07-24-05

Characters involved: Slain, Keita, Darklett, & Zeraph.

Salamandastron: Western Side

Slain sits on a rock near the base of the mountain, a pair of long wooden staves are propped up against a rock near him, they appear freshly carved, he is without his sword.

Yes, the sentries informed her, there's a monitor lizard outside. Yes, she knows. But apparently Keita doesn't care, because she's exiting the mountain anyway. She appears free of weaponry herself, save for the usual dagger at her belt. At the sight of Slain, she gives a particularly long look.

Slain nods a greeting to the hare "Are you the one I requested?"

"The one ya requested?" Keita quirks her brow, then glances over her shoulder towards the entrance and supposedly the sentries, wherever they went off to. "Oh, y'mean the warrior bit they were chattin' about back in there?" She can't help but grin.

Slain nods and throws one of the staffs to her feet "Yes, face me or show your self and your fellow Long Patrol to be nothing but cowards."

Keita's eyebrows go up in obvious amusement, but nonetheless she crouches down and retrieves the staff. It is held parallel to the ground, one end resting in each paw as she looks down, studying it. "Well... hate t' disappoint, laddy, but 'm not exactly... of the Long Patrol." Grin. "Just visitin'."

Slain asks "Then you are a coward as well?"

"As well? Fer not comin' out t' fight yer deah self? That's not quite their way, doncha know?" Keita takes the staff in one paw and plants the end in the ground, leaning on it with a wry smirk offered to the monitor lizard. "They're more... find a group o' vermin, go out, 'n' do some smashy-smashy type o' beasts. Not s'much with the duels. Ya see?"

Slain sighs "Great, a mountain full of stupid fighters..."

Keita considers this for a moment whilst glancing over her shoulder towards the mountain. After a bit, she turns back with a grin and a shrug. "Just about." Brow-quirk. "So what were ya wantin' t' fight about anyway, lizardy ole thing?"

Well, if he's seen, it could be figured that Darklett followed Keita and has been watching the exchange the whole time. In fact, that's exactly the truth, the dark-furred buck blending nicely into the darkened night surroundings as he watches, seated with his ears perked for listening, from a distance.

Slain replies "Firstly, I am called Slain, not 'lizardy ole thing', secondly, I feel I was treated extremely rudely by your Colonel and seek to reclaim my honor."

Keita suddenly laughs, looking - oddly - pleasantly surprised. She hasn't noticed Darklett. "/Colonel/? Oh, please, Slain ole thing, /do/ tell me which Colonel yer referrin' t', oh would ya please?"

Slain replies "Colonel Zoe."

Keita couldn't look much more tickled. Whilst leaning on Slain's borrowed staff, she snickers. "Ahhh... the good ole Colonel. Rude, was she? Me oh my, I can't imagine 'er bein' /rude/..." Aha, hahaha.

Slain grumbles "If you're not here to accept my challenge then move on so I can wait for at least one of these fools to grow a back bone and face me."

Keita lets out a long, low whistle. "She really did manage t' ruffle yer feathahs, didn't she?" Apparently... not moving on, then.

Slain says "I have never met a ruder beast personally, and I've dealt with an angry shrew looking for ale." He finally spots Darklett and calls to him "You there, are you the one who has come to accept my challenge!?"

Ah, seen. Oh well. Darklett stands, brushing off the seat of his uniform pants and starts his stroll over to the lizard and doe he'd been watching up till now. "No, sorry. I'm actually more interested in if you want me to bring you out some food and drink... If you're waiting for one of us to come out here and fight, you'll be waiting for a... very very long time."

Keita glances over her shoulder as Slain addresses someone else, and at Darklett's reply, another snicker surfaces. Ahhh, good times.

Slain grumbles out "I'll be leaving soon since it seems that you lot are nothing but cowards, at least I restore 'my' honor by acting as I have."

"Honor...? What in hellgates are you talking about?" Darklett laughs at this. "I know why you think you need to 'restore your honor,' so you say, but it's not like she stabbed you or anything." He reaches easy speaking distance, and shoves his paws in his pockets, tilting his head at Slain. "Oh, you're that lizard from dinner the other day."

"Honor...? What in hellgates are you talking about?" Darklett laughs at this. "I know why you think you need to 'restore your honor,' so you say, but it's not like she stabbed you or anything." He reaches easy speaking distance, and shoves his paws in his pockets, tilting his head at Slain. "Oh, you're that lizard from dinner the other day."

