A Plan Unfolds [Soko/Open]

[Treble Tiderunner]

“What?” Fern said in mock indignation as Tir ducked his head in an attempt to hold back a laugh. “I have a right to refuse!” She continued, sticking her nose in the air and continuing a few steps down the tunnel with a straight face before a smile and laughter overtook her and she bent double laughing.

"Believe me, I wouldn't put you through that. I'm not that cruel, you know."

Fern brought her laughter under control as Tirael drew up beside and faced her. Merriment still in her eyes, she considered the unlikely hero who had saved her from death or worse, and moreover became a friend to be relied on. He flashed her a smile and dropped his pace for a moment so they came side by side. Fern felt her heart skip before settling into its normal rhythm again. They were just friends, and likely to remain so, despite Arula's hints and comments.

"Anyways, this is more important. We have to retrieve a sword, and apparently Skipp knows where it is. It's our job to help Soko and Tam along." They then entered the main cavern, which was empty except for the search party. "We're back."

“A sword?” Fern asked as they encountered the group: Skipper, River, Brooke and Soko.

[Brooke]

River, being the more strategic of the two asked echoing Fern, "Yes, why exactly are we needed here other than to just look good?" He asked flexing his muscles and wiggling his eyebrows. His sister whacked his arm, he hadn't noticed her stand up. "Hello Soko." She said pleasantly, she felt bad about the last time they had been together and really wanted to make it up to her.

[lorki]

Soko forced a smile for Brooke, "Hello," She greeted, though her eyes wandered over Skip and the ever growing group. She wasn't that bad at swimming... oh well. However it was appearing to be difficult to organize them, she tilted back on her heels and waited for a sign to go on. She was anxious, though she tried not to make it obvious- anxious that it wasn't the right choice, anxious that the wouldn't like the outcome, anxious that this plan wouldn't work out. But over all her worries she made a solid attempt to put on a facade of quiet confidence... She had suceeded at the quiet part at least.

[Tirael]

“A sword?”

Tirael nodded, and was about to explain when he noticed Soko's nervous posture. Turning back to Fern, he said, "We'll explain along the way." Looking at Skipp, he said, "I get the feeling this'll take a little while. Should we get going, then?" As Tirael knew it, if they waited any longer, something else would be bound to come up, and then they'd never leave.

And this was something he definitely didn't want to wait for.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Yes, why exactly are we needed here other than to just look good?"

Skipper cuffed River on the back on the head affectionately. “Quiet, you. Alright everyone listen up!” He clapped his paws, and was pleased to see everybeast they’d gathered look up. “Fern, River an’ Brooke, we need you able-bodied beasts to assist Tir, Tam and Soko.” He looked at Soko. “I know ye said ye were an ok swimmer, but swimming in a pond gives ye no prep’ration for swimming in an underground river. Which one of ye’s the fastest?” He asked, waiting until a hand was raised. “Good. You’ll help Soko. We’ll be goin’ thru a tunnel, so get her through fast and into clear air, ok?”

Skipper motioned them to follow him, and set off down the main corridor until he came to a narrow, one beast passage. “Come ‘long folks.” He said. It was a twisty passage, but eventually, true to his word, they came out in on a half-circle ledge, about ten feet in diameter and five in radius. Flowing past was an underground branch of the Moss. Skipp pointed. “We’re goin’ upstream about thirty yards, then we’ll take a short rest before the tunnel. Ten more yards to a chamber like this one. Ready?”

[lorki]

Soko listened quietly as Skipper spoke, she tried to gauge the reactions of those around her to figure out what she thought of the situation. Personally she was willing to try and breeze through it was quickly as possible- the sooner this bit of her ordeal was over the sooner she could go about... well whatever it was she was trying to accomplish. That part still remained unclear.

She trailed like a shadow after the otter, when he finally stopped and she looked at the river going by it seemed faster than she'd imagined- but manageable all the same. She nodded slowly, "more ready than you know."

[Tirael]

Finally, the expedition was underway. Staying at the ready to catch Tam if she stumbled, he walked close behind her as they all followed Skipp along the main corridor. Wondering how far away they were going, he was surprised when they began to enter a tunnel inside the camp. Somehow, he hadn't expected it to be that easy. Realizing that there was probably something else difficult ahead, he followed Tam into the tunnel.

A few minutes later, and glad to be out of the tiny passageway, Tirael kept an eye on his sister while he made a quick examination of the underground river. Not too bad...although the currents could get dangerous closer to the sides. He supposed he'd have to stick near the middle, along with Tam, who wouldn't be as equipped to handle the turbulence with only one-and-a-half legs. Acknowledging that there were better ways to get reacquainted with someone, he steeled himself and turned to his sister. "Are you sure you're ready for this? I don't want to have to patch you up even more."

[Brooke]

River waltzed over to Soko's side. He smiled jovially and winked at her before jumping in with a big splash. He waved at everyone, "Come on in, the water's fine!" He dunked under and surfaced quickly. "No one try to touch the bottom, it's deep." He warned. He grabbed the ledge to steady himself as he waited for everyone else to get in.

