Chagrin

[tacticalotter2]

"I've been better. And apparently, so have you--what did you do to your paw?"


Rogg bent down slightly, and smiled slightly.
"I had a run-in with a flying knife while running away from somebeast that wanted to rip my face from my bones and wear it as a mask because he wanted my amazing looks."
The young otter laughed slightly, and leaned back, this creature actually seemed quite nice, what a change. He looked up at the ceiling and braced himself for the painful rip of new skin as the bandage was removed. He tensed up and waited. He keep waiting. Rogg suddenly looked down a small frown on his face.
"When are you gonna start working on my pa-"
His mouth dropped open as he saw that Tirael was actually wrapping his foot. Then he whooped, there was no pain!!! His paw must be nearly completely healed! What a great feeling it was that he might actually be able to kill something soon! He felt like jumping up and grabbing his blade, but he restrained himself and let Tirael finish the wrapping.


"We're evacuating, Lorna's got her horde on the move. Whether or not that's 'fun' is up to you, I guess,"


Rogg snorted slightly, and smirked.
"Running through the forest with a horde of vermin shooting arrows at you isn't fun. What Is fun is digging pits, sticking sharpened sticks in the bottom of them and waiting for fools to come along and get impaled on them. What fun is setting fire to the enemy camp in the night. What is fun is snapping the necks of sleeping sentries. Now that's fun."
He grinned wolfishly.


The otter then gingerly stepped onto his bandaged paw, no pain... interesting... But wonderful!! He strode toward the entrance of the tent, stood silhouetted in the doorway for a moment. He bowed formally and exited with a flourish.
"I'll be back..."

[Skipper of Sea Otters]

Skipper returned the firm grip, searching the SoSO's eyes briefly before speaking. "Ye are not of Mossflower, matey, this is not... your fight. But I do ask ye... if ye will lead them to victory... or freedom." The freedom of death. The warriors would die for their loved ones, to allow them a chance to escape. One final bid before winter got really fierce.

The Skipper nodded. He had been 'brought' here by an unknown(to him) being. A warrior mouse that said he would be needed. He, In his mind, had no other choice but to lead them. It had been the ways of many Skippers before him, to offer assistance to the woodlanders when he was need. Up until this point nothing had made itself known. Up until now he had not been needed. "Aye..." he nodded, squeezing the other otter's paw. "It'll be Victory or...death..." he released the otter's paw and and gave him a pat on the shoulder with a nod.


Tam stood clear of her uncle as he stood to face the other Skipper. He eyes came to rest on the otter's strange new markings. (Not much else to see, standing as close as he was... he was big)

"What are those for, sir?" She asked.


The Skipper looked slightly down at the other. She looked like a good fighter but was curious that she didn't notice where each mark was. "Their deadly striking points." he pointed to a line across his neck. "Cut me here, I die..." he pointed to the lines on on his tunic at the inner thighs. "Same outcome if they strike me here...or here...or here." he pointed to the X on his heart and the line on the side of his neck just under the jaw. "I'm showing the enemy...maybe they'll give me a challenge..."

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Aye..." he nodded, squeezing the other otter's paw. "It'll be Victory or...death..."

Skipper was feeling wobbly in the knees, but he set his face and stood strong. He let his paw fall as he nodded to Skipper. "I know ye will lead them well, matey."

"Hurr, Skipper zurrs." A small mole tugged his snout politely to the bigger beasts. Behind him stood two burly moles, all three were so alike it was clear they were related. "Hurr, m'ould unc sez guid day t'ye, zurrs. We'um here t'help the Skipper, ho hurr!"

Skipper allowed the bigger moles to support him, nodding politely to the eldest, the mute carpenter Hurrth. Hurrth tugged his snout, then made a few short gestures to his nephews. "Ho hurr, 'scuze Oi, zurr, miz." The small mole made a comical little bow and hurried after his brother and uncle.

---

Tampa was left alone with the Skipper(oSO). She looked up at him as he spoke.

