Ventures in the woods (Open)

[Jakey]

Jakey wandered through the woods, enjoying the nice day. The times had recently been fairly quiet, with nothing to disturb the tentative peace that seemed to have settled over Mossflower. As Jakey wandered, he kept an ear open for foreign sounds purely out of habit; he didn't expect to hear anything out of the ordinary today. It was simply too peaceful for such things like fears of death or dismemberment in some vermin camp.

No, right now those things were distant, bygone memories of darker days. Jakey knelt down by a berry bush, and looked at the berries. He sighed in disappointment, as they were green and newly budded. No berries today... Thought Jakey disparagingly. He continued on, and one hand unconsciously strayed to fiddle with the handle of his little dagger. He'd filched the pretty thing from the carcass of some dead vermin he'd found while walking amongst the woods one day. The handle was plain wood, and the blade untarnished steel, but it remained nice and sharp. Straightening himself, he walked away from the berry bush, and his stomach growled ruefully.

He sighed, and looked around. Maybe he would find some tasty morsels before the day's end. That would certainly be a good thing, as he hadn't had a decent meal in a couple days. He sighed, and continued on, trying to ignore the hunger pangs that slowly intruded upon the sense of peace that had settled over the woods.

[Treble Tiderunner]

After the harsh and challenging winter, spring had pounced on the woodlands with a vengeance. Just as winter had arrived early after the massive flooding last fall, spring was likewise coming early, the last week since the Battle had exploded in warmth. Leaves were budding and grass was already thriving on the blood-soaked ground.

Tam rubbed her thigh ruefully and stood, limping heavily on the stiff leg before the muscles warmed up and moved more smoothly. The limp was less noticeable now as she swung along through the woods. She carried her uncle’s tall javelin and had a length of light, strong line looped around her waist. She had hooks in barkcloth in her pouch, the excuse for her escape from Redwall—how odd to call it that. She still wasn’t quite comfortable there, old memories and scars kept the fort fresh in her mind.

And though it had only been a week she wondered if she’d ever be easy there. She carried the javelin lightly horizontal in her left paw as she walked down the sloping bank towards the river. Tracks ran in the soft mud ahead of her. She reached the river, a small still pool out of the main current. The tracks went downstream, she stayed where she was and started unwinding her line and tying a hook on.

“Are ye a good fisher, otter?” She didn’t know if he was in earshot still, but she rather thought so. The beast who’d left the tracks wasn’t in too great of a hurry, and they were fresh.

[Jakey]

Jakey had reached a nice little river, and settled down. He waited by the river's edge, enjoying the quiet silence that had settled over the river. He listened to the trickling of the water as it flowed to the ocean, and enjoyed the cool breeze that wafted through on occasion. He pulled his dagger from the sling he wore as a belt, and idly scratched little drawings in the muddy ground, not paying any attention to his surroundings. After a few minutes, he heard noises, and someone hailed him.

"Are ye a good fisher, otter?"

He was up in an instant, and whipped around, his eyes roving, searching for the speaker. After a second, he pinpointed the source of the sound, another otter a little farther up the river. He held out his dagger defensively, and took a step back. "A good fisher?" He said. "Why d'ye want t'know?" He was wary and suspicious, since he hadn't met many friendly creatures in the woods. In fact, it seemed that lately most creatures had been vermin. He narrowed his eyes, waiting for the other otter to make her presence clear. The only thing going through his mind then was whether she was friend or foe. He tensed in case she was the latter, his mind racing.

She certainly didn't look like she meant him harm. If she had, she probably would've attacked when he wasn't paying attention. Reaching that conclusion, he relaxed his defensive posture slightly, lowering his dagger. Curiosity overruled caution, and he took a step forewords, ending up about where he had been before. "So..." He called. "Where'd ye pop out from?" He waited for a response, head cocked curiously. She had sprang out seemingly from nowhere, and he was curious as to where she'd come from. Who knew? Maybe by the end of the day he would have a new friend.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"A good fisher?" He said. "Why d'ye want t'know?"

Tam raised her eyebrow, amusement on her face as she tugged the line she’d cast into the pool in illustration. “Why d’ye think?” With that she turned her attention to her line, which had responded to her tug with vigorous pulls. Soon she had landed a young trout, which she killed with a swift blow from one of her slingstones.

"So..." He called. "Where'd ye pop out from?"

Tampa tilted the younger otter an amused look. “I walked, young’un. Iffen ye paid attention to yore surrounding’s, you’d have seen me coming.”

She tossed her baited hook back in. “Are ye a good fisher or no?”

