Welcome to the Show [Odie, Open]

[Shor]

Lachie breathed as silently as possible. As soon as he was sure it was safe, he hobbled hastily to the next tree. He glanced tentatively from behind the trunk.

Lachina was ambling gracefully through the garden, literally taking the time to smell the roses. She looked happy, calm, like she didn't have a care in the world. The sight pulled at Lachlan's heart. Strangely, he felt sorry for her, the ottermaid without a life to remember. But she was making a new one, one without complications or worries. He wanted to keep it that way.

As silently as he could, Lachlan lumbered to the gates and exited the abbey.

Lachina, gates behind her furrowed brow, glanced down at the daisy in her paw. She shook her head, wondering where her twin was going. Part of her didn't want to know.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lachlan hummed to himself quietly as he made his way through the woods. Stubborn leaves, surviving remnants of the autumn, fell all around him as sunlight streamed through the thinning canopy. Shadows glided silently across the sea otter's big frame, an effect of the beautiful afternoon sun. His eyes stared at all around him, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Three suns and two moons after the first.

This was clearly a warning of some sort, but what did it mean? "After the first"? The first what? The first sun, moon. . . murder? Lachlan closed his eyes, envisioning the sky. The murder had taken place at night, so it followed that the first sun would follow. He imagined the sun rising and setting, followed by the moon, followed by the sun, followed by the moon, followed by the sun. He opened his eyes. This was the third sun, if the "first" was the murder of Rullo's wife.

Lachlan took another first step, realizing that the world had stopped passing by him.

The big sea otter's paw shot up suddenly, coming to rest at the side of his head. His eyes seemed to malfunction, blinking, flickering, and finally rolling into the back of his head. Then, he began to speak with a voice not his own. "Shh. Shhhide." Lachlan appeared to be having a seizure confined to his head and paws. "I have-- have yore fammm. . ." The word lowered into a deep growl. "If you want-- want ssssssst'see them again. . ." Lachlan went completely still for what seemed an eternity. "Let them know!" he barked suddenly.

The seer crushed a twig and wondered to himself. Had he been convincing enough? He seldom found himself in a situation that required he have an episode like that. But this, this looked different. Something about it was completely off. It didn't feel like the usual homicide.

Lachlan stopped and glanced at a daisy beside the path. He approached the flower and simply gazed at it. This plant-thing was a mirror of the situation. At a glance, it looked completely ordinary for a thing of its kind. But if one simply stepped back and looked at the big picture, one would see that it was a particularly unique creature.

Lachie brushed its petals with a large paw. The winter should have felled the flower by now, yet there it stood, proudly, defiantly. He couldn't blame it. There was nothing wrong with it in that regard. In fact, something else entirely was off. It had twenty-two petals. Few beasts would notice it, and fewer still would realize how unusual it was. A daisy, as Lachie assumed everybeast should know, generally has twenty-one petals.

A noise broke the otter out of his thoughts. He glanced around and found nothing. He shrugged and continued hobbling.

Welcome to the show, Lachie.

This line perturbed Lachlan the most. Not only had the sentence been directed at the seer, but Shide had used Lachie's informal name. It made things so much more. . . personal. But perhaps it was just a tactic. Mayhap the murderer was trying to scare Lachie off.

Still. . . What if he wasn't? That would mean--

Lachie tripped on a protruding rock and landed with a heavy thud. He cursed and punched the ground. If only dirt could feel pain. . .

Glancing up, he saw a beast he recognized. It was Bragg.

[greek101]

A Puzzle, a problem, a riddle, an enigma, a mystery.

Yes. That is what Odysseus had on his paws. A mystery. And he was a Private Investigator, a Detective. He solved mysteries. He followed the clues and found the solution to the puzzle, but this one...This puzzle was new to Odysseus....And he didn't like it.

After Shide's confession as it were, Lachlan returned back to Redwall Abbey for the night. Odie was offered stay at Rullo's house, but he politely declined. He wanted some time alone to think about what had just been said.

However, Rullo, like many creatures, wasn't one to take no for an answer.

So Odie was given a spare room in Rullo's home. Odysseus didn't really like sleeping there. Nothing against the room, for it was lovely accommodations, Odie just didn't like the idea of sleeping in the home of the victim. Not that Odie got much sleep anyways. His mind was too full of questions he could still not yet explain. Much of the night, Odysseus was pouring over his notes and maps by candlelight.

Things just weren't adding up! They had evidence, but no beast to point it to exactly. A beast of questionable character, but no plausible way to connect him to the murder; a distraught mate who is being blamed but obliviously didn't do it; now this otter who says his family is being threatened by an unknown creature an is being forced to do their biding.