"Their deadly striking points." he pointed to a line across his neck. "Cut me here, I die..." he pointed to the lines on on his tunic at the inner thighs. "Same outcome if they strike me here...or here...or here." he pointed to the X on his heart and the line on the side of his neck just under the jaw. "I'm showing the enemy...maybe they'll give me a challenge..."

The explanation made sense. She drew her knife as she considered this, making her way out of the tent after the others. "Lets hope Lorna doesn't challenge ye, then!" She grinned ferally, testing the edge of the blade. "I hope to finish that one myself!"

[Grath]

"'Scuse me, sah." She said in her best mocking voice. "Forgot to tend to the jolly troops, wot!"

Aidan continued, not looking at Elicia, ignoring her tone of voice.

"Not meaning t'be out o' line...-" She did, actually, mean to be out of line, and Aidan probably knew it. "-Wot were ye thinking, sirrah? The Lady Silverclaw'll have my hide! She's sharper than the edge of my bally blade, Cap'n, an' she only gets sharper closer t'the battle!"

Aidan halted, they were behind a darkened tent and out of sight. "Lissen, missy, I realize yore testy about yore bloody position an' all, but its not you doin' yore job that t'lady will get on ye about, its yore bloody attitude!" He tapped her in the chest with one stiff finger. "Ye needn't get so cross whenever somebeast speaks to ye or about ye, wot! We're not enemies, we're not out to tear ye down to raise ourselves up! Get over yoreself, Elicia, because t'reason no one likes you is because you're so snippy an' likely t'jump on anyone for any bloody reason wotsoever!"

"An' she won't be havin' yore hide for ye doin' yore job!"

---

"My friend," She said quietly, seeing the battle lust in Carwyn's eyes. "Not yet." The small badger inspected her fearsome silver claws, showing them to Carwyn. "They've not broken on me yet."

Wyn looked down at the smaller badger. "Nay," she agreed softly, "Not yet. But soon. I will get that fox this time, she will not escape me."

"But I have backup." Ryn looked meaningfully at Carwyn, lowering her voice slightly. "All beasts of the Bloodwrath do."

"Do not worry," Carwyn's heavy paw rested briefly on Ryn's shoulder. "I am not rushing off... yet. And your Patrol... they are perilous beasts. They will be fine." As fine as any beast could be in battle.

[Elicia]

Ryn stared down at the ground looking worried. "What if they're not?" Ryn was very quiet. Just before a battle was the only time that Ryn ever truly doubted herself, and that was in full effect now. "What if they're not? What do I do then? Return to Salamandastron in shame: a Badger Lady who let all of her hares die? Or better yet," She laughed bitterly. "There won't be a Badger Lady to return to Salamandastron. No beast knows what a war will bring, least of all I. All we can do is hope that, if we do fail, we will take down as many of the vermin as we can. Of course, best-case-scenario, we get out of this fight with little injury."

Elicia glared daggers at Aidan, but her voice was very soft. "The only reason I'm so bloody sharp is because there's a bloomin' battle comin' up, an' I've barely been in enough skirmishes t'deserve this position! It's not that ye or any other beast is out t'get my blinkin' job, it's that I've not fought a battle like this. Not one that counts this much, sah." Eli looked down at the ground, and stomped her footpaw down hard. "Try t'see things my way, sah! Try t'imagine how I feel! Ye've fought in th'Searat Wars. Yore my senior. Ye've had much more experience than I have." Eli bit her lip and was silent for a moment as she ran a paw down the hilt of the dirk Aidan had given her the day before. Her eyes were stormy, clouded with fear, indecision, hopefulness, and apprehension.

"Try, sah, if'n ye can, t'think of yore first real, important fight." Eli's voice was cold. "How did ye feel, knowing that ye were going out t'fight, and, if'n ye failed..." The officer couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Instead, she drew the dagger from where it had been tucked into her belt, inspecting it closely. "This is it. This is the fight-all or nothing." The words were growled out from between her teeth, and, as if repulsed by its presence, she flung the dirk down into the dust. "Victory or death." With that, she spun on one foot and stormed off towards the rest of the Long Patrol.

