Wandering Back Home [[OPEN]]

[Tirael]

"Otter!"

Yeah, I'm an otter. do you remember which otter? At least I called you by your own name...

"Well... I was just going to wait until my leg fell off or something to that extent but if you'd like it would be quit nice to get down... leg remaining."

Studying Sleet's expression, Tirael tried to figure out what she was thinking. That smile didn't look quite right...but, he decided he owed her anyway. "I'll see what I can do, but I'd prefer if you'd use my name instead of just 'otter'. I don't call you 'ferret'." Opening his satchel, he rummaged for the knife he used to take clippings of certain plants. It was a small, sharp little implement; not so good for defense, but excellent for cutting ropes.

“Ye two know of each ot’er?”

"It doesn't really matter if you know each other. I know a vermin when I see one even if they're hanging upside down. I also know that most vermin around here are working for N'Tashi."

Eying Eprhiam, Tirael placed himself between the javelin and Sleet, . "Well I know this one isn't. Put that down, unless you're willing to kill me too." After a moment, he shook his head and turned back to the ferret dangling behind him. "I'd put your paws at the ready," he murmured as he tugged her footpaw within his reach and began slicing rope.

[lorki]

Just as quickly as Tirael had two others appeared. She cast a wary glance at Grath, goodness there were two many otters these days... and insane foxes but that was another thought all together. She stopped her mind from wandering as Ephriam began speaking. Her fleeting happiness disappeared as quickly as it had come on.

"It dosn't really matter if you know each other. I know a vermin when I see one even if they're hanging upside down. I also know that most vermin around here are working for N'Tashi."

Sleet's fangs clenched tightly, both in frustration and in an attempt to keep herself from shouting back in anger; she was a stubborn beast but not too stupid to not realize she was in no place to pick fights. She swallowed the insults. "I don't work for anyone," she growled, "consider me an... entrepreneur."

"Well I know this one isn't. Put that down, unless you're willing to kill me too."

Her nerves calmed and the vicious comments that she wanted to let out were easier to ignore once Tirael stepped in. As long as she could get down before anything more serious ensued she would be perfectly fine.

"I'd put your paws at the ready,"

"Thank you," She murmured, as if attempting to not let the others hear. A second passed before she quickly added, "Tirael." It was excellent timing as well, considering mere seconds later she heard a loud snap as the brand recoiled away and her weight dropped.

Sleet tucked her head in and angled her body as she toppled so that she fell on her shoulder and rolled forward in a sort of half somersault. "I hate trees," she hissed, sitting up to remove the rope from around her ankle. The pain was becoming difficult to ignore but there were more important things to deal with... like the two otters standing behind Tirael with their weapons drawn.

She gathered her belongings, shoved most of them roughly into the satchel and left it on the ground. She stood up, putting most weight on her good leg and twirling one of her knives in her paw she turned to armed otters, "did you two want something?" Her black eyes glared coldly at Ephriam.

[terg]

Ephriam was annoyed. He was annoyed that Tirael had jumped to the defense of this vermin and he was annoyed with Sleet's cocky manner.

"did you two want something?"

"Aye I did want somthing. I've never known any vermin to 'ave a scrap 'o good in 'em and most positivly no entrepreneur qualities. The only kind of bussiness vermin do is evil. Now step aside otter or I will run ya through."

Ephriam knew he could never really run Tirael through, but he also knew that this vermin was most likely up to no good. He tapped the side of Tirael's had withthe sharp point of his javelin as a warning to move it.

[Tirael]

"Tirael."

"Thank you," Tirael muttered, stepping back as Sleet fell and rolled onto the ground. He would have helped her pick up her things, but he could still feel the tension in the air. and he remained in his protective position. Nothing needed to happen here, and it was his job to make sure it didn't.

"Aye I did want something. I've never known any vermin to 'ave a scrap 'o good in 'em and most positively no entrepreneur qualities. The only kind of business vermin do is evil. Now step aside otter or I will run ya through."

Tirael flinched as the javelin actually tapped the side of his head. His anger roused, he turned around and whacked it away from himself with the back of his paw. Well, that sorta hurt... he thought, Maybe I shouldn't have used the back of my paw... Lowering and rubbing it discreetly, he fixed Ephriam with a glare and said, "Go ahead. Run me through. Then kill her, and tout your glorious 'victory' around all of Mossflower! Tell everybeast the brave story of how you killed a healer so you could attack a ferret that had done nothing to you!" Breathing heavily, he continued glaring down the length of the javelin at the otter carrying it. "I am not stepping aside."

[Treble Tiderunner]

"It dosn't really matter if you know each other. I know a vermin when I see one even if they're hanging upside down. I also know that most vermin around here are working for N'Tashi."

