Why Does This Ermine Hate Badgers?
RW Abbey: Entry
You stand on a grassy sward between two cottages. To the south you see a small, calm pond. To the north lies an open space where the Abbey has its feasts in the warmer seasons. To the east is the Great Hall, a massive structure that rises far above the abbey walls and is completed with large towers that pierce upwards into the sky. The main building is completed with a large, iron banded door that would allow one into the Great Hall.
The blanket of snow is replaced with the vibrant greens of spring. Newly sprung flowers and young shoots dot the path. They hold a promise of color and enhancement. The earth is relatively dry here, and the soil rich for growing, but muddy patches of dirt still can be found. Many Abbey beasts can be seen tending to the gardens, though some are content with just being out and about, enjoying the warmth of the virgin sun and the pleasant weather. Dirt paw prints are tracked upon the clearing's surface, serving as witness to the fact that the majority of Abbeybeasts are caught up in the "spring fever." Most will will do just about anything, or make any excuse to be outside, eager to watch as spring colors emerge in scraggly clumps.
Exits/Entrances:
[G]reat [H]all [C]limb to the [R]amparts [A]bbey [P]ond
Zinnia is by the entry, it’s super early in the morning and she is going to enjoy this day or else is in her mind set. Over her shoulder is a knapsack and now she just waits.
Zork wheels into the entry and smiles "You know, this will be fun..a little, very short. walk in the woods just not too far from the abbey. And I rather enjoy the woods and this time of day it’s not hot and shouldn’t be till later on."
Zinnia smiles "It’s going to be cloudy today, that will help and you need to do some things and I know you use to enjoy walks in the woods all the time. We will be like less than 15 minutes away and I have your tea that Leon gave you, I also have a first aid kit and even a small bit of Willow bark as well, you know just in case. I also have more than one canteen of water for each of us and a simple snack."
Zork chuckles and smiles “You sound very prepared, ok we can go for a shirt while, but we should be back before lunch or maybe mid-morning at least and 15 minutes away should be fine"
Zinnia smiles and nods as she goes to push his wheelchair. She lets the guards know they will only be gone a couple hours and then she is off.
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Woods maybe 10-15 minutes from the abbey
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Zork sits criss cross style under the tree, “Meditation is simple, you breathe into the nose and exhale from the mouth, all done slowly a few times and you relax and clear the mind of all stress and think of nothing. You enjoy the dimple silence, and try to block out sounds.” He then shows her what he means and it only takes a couple minutes for him to get into a relaxed state of meditation.
Zinnia watches and does try, ok the breathing part is easy but the whole block out all sounds and clear your mind isn’t so much as she sighs and opens her eyes and looks over at Zork, “Papa?”
Zork is in a deep mediation state so it’s unclear if he hears her or not and he is usually in one of these states for a good half hour.
Zinnia sighs and stands up, she is going for a walk to think and her father should be ok for a short while. One is shady, two it’s very cloudy and will most likely rain today, and three what could happen in the woods.
And that question will be answered soon as Longfang walks along the path, with him is two ferrets that stayed with him and a couple rats he has befriended while in Mossflower, “So I seek out any info on that and you will be paid nicely.”
Zinnia slows and goes behind a tree and looks over at the talking vermin.
One rat, named Nails, nods “I know that one old one lives in Ferravale, he is annoying as heck but he is so old he will probably fall over dead if some beast taped him” This causes both rats to chuckle loudly and snort.
Longfang growls low,” Do fools live in Mossflower? Does he have family I demand answers!”
Nails stops laughing “There is a badger that visited him..” The other rat nods “Yeah some badger maid called him Uncle…not sure on other family”
Zinnia frowns as she stays where she is and looks back down the path towards the clearing and the other way to the road, and frowns more this can’t be a good thing.
Longfang rolls his eyes “I know there is more of the Winters clan besides the old one, there is the two brothers, though never meet the younger one and there is the one still north, but I have word he may be captured now” He smirks at this. “One doesn’t escape Longfang that well.”
Zinnia frowns and now seems a good time to bolt, she can head to the road and back track to the clearing. She trips with an oof over some tangled thorns and tears her robe slightly on the bottom but gets up and still runs back to where her father is.
The two rat’s ears perk up and the two ferrets look down the path and see something, but it’s unclear what, running away and falling once.
Longfang narrows his eyes, “It seems someone was listening to us perhaps. Seems we need to fix this problem if I am going to have a good day, so go fetch boys.”
Zinnia doesn’t look behind her, she just runs and once she is by the ditch she looks back and forth deterring which way is best to go. She studies where the sun is as it rises in the east and sets in the west and moss grows on the north side of the trees. So she finds south and heads that way and smiles as she guessed right and sees one of the tips of red, it’s the abbey!
