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oz

Member

Registered: 2016-11-20

Posts: 1,659

Reunion Part 1

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Halyard Village ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A relative-sized dirt path, this somewhat makeshift road runs from the main
square of the village, through the forest - which borders the trail on both
sides - and opens out onto the sandy shore. Shallow wheel-ruts run parallel
along the path, and they are more often than not filled with murky water.
There is even, at one point, an abandoned and rotting wagon pushed off to the
side of the road, and it has obviously thrown a wheel at some point in the
past. One might want to watch for bothersome rocks if they come wagoning this
way.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

     
It was cold, then again it was winter and the boat trip was supposed to be a week long, not a week and a half! A rat looked around the area, "Well least it’s less cold by the sea shore and all the sand ya want stripy"   

Xander rolls his eyes as he exits the boat. He made sure it was secure after they docked in a safe place "Yeah yeah, the village is about a half hour walk from here and we should have just enough for an inn room and hopefully a meal or two. We can find Flint maybe in town, or least hope so"   

Patch shrugs "No rush...sides long ears are annoying and isn’t he a long patrol hare? Ya know how they are...ohh a vermin shoot it dead"   

Xander shakes his head "That’s why we are staying in the village and besides if you don't get in trouble they usually don’t bother the vermin, heck the village here has a lot more questionable vermin than Ferravale does,"
   
Patch grins "Why would I get into trouble stripy?"   

Xander frowns at the rat as they start to walk along the shore "Really?" He asks after a couple moments, "I think trouble is your middle name and the only reason we avoided toads is its cold weather and they hide in dens during the cold weather months, as do most lizards and maybe frogs too....anything that’s like that with no fur"
   
Patch says, "Well yeah and I know when to avoid trouble. But trouble sometimes finds me in my line of work. I mean I gather info and sometimes I have to go places I rather not"
   
Xander frowns “Then why do it?" He is curious, "And I could of easily just said no to you coming along with me"   

Patch speaks "But you didn’t and sides I owned ya Uncle a favor and I respect him, see if you died his ghost probably come haunt me or something"   

Xander walks a little faster as he goes to wipe a tear away, he speaks quietly after a short while "Almost to Halyard"   

Patch catches up and notices the tears "Ummm...sorry stripy didn’t mean ta cause tears. Ya Uncle was a nice guy, he was and a lot of Ferravale beasts respected him, heck any other badger....well not you or...well others been maybe attacked, then again badgers tend to be not so easy targets...most" He goes on " Like you or that Oz..its cause of Zee Winters your left alone, I mean we all knew mess with the Winters Clan ya would be in a world of pain"   

Xander manages a small smile "That’s true..."He sighs "I miss Uncle Zee" Tears go down his face now freely.   

Patch was never one to help with tears, well sometimes he caused them but to make them stop he was not so good with that, or comfort "Sorry...Xander" I truly am, he will be missed by a lot, he will"   

Xander nods slowly as they near the entry to the village "Well we are here, so where to first?"   

Patch slows and hmmms "Maybe food first, or ale...well ale for me that is"   

Xander shrugs "I could try ale, it’s not that bad right?"   

Patch says, "Don’t know stripy....some beast can drink a lot and others cant. Either way ya wake with a headache at times and you could vomit and all that, and it makes your senses and reactions duller"   

Xander asks, "Then why do beasts drink it? Uncle zee drank tea with ale and never seemed like he had an issue"
   
Patch chuckles "Yeah he also beat a hare in a drinking contest and beast some other beast another time, that badger could DRINK like a LOT and that gains much respect    “

Xander says, "I wonder why....cause he was old?"   

Patch shrugs "Who knows...does it matter?" He looks around and grins "Come to the tavern!"   

Xander follows Patch on inside, he had been here before but this time it was on his own and by his own choice “I bet they have some good fish and maybe clams, clams are good and never at the abbey"   

Patch says, "Well it is more of a sea food type thing and hard to get to the abbey and not have it go bad before then, it was in Ferravale like once, but still sort of a rare thing to be clams in Mossflower"

Halyard Tavern: Main Room
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Halyard Tavern ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Warmly lit by torches along the walls and lanterns set upon the many tables
scattered around the room, the main room of the Halyard Tavern is an often-
populated area. One corner of the tavern is taken up by a stage, about a
foot or two higher than the rest of the floor, where live entertainment
performs, while circular tables, both large and small, are set up in front
of the stage, spreading out into the center of the room. Meanwhile, around
the perimeter of the tavern, booths are set, and, of course, the obligatory
bar rests against the far wall, a bartender or barmaid always on duty.
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Xander pushed open the doors to the tavern and walked on to a table. “Come on Patch we can sit here"   

Patch sat down and looked around "Yes a lot different than the Tavern in Ferravale, that’s for sure"   

Soon entering the tavern is a tall badger, with him a cloaked smaller figure and a seagull "This place seems as good as any place to stop and have something to eat and they may have those hot peppers you seem to crave so much dear. The hooded figure says something which causes the tall badger to chuckle as they sit down at a booth a bit away from Patch and Xander. The seagull speaks "I do say Sir..Lady..how long are we staying?" "Not to worry Aira, not long"   

Xander blinks as he sees the other badger, but since he doesn’t know him he decides to stop a passing rat maid and order some clams, fish and some cordial to drink, yeah no ale...least yet.   