The more Odie pondered these mystery the more curious he became. This case, it was much like the blue dots on his map. There were a few of them, not many, but Odie was sure there were more. They were unsolved murders. None of the cases were Odie's, but he had been told about them. All of them had the same situation. With little evidence and to wide of a range of suspects, the murderer was never caught.

No! Odie was not going to let this case go cold! This case was going to be solved!

Too much was at stake....

But wait! This case, this case had something the others did not.

A witness.

That way to friendly hermit! Yes! That was the key! That would be the catch. That was the way he would find the murderer!

Resolving to visit the hermit in the morn', Odysseus blew out his candle and went to sleep, or tired at any rate.

___________________________________________________


At the crack of dawn, Odie was up and about. Not wanting to wake Rullo, Odysseus had left the home silently and began heading toward the hermit's home. Odie had already run into the little fellow a while ago.

In fact, the little hermit was the whole reason Odysseus knew about murder....

A small campfire burned in the depths of Mossflower. Just looking, one would not be able to see it's light, for the fire was in a small grove of pine trees surrounded by tall grasses, but it was enough light to fill the little grove.

The light of the fire danced about the trees and grasses. It flickered bright and tall. Around the fire, Odie danced, and his partner; a long broadsword.

It had been a while and Odie felt like he needed some practice with his blade. So around the fire he went, weaving in and out, swish, swipe, jab, jab. In a way, it was like dancing. It was the perilous dance of death. One miss stroke, one accidental swipe and Odie would die here in this grove, bleeding out with his paw or leg detached from his body.

Odysseus continued in his practice, only stopping and spinning around, his sword point level with the nose of a chubby little vole.

"Ahh! Don't kill mea!" The vole panicked at the sight of Odie's blade. He dropped to his knees and hugged Odie's legs. "Spare mea please! I be only a measly hermit. I've done ye no 'arm! Don't kill mea!" The vole blubbered.

Sighing, Odie sheathed his blade, grabbed the vole by the shoulders and stood him up right. "Stop yer blubberin'! I'm not going to kill you! Now why were you watching me? And what were you doing in those bushes?"

The tears suddenly disappeared as the vole started babbling at a rapid speed once more. "Oh, weel. If ye ain't gonna kill me then I'll tell ye. I'm Gab the Hermit. Yes, Gab, me mother had a since of humor. Ah the stories she would tell at at dinner table, whoo! She could warble a good one, but I get off topic. I was in those grasses ye see because I was tellin' everybeast about the murder. But then I saw you dancin' there and thought to meaself, weel that's odd. Yer really good with that blade by the way...."

Odie waved his paws about. "Whoa, whoa whoa. Stop and take a breath fur once will ye?!? What were you sayin' about this murder?"

"Oh that!" The Hermit stopped smiling and looked around. "Just so you know stranger, we have a killer in these woods! Just this night he struck! I was headin' to mea little home I was whens I see mea mate Rullo's wife, uh.. Seira. She was headin' to the swamps. No idea why she was a headin' over dere, but she was then I saw her husband followin; her I did. He was carryin' a club too!"

"Did you see what happened?" Odie interrupted.

"No, I didn''t, but I heard things soundin' like a beating was takin' place it did! I rushed home ye see. Didn't want ta get hurt ye see. When I was home, I was getting worried cause I thought I was hearing arguing I was. Soon, Rullo knocks on me door, He's covered in blood! He was saying that some beast killed his wife! But that it wasn't him. I ran quick and started tellin' e'eryone ye see. Some o' the other's were sayin' ta send somebeast at Redwall ta get some help, but I knew that I have to tell e'erbeast. There's a murderer out there!."

While the vole babbled on, Odie quickly packed up his things and kicked out his fire. Grabbing his notebook form inside his pack before he threw it over his shoulder, Odie grabbed the vole by the shoulders again to get his attention and glared into the vole's green eyes with his golden ones.

"Where is the body?"

Gab pointed with his left paw from the direction of which he came. "Just over that ways, close to the marshland, you'll know if yer getting close, the smell and the bugs will get to ye. I live just to the North of it. Nice little home it be to, but I can't some with ye to show ye, I have to warn e'erbeast!"

Odysseus marched off into the woods in the direction the vole indicated. "Watch who you tell mate. You may just tell the beast you did it you know, and if they find out, less to say, you won't be able to warn anyone else......"

Odysseus sighed as he wrapped his cloak a bit tighter around his shoulders, the memory fading from the forefront of his mind. Odie was sure that the vole had told him about as much as he knew when they first met, but Odysseus wanted to make sure that there wasn't anything the vole may have not mentioned or misspoke. There had to be something more to this case. There just had to be.

Shide wouldn't have done what he did if there hadn't been.

"I don't know. He blin'folded me afore I could see 'im, an' 'e's got my fam'ly an' 'e says if'n I don' 'elp 'im, 'e'll kill 'em all."

