Walking Down the Slippery Slopes (Open)

[pie4me]

"Ha! Ye really think ye could beat the likes 'o me!?" cried Jekker in disbelief. "Well let us see then! We start over there,"

Jekker pointed with his paw toward the river, it was only about fifteen feet away from their campsite. "Then we finish over there."

Again, Jekker pointed. This time, about thirty five feet from the starting place he had indicated before.

"Lets see if some boastful ferret can beat a well trained otter like Jek!" he said. Jekker took off his vest, ran toward the river, then jumped headfirst into the moonlit water. The cold liquid feeling seeped into his fur and it made him shiver with delight.

He splashed some water toward Zeron. "Are ye comin' or not!?"

[Rakko]

Rakko just shook his head. The ferret may have been good, but he had no idea what he was getting himself into. He had thought about following the two to ref it out in case some argument occoured but he realized if he did, the ie would likely burn so instead, he opted for the pair to descover their own answer to any future quarrels.

Rakko took a thin stick and piked the top of the ie through to the center, testing the pie to see if it was cooked through. Satisfied, he grabbed a utensil out of his bag and began to slice it up (one big slice for Rakk, one small slice for Jek) And dished them onto two of the plates Zeron had set out. He also cut a very small piece and put it on the third. He vowed that Zeron would not be aloud to stay with them unless he at least tasted one bite. After all, no beast had ever tried a bite of Rakko's Bark Pie and not fallen in love with it.

He poored himself a glass of October Ale and sat back to watch the two go at their little competition.

[shadow]

"Aye aye matey." Rakko took off his cape and hat and after a little bit of debating his coat to. He walked over and slid into the water without making a sound, his body soon adjusting to the cold. He glided over to the otter and grinned. "Last chance to back out mate."

*Sorry its so short*

[pie4me]

"Last chance to back out mate."

"Ha! Yer kiddin' yerself laddie!" Jekker said. The otter splashed deep into the water and held his breath for almost a minute. Jekker swam circles around Zeron's feet and with a mighty splash, he took off.

The current was splashing against his face and sides, so Jekker stopped to catch a breather. He looked back at Zeron and gave a laugh. "You comin' or not!" he teased.

Jekker usually was not very social, but when it was called for, he could be a little. When he was younger, Rakko had met him as he was day dreaming. He had thought himself a dead otter at first. Many a time he had thought himself dead, yet he had always escaped the clutches of eternity.

[shadow]

"Hey no fair! You got a head start!" Zeron took a quick moment to decide what kind of strokes to use then shot off into a front crawl, pumping his arms and legs furiously. Shooting past the otter he called back "Ye may be made for swimmin but that don't mean you got a chance against me!" Zeron hated losing, he'd push himself to his bodies limits to win no matter what the challenge.

*Who you want tah win?*

[pie4me]

*I dunno. Maybe they should get distracted by something so neither of them win. Any ideas?*

"Hey no fair! You got a head start!"

Jekker splashed his paws in the water and twirled around as he watched the ferret. "That's jus' the way the wat'r flows m'laddie!" he shouted. Before he knew it, Zeron had whizzed past him, Jekker zipped through the water and soon caught up.

"A otter is like a deer on 'er feet, me good Zeron." Jek said over the steady lapping of the water.

[shadow]

*I might have one. Whether its good or not you can decide. If you don't like it I can do it over.*

Zeron pumped himself even harder and was about to shoot back a reply when his eye caught something gleaming underwater. He paused a moment to identify it as it moved along with the current then grinned and laughed gleefully. He took a deep breath and dived down. After fighting the current for his prize he finally resurfaced and crawled up, coughing on the bank, but still grinning. Clutched to his chest was a light brown box with a gold lock sealing it shut. It had an elegant design on it of the forest with vines coming around the corners. He sat up and after a quick cough said "Im'a have tah race ye later mate! Lookie here!" He held up the box. "Somebeast lost their treasure box in the stream! If luck would so have it it may be the plunder of a corsair or some treasure from a wealthy family."

[pie4me]

"Im'a have tah race ye later mate! Lookie here!

The ferret skipped out on the race and brought forth a box. It had lots of mud on it from the river, but Jekker could make out the gold.

He kicked and swam until his lithe body was able to be caught in some reeds. Clawing his way up to the bank from there, Jekker lay panting on the soil.

"What in t'e world is t'is!?" he panted, trying to catch his breath. He stretched and kicked his feet experimentally. Then, Jek leaned over to get a better look.

"Somebeast lost their treasure box in the stream! If luck would so have it it may be the plunder of a corsair or some treasure from a wealthy family."

Jekker took on a bewildered expression. "Nah! Ya don' say laddie!" he gasped. Then, with his good heart, the first thing that came to mind to say was, "Shouldn' we be returnin' it then?" he asked.

This question hung in the air for a while, and it suddenly dawned on Jekker that this ferret was a mercenary. He wouldn't ever return anything. "Well ye know... if it was bein' my box, I'd sure as fire want it back. Wouldn' you me friend?"

[shadow]

"Shouldn' we be returnin' it then?"

Zeron shot Jekker a look that said in itself "Seriously?" He said "You do realize who I am right?"

"Well ye know... if it was bein' my box, I'd sure as fire want it back. Wouldn' you me friend?"

"I might would but if I lost it then i'd come lookin for it. Besides finders keepers. If it was so precious to them then they wouldn't have lost it. Besides im a mercenary. Unless your a friend or ye hire me for something i've got no charge or obligation to ye. Meaning that I can do what I want and say what cause im on my own."

[shadow]

.........HELLO!?!?

[pie4me]

* I am still here. Just waiting for Rakko to post *

[shadow]

*Why? My last post was adressed to you...*

[pie4me]

"All righty then mate. No needin' to be gettin' riled up I say. 'sides, you you can side what you want wit' it seein' as ye found it first."

Jekker had no interest in wooden boxes with gold seals besides, what would he do with it anyway? A mercenary could of course find a use with it, but he sure couldn't.

"Well before ye go thinkin' its some big treasure, ye better open it." Jekker insisted, he didn't want the lad to get his hopes up.

[Rakko]

**I'd said before I have nothing to post until you guys are done with yer little side 'plot' and ye guys come back to the camp where I have the food set out**

[shadow]

*Oops. Sorry ^^"*

Zeron unsheathed one of the claws on his right paw and grinned slyly. He said "Watch closely and i'll show you a way to get past any lock." He put his claw into the keyhole and with a few quick movements it clicked open. Opening the box he reached inside and pulled out an amulet. The unappealing metal chain is was looped on he instantly dismissed but the amulet really caught his eye. It looked to be made out of gold. It was in the shape of a star with a circle on the outer edges connecting it. In the middle of the star was a blood red ruby. Holding it in his hand he admired it lovingly. Looping it around his neck he said to himself "Nice. It goes good with the rest of my outfit." He retrieved and slipped on his other clothes then said to Jekker "Lets go see what Rakko thinks. He's probably had a little more experience. Maybe its worth somethin. Though I doubt i'd be sellin it." He trotted back to the fire and said to Rakko "Notice anything different?"