Patch nods "Ale for me and some fish, and a couple rolls yes that’s good." He then whoas "Is that that badger lord fellow?"   

Xander shakes his head "No it isn’t, but he is tall whoever he is"   

The tall badger in question sits down and smiles "It is nice to have a big of a break from Sir this and Sir that everywhere one goes, I do miss home but we will head back after we have a visit with your Uncle dear." The cloaked beast nods "Yes Takeo, I know and I can try and make it a quick visit but I have missed my family and friends so much." " I know dear" The seagull decides to look around the tavern, she was always one to see whats in an area that’s new, check for trouble and report it even   

Patch nods and shrugs "Still a badger, so we eat and we look around for this hare named Flint and what if he doesn’t come into the tavern any time soon, hmmm, where else would we look for him?"   
Xander frowns "Well we could look around the market place or even I could just go to the Mountain myself and meet back up with you the next day" He smiles as the food comes "He isn’t that hard to find"   

Aira flew around the tavern and landed at a table across from Xander and Patch watching them curiously, And because of this also failing to see behind her a ferret with a knife ready to stab the bird in the back.
   
Patch shrugs again "Whatever ya think is best, sides I would like to stay a couple days and see what sort of things are in a sea port village."   

Xander eats a clam and sips some cordial with a smile. He then happens to look up just in time to see Aira in trouble and quickly goes warn her “Look out!" He then goes to slap the ferrets paw away best he can, or maybe just knock the ferret out   

Takeo reacts when he hears the yell and sees his friend nearly die as the blade barely misses her back, a gasp is heard from the other beast and the ferret gets one look at Xander before seeing his fist hit his face and the ferret is out cold and the knife clanks to the floor as Aira shivers after flying away "Oh my goodness! That was a close one, bit too close for my taste."   

Patch looks down at the sea gull, then at Xander and just blinks "Well...can’t say Mr. Ferret will be too happy when he wakes up now can we?" He looks around and gulps...too much attention drawn on them "Maybe we should find that inn stripy...huh?"   

Xander smiles "Lucky hit guess" He looks to the bird "Are you ok miss sea gull?"   

Takeo quickly goes over "Aira...." The sea gull fixes some out of place feathers "I am ok sire...little jumpy but alright" From behind the tall badger a voice , that’s familiar is heard as they step around the tall badger"Xa..Xander?" They sound surprised, or maybe about to cry, or something.   

Patch frowns "Ummm...stripy...we should leave..."Too late, darn and whoever the other beast is somehow knows the kid, how is that possible?   

Xander nods to the sea gull, and looks at Patch "Relax Patch we just helped their friend why would we have to leave?" He would complain more if it wasn’t for that voice, he looks quickly at who just spoke and stands up to get a better look at them.. "Mother?"   

The tall badger watches, as well as the sea gull as a sob escapes the beast who spoke and as she rushes forwards to hug Xander tightly her hood falls to her back to revile...its Zinnia. "Oh my..Xander! It is you, it’s you" Tears, but happy ones go down her checks.
   
Patch watches as his jaw drops "That’s your mom?"   

Xander is at first in shock and then hugs her tightly as his own tears form "Mother...." But also questions, "But...how? You were here?" Sadness, confusion, and maybe some anger as he suddenly pushes away from her “Why...WHY DID YOU LEAVE!" He yells out" You LEFT and when I came back...home you were not there, Uncle Zee said you left and.." He looks at Takeo “Who are you!"   

Patch looks between them as he slowly slips from the chair "And I will see ya later...gonna explore" And hopefully not find trouble.   

Zinnia frowns, "I...I looked for you, I never gave up....and I got lost, Takeo found me and saved me, I went with him to his homeland and we got married. I am even with dibbun now...Xander please" She reaches out to him" I just recently found out you got saved and was home, Uncle Zee sent a letter and that he was..."She frowns "That he was dyeing...I was heading to Redwall for a visit"   

Xander steps back" A visit, you didn’t plan to even stay!" He coughs back tears when Zee is mentioned, but he doesn't update her on his death as his mind has too much rushing through it "M..married...dibbun...your..you are trying to get another family or something?"   

Patch just edges towards the doorway, he will not interrupt family arguments   

Zinnia speaks "No...I would never..." She looks between Takeo and Xander and frowns as she is hugged by her mate, Takeo speaks "Xander...your mother loves you, trust me and has missed you and your uncles badly. Please sit down and let us talk, get to know each other..." He smiles "Son"   

Xander just glares "You’re not my father!" He looks at Zinnia and just is unsure what to say, to react and bolts out the door past the rat and into the village of Halyard not caring where he ends up, he needs alone time   

Patch eeeps as he is almost knocked down and looks to the other two badgers and the sea gull "Errrrr.......hey stripy WAIT!!" He races after the young badger, clearly a little worried, the kid alone in this village could be bad, what if he got hurt or worse....killed, oh good grief he has like 3 badgers that would hate him to worry about now, even if one is with dibbun ever hear the don’t mess with a mother's child......yeah he has.

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I play:
Oz-  Badger-young adult-Wanderer