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The_Brony_Marek

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Registered: 2016-11-20

Posts: 212

Maybe Company Isn't Such A Bad Idea After All

ICLY HAPPEN May 22nd or 3-4 days after Marek left Ferravale

It is a cloudy day, no rain yet as a stoat sits at a campsite in the woods near a run-down church south of the abbey. A small campfire and some fish roasting over it and what looks like...tea? Not to worry the tea is on a smaller campfire that will be put out once it’s done and that is now, he carefully gets the pot, puts out the fire it was over and sits down.

Clouds don't bother the elderly mouse who is stumping her way through the forest, silent as a shadow.  She has her hood up, but anyone who sees her staff, with its pretty beaded cords hanging from the top, would know that this is Angela Quietfeet.  Following the smell of burning wood, she cautiously sneaks up behind the stoat, staying hidden for now.

Marek adds some herbs to the tea and stirs it before pouring some into a cup. A sort of simple tea with some honey and he checks on his fish before looking around. So far he has had no trouble show up, He avoided a path going directly down the dirt road.

"You decided to go on an adventure by yerself, huh?"  Angela steps out into the clearing, eyeing the stoat carefully.  "Not necessarily the wisest decision in the world.  What sorta tea y'got there?"  She sits beside him and peers into the teapot.

Meanwhile, a vaguely animalistic shape stalks through the edge of the woods, daubed in clay, leaves, and twigs in such a manner to be almost indiscernible from its surroundings.  The shape slinks low to the ground, carefully moving around the graveyard, noting that one of the iron rods that makes up one of the broken fences looks to be at a different angle than its fellows, as if it had been struck with great force. That aside, this newcomer slinks further into the churchyard, freezing when any beast might happen to look towards it.

Marek slowly turns and when he sees its Angela he frowns "Oh it is you, did you need something?"

Shrugging, Angela digs a mug out of her haversack and steals some of his tea.  "I've 'ad an itchin' for a while to leave the Abbey an' explore the area, an' I figured y'could use a 'Ealer.  You're welcome."  If the creature sneaking up on them doesn't use his brains, she'll hit him with her stick when he surprises them.

Recognizing Angela, the creature scrapes some mud and vegetation from his face with the back of one paw, revealing a roguish grin upon the visage of Chud Streambattle.  The river otter hops to his feet, calling out a greeting while remaining carefully out of stick range. "Heyo!"

Marek shakes his head, he starts to lay a paw on his blade, he still has it for now and then snorts, "How many tag alongs is there to be?" He sits and sips his tea slightly annoyed "A healer....well could come in handy perhaps"

Angela starts at the sound of a third voice and swings with her staff.  Smart otter!  "Oi, don't scare me like that, y'little rouge."  Grumbling, the old Herbalist sips some of the tea she stole.  "O'course I'll be 'andy, y'little snip.  An' I promised Lily I'd bring y'back safely if I met up with ye, so y'can't talk me out of comin' with ye.  So there."

"Sorry 'bout that, I'd only realized it was you after I was real close, miz," Chud says respectfully.  "Where the two of ye goin' anyhow?" he asks, sitting comfortably down by the other two beasts, using a dock leaf to wipe more mud from his fur.

Marek arches an eyebrow "Little snip? I AM a grown beast Ms. Angela not a dibbun" He pulses "I have no clue, south..somewhere where ever my foot paws take me till I find...well whatever it is I feel I need to find"

Shrugging, Angela goes to casually grab the stoat's ear and twist it.  "I was just gonna follow Liddle Snip, 'ere.  Make sure 'e doesn't die or whatever.  I promised m'great-granddaughter that'd I'd keep 'im healthy and not let 'im die if I found 'im, an' I intend to keep m'promise to the beast o' my ability."  She nonchalantly sips her tea again.

Chud shrugs as well. "Well, I haven't gone too far south, but if you need 'elp findin' yer way through Mossflower, or need shortcuts or places to stay, I c'n help too.  The next leg of my route takes me to the southern edge, so..."  He pauses to swig from his canteen.

Marek normally would slap a beast who did this, normally he would avoid this but for an old beast this healer is quick as he yips and just narrows his eyes at her going to try and get her paw off his ear "I left her a gift and a note....and I do not  intend anyways to fall over dead. This is a trip that was needed and Mr. Xander is watching the tavern as well as a couple others, and I am sure Ms. Blisa will help if needed"

Sipping her tea again, Angela turns and glares into the stoat's eye.  "Don't sass off at me an' I won't pinch yer ear.  'Kay?"  After a few more moments, she releases his ear and digs a fork out of her haversack.  Poking at his fish, she adds, "Y'better eat that afore it burns, young 'un."  Turning to the otter, she nods.  "Thankee.  I've never been South m'self; only been in the Norhtlands, and that was an experience I would like to never repeat.  And while 'is tavern is in good paws, Marek, though 'e'll prob'ly never admit it, could use somebeast to 'elp 'im not die....because there's bound to be trigger-'appy 'ares or cannibal lizards or somethin' that'd love to make a snack our of Sauteed Stoat."

