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Post by Aster & Sapphire Fleetpaw on Aug 22, 2006 8:18:51 GMT -5
**A tan-furred mousemaiden slid into the clearing, sending up a small plume of snow behind her.** Wheehee! **Sapphire Fleetpaw, one of the Terrible Twins, stood up straight, dusting the frost off of the light green overcoat that covered her tall, slim form. She had strapped her sword across her back in its usual traveling position, with the handle sticking up slightly above her right shoulder, and her sling was fastened about the waistline of her coat. The bright green of her clothing, together with the birchbark sheath on her back, provided the perfect camouflage for her in the woodlands, and as she sat down with her back against a tree she seemed to blend into the snow. Suddenly, Sapphire realized that nobeast was about. She jumped up, flicking snow from the seat of her overcoat, and her white-bound feet sank into the snow. The river mousemaid spotted the others, a short distance away, and began pelting after them at full speed. The snow crunched and shifted beneath her footpaws, however, slowing her pace as she ran. Her breath crystallized into a thin mist in the air, and began to frost over her snout and whiskers. Sapphire almost reached for the crude snowboard hanging from her shoulder along with her satchel of dried herbs, but stopped herself -- the board was meant only for deep snows. She decided to shout out to the others instead, and took a deep breath.** Hey! Hey, wait up! I'm over here -- sorry I'm late!
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Darter
Ret. War Commander
Ret. Head Boundary Guardian
Posts: 1,337
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Post by Darter on Aug 22, 2006 18:23:04 GMT -5
OOC: Anyone's welcome to join - Either RP late or as being with the group all along. After a while, I'll close off any more joinings but since we haven't really started yet you can all join.
Alright, I know I said we were a day or two from the edges of Mossflower, but I'm gonna speed this up a bit.
BIC: The wind howled and picked up, sending snow swirling upwards. Darter raised a paw before his snout, attempting to shield his dark brown eyes from the blowing snow. Great, he thought, now we're going to be caught in a blizzard, though at the same time he knew it was all for the better, testing the group of hopefuls further, pushing them farther. But it was hard going. At least he was finally starting to warm up, sensation beginning to creep into his previously numb paws.
All other noises were drowned out by the howling gale save for the sound of his ragged breaths drawn against the thin air. He could still make out the other figures alongside him through the blowing snow. Barely. He felt a shiver run down the length of his spine at the dim realization that he was slowly becoming oblivious to the world around him. They had to get out of the blizzard soon, or it would engulf them. There was no way to defeat the elements.
As Darter pressed onward, eyes roving desperately in an attempt to find shelter from the gale, he finally picked out a rocky outcrop amidst the steadily thinning trees. He heaved a sigh of relief. The rocks, jutting up from the snow-covered ground as if they had been stuck there by a passing beast, would provide the group with shelter from the howling winds and blowing snow. The otter pulled a ragged breath, his throat hoarse from breathing the freezing air, before calling out into the wind with a muffled voice.
"Ahoy! Everybeast cum terwards me! We're gonna 'ave ter wait out th' blizzard!"
The otter winced slightly when his left footpaw come into contact with a sharp rock, after taking refuge from the gale. As he sat on a flat rock covered by an overhang to pry the unwanted piece of stone from his flesh, the boundary guardian discovered similar shards strewn about the ground. Maybe a part of the overhang had fallen and shattered. In any case, he didn't want anyone else to tread upon the pieces of rock, and was about to raise his voice to shout a warning when he caught the scent of smoke.
Smoke? There weren't any camps or settlements around this area, or at least there shouldn't be. Darter's mind raced wildly. There couldn't be vermin here, he had sent scouts out earlier and they hadn't reported anything for miles around. Yet as the otter lifted his gaze to the mountains, he could easily make out clouds of smoke billowing from an area less than a few hundred yards away, even through the blizzard. That had to mean there were hordes of vermin. Tons of them. And they were so close...
Into the gale the otter murmured a single word.
"Hellsteeth."
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Post by Raiden and Zahi on Aug 23, 2006 3:39:12 GMT -5
What is it Darter, sir?
**Raiden caught the smell of smoke, and was on alert, his paw straying to his claymore.**
Vermin, isn't it. Nobeast with some sense would willingly stayout in this weather, I think we should find our way either around the camp or to somewere we can hide from them.
