Interrupted Relaxation (Skipp and Lorki)

[Vrelt]

Along the mighty River Moss, there were several ideal spots for setting up a camp; wherever the water became calm and the river widened. A good place to fish, much more quiet than other parts of the river, and on top of that, the spot had to be unoccupied by any other beasts. Braylon had discovered such a location, where he felt it nearly perfect to set up a temporary camp.

The ferret's main goal was to get away from the blasted "goodbeasts" that he had totally given up on as being good. Not only did this spot isolate him, it was right next to the water, which was calming to him. It wasn't the vast ocean, but it was the best thing Mossflower had to offer him, and the goodbeasts were the worst thing. He spent almost all of his life aboard a ship, not knowing that much about the mainland. After all he heard of a rich land flowing with all kinds of food, he was disappointed. Even if he was a ferret, he foolishly expected at least a few beasts to be hospitable to him, not a single creature he met extended that offer of a meal. At least when he was a pirate he had a loyal crew under him, even if they were nothing but vermin, but there was a level of loyalty, however small, aboard his ship.

Braylon didn't plan on spending his time wandering aimlessly through the forest, it was time to come up with a plan. That was why he set up camp here, so he would have a calm place to think and plot out his next move. He had set up a small shelter built of fallen branches against a couple trees that grew close together, it wasn't much, but it helped him stay out of the weather a bit. Even though he was a former seabeast, he possessed the talent of ingenuity, which he built quickly on in his trek around Mossflower, so that he could build a pretty solid shelter. The shelter was not far from the river bank, and the ferret had a comfortable view, not to mention a prime spot for fishing. He had a small fire going, so that the smoke would not attract unwanted attention, just big enough to cook some fish over.

The ferret was currently sitting by the fire, using a forked stick to hold a piece of fish meat over the fire, enough to smoke it, but not to totally cook it. He didn't have his saber sheathed at his side like he normally did, it was inside the shelter, but he did have his skinning knife laying right beside him. Braylon could almost smile, this was the life, for right now. It would only be a few more days before he got anxious and wanted to get moving again, for he couldn't take being out of some kind of trouble or action for more than a few days. He decided to enjoy his good fortune while it lasted and he withdrew the fish from over the fire, and almost immediately took a bite out of the steaming piece of meat. It was the best tasting food he had eaten in a long time, it sure beat those berries he had been munching on the past few days. The aroma of fresh cooked fish wafted through the air, and Braylon paid little attention to it. Little did he know how that scent would quickly attract whoever was nearby.....

[Treble Tiderunner]

Fern was a quiet beast, one who had up until a couple years before had only seen a few beasts at a time. The young ottermaid sometimes found the need to get away from the chaotic life at the Clearing, It was a fine day, the snow light upon the ground and the air relatively warm. Fern would normally have sought out Tirael or Tampa, or even Brookesong, but Tirael was still ensconced in the fort, meaning Tam was surly and short-tempered. Not what Fern was looking for in a companion. Seasons only knew where Brookesong was, but she was looking for true solitude anyway.

Humming a little half-formed tune, Fern grabbed her notepad and a quill (it was nice to have a quill again) and headed out to the Moss. The river was swift-flowing and silent, a direct contrast to the bustle of camp. She leaned against a tree, watching the river flow by and occasionally dipping the quill to write a few words. The sun was warm and the air was cool, she felt her eyelids lower, the hum of the water made her drowsy. Blinking at her page she noted that everything was going all fuzzy an’…

A scent weaseled its way into her awareness, pulling her from sleep. Mmm, fish… with faint irritation she noticed that her uncorked ink had frozen. Sighing, she stoppered it, depositing it in a pocket as she stood, and still half-asleep, followed the faint scent of fish and smoke.

“That smells good.” She said as she wandered into the camp, scrubbing her face with a paw to wake herself up fully. Only then did she realize her mistake. She stopped on the edge of the little camp and stammered an apology. “O-oh, I’m sorry… I thought you were someone else.” She made to back away. This ferret didn’t seem to be threatening, (directly, anyhow, but he was imposing.) but she was terribly embarrassed to have wandered into a stranger’s camp, thinking… Thinking what? That it was Tirael? Or Tam? Skipper or any of the other myriad creatures of the Clearing? “Sorry, I’ll go now.” She said, retreating faster.