[Jakey]

Jakey watched the other otter carefully. She seemed friendly enough, so he flipped the dagger around in his paw, and thrust it back into his belt. He took a few steps forewords, still a little cautious. He grinned tentatively at the otter, and watched as her expression shifted to amusement.

"Why d’ye think?” She said, and Jakey, watching her haul in the trout, did not answer. He merely watched as she killed it, and shot him another amused look.

“I walked, young’un. Iffen ye paid attention to yore surrounding’s, you’d have seen me coming.”

She tossed her baited hook back in. “Are ye a good fisher or no?”

Jakey sighed at the answer she presented to his last question. "Ye walked." He said. "I'd figured that out meself. Do ye have a home or somethin?" Then, without waiting for an answer, he proceeded to answer her second question. "Aye, I'm a good enough fisher. Never got much practice with hooks and such, though. I prefer to swim after them fish." He winked roguishly at her, and nodded towards the river. "Would ye like me t'show ya?"

[Treble Tiderunner]

“Also,” she continued as he replaced his dagger. “If ye had been anybeast else… I would have slit yore throat wi’ that.” She pulled in another fish.

"Ye walked." He said. "I'd figured that out meself. Do ye have a home or somethin?" Then, without waiting for an answer, he proceeded to answer her second question. "Aye, I'm a good enough fisher. Never got much practice with hooks and such, though. I prefer to swim after them fish." He winked roguishly at her, and nodded towards the river. "Would ye like me t'show ya?"

Tam waited patiently as the younger otter talked, walking softly down the riverbank towards him before recasting her line. She considered his questions, ignoring the wink.

“I am Tampa Tiderunner from Camp Moss, and no, ye need not show me, I know how to catch fish, but I cannot swim right now.” After a moment of silence, she looked up from her rodless string.

“Wots yore name, young’un?”

[Jakey]

Jakey winced when the other otter mentioned slitting throats. It wasn't that he was squeamish, it was just that he preferred his throat intact, with all the vital organs and blood still inside him. When she declined his offer to demonstrate his fishing prowess, he nodded, and listened carefully as she told him her name.

“I am Tampa Tiderunner from Camp Moss, and no, ye need not show me, I know how to catch fish, but I cannot swim right now.”

Jakey's expression shifted to one of curiosity when she told him her name and where she was from. The main thing that captured his attention was the fact that she hadn't said she was from the forest, or someplace across the sea, but that she was from Camp Moss. Jakey wasn't sure exactly what or where that was, but it might be worth finding out. The second thing was the fact that apparently, she couldn't swim. He decided to leave that part alone, and focused his attention back to the subject of Camp Moss. Tampa had walked towards him earlier, and he stood still, thinking.

"So..." He said tentatively. "Where exactly is this 'Camp Moss' yore from?" Just as he finished with his next question, she asked him a question of her own.

“Wots yore name, young’un?”

Jakey's expression morphed back into a grin, and he prepared his response. "Th' name's Jakey." He said. "I rove these forests. Been 'ere since I can remember." He cut himself off, waiting politely for her to respond to her last question. He enjoyed talking to others, as he did not have the chance often. Living in the middle of the forest did not exactly give him the opportunity to talk very often.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"So..." He said tentatively. "Where exactly is this 'Camp Moss' yore from?"

Tam looked up at the sun, then down the river. “Its about a day--no, two day’s, march from the For--” She caught herself, “Redwall Abbey. South. That way.” She yanked another fish from the pool, it seemed last night’s rain had made them hungry, and pointed towards where the small river this pool was on connected with the Moss.

Jakey's expression morphed back into a grin, and he prepared his response. "Th' name's Jakey." He said. "I rove these forests. Been 'ere since I can remember."

Tam nodded again, not feeling as talkative as usual in the aftermath of so much grief and death.

[[lame, sorry]]

[Jakey]

Jakey watched Tampa. She seemed withdrawn and not particularly talkative, and after she replied to his question about Camp Moss, he sat down on the riverbank, and what he thought was an amiable silence soon fell upon the two otters. After Jakey watched Tampa haul in another fish, he began to zone out, calmed by the rustling of the leaves and soft sounds of the riverbank.

The only disturbance in the beautiful day was the sounds of the fish being hauled out and killed. Jakey did his best to ignore those sounds, and soon he'd blocked pretty much all ambient noises out. He rarely relaxed completely, often fearing a surprise attack when his guard was down, but he was putting his trust in this strange otter, hoping that she might alert him if anything were to suddenly happen. A small smile spread over his face as he enjoyed the peaceful silence. It was then the full impact of her previous reply completely registered, and several things clicked into place all at once. He sat bolt upright, and stared directly at Tampa.