Using Innocent beasts has hostages. Odie's eyebrows narrowed. That was just cruel! No beast should ever do that!

"Three suns, two moons after the first."

Now that was a puzzle. Well, three suns could be three days and two moons, the two nights in between the three days. But what was the first? The first day of winter? No, that had already past.

Wait.

Odysseus paused in his steps. The stubborn summer sun peeking through the gray cloud cover that signaled the approach of a cold winter, shining through the barren trees.

What if the first meant murders...And there were more to come?

Doing some quick calculations of the days in his head. If the murder of Rullo's wife was the first, then three days after would be...

Today.

Odysseus quickened his pace. He had to talk to the hermit and get back to Lachlan as soon as possible.

Welcome to the show, Lachie.

If Lachlan was the center of this and there was supposed to be another murder today, then Lachlan needed to know and have some sort of protection. From what Odie had learned about Lachlan with working with him, Lachlan was a fine creature with a smart mind and observant eyes, but Lachlan also took risky chances. And with him being the center of attention, Lachlan couldn't afford to do that!

One question still remained. Why was Lachlan invited to the 'show'? The show, a performance, a masquerade, a distraction.

Odie's mind would have continued to wander, however, his eyes spotted something that cause his brain to pause, backtrack and restart, registering the things about himself once more.

Fur, that tree had fur on it's opposite side. No, tress don't have fur. Creatures have fur. There was a creature behind that tree.

Looking up, Odie notice that a small house could be seen through the trees. It was the hermit's house!

Pulling out his sword, Odie stepped forward quietly. Who ever was behind that tree had a clear view of the hermit's house. It was like they were waiting, and watching.

Odie held the sword up, ready to strike if the creature was armed. With a single bound of his long legs, Odie jumped around the tree, his sword at the creature's neck.

The dead hermit's neck.

Odysseus's shoulder slumped, his sword falling to his side. No...Not him. Odie had warned him.

He had warned him.

((Ooc: Sorry Shor that this took so long in coming. I wanted to make it just right and I didn't have as much time as I thought I would have. If you don't mind, I didn't recall the Hermit ever bing labeled as a certain creature. If he was, I can change my post, but until now I hope you don't mind I made him a vole. And I was thinking that he would be killed with the same weapon that killed Rullo's wife. Just so they murders would look related as we were talking about...I hope that ending is okay. That way I can make the next one about his analysis of the body....Sorry again about the wait... ))

[Shor]

"Lachlan," Bragg stated with mild surprise.

"Bragg," replied the fallen otter.

"Uh. . . d'you need help?" Bragg wasn't asking, already helping Lachlan to his foot. The sea otter steadied himself on Bragg's shoulder, and the mouse lowered himself carefully to pick up the cane. "Y'all right?" This time he was asking.

"Aye," Lachie chuckled, "Ah should really dae summat aboot mah leg. . ."

Bragg laughed warmly. "Aye, that-- that would be wise. . . So, how's the investigation goin'?"

Lachie coughed, startled by the question, though in all honesty, it was a completely normal question. But with this new suspicion of Bragg, Lachie couldn't help but feel put-off by the inquiry. He cleared his throat. "Uh, well, Ah d'nnae think it was Rullo. Nae, not at all. It was somebeast else, but. . . but Ah can-- can't seem tae fin' a reas'nable motive. There's. . . There's def'nitely somethin' bigger goin' on here."

Bragg whistled. "Sounds ominous."

Lachlan shuddered. That was the smile of nonchalance; if Bragg was the murderer, this case would likely turn into a nightmare to haunt Lachlan for seasons to come.

Bragg changed the subject. "So, where y'headed, Mister Stromness?"

The seer's voice took on a nervous vibrato. "Uhh, Ah'm goin' tae meet Odie at the hermit's 'ouse,"-- Lachlan swore he saw a slight smirk on Bragg's face --"We think 'e's got some 'elpful memories, but it'll be 'ard tae get it oot o' him. Beasts like t'add tae things they think they remember."

Bragg nodded thoughtfully. ". . . Sounds int'resting. Well, let me know how it goes -- I've business t'take care of down south. Somebeast named Derlaw wants t'meet with me. Says 'e's my brother, but the name don't ring any bells. Anyway, great talking with ye, Lachie!" And with that, Bragg had disappeared into the forest.

The sea otter hobbled slowly away, his mind caught on only word: Lachie.

((Great post, Odie. No, I don't think I ever specifically labeled Hermit the Frog as any species, and you can kill 'im however y'like. I should be the one apologizing for taking so long. Life take precedence, though. *shrugs*))

[greek101]

Odysseus wanted to put up his blade and give a proper moment of silence that the hermit, Gab, deserved, but he couldn't. First, Odie needed to check the perimeter, and make sure the killer wasn't still here....