**Removeing his helmet, Raiden began searching the ground for both tracks and potholes.**
We must keep out of site, we can not afford to fight them now, not even potshots, we can not even afford to be seen. I think that moving anywhere nearer to the camp will either result in death, slavery, or worse. If anybeast wants my opinion we should move back under the trees, and make a shelter, till the storm blows over.
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Rinafera Woxwitty III
Ret. War Commander
Head Boundary Guardian
Head Boundary Guardian && Retired War Commander
Posts: 696
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Post by Rinafera Woxwitty III on Aug 23, 2006 20:05:41 GMT -5
*The hare shamefully shook his head as Darter ignored him and walked away quickly. Looking up, he felt the cold breeze. Chilling. He thought as he rubbed his paws over his arms. Bones shaking, Rinafera slipped behind the otter and Raiden. Looking deep into Raiden's eyes, he studied his movement. The hare was a good friend of mice, it was something about how they were the smallest of creatures, yet the bravest of warriors. Stretching out his paw, he smiled at the mouse and said cheerfully.*
'Ello, bally snow makes it not too much of a chipper day, eh, wot! My name is Rinafera Woxwitty III, wot is your flippin' name, wot?
*He watched as Darter moved the stone. Squinting, he shivered deathly and continued forward. Closing up to the otter leader, Rinafera heard Darter mutter something. Hellsteeth? Thats what his leader said, but he was not sure of the name. The name chilled his bones more than the harshly cold wind did, and his teeth shivered. Knees shaking, he looked at Darter with an icy cold stare. Cold, but friendly.*
Who is Hellsteeth? Doesn't sound to flippin' jolly to me, wot wot!
*He said it with his usual twinkle in his eye, and he tried to laugh and throw light on the situation. It was not working. He just chilled and shivered more when he said the name. Hellsteeth.* What a peculiar name. *He muttered softly, under his breath.*
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Post by Flyhigh Soaraway and Senitial on Aug 23, 2006 20:06:20 GMT -5
*Flying on, deep to the shore, the kite lands down, next to the two mice. Smirking around at the other participants grouped to be a boundary gaurdian, she notices a few friends and a few mentors. Straightening out her feathers, and rubbing her wing onto her beak, she find her beak shiny and clean, hoping to make a good impression on darter. Flyhigh was tough. Very tough, no doubt. She had fought, been healer numerous times, and was a skilled ranger for the Gaurdians of Mossflower ranks. She had been there quite a while, though she never really belonged anywhere, always roving off for new fights. She had made many frinds:from small, boring bats, to strong, good-pine martens. She thouhg a boundary gaurdian was the pefect job for her. Flying weakly over to Darter, hoping not to cause to much of a curruption, she waddles down t him.*
Hello sir Darter..Flyhigh Soaraway reporting to be a boundary gaurdian sir. Am I too late?
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Laylark
Ret. Commander
Head Rogue
That's what I call talent.
Posts: 1,244
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Post by Laylark on Aug 23, 2006 21:01:01 GMT -5
**Laylark was happy he'd worn boots. Despite the cold, despite the wind, despite the awful sensation of numbness, a faint flicker of pride and happiness still desperately clung to him, making itself known. He'd actually worn boots. Sure, his footpaws were cold, numb, wet, sore, and cramped, but they weren't bare, and that was good.
Despite this fevered optimism however, the fox wasn't exactly comfortable. He wasn't known for liking the cold, and the wet, the wind the snow, the.. the everything wasn't helping. The wind whipped relentlessly against him, trying in vain to snatch his cloak away from him. What it had managed to do was blow off his hood, a feat it had managed to accomplish as soon as it had tried. Of course, it would have been a pointless effort to replace it. Not only would it blow right back down, but Laylark wasn't even sure he could move his arms, let alone his paws.
No, Laylark was pretty sure absolutely everything but his legs were frozen in place, and even they were starting to give into the cold, though weather the stiffness was caused by the temperature or the fact that he'd been walking forever he couldn't be sure. What he could be sure of was that everything else had already given up; it had let the cold take over. His face was frozen in an unsightly grimace, his eyes squinting against that awful gale. His paws were clamped onto his arms, which were stiff and awfully sore. All his muscles were tensed, frozen solid.
Meanwhile, his pack was trying just as hard as the wind. His pack's goal seemed to be to drag him down into the snow, and it was trying. It was trying real hard.