"Did ye say Redwall Abbey? Does that mean it's a real place?" He looked at her, dazed. It seemed that all his previous dreams were coming true. If Redwall was real, it was quite possible that this strange otter might be able to take him there, to the place who's gates were always open, waiting to take in travelers...

[[Maybe we just need to add some excitement... Like an attack or something small. Those are always fun. ]]

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Did ye say Redwall Abbey? Does that mean it's a real place?"

“Yup.” Tam replied, gathering up the net of fish. She coiled the line and replaced it and hook in her belt pouch. “I’m going back there, if ye wish t’come.” Birds were chirping in the trees as she turned, limping up the bank. The long stand and brace against the pull of fish had tensed her muscles, and the wound she’d taken in the battle hurt. She was half-way up the muddy bank when she stepped on a stone. Like many river pebbles, it was of a goodly size and smooth from tumbling in the water. It moved under her foot.

“Yeaarrggghhh!” She tumbled down the bank and landed with a splash in the pool.

[Jakey]

Jakey stared wide-eyed at Tampa. There she was, offering to take him to the very place of his dreams. He grinned broadly, and nodded enthusiastically. He would most definitely come. He watched her leave, and began to follow her. He noticed that she was limping slightly, and he kept a wary eye on her, in case she slipped.

A moment later, she stepped on a rock, slipping and crashing into a nearby pool. Jakey watched as the incident unfolded, almost as if it was in slow motion. He reacted instinctively, diving in after her. He quickly located her, and grabbed her shoulder. He struggled towards the bank, swimming powerfully in the small pool, and dragging Tampa behind him.

For a moment, he wondered if she would be angry, but then he remembered that she hadn't wanted to swim earlier. It was quite possible that her evident injury made it impossible for her to swim. He arrived at the bank, and, gasping for air, roughly hauled her out of the water. Then, setting her down on the bank, he observed her carefully, wondering if she was OK. He decided to ask, just to be on the safe side.

"So..." He said hesitantly. "Are ye ok?" He waited for a response, a heavy and thick silence enveloping the area around him.

[Treble Tiderunner]

She hit the pool with a splash, and if anybeast could have seen her face, a very sour expression. She sank quickly, but unfolded and pushed off from the, admittedly, not too deep bottom. Her ears lay flat and her nostrils closed against the invading water. She grumbled in her throat, this was just precisely what Tir had told her not to do! She was not supposed to swim, she was not supposed to get the bandaging wet…

Suddenly a paw clamped around her shoulder, tugging and pulling her. It was a short ride, but one she disliked entirely. Who had asked him to interfere? Not her! She struggled, breaking free from his grip and walking out of the water on her own.

"So..." He said hesitantly. "Are ye ok?" He waited for a response, a heavy and thick silence enveloping the area around him.

Her bad temper of the past few days finally snapped. “No! By the barnacles, ye young twerp! Who asked fer yore interference anyhow!? I kin take care o’ meself, I don’t need any little twerps messing in my business!” She got up and stormed away, the affect somewhat ruined by the fact she had to stoop to reclaim her fish, and she was limping still. Soon she disappeared into the trees.

((Jakey, I let it slide, but please don’t powerplay again.))

[Jakey]

((AAAH! Sorry about that. Now I see what constitutes for powerplay... Sorry! It won't happen again.))

Jakey listened to Tampa's tirade, and watched her storm off. He almost chuckled when she stooped to get her fish, but stifled it quickly. He was not altogether surprised that she was mad, but he had figured that it was a good thing to know she was safe then think she would be ok, then have her drown or something. All the same, he watched her go, a feeling of regret welling up inside him. She did say he could follow her to Redwall, but now those chances were dashed.

Or were they? He decided to follow her anyways. Maybe she would cool down sometime and he could re-establish contact. He went off into the trees, following her general direction. He walked as quietly as possible, but the occasional snapped twig might just have been enough to give away his presence. He kept walking, trying to catch a glimpse of Tampa.

Unfortunately, he was so focused on finding her that he accidentally slipped on a loose pebble, and fell heavily. With little ambient noise, the sound cut through the air like a knife, and Jakey scrambled up quickly. He felt a sharp stab of pain, and quickly looked down. Blood was trickling from a small cut he'd received from a particularly sharp pebble, and he sighed. The cut was small, but it was of the annoying variety that didn't stop hurting for a while. Jakey tramped on unsure of his position, totally lost, and very annoyed.