Keita lifts Slain's spare staff out of the sand and holds it out to the lizard, at his mention of going soon. Since it seems she doesn't intend to use it. "And how exactly do ya restore yer honah via... fightin'?" She glances back to Darklett and then to Slain, again, brow quirking. "Did I miss somethin'?"

Slain nods "I am that lizard sir, and I restore my honor as a warrior by show of skill and ability, since my would be opponents chose not to place their's on the line as I am then I will take a hallow victory. I take no joy in this, only more anger."

Salamandastron: Western Side is owned by Salabuilder

Darklett just stares at Slain. "So... you're... a showoff." He's silent for a little, then he speaks again, with an amused smile on his face. "Well, I'm a showoff, too! Pleased to make your acquaintance... Err, again, Slain."

Salamandastron: Western Side is owned by Salabuilder

Slain sighs "I am no show off sir, I live and will no doubt die by my choice of path in life, but it is a death that I will face with out fear in my heart."

Darklett closes his eyes, looking up to the sky and sighing, quite loudly, roughly halfway through Slain's sentence. When he's done speaking, he looks to Keita. "So, where were you headed? It's dangerous out here, especially at night. Never know what manner of ver..." A glance is given to Slain, and he clears his throat. "...What manner of beast you might run into."

Keita continues to hold out the offered staff to Slain, beginning to look just a tad impatiently up at the lizard. But at Darklett's question, she looks back at him again. "Just out fer a walk - 'n' don't worry about me. Yon sentries made sure t' warn me of how I was riskin' m' life. They're doin' their job, s'usual."

Slain takes the staff back nodding some thanks to the doe "He is right thought milady, you should have an escort with you at the least, after all, the near by town is still under occupation. Speaking of which I have a proposition to make to the Long Patrol regarding it's freedom."

Darklett chuckles at Keita, nodding. "Can't be too sure, you know. Important beast like you wandering around by yourself, ha! Won't let it happen, Keita." The hare looks to Slain, a little confused. "Wait, wait... So you want to help now. What's this 'proposition,' then, and how did a lad like you learn how to talk so pretty? Must've had a heckuva mum, eh, Keita?"

Slain sighs before replying "How I came to know and speak the local tongue is not your concern, and I have been trying to help free that town since I got here, now do you want to hear me out or not."

Keita steps back once the staff is taken, and her arms cross over her chest. "Ah, really? Yon village, ya say? Wouldn't be Halyard yer speakin' of, would it?" Ehehe. She looks to Darklett, again. "Aye, must've. Not like my rude mum 'n' all. Ghastly mannahs 'n' all that. Worst beast he's evah met, doncha know?" She moves to stand beside Darklett, then, and turns an attentive look to Slain.

Darklett grins at Keita at her little remarks, but, other than postpone this little information session, he re-shoves his paws in his pockets and leans forward a little at Slain, gesturing with a nod that he begin.

Slain continues on "I've been able to walk freely in and out of the town and even earned the trust of a few guards, I know exactly where their keeping one of your still captured own, but they have him under pretty heavy guard, it will take me some time to get close enough to free him, other then that my companion Ana has come up with a plan to help free Halyard, with your help I can smuggle weapons in to the slaves."

"Well... at least when /I/ was still a captive there, we were bein' held captive in m' tavern. That changed?" Keita frowns thoughtfully, looking down the shore in the direction of Halyard.

Darklett listens intently, going over the plan in his head. "You're saying that you can actually get them to let you give the captives weapons? Is that what you're saying?" He stares at Slain, one eyebrow slowly raising inquisitively.

Slain shakes his head "No, he is being held in the tavern, and under much heavier guard, he also appears to be wounded a bit, no doubt retribution for the escape..." He then looks to Darklett "No, it will require much stealth on my part to get the weapons in and where the slaves can claim them, how ever, me entering and leaving the town will not be seen as anything to be suspicious by the guards."

Darklett takes his paws out of his pockets, and folds his arms across his chest. "Entering the town with weapons and leaving the town without them isn't suspicious? Listen, they managed to capture the entire town -and- put down an attempt to rescue them from an army of trained fighters. I don't think you're giving these vermin enough credit."

