08-11-05

Characters involved: Audri, Taye, & NiXia.

Halyard Village: Main Street

Hopping from rooftop to rooftop over in the east square, Audri slowly makes her way for main street with a large branch strapped to her back. The dark squirrelmaid keeps glancing down towards the abandoned streets, making sure no one is trying to make her a pincushion while she quietly heads for the barricade.

"Wondah where Audri's got t'..." Taye is, as usual, sitting on the hare side of the barricade, with one eye peeking over into main street.

A squeak comes just on the edge of the eastern square, Audri having found a loose tile. Her brushtail has frizzed up, while she sinks her claws into the roof and plasters herself to it, hoping it went unnoticed.

The squeak did /not/ go unnoticed, but as Taye looks around frantically, bow held closer at paw, he is unable to locate the source of it. Erhem. He blinks.

Audri slowly peeks over the rooftop, making sure there's no arrows headed her way. Breathing a sigh, she resumes her hopping, making it across the barricade within a few moments. Audri carefully slides down the roof, landing on the ground with a muffled 'oof'

Well, he's not looking in Audri's direction, but at the oof he turns. And lo and behold, there's Audri, on the ground. He blinks, puzzled to find her such. "'Ey, Audri, whatcha doin'?"

Audri's ears flick up before she quickly scrambles to her feet, grinning. "Oh nothin'. Ya on sentry duty agin?" She asks, moving her tail slightly to hide the branch strapped to her back.

Taye nods in answer to this and holds up his bow. "Aye, yeah... Not much of anythin' happenin', as usual." The buck sighs slightly and hops down from the barricade, crossing over towards Audri.

Audri nods, scratching the back of her neck. "Yea, its been pretty quiet all day. So, when are ya gettin' off tonight?" Her paws move behind her back, slowly untying the branch while trying not to draw attention to it.

Taye notices Audri fiddling behind her back, but he doesn't take much more notice of it than that. "Oh... jus' a little bit longah. Should be relieved pretty soon, 'ere."

Audri squirms slightly while she lowers the branch to the ground, nodding to Taye. "That's good. Ya wanna do somethin' when ya get relieved? I'm sure ya been pretty bored 'n all just sittin' there."

Taye nods and looks back towards the barricade. Buuut, fortunately there's now another hare there, a doe, looking around confused for whoever she's supposed to be relieving. Er. Taye jogs back to the barricade and touches the doe on the shoulder. They exchange a few words and salute each other, and then Taye jogs back over to Audri. "A'right, I'm off duty." He grins.

While Taye goes off to chat with his relief, Audri quickly moves to stash her newest idea away behind some barrels, looking a bit relieved that its hidden. Audri returns his grin, stuffing her paws in her pockets. "Great. So, what ya wanna do?"

Taye looks around loooong and thoughtfully. "We-ell..." Er. "I dunno." The buck grins and gives the squirrel's headfur a tossle and then turns, moving away a few steps to consider other prospects. "What d'you wanna do?"

Audri gives Taye's arm a poke for the hair tossling, moving after him. "I dunno. I went off explorin' again but didn't find anythin' to interestin'. What did ya use to do for fun when ya lived here?"

Taye looks around and gives a thoughtful shrug. "Oh, I dunno... It was a long time ago." He ponders the question for a moment, thinking back. "I guess... I used t' play with the othah dibbuns 'n' watch the oldah folks aftah they got back from fishin'. Sometimes we'd play around on the roofs, 'r in the alleys..."

Audri coughs at the mention of roofs, tail frizzing up. But with the mention of alleys, her ears perk, a very interested look crossing her face. "Alleys? Where're the alleys at? Cause those be really interestin' I bet."

Taye grins and points back towards the square and then up main street. "There's an alley that ducks between two buildin's... It's hard t' notice unless ya know it's there, 'cause there's a fence, but it leads t' a back alley that runs the whole length o' main street behind the buildin's. Comes out ovah in the eastern square." He smiles, just slightly. "Actually, me 'n' m' mum's room used t' be off o' the back alley." He glances to Audri. "That's why I said it prob'ly wasn't safe, 'cause it's righ' behind main street. One of our windows looked righ' down on it."

Audri nods, tail flicking thoughtfully while the creative juices flow. "Hmm..well iffen we used the rooftops to get to it then we should be okay. That's what I did earlier."