Grath, who really had no animosity for this “N’Tashi”, and wasn’t too keen on killing beasts merely because they were “vermin.” She flashed Ephriam a look of distaste and unstrung her bow. Besides, how dangerous was a injured creature upside down in a trap?

"Well I know this one isn't. Put that down, unless you're willing to kill me too."

"I don't work for anyone," she growled, "consider me an... entrepreneur."

Slipping her arrow into her quiver, she watched the face-off as she coiled her bowstring and slipped it into a post.

"did you two want something?"

“Not really.” Grath looked over to Ephriam, who was still threatening the ferretess.

"Aye I did want somthing. I've never known any vermin to 'ave a scrap 'o good in 'em and most positivly no entrepreneur qualities. The only kind of bussiness vermin do is evil. Now step aside otter or I will run ya through."

“Oh, this be ridiculous.” She hissed between her teeth, whipping her bowstave over to rap the over-zealous male’s paws. “Quit it, ye be actin' no better than these “badbeasts” ye profess to hate. Or maybe a big bullyin' dibbun.”

[lorki]

"Aye I did want somthing. I've never known any vermin to 'ave a scrap 'o good in 'em and most positivly no entrepreneur qualities. The only kind of bussiness vermin do is evil. Now step aside otter or I will run ya through."

Sleet tilted her head to the side.

"Go ahead. Run me through. Then kill her, and tout your glorious 'victory' around all of Mossflower! Tell everybeast the brave story of how you killed a healer so you could attack a ferret that had done nothing to you!"

She blinked, narrowed her eyes just slightly and let her tail swish lightly to and fro.


“Quit it, ye be actin' no better than these “badbeasts” ye profess to hate. Or maybe a big bullyin' dibbun.”

"Right, right, thats enough." She reached forward and lightly shoved Tirael to the side, once the path between her an Ephriam was clear she gave a clear dangerous grin. Enough had been said to put Sleet at that special point, she was not hurt, not even enraged, no she was deadly.

"Otter," she said, eyes locked on Ephriams, "My name is Sleet and it is really very nice to meet you. You seem to think I lack 'entrepreneur skills,'" She paused, moved her paw from the knife to one of her curved short swords, "so I think I might show you just what it is I'm so damn good at." She drew the weapon and put her other paw on its twin, she smiled faintly and winked, "that is, unless you'd like to take my word for it and put that pretty little sharp stick of yours away before this gets messy."

[terg]

Ephriamm gritted his teeth and tried to ignore Grath. He didn't appreciate her interfearing. She didn't know how dangerous vermin in these parts where. Everyone was better off with out them.

Suddenly it seemed as if all of the creatures in the clearing where frustrated with him. He didn't really care. All he wanted was to get Sleet. He hated vermin and couldn't see why these other two otter didn't also. He was being small minded and stubborn he knew, but he didn't care.

He was half glad when Sleet drew her knives. It gave him a reason to fight. Then Grath's words hit him. He hated bullies and had never seen himself as one. But he was threatening a beast who had done nothing to him that he knew of. A flicker of uncertanty came up in him and he tried not to let it show on his face. As he began to wrestle with the descision before him he unconsiously let his javelin drop slightly.

[Tirael]

Tirael felt dread rise in his gut as Sleet pushed him aside. This was not going to go well; why did he never end up in friendly situations anymore? Frankly, he was getting more than a little annoyed by it.

He watched as the situation grew more and more dire. As Sleet spoke to Ephriam, Tirael gave Grath a nervous look. She tried to reason with them as well; maybe they could work together on this. After a brief glance at the two sort-of combatants, he mouthed to Grath We have to do something. He had no interest in anyone in the clearing being hurt.

[[Short...bleh.]]

[lorki]

The slight downward movement of Ephriam's Javelin was all it took for the trained killer, on the very verge of starting the fight anyhow, to lunge forward. She tipped her weight and moved towards the otter with her good leg, as she leaned forwards she drew her second short sword.

The key was to get past the javelin, her weapons were for close combat, nothing she had really compared with a javelin. As she sprang the sword nearest Ephriam's weapon stuck out, being meant to knock the javelin aside while the otter was still a bit off guard. Her other short sword raised up in front of her and slashed diagonally downwards at the otter.

Years had proven to Sleet that some beast could not possibly understand she might have a shred of good in her. Some beast saw her only as evil, and if they asked it of her she would be just that- evil. She would give the world what it expected. Today she was done, her patience was gone, her compassion was gone, even her reasoning was gone. All she really wanted was a piece of that otter and some time alone.

[terg]

OOC: Oh yeah!