Oh how Tam would laugh to see her predicament, but Tam didn’t laugh any more these days.

[[Eh, I think that's my first real Fern-post in a while...]]

[lorki]

Sleet balanced herself carefully over the water. She stood so that she could extend one arm over the water, her long sleeve punched up at the shoulder, and wash out the healing wound slashed across her forearm. Her cloak lay crumpled on the bank and she had no intention of getting any more freezing cold water on herself than need be.So she teetered over the edge, her weight carefully held away from the water. She glanced over the slice on her arm, it wasn't deep and had cleaned up quite well. Her dark eyes lingered over the dappled white color of her fur, ugly reminders she hated to notice.

Giving a small huff she pushed herself away from the water and stumbled back on the shore. The ferret turned herself to shuffle a quick paw around in her bag to find a small length of bandage. She wrapped the wound and pulled the black sleeve down to her wrist. She rose to stand and brushed a paw down her side, over a line of neatly sorted knives and past her hip. It was a quiet, cool day. The forest seemed muffled, for one reason of another. Letting out a brief sigh, Sleet turned to pull her cloak off the ground and wrap it around her. She swung her bag over one shoulder and turned back the the forest.

It was the way she lived. As content as she could be, moving, traveling, killing, bargaining. So much concentration was demanded by her profession that her ability to focus on other, less desirable things, was limited. That was the way to live, distracted.

Her nose twitched, her ears flicked back. She knew the smell, even the slightest hint of it was enough to make streaks of fur down her back raise up and bristle. Smoke... Fish? She figured it would be a beast down the river, some creature inclined to the water, she assumed. An otter perhaps, or a corsair. Curiosity tugged at the edges of her mind. Sleet had made multiple corsair friends over the year, could it be possible that one had made their way so near her?

Giving into her nature, the sleek gray ferret moved towards the smell, light of foot as an assassin was expected to be. She edged towards the fire, towards Braylon, as near silent as possible. Suddenly surprised by a near by voice, Sleet stopped abruptly.

“That smells good.”

And with that small stop the branch Sleet had placed her paw on, one meant only to be darted over quickly, snapped loudly under her. Her foot paw sunk into the forest debris and tangled tree roots that lay under the thin layer she'd trod over. Too distracted by falling, Sleet missed the rest of the otters words until she was able to steady herself, through much rustling and a few curse words. Finally she raised her head up, looking through the foliage to Fern.

[Vrelt]

Braylon quickly looked up from his meal as a young, sleepy looking otter entered his camp. His first reaction was to snap to the defensive, but the ferret caught himself quickly, a second reaction coming to his head. Why would a young otter be stumbling around alone in the forest? Surely she was with some other beast. He didn't move immediately, until he heard a sudden crash in the underbrush. Braylon knew his suspicion was correct; there was another beast behind the otter!

The ferret took quick action, dropping what was left of that piece of fish and grabbed his skinning knife, prepared for a surprise attack by the beast lurking behind the otter. He decided not to be so rash as to charge out toward Fern, it was only a last resort to fight, he would start this off with his secret weapon; the power of persuasion. Talking his way out of a fight almost always worked. Of course, the last few times he tried, it wasn't met with success; these beasts in Mossflower were not easily persuaded like seabeasts sometimes were.

"Don't mind me, mate." He started, speaking to Fern in a softer voice than normal as he sheathed the knife in his belt. "You aren't in any trouble, just stay here a moment." Braylon hardened his voice as he called out to the beast in the foliage, taking a few steps forward in that direction. "All right, come on out of there, I don't want t' fight, just come out and talk a little."

Braylon decided with a more direct approach to this unknown beast, whoever it was probably already saw his hasty response of grabbing his knife and therefore that beast knew he was a threat. Hopefully the beast was a foolish as it was clumsy, then he could get out of this without a scratch. He didn't want to challenge this beast, verbally or otherwise, but there wasn't much else he could do.