Eyes darting here and there, Odie silently walked around the hermit's house with his sword at the ready. Being carefully to take only one quiet step at a time, ear twitching, listening for any sound of extra movement.

After casing the little home and the body at least twice if not three times, Odysseus slowly walked up to the door of the hermit's little home. Tapping the slightly open door with his blade, Odie entered the little home.

It was a small little thing with not much in it. In fact it was only a one room home. There was a small fire place, a bed, a table, a stool and a small cabinet. Nothing was out of place, it looked as if the owner had put everything away and went for a walk. The killer had not been there. And robbery was not the reason for the killing.

Feeling confidant that the killer was not in the area, Odie put his blade in it's sheath and picked up the blanket that was on the bed, he was going to need it before his job was done here.

Stepping out the door, Odysseus set the blanket near the door and pulled out his notebook. From the door, Odie sketched the scene before him.

Gab the Hermit lay propped up against a tall maple tree-cuts of various sizes about his body and a blow to the head evident on the body-dead. The grass about him was matted and some what bloody, showing evidence of a possible scuffle. However, the amount of grass annoyed Odysseus, for what he could tell there was a single print to the right side, not more like there could be.

After completing his sketch, Odie took out his 'lookin' glass' and approached the body, kneeling beside it. The cuts about the body were thin and long, like a thin blade in the hands of a beast who knew how to kill who was slightly taller than Gab, but not nearly as tall as Odysseus. The blow to the head looked to be a hard, blunt force blow of a weapon no thicker than a staff. The grass about Gab indicated that the body had fallen beside the tree, then propped up to make it seem if Gab was sitting.

Odysseus reached out and gently closed Gab's eyes and checked his body temperature. The body was cold, but not horrible. With an educated guess based on body temperature and the rate of drying of the blood, Odie estimated that the time Gab was killed was early this morning, maybe two or three hours before Odie had arrived.

Combing through the grass around Gab, Odie found a brown hair. Putting that in his book, Odie looked at the partial print he had saw. It wasn't much. It appeared to be the tip of a boot that brushed the soil, headed back the direction Odie had come, but not by the same path.

After drawing the partial print, Odie flipped back a few pages in his notes. If Odie was right, then he already knew who the killer was and the most probable motive.

Sure enough, he was right. The evidence left at Gab's murder was the exact same left at Seria's murder. The weapon was a thin blade and something with the thickness of a staff. The killer had brown fur and left the same type of boot print.

Shutting his notebook with a sigh, Odie got up and went back over to the house. Odie picked up the blanket carried it over to the body and gently draped it over the body, all the while imagining what happened in his head. The killer had been waiting for Gab to return home. As Gab passed by the tree, the killer struck with the blunt force object. Gab stumbled about, hurt but not dead, then the killer struck with the knife, finishing the job. After assuring Gab was dead, the killer propped up the body to make is seem as if Gab was merely resting by the tree, and fled the scene.

Why did the killer did this, Odie did not quite know. The most oblivious idea would be that the killer was tying up loose ends, making sure that no one would ever know who they were. But there was the other hypothesis as to the motive. The killer may also be sending a message. Possibly that everyone involved in the original murder in one form or another would die.

Either way, the killer had to be stopped.

Standing up, Odie tipped his hat to the dead body, then rushed off into the forest, in the direction of the partial print. He needed to find Lachlan, now! Two bodies have been found, and Odie's gut told him there were probably more and that Lachlan was in one way or another, on the list.

Odysseus was not going to let that happen.

((Ooc: Not my best most assuredly, but the best I'm probably going to get unless I procrastinate more. ))

[Shor]

Lachlan's thoughts swarmed. What was Bragg doing coming by this way? This was the path to the hermit's house. It seemed a bit suspicious, which settled in Lachlan like spoiled milk.

Abruptly, a loud noise burst from within the forest. Lachlan jumped. Instinctively, he shifted his weight to his good leg and gripped his cane tightly. It was more a reaction than a precaution.

Then the runner came into view. It was Odie. He was breathing raggedly; had he run all the way from the hermit's abode? Lachlan, brow furrowed, hurried to meet Odie. "Odie! What's wrong?" Judging by the look on Odie's face, and the present circumstances, Lachlan estimated that the hermit was hurt severely, or worse. His face darkened. ". . . He's not dead?"

((Eh, you're faster than I. Real life hates me, and I'm pretty sure the universe is conspiring against me... ))

[greek101]

Odysseus vaulted over a fallen log as he sprinted through the forest. Trees and leaves flashed by him as Odie breathed heavily through his mouth. Oh how he wished at times that he could be as his name meant.

Stormracer.

