Harmless

[Tirael]

Another question struck him, "otta, what started this war between..." he gestured towards the fort and then at Tirael, "...you?"


That Tirael was ready for. The story had been drilled into his head over the past eleven years of his life; he knew it all without a second's thought. "Well...the Fort used to be very different. It used to be Redwall Abbey, where most of the goodbeasts in Mossflower lived. It was a paradise. Then the horde came. I don't know what was different that time; Redwall's been through a lot before, but this was the first time we lost it. And now it's...that," he said, disgust creeping into his voice again in the last word.

"As for where they'll all go..." The otter considered it a moment. Surely N'tashi's soldiers wouldn't make their own Camp Moss-type place, and he wasn't sure if they would stick together after their expulsion from Mossflower. Tirael shrugged and said, "I dunno, I guess it's up to my da-" Catching himself, he paused and then continued, "It's up to the Skipper to decide that." He mentally chided himself for letting his familial information slip; he was getting too comfortable, and that had been a mistake he'd payed for in the past. He flashed back to that incident by the pond several weeks before, resolving that he couldn't get himself into any more trouble. Already he wondered if he would have been more useful if he'd learned the arts of war. Forcing others to come to his rescue (again) would do nothing to help that, or others' confidence in him.

[lorki]

"Well...the Fort used to be very different. It used to be Redwall Abbey, where most of the goodbeasts in Mossflower lived. It was a paradise. Then the horde came. I don't know what was different that time; Redwall's been through a lot before, but this was the first time we lost it. And now it's...that,"

The cat listened, bright blue eyes never leaving Tirael as he spoke, he gave no movement except a slight tilt of the head at the word 'goodbeast'. Estlin scoffed at the story, again wrongly comparing it to his own empire. A loss was a loss, if these beasts were so unskilled that they couldn't hold onto one measly little chunk of brick they hardly deserved it. But then again, he reminded himself, what good was an army made up of creatures only well suited to be his dinner? But still... hiding out in a forest for over twenty years seems a bit ridiculous.

He caught Tirael's blunder, it wasn't difficult to understand but family ties were nothing to Estlin, he had none and he'd never needed hem to manipulate others. Estlin was not sneaky in method, he was simple, grotesquely simple.

Estlin, as an observer, had always assumed N'tashi was some great leader. He'd witnessed many vermin not from the fort being caught up in fights with beasts from the camp or the goodbeasts, as this otter preferred to call them. He'd always assumed that in some way all of the vermin were tied to him, otherwise such disdain towards the rest would seem odd.

"Right..." He mumbled, shifted his weight and grimaced as the tear in his shoulder stung. He flexed his claws, dug into the ground to pull himself back so that he rested against a tree. Suddenly unsure of his thoughts before hand he continued, "Otta... er.. Tir'al, I've neva cared much t'know, bu' why would N'tashi wan'... tha?" He jerked his head towards the abbey. Estlin had owned an empire once too, his fortress wasn't pretty and red but it was much much bigger.

(Estlins like an undercover idiot)

[Tirael]

"Otta... er.. Tir'al, I've neva cared much t'know, bu' why would N'tashi wan'... tha?"

Tirael didn't have to follow the motion of Estlin's head to know what he was indicating. Unlike most of the cat's questions, which seemed to elicit deep, thought-out responses, this one seemed more obvious. "Well, he wanted someplace to rule from, conquering meant he didn't have to build his own place, and there were plenty of other creatures to enslave. I guess forty years were worth the effort..."

He glanced at Estlin and saw him grimace in pain. "Are you sure you don't want any help? It is my job, and I'm good at it." He couldn't stand seeing anybeast suffer needlessly, knowing he could prevent it.

[lorki]

Estlin's mind seemed to have drifted while the otter explained this seemingly obvious tidbit to him. His eyes looked beyond the otter, not at particularly any tree or patch of ground. He did not respond in the slightest to the explanation nor the question asked after it, he heard the offer and was about to answer with his polite declination when his wandering thoughts hit bottom.

Unfortunately the wall that blocked him was not one he himself had set up. Blankly starting without so much as a twitch to his body the cat was eerily still as heat swelled in his gut. The conversation had hit too close to home, Estlin realized too late. The smallest glimpse of the sweeping sand and high pale rock that had served as his very own universe was all it took. Moments passed in still silenced while an inward battle escalated... until it could no longer exists only with in himself.

Eyes water and in one quick motion the cat brought a paw up to his face and bit savagely down on it. He grimaced and let out some sort of odd noise somewhere between a whimper and a growl, only once he'd reacted did he remember the otter was there, certainly curiously observing his strange behavior.

Estlin had never minded how others observed him, often once they'd seen him they'd be dead anyhow. But somehow in this situation, weak and shaky and oddly emotional he found himself unsure how to explain the sudden action of tearing up his own paw.