[Grath]

Fern jumped, looking behind her as a stream of curses erupted. Blinking, she found herself staring straight into the eyes of another ferret, this one a gray female. She tilted her head, she seemed just faintly familiar.

"Don't mind me, mate." He started, speaking to Fern in a softer voice than normal as he sheathed the knife in his belt. "You aren't in any trouble, just stay here a moment."

Movement on her other side startled her, and she turned back just as the male ferret sheathed his blade and moved towards her. She took a step back, out of his path. He continued past her, an action for which she she was relieved. After all, the last time she'd met a ferret alone he and his band had tried to rob and kill her.

"All right, come on out of there, I don't want t' fight, just come out and talk a little."

"Um..." Fern ventured, "Y'mean ye don't know each other?"

[lorki]

"All right, come on out of there, I don't want t' fight, just come out and talk a little."

"That's believable," Sleet growled, prying her foot from the underground. Sleet normally pranced across the tangled sticks and dead leaves that dusted over the pits and traps formed by the maze of tree roots and large rocks. Normally, it wasn't much of a problem for the fleet footed assassin. Normally.

Snarling a few more choice words through her gritted fangs, Sleet regained her footing and stepped towards Braylon and Fern. She looked the ferret over shortly- empty scabbard at his side but no blade in sight. He spoke like an educated beast, not some head-damaged hordes beast... but he was clearly a loner. Her eyes flicked to the otter, who looked.... more or less like any other otter. A bit bewildered, surprised... quiet and somewhat familiar. No matter.

"Good afternoon," she muttered, her dark eyes returning to Braylon in a less than friendly expression. Sleet had never been good with meetings.

[Vrelt]

Once Sleetfang made her way out of the undergrowth, Braylon swiftly glanced over the ferret; he clearly outmatched her in strength, but there was an air of danger around this female. Braylon didn't immediately acknowledge Sleet, first he replied to the otter. "If I knew her, she wouldn't be hidin' out around my camp, mate."

Braylon then looked back over to Sleet, catching the rather unfriendly glance from her dark eyes. The ferret crossed his arms over his chest, staring back at her, as if he was sizing up an opponent, but the gesture was just meant to make her on edge. He was going to try to get in her head, instead of getting out of this with words; if first impressions meant anything, than he wouldn't have to get out of this. Braylon finally spoke to Sleet, his voice cool and even, not matching the grumbling speech of the other ferret. "Hmmm. Good afternoon t' you as well. Might I ask, what were you doin' sneaking around my camp?"

The ferret didn't want to draw this into a fight, not yet anyway. It had been a while since he spoke to another ferret that wasn't trying to steal his sword or attempt to kill him. He would judge what to do with this newcomer soon enough, hopefully she wasn't as bad as most of the ferrets he met out here. Maybe he would try to counter her unfriendly approach with a more civilized one.

[lorki]

Sleet watched Braylon apprehensively. In general, other vermin creatures posed little risk to her. Most didn't pick fights, and nor did she... well, unless she suppose to be killing them. And ferrets, usually, were even less of a risk. However, Sleet had learned to never let her guard down. Not only that, but her discomfort from the cut on her arm did nothing for her mood, creating a bit more volatile of a creature.

"Hmmm. Good afternoon t' you as well. Might I ask, what were you doin' sneaking around my camp?"

Sleet smirked and let out a small, demeaning chuckle. "Mighty full of yourself, stranger. Who's to say I wasn't just passing by?" She paused and her eyes creased in a patronizing grin, "Oh, I know. Everyone's out t'get you, who am I to walk by without any interest in getting at you- big bad ferret. And what manners, to throw around your ego without so much as an introduction."

In all honesty, it did bother her when she was never introduced to strangers. Often times she would use it as a turning point to skew the conversation off of herself. This was no different. She let her eyes flick black to Fern every few moments... although she hardly looked threatening.