Racing the storm. If only, oh if only. Odie knew that racing a physical storm was logically impossible. If the wind pattern that carried the storm was headed the direction you were going, it would only be a matter of time before it caught up with you. But a metaphorical storm, a storm of events. Could he run from that?

No.

He couldn't run from it. He wouldn't let himself run. Odie knew that the only reason why he would be running, would be running to face it head on.

Find Lachlan!

Odie continued to sprint through the wood, light flashing through the leaves on the trees. His paws thumping the ground lightly as he ran. He had to find Lachlan. Make sure that he was alright.

Before it was too late.

Bursting on to the path, Odie paused only a moment to look up and down the path. His chest heaving a bit as he tried to catch his breath. There was a beast down the road. Could it be?

Yes!

It was Lachlan! It had to be! Who else wobbled around with a cane who stood that tall. Pulling out his blade upon instinct, Odie raced down the path toward Lachlan.

"Odie! What's wrong?. . . He's not dead?"

Odysseus slowed down his thumping paws as he neared Lachlan. He was alright! For now at least. Keeping his blade out, Odysseus's golden eyes flicked about scanning the area, making sure they were alone.

"Unfortunately mate.....he is.." Odie's heavy breathes slowly regulated as he stood still. "Found him by his home....Dead..Was killed about three or four hours ago. The crime scene is almost a mirror image of Seira's murder. The odds are high that it's the same creature. Same amount of evidence was left, same weapon used, same everything."

Odysseus turned and looked Lachlan in the eye. An incredibly dangerous look could be seen on his face. "Ye met anybeast today? Talked to anybeast? Seen anybeast?" He questioned with complete seriousness. Lachlan needed to get somewhere safe, and quickly.

Before the show ended....

[Shor]

"Unfortunately mate.....he is.." Odie took some time to catch his breath. "Found him by his home....Dead..Was killed about three or four hours ago. The crime scene is almost a mirror image of Seira's murder. The odds are high that it's the same creature. Same amount of evidence was left, same weapon used, same everything."

Lachlan's breath caught in his throat. If the hermit were dead. . . A terrible realization came over the big otter. Suddenly, his fears about Bragg became more than suspicions.

Eye contact. Another thought dawned upon his mind, and the implications showed through Lachlan's face: He had just been speaking to the murderer. Something crossed Lachie's mind, and he glanced aside, thinking to himself. He brought a paw to the side of his head.

What had Bragg said?

"... Well, let me know how it goes -- I've business t'take care of down south. Somebeast named Derlaw wants t'meet with me. Says 'e's my brother, but the name don't ring any bells. Anyway, great talking with ye, Lachie!"

Lachie looked up at Odie just in time to catch the words, "... anybeast today? Talked to anybeast? Seen anybeast?" The look on Odie's face implied concern, concern for Lachlan's safety.

"Somebeast named Derlaw, ring any bells. . ." The sea otter thought aloud to himself, his paw shaking up and down as he started quickly toward whence Odie had come. " 'Says he's my brother, rrgh," he growled. It was too much to figure out right now.

Whirling around, he opened his mouth to explain something to Odie, but nothing came out. . . Lachlan shook his head. No. He would have to see the scene himself. Lachie had a feeling that he had just been given a very important clue. It occurred to him that Odie might not want him to visit the murder scene for reasons of safety, but Bragg had just ensured that Lachie could not leave the stage. This was Bragg's show.

Lachlan hobbled faster. "Odie, I just talked to 'im." He stopped hobbling and waited a moment. Odie might have information too. It would be wise to think a moment before rushing headlong into a nightmare. He turned to face the detective. "I just talked tae Bragg. He was here." Lachie motioned along the invisible path.

[greek101]

Fear. That was the first thing that Odie saw in Lachlan's eyes, then thoughtfulness as he looked away. Something was wrong. Lachlan knew something. Something important.

"Somebeast named Derlaw, ring any bells. . ." The sea otter thought aloud to himself, his paw shaking up and down as he started quickly toward whence Odie had come. " 'Says he's my brother, rrgh,"

Odysseus furrowed his brow in confusion. "Derlaw?...No. Not that I can recall. Why? And what's this about him being your brother?" Realizing that Lachlan was headed toward the hermit's house, he swiftly hurried after. "Mate, it may not be safe for ye to be headed that way!"

Lachlan turned to face Odie and looked like he was about say something then shook his head. Like he didn't know how or what to say. Instead, he turned around and continued faster. Odysseus sighed, sheathed his blade so he could fun faster and hurried after him.

"Odie, I just talked to 'im." He stopped hobbling and waited a moment. Odie might have information too. It would be wise to think a moment before rushing headlong into a nightmare. He turned to face the detective. "I just talked tae Bragg. He was here."