"...Surry." He said, pulling himself up straighter and flicking blood off his fur. "Y'dun need t'worry 'bout me. I promise..." He paused, the otter had been here for awhile, any other beast would be quite a possible threat and Estlin was no longer in the mood to die. "Any'un from yer camp gunna come lookin' fer ya, otta?" He could only hope that a quick subject change would do the trick... unlikely.

[Tirael]

Tirael grew concerned as Estlin seemed to fade from the world into some sort of trance. He got up and moved a little closer to his companion, debating internally how close he should get. Suddenly, Estlin began what looked like eating his own paw. Freezing in alarm, the otter watched in fascinated horror as the cat drew his own blood. Suddenly, he seemed to notice Tirael, as if he hadn't been there all along.

"...Surry."

He's apologizing? This makes no sense... Tirael thought in helpless confusion. Now Estlin drew himself back up as if the little incident had never happened. Though the young otter wanted to know what had driven Estlin to mangle his own appendage, he got the idea he didn't want to explain it. Therefore, he gave up the idea of pursuing the matter. No reason to make Estlin unhappy.

Well, relatively speaking, that is.

"Any'un from yer camp gunna come lookin' fer ya, otta?"

Trying to return to the tone of voice he had used before, Tirael said a little shakily, "Uhh, no, not that I know of. Well, not for a while at least." Then a thought popped into his head, and he spoke more steadily. "But the Camp patrols might pass through this way...how long have you been in this clearing?" The patrols tended to alternate their routes every so often, and the longer Estlin had been in the clearing without detection, the less time he had. Knowing what his friends might do if they found the massive cat, Tirael found himself fearing for Estlin's life.

[lorki]

"Uhh, no, not that I know of. Well, not for a while at least." Then a thought popped into his head, and he spoke more steadily. "But the Camp patrols might pass through this way...how long have you been in this clearing?"

Estlin looked hard at the otter as he spoke, intent on being sure the otter would not be lying to him. However this worry faded with Tirael's next question and began his attempt to recall how long had passed. "Hmm..." He adjusted his position and tilted his head back up towards the sky, trying to picture how many nights had passed since this had begun.

After a short pause he brought his attention back to Tirael, "Gotta be... 'bout three er... maybe four days." He was about to shrug casually before he remember the wound on his shoulder and stayed still. If any patrols did happen to show up he would find himself in quite an unlucky predicament. His last energy reserves he needed to hunt, not run away with. And patrols were near impossible to battle in such a state- considering he could possibly kill one but never have enough energy to take down the rest- who would probably be a bit more angry at that point.

Estlin, however, did not fret over this possibility. He didn't count out the otters easily won loyalty- most of those goodbeasts were like, quick to befriend and quick to trust. Not that Estlin didn't somewhat enjoy Tiraels company, after all the idea on munching on this particular otter hadn't even come to mind. But loyalty was one thing Estlin had not possessed for quite a few years.

[Tirael]

"Gotta be... 'bout three er... maybe four days."

The healer's heart sank. This was the choice he had assumed he wouldn't have to make because he wasn't a killer: did he let Estlin live or sentence him to likely death, the latter occurring if he stayed where he was. After all, the chances of patrols not coming were rather slim, and they were rather less...well, they were quicker to assume evil than Tirael was. But what would Estlin do with the life he was given? He had ravaged the trees around the little clearing. What if he chose to put that effort into harming somebody else? And who would that be?

The otter bit his lip as he considered the possibilities and their consequences. Possibly, an act of compassion now would help him in the future. After all, Sleet had come to his aid when he needed it; who was to say Estlin might not pull through for him somehow in the future? These thoughts, combined with Tirael's own aversion to unnecessary killing, prompted him to help. "A patrol could be along any minute. If you want to live, we need to get you somewhere safer..." Thinking quickly, he added, "I know a place nearby."

[lorki]

Estlin watched the otter as the creature before him thought. Funny things, these beasts, so blatantly true to their morals as a group... but it seemed that faded now. Maybe this poor otter was too good.

"A patrol could be along any minute. If you want to live, we need to get you somewhere safer..." Thinking quickly, he added, "I know a place nearby."

As far as Estlin was concerned the goodbeasts embraced the same ideas and actions as any evil ones... they simply placed themselves on one side of the spectrum and the rest on another. This ridiculous otter was just that, too good. Estlin did not know about all the workings of this society he found himself watching from the outside, but he did know that this otters attempt -no matter how noble it may be- would certainly be wasted.

Despite that, help was help and Estlin did not want to be slaughtered by a patrol, not now anyhow. He nodded his head slowly and reached back to claw into the stripped tree and haul his body upwards. It took awhile for him to steady and stand, for his head to clear and for his vision to become clear. Then he carefully adjusted the gauntlets on both arms, smoothed down the dangerous claw jewelry around his neck and brushed his paw over the four small black pawprints tattooed across the front of his shoulders, stopping to rest on the last. A deep sigh escaped him before his pale eyes returned to the otter. "Why d'yew wan' t'help me, Otta?"