Slain smirks "I give them quite a great deal actually, one of their guards actually managed to put up a good fight with me a few days ago. I will be hiding these weapons on my person, also they will have to be strictly small blades, daggers, knives, things of that nature."

Keita simply listens for the time-being, seeing as how Darklett's the officer here and she's... er. A villager. Yes.

Darklett shakes his head. "No, sorry, that's a terrible idea. This isn't really time for heroics; the Long Patrol has this taken care of. Appreciate the concern and everything, but I really don't think it's something you need to worry about." He grins, and rocks on his footpaws. "Go back to your family."

Slain replies coldly "My family is dead. I will concern my self where I see fit, there still may be a way to end all this bloodlessly."

"Ooh, sorry. Go back to... uh, your home." Darklett scratches the back of his head. "Really, I meant it, though. We got this one."

Keita coughs lightly in order to cover a laugh at Darklett's little slip-up. She quickly takes on a serious face again, however, and looks between the two. Erhem.

Slain adds "But the Blood Thirsters are being played for fools, they've been sent to their deaths by a joint effort between Ruingate and their leaders, I still don't fully know why but I believe if I can get them to see this that they may just give up."

Zeraph moves out of the mountain, looking much more clean than before, he and his uniform both, though the buck looks a little sad and still slightly favors the one leg when he walks. He pauses as he sees the little group of creatures and his ears raise up on his head curiously.

"An' what? Go on t' terrorize anothah village that /isn't/ allied with the Patrol?" Keita shoves her paws into her pockets and frowns. "What'll that accomplish?"

Slain looks down "I don't know, maybe I maybe I just want to see some plan of Ruingate's fail or maybe I'm just looking to limit blood shed."

Darklett is starting to get a LITTLE frustrated. "Lizard." Fists clench in the hare's arms-crossed position. "I'd like not to think that some honorable, good, life-deserving beasts were killed on a stupid folly to randomly send a bunch of beasts to their death for some reason you don't even know. Until you -do- know for sure, then don't waste the Long Patrol's time with GUESSES." Grr!

Slain replies "Merdez is moving his influence into Mossflower, that's why, he wants to keep you all busy and doesn't care how many who trust him are killed off during it."

"So now you know. Why didn't you say before? For all I know, you're part of the plan." Darklett steps forward, pointing a finger towards him. "Which one is it, lizard? You don't know why, you know why, you don't know why, you know why, which one's the lie, and why are you lying?"

Keita's frown only deepens. "Y'know one o' those vermin that ya want t' spare /stomped/ on me? He /stomped/ on me. This was aftah kickin' me while I was already on the ground. Nah - fer /once/ 'n' my life, I agree with the Patrol. They need t' be taken care of. Who cares about Ruingate? If it's not my village, it'll be anothah one, 'n' that may be all well 'n' good fer you in the meantime, but it's not fer me." My, but Slain's the unpopular man out tonight.

Slain snarls, he takes a bit of offense it seems being accused of working for Ruingate "I don't know why they would clearly go to their deaths, as for Merdez, any fool can see what's going on!"

Darklett squints at Slain, growling in his speech, now. "Lizard, I'll ask you only once to -not- take the Long Patrol for fools. Now, go home. Your speculation isn't wanted here."

Zeraph flinches at the yelling, ears turning back again and looking sad again as he glances back and forth in between the three, pulling his arms around his body and gazes at Darklett mostly, who he has never seen like this before. The buck remains quiet for now.

Keita sighs and shakes her head at the lizard, but as she looks away her eyes come to rest on Zeraph, and with a small frown, she crosses over to him. Nod. "'Ey," she murmurs.

Slain hangs his head "I just don't like killing, no matter who it is, why is death always seen as the answer."

Zeraph shifts so that his head is more downward and glances towards Keita. "Hey.." Then his attention returns to Slain and Dark, arms still wrapped around his upper body.

"You should probably ask the ones who killed innocent beasts on a peaceful parade." Darklett growls again, and taps his footpaw on the sand. "Shouldn't you be off to Mossflower now? After all, that's where you're apparently needed most... In any case, I really don't care where you go, as long as you don't bring your pointless banter back to Salamandastron ever again."

Slain looks the hare in the eye "So, you wish me to return to Mossflower and not return then?"

"I don't like repeating myself," Darklett responds quickly.