Odysseus's eyes widened. "Here! He was here!" Bragg had been here! Lachlan had just talked to him! Odie's fur on the back of his neck spiked and his gut tensed. He knew it! Eyes narrowing, thoughts racing through his head, Odie paused along side Lachlan. Could it be? Yes, most likely yes. But he had to know the facts.

Placing his paws on Lachlan's shoulders, Odysseus locked eyes with Lachlan. His golden glare digging into Lachlan's deep blue ones. "Lachlan, I need to know. What exactly did Bragg say to you? What was he wearing? Where was he headed? Where did he say he was going? Everything you can remember. Lachlan, if you saw him just now, that means that he could have had more than enough time to commit the crime, and talk to you. I need to know what he said, what he acted like, everything."

((Ooc: So I made Odie not know who Derlaw was, because, Well I didn't know who he was! I figured if it was important that Odie knew I could change it. ))

[Shor]

Odysseus's eyes widened. "Here! He was here!"

Lachie nodded. He could see Odie tense up. Clearly, the investigator had put two and two together, which, as everyone knows, results in twenty-two.

Suddenly, Odie grabbed him by the shoulders and spoke rather urgently. "Lachlan, I need to know. What exactly did Bragg say to you? What was he wearing? Where was he headed? Where did he say he was going? Everything you can remember. Lachlan, if you saw him just now, that means that he could have had more than enough time to commit the crime, and talk to you. I need to know what he said, what he acted like, everything."

Lachie broke from Odie's near-stranglehold to grant himself some space. He needed a moment to clear his mind. "All right, all right, hold on. . ."

Lachlan closed his eyes and seemed to pass into REM as he lifted a paw to the side of his head. While this typically introduced a psychic revelation of his, this time, it simply helped him think clearly. He turned his head so that were his eyes open, he would have been staring at the ground to his left.

"Ah, he, he wears a green tunic, clean, no blood Ah can see. Broun pants, also clean, save a grass an' mud stain at the bottom -- nothin' suspishus. Black boots, dirt-covered as usual. Ach, black belt, o' course. Looks like somebody smeared mud 'r summat onnit, but Ah don' think it proves anythin'. Er, lessee. . ." The big otter went on to explain his encounter with Bragg, mimicking his and Bragg's tones to the best of his ability and noting as many details as he could recall. When he opened his eyes, he glanced around and motioned in a particular direction. "Aye, he came frae this way, an' was goin', uh, that way."

He let his paw drop to his side and turned to continue hobbling toward the hermit's house. "Ah'll let ye process that furra while, but we need tae get movin'."

---

((Oh, you shouldn't know who Derlaw is. That bit'll come in later. ))

[greek101]

...then you've obviously found someone to blame.

Lachlan broke from Odysseus's grip and Odie crossed his paws over his chest as Lachlan spoke.

"All right, all right, hold on. . ."

Odie watched as Lachlan closed his eyes and put his paw to his head. He raised an eyebrow, that psychic thing? Was this really a time for that? But Lachlan turned his head and recalled what happened in great detail.

"Ah, he, he wears a green tunic, clean, no blood Ah can see. Broun pants, also clean, save a grass an' mud stain at the bottom -- nothin' suspishus. Black boots, dirt-covered as usual. Ach, black belt, o' course. Looks like somebody smeared mud 'r summat onnit, but Ah don' think it proves anythin'. Er, lessee. . ."

Odysseus mentally noted everything that Lachlan said and cross referenced that with the information from the crime scenes in his mind. As far as Lachlan knew, Bragg wasn't carrying any weapons, but he could have stashed the weapons somewhere and continued on his way. His clothes were clean, but he did have a grass and mud stain on the bottom of his pants. Suer they may have come from anywhere, but they also could have come from dragging a dead body and propping it up against the tree. That would go really well with the mud on his belt, but Odie needed more proof.

Wait! The boots! If Odie could get a matching print of the tip of Bragg's shoe and match the brown fur to Bragg's He may have something!!!

Listening intently to Lachlan's vocal reenactment of his meeting with Bragg, Odie picked out the clues he needed. Bragg's facial expression through out the whole thing was bothering. He was chipper, and smiled and possibly smirked. Bragg was far too confident. When Odie had first talked to him, Bragg was not chipper. He avoided eye contact and kept it short and simple.

Also, he asked about the case. Sure that would be a common question at this time, but coming form Bragg it just felt wrong. Then he said he was leaving. Right after Odysseus found the next body. When would he be back? Even better question, would he ever be back? A creature that was calling himself Bragg's brother? Suspicious, very suspicious.

Lastly, Bragg called Lachlan "Lachie". Sure they had met before, but it still seemed odd.

Lachlan opened his eyes and pointed.

"Aye, he came frae this way, an' was goin', uh, that way."