Ephriam stumbled backrom the incoming blow he sucked in his gut and tillted back his head just in time to save his life. the sword whistled down and left a furrow through his belly fur and a small scratch, but nothing else. Unfortunatly Sleets other sword succeded in knocking the javelin he had loosened his grip on, from his paws. It skitterd across the ground and came to rest in a small pile of leaves, slightly hidden.

Anger shot up in Ephriam. He was exteremly angry with himself for allowing his gaurd to fall and providing the instant needed for Sleet to attack. Anger galvanized him into action. He quickly drew his dirk and held it ready. He knew his dirk was shorter than her swords and he only had two. He began to back slowly toward his javelin, with his blade still pointed at Sleet.

[Grath]

The face-off swiftly devolved, with Ephriam and Sleet going at it hammer and tongs. Grath growled, her eyes darting from otter to ferret and back again. She looked to Tirael, with an expression as to say “help me stop them”. She fingered her bow, watching for her opportunity to come. Finally the combatants came close, and she moved swiftly to hit their heads with a whack! of her bowstave.
Once she had their attention, she narrowed her eyes in an expression that promised danger. “That be enough! Shame be on ye both, actin’ like a pair o’ dibbuns wot don’t get their way!”

[Tirael]

Tirael took a step back in alarm as Sleet and Ephriam had at each other. His ears swiveled back as he watched unhappily and looked for an opportunity to stop them. Glancing at Grath, he saw she had the same intention, though she looked a bit more angry than just unhappy. When she thwacked the two on the head, he took the opportunity to wrap his arms around Sleet and try to hold her back.

“That be enough! Shame be on ye both, actin’ like a pair o’ dibbuns wot don’t get their way!”

However true Grath was, Tirael knew that Sleet would probably try to make some comeback or other, so he said through clenched teeth, "And don't either of you even think of blaming this on each other." After a moment to let that sink in, he said, "Now can I let go, or are you two just going to go at it again?" He'd rather be stuck hugging Sleet than letting that happen.

[lorki]

Sleet's first intention was to dive after Ephriam and keep lashing out at him- if she gave him a chance to pick up his javelin she'd lose her advantage. She snarled and sprang after him, much in the same style, one sort slicing at the arm that held his weapon, the other swinging back towards his body.

However, halfway through the strike something moved at the corner of her vision and she had to swiftly abandon her move to tip sideways away from the blow from Grath. The bowstaff glanced her shoulder, but effectively put her off course and destroyed her onslaught.

And just as she was about to move away from Grath, ignore her words and continue on her way about killing Ephriam.... something hugged her.

One of Tiraels arms trapped her arm to her side, the other wrapped around her abdomen. "Raaawwwrg!" Her ears pinned back, eyes blazing and mouth snarling bright while fangs she hesitated only for a moment.

"Now can I let go, or are you two just going to go at it again?"

"Augh!" She threw her trapped out arm and elbowed her free one back in attempt to rip away from Tirael, "What are you doing?" Nothing stopped Sleet, stubborn and angry as she was.

Her chest burned, she had hardly any desire in the world, she hardly wanted anything, she hardly felt satisfied with anything... But she wanted to fight. She wanted to slice up the otter, get sliced up herself or even limp away in shame as long as she got to fight.

She threw herself towards Ephriam again, Tirael or no Tirael, she'd finish this is she had to carry two otters on her back. Sleet was a terribly determined beast.

[Tirael]

"Raaawwwrg!"

Tirael was stunned as something hard hit him right above the left eye. By reflex, his entire being tensed up, resulting in his gripping Sleet harder, along with his eyes squeezing closed. Though he was now too dazed to really notice, there was an odd, warm, trickling sensation where he'd been hit. The bleeding wasn't that bad, just enough to show up clearly on the outside of his fur. Operating purely on instinct, the otter held on tightly, only dimly aware of what he was doing.

[[Sorry, sorry, it's out of order. Just wanted to clarify what happened, since it's so quick and there's no dialogue. Don't hurt me.]]

[terg]

Ephriam was stunned from the blow he had taken from Grath's bow. He didn't care if the other two otters thought they where acting like Dibbuns, he wanted to fight. As soon as the cry ripped from Sleet he knew it wasn't over he dived, throwing aside all caution for the moment and grabbed his javelin. He sprung up ac quickly as he could but was slightly unbalanced as Sleet came hurtling at him. He shoved his javelin out held crossways across his body t try and deflect a blow that he knew would come.

Fortunatly Sleet was slowed slightly by Tirael who clung like a leach to her fur. Ephriam's vision cleared and he set his paws firmly in the loam covered ground. He lowered his shoulder slightly ready to ram into Sleet. His javelin tip was kept down, he wasn't ready to end this fight yet.