[Treble Tiderunner]

Fern looked back and forth between the two, almost sure they weren't going to get into actual violence. Almost. After all, they weren't her friends... and to think all she'd wanted was a little food!

The gray female spoke again, and she turned her full attention to the familiar-yet-not ferretess. Who was she?

Sleet smirked and let out a small, demeaning chuckle. "Mighty full of yourself, stranger. Who's to say I wasn't just passing by?" She paused and her eyes creased in a patronizing grin, "Oh, I know. Everyone's out t'get you, who am I to walk by without any interest in getting at you- big bad ferret. And what manners, to throw around your ego without so much as an introduction."

"HEY!" Her ears flattened with embarrassment when they both looked at her, startled. She pressed on, though. "I know you! You're Sleet! You're Kute's (the Cute) sister!"

The next move she made was unexpected and perhaps unwise. She threw herself at Sleet, arms wide. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" She gushed, grinning from ear to ear.

[Vrelt]

Braylon considered introducing himself, but he decided that this ferret didn't yet deserve that pleasure. He had opened his mouth to reply just as Fern shouted.

"HEY!" Her ears flattened with embarrassment when they both looked at her, startled. She pressed on, though. "I know you! You're Sleet! You're Kute's (the Cute) sister!"


As the young otter threw herself at Sleet, Braylon thought the beast might get a blade of some sort thrust into her, but seeing as that didn't happen, he made light of the odd behavior. The ferret chucked, "Th' two of you know each other, eh?" Braylon was thankful for the otter being here; she was a distraction to Sleet, and hopefully would lessen any aggression the other ferret had. At least it would keep Sleet on her toes.

Braylon returned Sleet's patronizing smile, attempting to take advantage of the otter's sudden move. "Well, since we're all friends 'ere, I'm Braylon Severian." He left his introduction at that, Sleet's response to what he said and what Fern did would tell Braylon exactly what to do next. If this other ferret knew anything of the world beyond Mossflower, she would have at least heard his name in some conversation. Before his ship was lost in a massive storm, Braylon was feared by the other seabeasts, and the beasts who lived on the coast. That should give him a bit of respect at the least, and it would give Sleet a reason for his rather large ego that he displayed.

[lorki]

"I know you! You're Sleet! You're Kute's (the Cute) sister!"

Sleet had been focused on Braylon, preparing her next attack on the ferret... who had not responded quite the way she'd wanted. Few could match Sleet in attitude, and even fewer could stand in the face of her snarkiness unmarked. Braylong was doing unfortunately well. But her attention dissipated as her name was shouted and as her head twitched, ears perked forward, an otter flung itself into her.

Normally, being recognized by name was a very bad thing for Sleet. Normally that meant a beast knew her crimes... or was a direct recipient of one. Normally the only beasts that knew her name besides friends were enemies- the family of those she'd killed... or worse, the ones that escaped death. An assassins life was not one full of happy reunions. Her name was hardly ever given a gleeful ton. After all... it was a bit of a downer of a name. Sleetfang.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

But that was not the case today. Sleet bristled as the otter embraced her. The ferret, not use to touch, even less use to confinement, recoiled as the otter clung onto her. "What...!" She stepped back and almost lost her footing, her ears pinned back, "oh for...." she steadied herself, otter still clenched around her middle. "Who are you?!" she finally managed.

And to worsen the situation, the other ferret decided to butt in the midst of Sleet struggling with the hugging-otter-monstrosity."Well, since we're all friends 'ere, I'm Braylon Severian." The name tugged just barely at her mind, but she ignored the twinge of thought. She'd heard hundreds of names in the past years- few of which ever mattered. And what purpose was the name of a corsair to an often sea-sick assassin? "Lovely," she growled in his direction, her eyes flicking to him shortly before returning to glare as the otter.

'Luckily' for Sleet, she'd already been introduced. And the nick name served a decent purpose, seeing as her full name was much more easily recognized. Not that anyone here ought to mind... the otter was clearly in love with her... Or something of that sort.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Well, since we're all friends 'ere, I'm Braylon Severian."