Odie nodded. Bragg was headed away from the crime scene, but that didn't mean that he was really going that way....

He let his paw drop to his side and turned to continue hobbling toward the hermit's house. "Ah'll let ye process that furra while, but we need tae get movin'."

Odysseus seemed to be frozen in thought for a moment, but after blinking, Odie quickly spun around and caught up with Lachlan. "Lachlan, aye I agree, but it may not be safe for ye to be heading that way."

"If Bragg was the one who was did this, then I think I may have an idea of how to corner him, but even if not. It may not be safe for you to go to the crime scene. Bragg, or the real criminal could be waiting for you to arrive. If you recall, both murders have been out in open areas with few to no beasts around to witness. If you are in a place with many creatures, it cuts down the chance of a murderer making a move for they risk being seen. Thus making you safer."

Odysseus put himself in Lachlan's path. "Lachlan, My gut is telling me this case is not going to end well and I'm not going to let any other beast die if I can help it."




((Ooc: That's good! I had to think for a minute there if I knew him and I was sure that I didn't. ))

[Shor]

Lachlan tapped his cane impatiently. He seemed to think to himself for a moment. Finally, he stared into Odie's eyes as levelly as he could. "Look, Ah cannae jus' sit aroond. If Brag-- If the killer 'as any connection tae me, an' ye ken it's likely, then nothin'll be accomplished by me hidin'. Ah think it's best we play the game 'til we ken who an' wot we're up against." He maneuvered around the detective and continued hobbling toward the hermitage.

"If ye disagree wi' mah decision," he spoke as he stubbornly walked precisely where Odie asked he not go, "ye might be able to convince me afore we reach the corpse. But until then, Ah'm nae stoppin'."

[greek101]

Odysseus glared into Lachlan's eyes. Odie could tell Lachlan wasn't the beast to be told no, but he was not going to let him die, not while he could still take a breath. He wouldn't let it happen...

He wouldn't let Lachlan get as close as he did...

"Look, Ah cannae jus' sit aroond. If Brag-- If the killer 'as any connection tae me, an' ye ken it's likely, then nothin'll be accomplished by me hidin'. Ah think it's best we play the game 'til we ken who an' wot we're up against."

"Lachlan..." Odie's voice hardened a bit like a scolding parent as Lachlan maneuvered around him. In fact, the more Odysseus thought about it. He sounded a lot like his father. So much like his father, to the point that it scared him.

"If ye disagree wi' mah decision," he spoke as he stubbornly walked precisely where Odie asked he not go,"ye might be able to convince me afore we reach the corpse. But until then, Ah'm nae stoppin'."

Odysseus walked quickly with his long legs and stood in front of Lachlan again, his golden eyes harsh and his voice still like that of his father, scolding but in a concerned way.

"Lachlan, before you go any further, ye need to listen to me! I understand not being able to sit around. I hate being couped up as well, but sometimes you need to realize that it's not safe. I learned that the hard way....." Odysseus's thoughts raced away from him as his burn-fur patched rudder swept across the dirt path...

__________________________________________________

Fire! Fire!

Odysseus couldn't breathe. Coughing, Odie felt his chest contract. He couldn't help but inhale the smoke. It was all around him, choking him.

Fire! Fire!

He couldn't see. His eyes watered as the smoke filled his vision. Odie couldn't tell where the boundaries of the barn were anymore. Nor where the bales of hale were. It was all smoke.

Fire! Fire!

Orange, red, and yellow flames leaped around the barn in a deadly dance. Odysseus stumbled through, yelling in pain. It hurt it hurt bad! Pain shot through his body, but his rudder hurt the worst. It hurt, it hurt so so bad.

Fire! Fire!

Tripping through the fire, Odie collapsed against the wooden barn door. Coughing, burning, yelling.

"Dad!...*cough* *cough*...Dad!!! Mom!!! H-hector!! Hel-len!..Any...beast..."

Fire!
___________________________________________________

Odysseus blinked slightly, and continued. "...I don't want that to happen to you! I've known many creatures form my line o' work that haven't made it, and I'm not going to let you die!"

[Shor]

Odysseus walked quickly with his long legs and stood in front of Lachlan again, his golden eyes harsh and his voice still like that of his father, scolding but in a concerned way.

"Lachlan, before you go any further, ye need to listen to me! I understand not being able to sit around. I hate being couped up as well, but sometimes you need to realize that it's not safe. I learned that the hard way....." Odysseus's thoughts raced away from him as his burn-fur patched rudder swept across the dirt path...

Lachlan's mind stirred violently for a moment, and he thought he smelled smoke. It gave him pause. . . Had that really just happened? Clearly, Odie had experienced a serious flashback, but certainly Lachlan could not have--? No, the idea was preposterous. He was no seer, and that was that.