And then he tripped. Laylark was sent flying face forwards into the snow. The powdery substance cushioned his fall but instantly turned to frigid water at the touch of his fur, dripping down his neck as he pushed himself up. He looked around his for the first time, still squinting. The thinning trees seemed to glare at him, telling him to leave, sending they're message with the wind that whistled through they're branches. He glared at a particularly nasty one and continued forward, brushing the snow off his front.
And ran into a something hard. Staggering around almost blindly, he felt around the hard surface until... he heard voices... Peeking around a corner, he quickly realized to whom these voices belonged. With a weak smile, he threw himself down on the sheltered ground.**
Hi everyone. I'm late aren't I?
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Post by Mary Narai on Aug 23, 2006 21:46:07 GMT -5
* Mary looked to where the smoke was, thoughts wizzing through her head at one hundred miles per hour. She stepped up to where Raiden, Darter, and almost everyone else were. The young mousemaid offered her opinion.* It might not be vermin. It could be* A thought stuck to her head, though she didnt' dare say it.* Something else.
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Darter
Ret. War Commander
Ret. Head Boundary Guardian
Posts: 1,337
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Post by Darter on Aug 24, 2006 6:53:28 GMT -5
Darter stood numbly. Most of it was because of shock; he had never seen a vermin force so big. The rest came with the guilty feeling of not protecting the boundaries. His duty. What kind of boundary guardian was he? Doubtful thoughts passed through the otter's mind, but he managed to banish them to the back of his head, locking them away somewhere inside his brain. He had to credit his mother for that skill, as she had taught him how to put away his anger when he had been barely older than a dibbun. "Vermin, isn't it. Nobeast with some sense would willingly stayout in this weather, I think we should find our way either around the camp or to somewere we can hide from them."At Raiden's words Darter finally came out of his slight daze and turned to the warrior mouse. At first he agreed, but soon realized they couldn't just hide and wait for the gale to blow over. At the rate these vermin were travelling, it was likely for them to press on even through the blizzard, and get even further into Mossflower. A reckless attack would get them all killed, but if they took their time, kept a watch on the horde, maybe somebeast could come up with a plan. He heard Raiden continue. "We must keep out of site, we can not afford to fight them now, not even potshots, we can not even afford to be seen. I think that moving anywhere nearer to the camp will either result in death, slavery, or worse. If anybeast wants my opinion we should move back under the trees, and make a shelter, till the storm blows over."The otter commander shot a quick look Raiden's way in an attempt to get him to be quiet. It wasn't that he wasn't grateful for the advice, just that he needed quiet to finalize his plan. Not that he really had one. Under normal circumstances Darter would've taken the mouse's words into greater consideration, but he doubted his experience in warfare. "Who is Hellsteeth? Dosn't sound to flippin' jolly to me, wot wot!"Darter stole a sideways glance to the hare, and arched an eyebrow. He explained coolly, yet with a tinge of impatience. "It's not a who. It's a what. Sort of. An expression y' could say." The flapping of wings caught his attention, and the otter turned his head slightly to see another soldier appearing. Flyhigh, he seemed to recall. At his question, Darter merely waved a paw lazily in the kite's direction, signifying 'No'. Another fox suddenly appeared, throwing himself down on the ground. Laylark. Hiding a quick grin, the otter remarked to him to be more careful. "Y' know, mate, there's sharp rocks all o'er th' ground there. Just ter let ye know..." "It might not be vermin. It could be... Something Else."The boundary guardian recognized the voice of Mary. He wrinkled his snout, pointing to a barely visible red thing fluttering in the wind, a bit up one of the mountains. If they had been closer, they would've recognized it instantly as a flag. "Vermin flag. Must be." Turning himself around fully, back to the shelter of the overhang, Darter raised his voice slightly to make himself heard over the noise. His left footpaw tapped quietly, impatiently, on the ground. His expression was grim, he had committed himself to doing something. Waging war on the vermin. The otter knew that most, or perhaps all the otherbeasts with him might think him foolhardy, but he knew the only way to stop their advance would be through battle. And it wouldn't be easy. "Alright, mateys, listen up. We're gonna 'ave ter fight these vermin, but we might as well git a closer look at 'em first, get ter know how they operate, th' location o' their supplies, who their officers are. I need two other beasts ter cum wid me, whilst the others try ter set us up a battle camp around 'ere." He turned to Aster. "Captain, you're in charge in my absense, unless you come with me. In that case, Laylark is." OOC: Raiden, no offense or anything. Just the way Darter thinks.