---

Brooke stood just slightly behind Tam and Tir. "Alright, which of you two are stuck with me?" She asked smiling sweetly at them. She stopped at the ledge and just rolled her eyes at her dramatic brother.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"more ready than you know."

Skipp looked Soko over, trying the read the emotions on her face. He wondered what the sable truly thought of being thrust into this position of championship and leadership. He looked around the group, noting their readiness. He dove into the river, surfacing near the middle. He waited as first River then the rest jumped in.

"Are you sure you're ready for this? I don't want to have to patch you up even more."

Tam stretched her arms above her head, shooting Tir a smirk. “If I remember correctly, I always was the better swimmer.” Brooke came up behind them, followed closely be Fern. Tam sent the ottermaid a wink and turned to Brooke.

“Come on, Brooke. Lets leave Tirael with Fern.” She jumped into the river, not bothering with finesse. She grimaced as her leg hit the water, but covered it with a teasing grin. “Come on in you two.”

Fern smiled back at Tampa and turned to Tirael. “We’d better join them.” She said softly, motioning at the group in the river.

[lorki]

Soko cast a distrustful glance at the water... but with such a posse of otters what could possibly go wrong. She stepped slowly into the water... that was until River jumped in ahead of her and soaked her with the splash. She laughed lightly and tossed herself in after him, no use getting use to it if she was already drenched. She tred water well enough... but truth be told she was mostly copying the otters moves.

"Of course the hallucination mouse would hide a sword in an underground river. Doesn't that make perfect sense to everybody," She grumbled, mostly to herself rather than to anybody else. So she wasn't the biggest fan of water...

[Tirael]

“If I remember correctly, I always was the better swimmer.”

"Hmph. When both your legs were intact, maybe."

“Come on, Brooke. Let's leave Tirael with Fern.”

Tirael raised his eyebrows in surprise as Tam and Brooke jumped into the water. Wait, wasn't I supposed to be the one helping Tam?... he thought as Fern came up.

“We’d better join them.”

Nodding, he jumped in after her, relishing the little thrill that ran through him from the cold water. After a moment, he surfaced and turned to Skipp. "All present and accounted for, Skipp."

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Of course the hallucination mouse would hide a sword in an underground river. Doesn't that make perfect sense to everybody,"

“My uncle and the Skipper hid it when we moved here.” Skipper told Sokano, over hearing her muttering. He treaded water as he waited for everybeast to enter the river. “Come on then, young’uns. Keep with your buddies.”

---

"Hmph. When both your legs were intact, maybe."

“My leg is fine. She said, exasperatedly, rolling her eyes playfully at her brother.

"All present and accounted for, Skipp."

The burly skipper led the way upstream with strong, steady strokes. As the rest of the group followed, it took them only a short while before they reached where the tunnel narrowed suddenly into a tunnel. Skipper looked back, holding onto a protruding rock as he looked over the otters and sable. “Ready?” He asked, waiting for confirmation before continuing. “Remember Rocky, through fast. She won’t be able to hold her breath as long.” He gave the crew a casual salute and dove into the faster waters.

[lorki]

Soko followed the crew slowly, when Skipper stopped at the narrow bit of the river she scowled in attempt to see him through the dim light. It must get dark through there... Before she could so much as wish him luck he disappeared beneath the waters surface. She waited a moment, gathering her courage and she she too ducked into the current.

She'd hardly ever been fully emerged, and truth be told it was sort of nice in a terrifying way. She struck her arms out, swimming as quick as she could with the current, her eyes opened wide but she couldn't see hardly anythign under the water. She kicked hard with her back legs, propelling herself as best she could. Being unable to breath was a shock all of its own, not that it particularly bothered her it was just so.... alien.

She moved upwards as the current seemed to, they must be out of the restricting tunnel... just as she through it her head ran painfully into rock. Apparently not.. she kicked off the rock back into the current, her chest compressed painfully and her heart beat faster. After a few more strokes she went up again, this time she broke the surface, gasping and floundering she whirled around in search of the others.

[Tirael]

"My leg is fine."

Tirael rolled his eyes, though not playfully like his sister. He just hoped she was right, though he did wish she would take him seriously.

"Ready?"

Taking a deep breath, Tirael submerged and entered the dark, murky world that was the underground river. It was unsettlingly quiet and dark, and he could barely see the others. Tam may have been right about being the better swimmer, but he too had at least the basic instincts that came with being an otter. Swimming forward, he used what little eyesight he had to keep from bumping anyone else.

On the other side, he surfaced into the noise of the second chamber and sucked in air. It was much dimmer than the first cavern; he had to wait a moment for his eyes to adjust. Looking around, he waited for the instruction to keep swimming.

[Brooke]

Brooke jumped in and kept an eye on everyone from behind. Once everyone was under, she went through, bobbing around to make sure that everyone was up. She surface and most people were spread out. She called out softly, "Everyone try to come group over here, I can't do a head count if I can't see you." She could make out most shapes, but she couldn't see the one that mattered most. "Where's River?"

-------------------------------

River forgot just how rocky and rough it could get down here and was bashed around. He was near the top when he was swept sideways and into a rock a few bubbles escaped his mouth as the world got darker, he couldn't figure out which way was up so he just lay limply as the darkness took over and he was no longer aware of what was happening.