Zork has meanwhile stopped meditating and notices Zinnia gone and frowns. Also it’s starting to rain but not a heavy rain so far just a light shower. “Zinnia!” He calls out and decides to stand up and use the staff to lean on, he places the couple packs on the back of the chair and carefully and slowly lowers himself into the chair and starts to wheel away from the clearing. He hmms and tries to think on where she could be.
Meanwhile the rats and ferrets have caught up to Zinnia and go to try and surround her, not too far behind is Longfang as he stops and smirks “A stripe dog, how nice..well this will be a fun morning as I see it this way, I rather enjoy stripe dogs and like to help them when I can.” He sneers and has a long sword in paw “Help them to the dark forest!”
Zinnia frowns as she is near the two rats and the ferrets, she looks over at Longfang and frowns more “W..Who are you?” She backs up a little but not too far as she is close to the ditch and it’s starting to rain a little harder now.
Longfang backs up and then jumps into a tree, crosses it and lands in front of the badger maid and smirks, “ Your path to the Dark Forest, I am Longfang Bloodpath.” He goes to gets sideways a little as he raises the blade.
Zinnia backs up, she is along the edge of the ditch and this ermine is in front of her also along the ditch, she debates on trying to shove him sideways but right now only fear is mostly going through her mind.
All of a sudden a cry is heard, ”REDWALLLLLLL!” And a quick moving beast…wait in a wheelchair?! And he looks peeved! And he is heading right towards Longfang aiming to crash into him and make him fall into the ditch at the very least, and if it leads to worse so be it. This beast still has very good control over the wheelchair and can most likely stop it fairly well as well.
Longfang’s eyes go wide as he is slammed into and starts to head over the edge of the ditch, he just barely keeps his balance as he stabs his blade into the ground and glares into the face of the one who dares to attack him. The two ferrets and rats look a bit too shocked at what just happen to attack anyone.
Zinnia gasps “Papa!” She is also surprised and goes to quickly get away from the edge of the ditch herself as she rather not fall into it.
Zork snarls at Longfang as he gets the staff from the back of the chair and goes to slam it into the ermine before he reacts “Ya leave me daughter alone!”
Longfang hisses “Zork Winters…you will…” And that sentence is not finished as he falls backwards and into the ditch that’s full of water, it’s not rushing water but it still as somewhat of a current. But the ermine can swim and he manages to grab ahold of a vine and coughs. Soaked and dripping wet he growls loudly as he looks for a way back up. Attack them, kill the badgers!”
Zinnia goes to quickly go to Zork” Papa, papa are you ok?”
Zork nods slowly and then takes in a deep intake of air and shivers. A paw goes on his chest as the look on his face becomes pained and concern, this is not a good time for this and he is having a bit of trouble breathing, he was just a little out of breath and now it’s starting to become something worse.
The rats decide this is a good time to surround the two badgers as Longfang looks on after climbing from the ditch dripping wet , he gets the blade back from the now muddy ground, “Well, isn’t this a lovely sight the once great and power Zork Winters in a wheeled chair and you seem to be having some trouble there..” He chuckles coldly, “How about I help you and..did she call you papa? Wow a daughter…well here’s a good father and daughter activity..” He smiles slowly, “Death together.”
“How about Death for you Longfang?” A click and very clear sound of a weapon being drawn is heard and then coming into sight is Zee, his hidden blade in paw, “Now took me a while ta remember you, forgive me for that, but after I did I came looking for you. Been a while…”
Longfang turns to look at the old badger and smirks “Trust me I have not missed you, Bora would love to say hi , oh yes he lives and me and him got the Frosted Arrow back and running, oh it may not be like it was in its glory days but..give it time old man, give it time. You know I have a gift for you, meet my friends…boys Kill HIM!”
Zinnia frowns “Papa!” She goes to take his pulse and keeps an eye on the vermin around. She hears Zee and blinks in surprise, wait he has a sword ?..since when? She frowns when the command is given to kill.
Zork breathe in and out , having some trouble and his pulse is dangerously fast as he shivers…”Need….ge..get outta ..here” He coughs roughly as he speaks.
The two ferrets and rats go full force at the old badger, Longfang glances over at Zork and smirks, he will leave Zork and Zinnia alone for now as he can tell there is something serious wrong and he can tend to them later.
Zee is good, very good with the blade and quick for his age. He side steps and slices at one ferret and easily beheads a rat, he keeps his calm as he fights like a seasoned warrior, yes he is a little rusty but he can still fight!” You leave my family alone..” He says calmly.