Keita studies the rather somber-looking Zeraph for a moment, but soon enough her attention returns back to the two creatures at the center of all this.

Slain narrows his stare "Defeat me and I will leave this land and never return."

Darklett grits his teeth, looking almost in disbelief at Slain's response. "You... you're daft. You really are. Keita," Darklett turns to the doe. "Mind if I accompany you on your walk?"

Slain says a bit louder "The only way you'll get me to leave this land is if you best me, other wise you are all stuck with me till this is over."

Zeraph clears his throat now, looking in between Keita and Darklett, his ears remaining lowered, then he sighs and goes to move forward. "Slain, right?" The buck offers a light smile to the lizard.

Slain nods to Zeraph "Yes."

Keita rolls her eyes at Slain's insistence, but at Darklett's question, she shakes her head. "Of course not." With a grin, she offers her arm out to the other buck. All the while, though, she's keeping an ear towards Slain, and now Zeraph.

Zeraph nods. "Maybe, you /should/ just go." He states, still looking timid and arms crossed. "I don't think the challenge thing is a good idea. You are still a lizard after all, and if you refuse to go...you..may not be able to." The buck sighs a little. "If you get my meaning."

Darklett smirks, and takes the arm, looking over his shoulder at the lizard and the other buck as the hare of the two speaks. "Zeraph," he murmurs out. "Coming with us, or...?"

Slain holds his arms out to draw attention to the fact that he carries no weapons beyond the two staves he has with him "Attack an unarmed beast, that's quite low."

Zeraph shakes his head and looks down. "I'm sorry..I know you mean well.." The buck goes to move towards the other two hares.

Keita offers her other arm to Zeraph, with a subdued grin. "Leave 'im. He'll tired of it, eventually."

Zeraph smirks at Keita, though he doesn't take her arm. "A walk with the two of you would be lovely, but I was about to do something before this.." He nods respectfully to the other two hares as he goes to walk off. "Maybe I'll see you later."

Slain says nothing and stands up on the rock he was sitting on, taking only one of the staves he jumps backwards into the darkness around him, his dark scales aid him in vanishing.

Darklett nods to Zeraph, giving him a wave as he heads off in another direction. "Hmph," is all Darklett seems to have to comment after this, his head swinging to Keita. "Let's hope he leaves, then."

Keita shrugs and lowers her offered arm as Zeraph walks off on his own. "Latah, then..." But as he's already gone, this is said more out of convention than anything else. "Aye. We c'n hope. Or mayhaps he'll try somethin' in the village 'n' get himself shot through with an arrow?" This is said just a little too hopefully.

Darklett sighs, shaking his head. "I don't want him dead. Just want him gone. Can't really blame him in all fairness; I was a little ambitious in my youth, too. Nothing to that point, but it's all the same in the end, right?" Aaand, he begins the walk.

"Oh, I s'pose not dead... just a bit oochy, mayhaps." Oochy, it's a word. The doe shrugs lightly, walking along beside at a casual pace. "And aye, I know all about ambitious youth... Fortunately most of us grow up, eh?"

Darklett hasn't a comment on that, and so silence falls. "...Hey, maybe he'll actually kill a few of them for us, if he's there when we attack. Even if he's a little full of himself, he might have some kind of use in battle."

"Mayhaps... he does seem rathah sure of himself. He could probably wipe the smirk off o' my face, anyway." Keita shrugs, looking thoughtful. "All the same, I'd talk t' Oxeye about it. He might want t' prepare fer any trouble that lizard might cause on the day of the battle."

Darklett nods slowly. "I'll make sure we have scouts keeping an eye out for him. I didn't trust him from the second I laid eyes on him in the mountain, to tell you the truth, but if we've got a common enemy, no use in killing the kid. Seems a little young to be involving himself like that, though, don't you think?"

"It wouldn't hurt him t' learn that somethin' like this isn't just fun 'n' games, though... Mayhaps gettin' his snout singed a bit'll do 'im good." Keita shoves her paws in her pockets and ambles along, kicking up sand as she goes.

Darklett brings his free paw up to the back of his head and scratches there. "Heh, it helped me, and I'm sure it helped you. Guess it's a part of that 'growing up' thing you mentioned before. Heh." Dark smirks a little at this, and continues the walk up the otherwise undisturbed beach, keeping his eyes peeled and ears perked for any signs of possible danger.