Marek sighs as he rubs his ear" And what if trouble harms you then, what then? And trouble with hares is one reason I did not  go towards Halyard or tag along with Mr. Xander...the long Patrol hate me as does whatever badger is most likely in charge now"

Angela starts trying to eat some of the stoat's fish.  Just a little bit.  "They do?  Oh, yes, didn't they come marchin' to th' rescue when y' 'ad Redwall under y'paw?  Well, that seems like a good reason to 'ate a beast, now don't it?  Although I'm sure there are a couple that 'ave forgiven you, or owuld if they 'eard about the good ye're tryin' t'do."  Draining her mug of tea, she pours herself some more.  "An' if we work together, we'd be fine. Don't you worry yore liddle 'ead about me.  I've got m'own weapons."  She pulls out a box from her haversack and opens it to reveal her familiar poisoned crystal.  "Would y'feel better if I put this back atop o' me staff?"

Marek gets some fish carefully, he has given up on the fact the mouse maid is going to leave anytime soon. He nibbles some fish and eyes the crystals "What are  those anyways, never before seen them before?" He then adds "I have my blade and my wits.." He seems fine, well basically, that she is tagging along for this trip, however long it will end up being.

Rolling her eyes, Angela shuts the box containing the crystal and, after ensuring that it's well locked, she slips it back into her haversack.  Putting the key on its long chain back around her neck, she grumbles, "'Tis me poisoned crystal!  I thought y'knew about it.  I attacked some o' Quade's beasts with it."  Shaking her head at his ignorance, "Yeah, well, y'now 'ave me.  Get used to it.  An' if y'try to lose me, I'll find ye and give ya the tail thrashin' y'mother ought to've given ye."

Marek knows better than to roll his eyes"I mean where did you get the crystal, I seen it briefly but most of my time was in the infirm or the gatehouse"

"Oh, that," Angela waves a paw airily.  "I took it off m'owner's body after I poisoned 'im.  'E stole it from a mining operation that 'e attacked; they were diggin' for simple crystals to make into inexpensive jewelry and baubles for children.  My owner collapsed the mine and took the females and little ones as slaves.  2 nights later, I managed to poison 'is food, and the the rest o' 'is 'eartless bunch o' slavers ate it, too.  So it all worked out."  She says this matter-of-fact-ly, but any beast could see that it was not a good experience for the old mouse.  She's just hiding the pain and fear that remembering that time brought up.

Marek listens and looks surprised and quickly decides to not ask for any more details, in fact to just change the subject all together, "Anyways...I am glad for some company."  He sighs as he sips tea and eats a little fish "I am most likely only missed by one beast...I just hope she doesn't think I am never coming back"

Angela stares into the fire as she listens to him, smiling a tiny bit as she guesses as to why he changed the subject.  She has no idea why she told him all of that.  "Oh, she'll miss you.  Lily sees you as 'er best friend.  And she 'opes that you'll come back; she practically threatened me with eternal rejection if I didn't find ya and 'elp y'not die.  She doubts your fightin' abilities, not yer faithfulness to come back to yer friends."

Marek says, "My fighting skills are..." He looks at his missing paw and sighs “Maybe a little less than perfect now"

Angela smiles.  "Nobeast is perfect, son, an' y'can't expect perfection from yerself.  'Twill only lead to frustration, depression, and anger."

Chud has been listening solemnly to Angela's tale, and now that it appears to be over he shifts so he's not sitting on his rudder, which seems to have gone numb from his posture.  He doesn't say anything, feeling that any sympathy he could offer would be inadequate.

Marek nods slowly "No...no one is perfect, they try to be and never get to be. They can just try and be on the correct path in life....whatever that is"

Angela shrugs.  "'Tis the path that leads to connection and love, I think....what say you?"  she asks the otter, putting him on the spot.  He better either come up with an answer about the 'right path', or admit that he has no idea.  Don't make the mouse grumpy, yo.

"I'd agree," Chud says solemnly, nodding slowly. "I mean, some might have different views on it, but that's where I think my correct path would be."  He pauses, thinking this over silently.

Marek nods "So...is Ms. Angela the only one tagging along? I am sure that Camp Willow would miss the otter scout" That and he rather not have more than the mouse maid along with him, least he knows her attude and can handle it.

Angela has finished all the tea and is now in the process of making more, this time with mint and rosehips and white willow bark (she has arthritis).  She puts these in a cheesecloth bag and puts water in it, then sets the whole shibang to boil, letting the 2 male beasts talk that out.

Chud shrugs, completely missing the cue to decline. "I can come with you as far as the southern edge of Mossflower, then I gotta head back to Camp within the next few days after that."

Marek nods "Fine...may go further myself"

Angela nods.  "Good, 'tis settled.  Now, rest ye awhile an' 'ave some more tea."  She digs out some travel cake she made out of fruits and nuts and honey and serves some for each of them.  When she's finished with hers, she lays down, using her haversack as a pillow, and goes to sleep, staff grasped tightly in her paws.  She wakes up to take 3rd watch, whether they agree with it or not.

Chud smiles gratefully.  "Thanks miz!"  The ever-hungry river otter chows down on the travel cake, which is surprisingly good for all its hardiness.  He takes a quick otternap against the tree, leaving Marek unfortunately on first watch....

Marek watches them sleep, well he has first watch he guesses.He takes his shift and then wakes the otter before sleeping. All three will then continue on they journey once its sunrise.

Last edited by The_Brony_Marek (2017-05-26 06:07:28 AM)