Zinnia looks near tears and quickly gets the willow bark and goes to place it in Zork’s mouth as she shivers herself but more from fear and worry, “PAPA..please!”
Zork coughs and manages to get half of that willow bark down his throat. The pain in his chest is bad, not as bad as when he fought the monitor but still bad, and he is shivering and his pulse rate is still high as he has some sweat on his face. ”Z..Zinnia…..get…help”
Zinnia shakes her head “I’m not leaving you!”
Longfang growls as one rat falls headless to the ground and one of the ferrets gets a deep gash to the chest, He angles his blade and goes to try and sneak up behind Zee.
Zee hears the footpaws behind him as he swings and stabs the other rat in the neck and barely avoids a deep cut to the arm himself, he gets a slice to the lower arm but it’s not deep. He stabs backwards and growls as the ermines blade slices half his right ear off.
Zork frowns, he is still in pain but his heart rate is coming down somewhat thanks to the Willow bark but he is far from out of danger, he shivers and gets a surprised look as he catches sight of Zee fighting, he has not seen his uncle fight in a long while.
Longfang gasps, the blade cuts into his shoulder and he backs up growling and holds a paw to his bleeding shoulder, “This isn’t over, it’s far from over!” He then rushes off heading North up the road and out of sight. The one rat that’s still alive gets stabbed in the neck and dies almost instantly and the 2nd ferret becomes smart and bolts after his commanding officer.
Zee rolls his eyes and looks over at Zork frowns" This isn't good" He holds his bleeding ear and he has a cut on his arm, it won’t need stitches but will need a bandage.
Zinnia is very worried and frowns more at Zee "Uncle Zee...your ear, who was that and what did he want and how do you have a sword?"
Zork still has some chest pains as he is a bit surprised of the blade himself.."That..explains...what Uncle Soot gave ya..that day"
Zee looks concern about Zork" Ya don’t look too good boy.." He glances at Zinnia "I be fine, least more so than your father"
Zinnia nods and looks for the tea she brought, "This may help him some, and it’s the tea Leon gives him"
Zork is still shivering and has a fast heart rate but it has slowed dome but his chest still hurts a lot, but the breathing is a little less painfully now, "Chest...hurts right now, but lessening some."
Zee frowns as he looks south, "Get some help lass, I will watch Zork"
Zinnia frowns but nods and rushes off towards the abbey.
Zee walks over and frowns as he tries to make sure his nephew is comfortable and gets some cold water for the tea mixture and has him drink it slowly, all the while a very worried and concern look on his face.
Abbey Entry=
Zinnia nods and heads off quickly, she manages to get to the abbey safely where she looks around and frowns.
Leon is about to head inside the gate house.
Zinnia rushes over and looks in tears "You...you have to come to the woods please, it’s only a few minutes away..Papa..he needs help"
Leon blinks and doesn't wait for details he simply rushes out after getting a direction to go and makes it to where Zork and Zee is.
Woods
Zee has given Zork the tea, yes with cold water but he still was given it, he looks over at the mouse and motions him over. “He was given some willow bark and some of that tea stuff"
Zork still shivers a little still and looks at Leon, about half there, he is resting with the wheelchair seat tilted back and yes he made the chair be able to do this.
Zinnia catches up and stays off to the side, very worried.
Leon checks vitals and nods, "That’s good probably helped him not get worse, he still needs taken to the abbey and I need to let Angela know what happen....what did happen?"
Zinnia speaks up "He...he wheeled a chair into an ermine and then slammed his staff into the ermine that was trying to kill me, the ermine was then in the ditch and climbed out but Uncle Zee came and..and attacked them, he killed a couple and one got away and so did the ermine and he has a hurt arm and ear, u..Uncle Zee does that is ."
Zee frowns "I be fine lass" He has bandaged his own arm and well not much he can do for half a missing ear, "We get ZorK home lass then Brother Leon can better tend to me"
Leon nods, "Ok let’s go"
Abbey Infirm=
The group gets back to the abbey where Zee is tended to but only later he makes sure Zork is tended to and he lays down to go to sleep
Zinnia sighs and curls up close to her Uncle and father, tried and worn out.
Zork still shivers a little but his pulse has gone down to a better level now, but this has left him very weak and if he had not had some help when he did , he most surely would of died in those woods. He still came very close to dying, but he is alive…weak and very tried, faint pain but he is alive. But looks like he will need to stay in the infirm a few days and be extra…EXTRA..careful with what he does from now on.
Leon checks them and quietly heads out of the infirm and to talk to Angela.
Zinnia watches as Leon tends to her father and then closes her eyes and goes to sleep after the healer leaves the room.