[Tirael]

Tirael was about to help Estlin up when the cat pulled himself up. He marveled at his strength; even in this state, he was managing it, though the otter stayed close enough that he could help if Estlin faltered. "It's this way," Tirael said, indicating a direction south of the clearing.

"Why d'yew wan' t'help me, Otta?"

At this he paused. Then he turned to Estlin, admitting, "I don't know. If I can help, it's my job too. I'm not in the business of leaving others to die." Inwardly he knew what conclusion Estlin, and most everyone he knew, had come to: he was too good. He couldn't live with the thought that he hadn't given his help to a creature that hadn't hurt him, even if all he was doing was giving it the ability to do so at a later point. Maybe it would catch up to him one day, maybe it wouldn't. He preferred not to think about it unless he had to.

As for the hiding spot, he could already see it. It was a small cave by a creek that ran off the River Moss. He had found it on a previous excursion in the woods when a patrol from the Fort cam his way; ever since, he had remembered the spot just in case. "There. It might be a bit small, but at least you'll be safe," he said, pointing at the hideout.

[Treble Tiderunner]

Fern was a good tracker. Skipper had sent her out nearly an hour ago, to find where his wayward infirmary keeper had gone. Discovering recently that he was actually Skipper's son, the term still felt odd to her. The burly, scarred otter hardly seemed the type for adopting, or having, children.

Coming on a small clearing, she was shocked at what she'd found there. Torn and destroyed shrubbery and earth, blood also decorated the small clearing. The destruction made tracking difficult, but after circling around the edge, she found what she sought. Tirael's tracks. He was alive, then. She put her paw nervously to her sling. And a large creature, probably the size of a badger, though she had never seen paw marks like that before.

Hurrying on, she soon caught up with the duo, and caught her breath at the size and fearsome looks of the wildcat. He was covered in dried blood and various wounds. Fern unwound her sling, too far away to here what Tir was saying to the creature but unwilling to take chances. She swung the sling, a stone skipped across the ground mere feet from Estlin. At least she would have their attention.

"Tirael?" She asked nervously.

[lorki]

"I don't know. If I can help, it's my job too. I'm not in the business of leaving others to die."

The otter cemented what Estlin already thought of him. He smirked and tucked his head downwards, a bright example of his amusement. He stumbled along, his steps uneven and every once in awhile his paw dragged. His eyes carefully watched the path before him in anticipation of particularly difficult terrain.

"There. It might be a bit small, but at least you'll be safe,"

He glanced up, his concentration faltered off where he was walking and in that instance his ears tilted back. Air and cloth and stone and a familiar airy whrr noise.

The cat's claws twitched from his paws, his body turned and dropped low into the foliage. The spark of adrenaline in his chest hid the pain of the weight on his shoulder, it quieted the world around him, pin pointed his senses... Off the ground he bolted towards the rocks direction, the otter with her weapon drawn was suddenly very close, he tilted back on his haunches-

"Tirael?"

He knocked his center of balance away from his legs, planted his claws into the ground and snarled darkly at the otter now only feet in front of him. But at least he hadn't lobbed her head off her shoulders. He pushed himself up to stand, all fangs and claws he raged, adrenaline still clutching him. 'Wha' kinda stupid otta' jus' thinks t'sfling 'round a 'lil rock a'fore talkin'? Y'think tha's smart, eh, otta? Yew and yer stupid worthless 'look a'me I can throw a rock' wha' yew tryin' t'do?!" He slammed one arm into a nearby tree, slashing the bark away with his gauntlet he turned, fuming, away from the newcomer.

[Tirael]

Tirael turned sharply in surprise as the telltale whisper of a slingstone reached his ears. Seeing the pebble skid along the floor, he followed its path and looked up to see its thrower. His heart sank when it turned out to be Fern.

"Tirael?"

Looking nervously between the clearly-angry Estlin and the wide-eyed Fern, the infirmary keeper's mind was racing. How was he supposed to explain this away? There wasn't much chance of it looking any good for him. At the very least, it proved he didn't have the right judgment to be trusted alone. At the worst, he would be viewed as some sort of traitor to the cause. Not that the second option was to be expected; eleven years of loyalty weren't exactly countermanded by a single incident. "Uhh..." was all he could manage as he tried to focus his mind.

'Wha' kinda stupid otta' jus' thinks t'sfling 'round a 'lil rock a'fore talkin'? Y'think tha's smart, eh, otta? Yew and yer stupid worthless 'look a'me I can throw a rock' wha' yew tryin' t'do?!"

