once more to meet Moria's , though she feels quite dwarfed by the owl. "We all hide stories, miss. Even you hold some sort of secret, I'm sure."

Flicktail says, "Well I dunno if they have anything on Owls, or not, but we would need to speak with an owl... to write what is true, course, we might say things wrong to the beast without intending to....." He smiles to Sasha "That was a very good answer, Redwall Abbey is where I am from, we tend to sick beasts and help...it's a nice place, full of Beasts"

Moria helps herself to a seat right across from the squirrel. "Aye, little tree mouse. We do all have stories. It’s sad to say that some of us feel the need to hide them." Since she is seated, a free foot comes up and reaches into her breast-pocket of her leather vest, withdrawing a book. She places the volume on the grimy table, with visible disgust. She ruffles her feathers, and reaches in the pocket again for a bot of ink. She plucks one of her own wing feathers for a pen, before turning back to Sasha. "So, what is your tale?" The other creatures of the bar seemingly forgotten.

Scioto sips his ale quietly still, half listening.

Flicktail goes to sit with Scioto to let the 2 beasts discuss, listening with a pleasant smiles as he sits beside Scioto.

Sasha nods at Flicktail, smiling. "Thank you." As the owl sits down, her smile vanishes and he face twists into a look of disappear. "I suppose you ask every beast you come across to tell you their story? You don't even know my name!" Her voice has reached a rather high pitched level and her eyes are now swirling with a mix of fear and annoyance.

With a surprising amount of dexterity, Moria licks the quill before dipping the nib into the ink. "A name would be a wonderful place to start.." She muses, using a wing to flip the book open to the next blank page. With twinkle of amusement she murmurs to Sasha. "The fox's teeth are just as deadly as my talons. Do not let my appearance unnerve you as such. I do not eat my interviewees. I find that sours the .." She flutters her feathers as she searches for the correct term, "..tone of my manuscript."

Flicktail elbows Scioto gently "You think the Owl ever met an otterfox?”

Scioto looks to Flicktail and sips the ale, he motions a guard over, "make sure Oakepaw checks on the rabbit and badger and updates me later" The guard nods and heads off.

Sasha stares at Moria, her face with a mystified look on it. She then sighs and leans back in her chair, accepting that the owl will just not give up. "My name is Sasha, from the order of Shellknock. Make sure to roll the /sh/ or you aren't saying it right." She adds this in with an almost spiteful glint in her eye.

Moria dips her heart shaped face at the squirrel's request. She writes down what Sasha says in delicate runes, full of loops and swirls. "Tell me more about the order of Shellknock." Moria says quietly, making sure to add the /sh/ footnote about the pronunciation. "..and where are they currently located?" She inquires.

Raymond enters the tavern and goes to lean by the door watching the others as he is still on duty .

Flicktail looks up "Well Hullo fellow sprit" He says to Raymond.

Sasha narrows her eyes. "It's on a tropical island far south of here." She does not enclose the name of the island for now. "The order of Shellknock is an order of messengers for five celestial beings. Lorcin is the wise one who tells the messengers most of their information, Hellen is second in power and she sorts the stars in the sky which are put there by Penelope. Jack, a rather original name if you ask me, loves war and is an extreme strategizer. His brother is Gemini. He looks after the books and adds to them. The books are the stories of all the beasts every created." Shasha's eyes shine as she speaks of her home and her everyday life style and for now, she forgets her fear of the owl.

Raymond blinks at Flicktail, "Um..visiting Flicktail?"

Flicktail says, "Aye Raymond, Had a Bunny and a badger fall into the River. Chieftain and I brought them here" He listens to Sasha "I wonder of her beings know martin...." He turns back to Raymond "I am going to bring Benick and Liuna around next week to play with Blisa"

While Sasha speaks, the owl scrawls her runes with deft strokes of her quill. She looks up from the text now and again, checking the Squirrel's expression to gaze the creatures feeling, and adds those notes to her journal. "Ah. Perfect. Then, tell me how you find yourself here? In this frozen vermin town?" She asks, using the tip of her quill to flip the page once the ink had dried.

Scioto yawns as he listens and stands and heads out, tried ad waves as he exits.

Flicktail says "be well Chief".

Raymond nods to Scioto, "Have a good eve sir"

Scioto nods and heads to his home.