Odysseus blinked slightly, and continued. "...I don't want that to happen to you! I've known many creatures form my line o' work that haven't made it, and I'm not going to let you die!"

Lachlan's brow furrowed. Here, an otter whom he had met only days ago was showing overwhelming concern for Lachlan's well-being. It was strange, especially for a seabeast of the unfriendly north, but Lachlan had worked with beasts enough to understand where Odie was coming from. And perhaps Odie had a point. Continuing at this time looked particularly dangerous, and now that it appeared that the seer was the target of it all, the risk of investigating would much increase. Yet on the other paw, Lachlan feared that in failing to investigate, he would miss an important detail, and many more beasts would die because of it. But then, only two had died thus far. Perhaps it would end there. Still...

The otter's broad shoulders drooped a bit. "Look, Odie. Ah unnerstand. Ah've lost partners too, 'specially in situations lak these. But Ah ken when we think it's 'safe,' it usually never is. Ah think that. . ." He sighed. "All right, luke. Ah'll go back if'n ye truly want me tae, but remember: Ah hae jus' spake t'the prob'le killer. If'n he's leavin' clues lak the last one, the only way we'll know wot tae dae is if'n Ah see wot 'e wants me tae see. . . Aye, Ah might die if'n Ah go. Shore. But if'n Ah dinnae go, how many other beasts will die? Ye an' Ah both knew frae the start o' this case that this was nae ordinary murder. If'n Ah don't act, Ah'll hae their blood on mah paws. Now, Ah figure ye might try tae go off an' solve this on yore own, but ye said it yoreself: the victims were allus alone." Lachlan smiled grimly. "An' if'n ye think Ah'm gonna let ye dae this by yoreself, ye've another thing comin'."

[greek101]

The otter's broad shoulders drooped a bit. "Look, Odie. Ah unnerstand. Ah've lost partners too, 'specially in situations lak these. But Ah ken when we think it's 'safe,' it usually never is. Ah think that. . ."

Odysseus's mind flashed back to the faces of creatures he has seen fall. Some were vile traitors, but most were vallent beasts, both brave and true. Good and noble friends who didn't deserve to die. His line of work was dangerous...so dangerous...

He sighed. "All right, luke. Ah'll go back if'n ye truly want me tae, but remember: Ah hae jus' spake t'the prob'le killer. If'n he's leavin' clues lak the last one, the only way we'll know wot tae dae is if'n Ah see wot 'e wants me tae see. . . "

Odie's eyebrows narrowed. That was most likely true. Lachlan probably needed to be there, but what if it was a trap! Like, like last time...No! It won't be like last time! He wouldn't allow it.

Aye, Ah might die if'n Ah go. Shore. But if'n Ah dinnae go, how many other beasts will die? Ye an' Ah both knew frae the start o' this case that this was nae ordinary murder. If'n Ah don't act, Ah'll hae their blood on mah paws. Now, Ah figure ye might try tae go off an' solve this on yore own, but ye said it yoreself: the victims were allus alone."

Odie sighed. Lachlan was right, like normal. How many more creatures would die? Odie would never be able to live with that. No, he couldn't. He could never go home if he knew...

Lachlan smiled grimly. "An' if'n ye think Ah'm gonna let ye dae this by yoreself, ye've another thing comin'."

Odysseus sighed. Lachlan was as stubborn as he was, possibly even more. They started this case together, they were going to end it together.

Shaking his head, Odie nodded. "Fine, fine. Let's go. But ye have to promise me one thing."

Odysseus pulled a knife from his belt. It was a medium sized silver blade, a smaller image of his sword. Odie gripped the blade and handed the dark iron and polished oak to Lachlan. "Carry this. You don't have to use it, just make sure you 'ave it. Just in case."

[Shor]

Lachlan accepted the weapon respectfully. He studied it for a moment before sheathing it in his belt. Fancy thing, that blade. He looked up at Odie and nodded his acknowledgement. And with that, he turned to hobble to the crime scene.

As they traveled to the hermitage, Lachlan asked in a very professional manner for Odysseus to elucidate the situation; what had Odie seen? smelled? tasted, perhaps?

Soon enough, though later than would have been convenient, the pair arrived once more at the scene. Very few clues had been left them this time, it seemed. Lachie approached the body, removed the covering, and, moving an arm here and pushing a shoulder there, scanned it for anything unusual. There was little concrete evidence that he could find.

Lachlan rose to his feet and asked to take a look at Odie's paper-memory of the murder scene as it had been initially. He stared at it for a long moment, flipped the page, flipped it back, and grunted a simple "Hm." He glanced up. "Hey, Odie, wot'd ye say aboot the bootprint again?" Lachie turned to investigate the hermit's former home as Odie replied.

---

((Egh.))