Tirael instinctively placed himself between Fern and Estlin, knowing all too well what the wildcat was capable of. Though he wasn't exactly capable of doing much of anything to Estlin, Tirael had no intention of letting him treat Fern like one of those trees from the clearing. "Fern, I'll try to explain later. Stay behind me. Oh, and I'd put the sling away," Tirael murmured over his shoulder, keeping his gaze on Estlin. As an explanation formed in his mind, he tried to figure out how to keep his friend and his patient from each other.

[Treble Tiderunner]

Fern's eyes went huge as the wildcat rushed her, she took a few steps back. The bloodstained creature was one she wouldn't wish to meet in her worst nightmares. She wouldn't wish him on her worst nightmares. He froze his rush and snarled. She trembled before steeling herself and straightening her knees. Scary or not, Tir wasn't dead quite yet, and that had to count for something. Maybe.

"Wha' kinda stupid otta' jus' thinks t'sfling 'round a 'lil rock a'fore talkin'? Y'think tha's smart, eh, otta? Yew and yer stupid worthless 'look a'me I can throw a rock' wha' yew tryin' t'do?!”

Fern's eyes flashed, and she leaned forward; eyes narrowed. Fear was momentarily forgotten. “What do you think, stupid cat? You think you're all that, just because you're all musclebound and can beat up a clearing? You think you are so smart because you have teeth and claws and can eat other creatures? You and your stupid little 'look at me I'm ferocious and if you don't look out I'll beat up a tree?'” She barely paused for breath, taking it in through flared nostrils. “If I had wanted to hit you I would. Have. Killed. You. So get over yourself, you overgrown kitten, and stop with the theatrics!”

"Fern, I'll try to explain later. Stay behind me. Oh, and I'd put the sling away,"

Tirael moved in front of her, and she growled with impatience. She still had a few words to say to that mangy cat! She gripped the thongs of her sling tighter and crossed her arms, staring flatly at Estlin over tir's shoulder.

[lorki]

Estlin's mouth hung open as he heaved heavy breaths towards the trees trunks. He let the otter rage, it was so like them- to speak without action. "Otta..." he breathed unsteadily, closed his eyes and chuckled a broken harsh laugh, "otta, I dun' try make threats t'no un. Bu' lets 'ave yew remember tha' next time I won' be usin' words either." His face and gaze returned to the sliced bark on the tree.

He rolled his neck and withdrew his splintered claws from sight, one paw went slowly up to pad lightly on his shoulder- bright new blood, having been reopened by his movement. He cursed quietly and let the paw fall and placed it against the tree to steady him and turn his body, it left a perfect crimson pawprint. His eyes, returned to their bright color, stared down at both the otters that now stood before him, Tirael obviously protecting the new arrival.

Estlin grinned, he bent down until his face was level with Tirael's and his fangs gleamed dangerously close to the otters face. "Ti'ael," he said calmly, reaching out the same bloodied paw to rest it on the otters shoulder, "I would like yew t'know jus' one thing 'bout meself. I dun normally do favors- wha' I did jus' do... tha' was a favor. Now, 'lil otta', I dun mean t'sound harsh, bu' it won't 'appen eva' again an' I only mean t'tell yew this so yew can keep yer lil' lady friend there," he lifted the heavy paw of Tiraels shoulder and gestured to Fern, "safe."

Estlin straightened himself and smiled down at the two of them, "So I will assume we understan' eachotha?" Without waiting for an answer he clapped his paws together, "good!" He was reminded of what the new comer had said to him (You think you are so smart because you have teeth and claws and can eat other creatures?) and he peered past Tirael to Fern, "so, lil' lady otta', yew seem t'think a great deal of me, judgin' by yer... eloquent speech, yes?"

[Tirael]

Tirael felt helpless as, once again, those people brought together by his actions started fighting. Typical. Looking back and forth between Fern and Estlin, he wondered if maybe he should just become a hermit. Yes...that might be good.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a large, bloody paw on his shoulder. Gross. Fortunately, he was a healer, so blood didn't scare him, but feeling surrounded by Estlin was, well, a little unnerving.

"Ti'ael, I would like yew t'know jus' one thing 'bout meself. I dun normally do favors- wha' I did jus' do... tha' was a favor. Now, 'lil otta', I dun mean t'sound harsh, bu' it won't 'appen eva' again an' I only mean t'tell yew this so yew can keep yer lil' lady friend there safe."

Tirael sighed. Definitely becoming a hermit. Ignoring Estlin's threats, he said, "Oh. Well. There it is, anyways. Try not to eat yourself." After a pause, he said more quietly, "And please, don't waste the life I'm trying to give you." Somehow, he felt that request would be ultimately denied, or at the very least twisted and bent into something else. Going to Fern's side, he said, "Let's go," hoping she wouldn't really ask for much of an explanation.