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Post by Raiden and Zahi on Aug 24, 2006 7:22:40 GMT -5
OOC: None taken...
BIC: **Raiden's paw grasped the hilt of his claymore tightly. He had heard sounds of movement from the west.**
Everybody move back now. There is something comming, probaley a party of scouts, I don't know, but what I do know, is that if they are un-friendly, and we are seen, it's all over. We need to get hidden.
**Raiden's face showed that he was not about to be captured, he had suffered that indignety many years ago, and had no desire to repeat it, it was one reason he always fought in single combat, he had always fought on terrain that had yielded no advantage to any beast, he knew that to be found in this terrain, wound be to invite death on the group.**
I'll go with you Darter, I have something I need to see, when we leave, the rest of you move asfar out of sight from this tail as you can.
**Raiden placed his helmet back on, knowing, his white armour would be excelent camoflarge against the snow.**
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Post by Aster & Sapphire Fleetpaw on Aug 24, 2006 8:49:13 GMT -5
He turned to Aster. "Captain, you're in charge in my absense, unless you come with me. In that case, Laylark is." **Sapphire considered Darter's words for a short moment.** I'll go with you. I need to get a good estimate of their numbers and abilities, fast, and Aster's taught me about scouting before. Besides, I did learn to be a tactician as well as a navigator. **As she was speaking, military tactics and battle strategies were flashing speedily through Sapphire's mind. From her father, she had learned to keep a level head even in the midst of combat, and she had no wish to be caught up in the middle of a skirmish. Close-range fighting did not work out especially well for her; her passive approach to battle made her better with her sling than any other weapons. The river mousemaiden put up the hood of her green overcoat, and pulled the pale drawstring on the head covering, settling it snugly about her face and the bottom of her snout. Her special winter wear provided her the camouflage that she would need in scouting. Sapphire squinted against the driving snow, then shrugged her sword and herb satchel off her back.** I won't be needing these. **The young tactician grabbed her snowboard from where it had been strapped to her shoulder, re-fastening it across her back for easier traveling, then poured some of the stones out from her stone pouch, hanging from the sharkskin and braided vine sling wrapped about her waist. Hit-and-run tactics were more of her style, and the sword and medic's sack would only slow her down. The snowboard would be a useful tool for quick getaways, so all that she really needed would be that and her sling. Sapphire looked at the smoke rising in the distance. Hit-and-run tactics would be exactly what the group needed to win the battle -- assuming that the other side consisted of vermin. And any prisoners they held would have to be freed first -- in a case like this, every warrior counted. They'd hve to send out a special squad to pick off the enemy one by one, then launch a sneak attack when the numbers had dwindled, in order to win the war... Abruptly, Sapphire broke off her train of thought, and turned to Darter. She made a mental note to inform him of her plan as they travelled.** Who else will be coming with us?
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Post by Raiden and Zahi on Aug 24, 2006 11:32:59 GMT -5
**Raiden turned to face Sapphire.**
I'm going with Darter as well Sapphire, I'm wearing white, so I blend in with the terrain, you have a snow board and are equiped with a sling, I am equiped with a sword, but, you have an advantage over me, you can move fast, and can use your sling as a club. I think that a mixture of abilities in a scout team, is good.
**Raiden began slowly moving forwards, out of sight of the camp, but still close, he reached a snow drift on the edge of the camp, and flatened himself down to obverve, and wait for Darter, and Sapphire to follow.**
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Rinafera Woxwitty III
Ret. War Commander
Head Boundary Guardian
Head Boundary Guardian && Retired War Commander
Posts: 696
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Post by Rinafera Woxwitty III on Aug 24, 2006 11:54:56 GMT -5
*He winced as the wind picked up some snow and splashed it into his freezing face. He stared deep into Darter's eyes, as he usually did when thinking hard. Staring into people was a habit for when he was thinking, but it did not seem to bother others very much. Rinafera strode beside Raiden, looking at him. He took off the haversack strapped to his back and dropped it to the soft ground. Crouching, he opened it up. Inside was a large white cloak. The young mountain hare put it on, and slowly put his hood over his head. He was much warmer now, and could hide with the terrain.*
Well, sir mouse, someone has to bally stay here and watch. I'll do it, eh, wot!