Fern let go of Sleet, hot under the fur with embarrassment (and she didn't seem too amenable to the hug). Sticking her paw out, she introduced herself. "Fern Wildfower, sir, nice t'meetcha." Though her tail twitched uncomfortably and her ears lay almost flat with embarrassment, she practically beamed. This female ferret was the one whose brother was helping Tir!

It was all the affable ottermaid needed to like the ferret, despite her snicketey attitude.

"What...!" She stepped back and almost lost her footing, her ears pinned back, "oh for...." she steadied herself, otter still clenched around her middle. "Who are you?!" she finally managed.

"Fern Wildflower." Fern repeated with a slight condescending tone. "Weren't you listening?" on almost the same breath, she turned to Braylon. "Sorry about disruptin' yore camp this way, sir."

[Vrelt]

Braylon did his best to control laughing at Sleet and her predicament, he was inwardly very pleased that Fern had managed to catch the ferret off balance. Thankfully for him, he managed to control himself, resorting back to a more neutral expression, though it showed in his eyes that he was amused. Just like his time aboard the Iceblade, he found some enjoyment from seeing another beast uncomfortable or off balance. Though he liked to see that from time to time, it wasn't to be confused with getting enjoyment from physical pain; many vermin scum liked to torture other beasts, unlike Braylon, who considered himself higher than the average ferret.

He allowed the situation to unfold before him, until the young otter addressed him, "Sorry about disruptin' yore camp this way, sir."

The ferret replied quickly, a wry smile tugging at his lips, though he did his best to hide it, "Any time, mate. Seems like a fair enough accident, stumblin' into my camp." He wanted to add that since she managed to catch Sleet off guard that way that she could stick around, but he kept it to himself for he didn't want to start something with the rather aggressive Sleet. Plus, he still knew nothing about the otter, asides from her name, which meant nothing to him since he had never heard it.

Braylon didn't reply to the other ferret's annoyed response, there was nothing to gain in it. When he first arrived in Mossflower, talking to him like that was like asking for a fight; nowadays, he controlled himself much better. It still irritated him, but that didn't outweigh the amusement he felt. The ferret decided he would wait for this to blow over a bit before he resumed interrogation, in a more friendly manner this time.

[lorki]

"Fern Wildflower." Fern repeated with a slight condescending tone. "Weren't you listening?"

Sleets ears flicked back as regained her balance and stood straight backed, looking hard at Fern. She ran a paw over her front to straighten out her cloak, and over his injured arm which ached from being knocked into during the hug. "I meant," she began harshly, "how do you know me?"

But as soon as she asked, Sleet knew the answer. She hadn't been thinking of Kutenai, in fact it was the first time since he'd left that she'd been distracted enough to let him slip her mind. Clearly this otter was one of the camp beasts, one Sleet had gone off to avoid for a few days. She let out a bit of a sigh and let her eyes twitch in the direction of the Fort. That was not the conversation she wished to have, she regretted asking Fern, but could not now revoke the question.

So she remained silent and waited for an answer, glancing to Braylon...who looked as if he were waiting on something as well.

[Grath]

The ferret replied quickly, a wry smile tugging at his lips, though he did his best to hide it, "Any time, mate. Seems like a fair enough accident, stumblin' into my camp."

Fern brightened, gathering up her notepad from where it had fallen and tucking the quill behind her ear. It was nice to meet new creatures, especially when they weren’t trying to murder or enslave her. Yep, she was sure that was one little woodland adventure she’d be happy to skip out on. She couldn’t think of much to say, so she waved vaguely at the fire. “I dunno what I was thinking, Skipp’d have my hide for wanderin’ into a camp without knowing what’s up.” She looked at the seething Sleet then leaned closer to Braylon.

“Its dangerous, you know.” She almost, but not quite, winked. Now that she was sure her immediate life and limb weren’t in danger (though Sleet looked more than a bit murderous) she was relaxed. Not many creatures would be out and about in the cold and the dark, unless they were looking for her. She hoped not, she was having fun just where she was.