[Grath]

“Hush.” Carwyn said, turning back towards her counterpart. “Look at them, Lady Farryn.” She motioned out, beyond the edge of the tents. “They are perilous beasts, to be sure. Do you think they would turn away from this if you were not leading them? Do you think you could stop them?"

"My friend, there is nothing better than knowing there are beasts behind you that trust in you. They know the possibilities, but they trust you to lead them well and their skills to protect them well. You can only do your best, and thats enough."

Carwyn bowed her great head a moment. "I too hate to lose a friend. I hate to when I lead them and I'd hate to lose one because I left them. But I know who I left them with could possibly be better than I." They deserved that. "Come, speak to your hares, ask them."

---

"The only reason I'm so bloody sharp is because there's a bloomin' battle comin' up, an' I've barely been in enough skirmishes t'deserve this position! It's not that ye or any other beast is out t'get my blinkin' job, it's that I've not fought a battle like this. Not one that counts this much, sah."

Aidan straightened with a jerk, his ears going stiff as he listened to the Lieutenant Colonel. He felt a wash of shame come over him, now it was him acting abominably. He was the senior here, he should have held his tongue and his temper…

"Try t'see things my way, sah! Try t'imagine how I feel! Ye've fought in th'Searat Wars. Yore my senior. Ye've had much more experience than I have."

"Try, sah, if'n ye can, t'think of yore first real, important fight." Eli's voice was cold. "How did ye feel, knowing that ye were going out t'fight, and, if'n ye failed..." […] “Victory or death."

Aidan stood frozen for a moment, his craggy face unreadable. After a moment he rapped the hilt of his saber decisively and followed after the younger officer. A few quick steps and he had caught up with her, just before they met up with the main body of hares.

“Look, mis- Lieutenant Col.” He paused, searching desperately for the right words. “I was out of line, an’ I’m sorry. I’m just not used to dealin’ wi’… well with insecurities an’ the like. I’m not th’ best choice sometimes, Lord Axe allus did say I was too brusque t’unleash on the recruits and younger ‘ares.” He fiddled absently with his arm bracers as he thought of what else to say.

“Ye’re very good, Elicia.” A hint of a smile crossed his cragged face. “Just do loosen up, aye? Don’t be like me, a hopeless old curmudgeon t’badgerlady sends off to keep from disruptin’ order on ‘er mountain, alright, wot?”

[Elicia]

Eli's lips were parted in shock as Aidan came up to her; she stopped to hear what he had to say to her. The tension in her jaw line relaxed slowly as Aidan started talking-was he babbling? Certainly he was uncomfortable and didn't know what to say, and for a moment Eli didn't know what to say either. She swallowed, and then ventured, "Mayhaps he was right, sah. But then, all of us officers would be missing a very good brigadier. Sah!" Elicia saluted him.

"Look, sah. Yore the brigadier fer a reason, an' I'm..." Eli bit her lip. "I'm not brigadier fer a reason, too. So don't apologize t'me." She fiddled with her saber hilt nervously, and then looked up at him. "Sah, really. Now yore th'one tha's worryin'." A smile twitched at the corners of her mouth, and she ducked her head.

"Lady Silverclaw wouldn't have sent ye off just to-Sah, she needs ye here, an' the bloody Patrol needs ye here, an'...an'..." At a loss for words, Elicia stamped her footpaw on the ground in annoyance. "Confound it, sah! I need ye here as well! Who else is going t'put up with me?" Shaking her head, Eli pushed past Aidan towards the rest of the patrol, muttering under her breath, "I'm lucky if I end up like ye at all. One can only hope-"
___________________________________
Ryn shook her head. "There is no need, my friend. I know my hares; they would gladly give their lives to see this battle through. They are invested in this war heart and soul. Not one of them would even consider turning back now. Mayhaps-No, I know- some are scared, but none would turn away." The Badger Lady watched her hares with concern.

"For many of them, this is their first taste of war and of bloodshed. Even some of my younger officer did not, until we came here, know the horrors of real war. They've proved their mettle to me, and I trust them. The one I don't trust, Carwyn, is myself."