*Panning his view over the white ground, he found a little piece of parchment. It was bark, and some scribbling on it. He got to his knees and crawled over to the spot. Grabbing up the little note, he showed it to Darter and Sapphire.*
Comman'er, Captain, look!
*He read it slowly, with a deep chill in his voice and a lump in his throat. Rinafera read it aloud the next time, and shook his head.* It says...
Save us, we have been captured by...
That is all...
*Dusting the snow off the cloak, he narrowed his eyes. The hare temper in him was about to burst, and he was breathing hard. The madness in him lifted his voice as he spoke to Darter.*
We have to do something. They have captured flippin' good beasts!
*He hushed himself, in case of the enemy hearing. Drawing his scimitar slowly, the hare stared deep into Sapphire's eyes. His brown eyes met with hers.*
Let's save 'em.
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Post by Raiden and Zahi on Aug 24, 2006 12:11:56 GMT -5
**Raiden glanced at the hare when he lay next to him. Resisting the urge to laugh when the hare called him "sir", he kept his left and only eye on the vermin. He was about to whisper to Rinafera, when the hare moved back, going back to listening, he heard two rats talking.**
"Did you here what the boss did to the rat who had let that slave write a message?
"Yeah, wasn't he brutally executed?
"Yep, that's nothing to what he did to that slave though he was toghhhh..."
**Raiden had heard enought. launching himself forwards, he landed on one of the rats, killing him instantly, and knocked the other out, with a blinding uppercut before he could raise the alarm. Dragging both rats back towards the place where the group was, he left the dead one, and continued to drag the unconcious one.**
I have a vermin prisoner sir, I think he might know something about who and what we are up against.
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Post by Aster & Sapphire Fleetpaw on Aug 24, 2006 19:09:00 GMT -5
**Raiden had heard enought. launching himself forwards, he landed on one of the rats, killing him instantly, and knocked the other out, with a blinding uppercut before he could raise the alarm. Dragging both rats back towards the place where the group was, he left the dead one, and continued to drag the unconcious one.** I have a vermin prisoner sir, I think he might know something about who and what we are up against. OOC: Raiden, I'm quite sure that we're still a short distance away from the vermin -- a hundred yards away, according to Darter's post. The traveling and scouting isn't something that would be easily accomplished in one post. *Grabbing up the little note, he showed it to Darter and Aster.* And please, my Boundary Guardian character is Sapphire, not Aster. BIC: **Sapphire narrowed her eyes against the winds. Her brow furrowed as she approximated the distance to where the smoke was rising nearby.** Can't take much more than twenty to twenty-five minutes to get over there, take a quick estimate of their numbers and strength, and get back here. **The Captain was starting to worry about the rest of the group now. What if they were assailed by scouting vermin? How would they defend themselves against an attack by the full vermin forces? She would just have to work that out as they traveled. But for now, she had to inform the Commander of her previous plan.** Commander Darter, sir! **The young tactician saluted.** I think we'll need to send out a special squad of trainees who are best at being rangers. I'd like to lead them, seeing as that's my best field. **Sapphire's skills with the sword had never been very good, so she could say that with confidence.** We could pick off the vermin in small numbers, slowly reducing their ranks. Then, once we've eliminated enough to be sure that we'd win the battle, we could launch a sneak attack in order to ensure our victory. That's after we finish scouting, of course. What do you say? **In Sapphire's subconscious mind, she was formulating the backup plan as she spoke.**
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Rinafera Woxwitty III
Ret. War Commander
Head Boundary Guardian
Head Boundary Guardian && Retired War Commander
Posts: 696
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Post by Rinafera Woxwitty III on Aug 24, 2006 19:35:25 GMT -5
OOC: Sorry, Sapph, I'll try better. BIC:
*Rinafera stood up proudly. He saluted quickly to Sapphire and bowed in a gentleman type manner. Looking at Darter, he smiled and spoke softly.* Sir, an' Captain Sapphire, I'd like to go with the bally Captain, eh, wot! I'm a ranger, an' now I'm ready!
*The hare got low, looking at Raiden who was traveling off ahead. He smirked and rolled his eyes.* Someone left without us.
*Turning back to the rest, he put a paw on his falchion and rested with it easily. Flicking it sharply into the air, he caught it with the other paw and stuck it into his belt.*
Lets do this.
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