Taye gives Audri an eyeful. "Ya did /what/?" But... yeah, in the end he just grins. "Yer gonna get yerself shot full o' holes, y'know.

Audri says, "I went over to the East Square to get somethin'. 'n I'm not gonna end up a pincushion. But, we should try it. It'd be awful fun to go explore.""

Taye worries at his lower lip for a moment, looking this way and that as if just expecting a superior officer to jump out and reprimand him the very second he agrees. But when this doesn't happen, he looks back to Audri and... hesitantly, he nods. "A'right, let's do it."

Audri grins, looking up at the building beside them before turning back to Taye. "Ya can climb right? Cause I don't wanna get ya injured or nothin'."

Taye eyes Audri unbelievingly for a moment. "Not like /that/..." That is, not on the outside of buildings. He points to the house that they've been staying in. "That'un's got roof access. Could we, ah.... jus' take the stairs?" Grin.

Audri giggles, nodding quickly. "Yea, okay. But I'm gonna have to teach ya to climb sometime. It makes things alot easier y'know."

Taye rolls his eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah... 'm sure. I'm jus' not so sure I'm equipped fer climbin'. He grins, and thumps the ground with his big... hare-y foot. "More fer hoppin' 'n' runnin'." Grin.

Audri shrugs, walking off towards the house. "Well, iffen ya say so. But I'm pretty sure ya could do it. Maybe not as graceful as me but ya could probably manage it a'right."

Taye follows Audri towards the house, falling into step beside her. He looks towards the house they walk towards. "When we'd stay up on the roofs 'til late, mam'd come out ont' the step 'n' yell, 'Taye, if ya don't getcher butt home righ' now...!'" He smirks. "She could clear out every dibbun fer miles."

Audri listens quietly, a small smirk on her face while a few giggles break few. "She sounds interestin' Taye. When did ya move up to the mountain with ya dad?"

Taye looks over at Audri, and smiles slightly. "Rah's not m'real da'. Ewan... 'e was m'dad. I think..." He squints hard, "I think 'e was a runnah."

Audri ohs, nodding slowly. "Well, he acts enough like ya real da. So, what happen to Ewan or is that a bad question?"

Taye shakes his head, shrugging. "I nevah really knew 'im... Rah's the only /real/ Da' I've evah had." He pauses at the door to the vacant house and holds it open for Taye. "'E just up 'n' left while a lot of us were at Redwall."

Audri mumbles a 'thanks', slipping through the door. She takes a quick look around, before looking back to Taye. "Well least ya have some family around. Ya really lucky y'know. So, which way is it to the roof access thingy?"

Taye smiles in silent agreement, but instead of saying any more, he follows Audri into the home. He points towards a door, and walks over to it. He opens it and points up the stairs. "Up 'ere."

Audri grins, walking over to poke her head out the door, looking up at the stairs. "So, we still on our side or their side when we head up em?"

"Our side, but a coupla homes t' the right 'n' we'll be on t' main street homes." He heads up the stairs, shouldering his bow as he goes.

Audri nods, following along after the buck. "Do ya think it'll be pretty quiet out on their side like it was earlier?"

Taye nods and stops at the top of the stairs, pushing the door open. He ducks his head out and looks around. "Looks clear..." He continues out, keeping a low profile in the nighttime.

Audri crouches down, following along behind Taye once again, tail twitching behind her. She quietly looks over the other rooftops, a voice barely a whisper. "Which way do we go?"

Taye looks around at Audri's whisper. He then gestures with a paw to his right. "This way..." He turns and heads that way, drawing his bow and an arrow, just in case. Soon enough he reaches the edge of this roof, and to the next one it's only a one foot drop. Small villages are lovely like that.

Audri follows along, keeping low though her tail is swishing non stop. She looks over to the next roof, looks to the ground before walking back a few steps. Audri then makes a quick sprint (much to Taye's surprise probably), leaping across and landing with a dull 'thud' as her claws sink into to the tiles.

Indeed, it is a surprise. Taye watches her leap across, and then he too does the same. He lands next to Audri and soon is moving forward again. He gestures Audri onward, and soon enough, he's crossed over to the /next/ roof.

Audri glances back towards the street, breathing a soft sigh to herself. She soon scrambles up the roof, making a elegant leap to the next one, landing beside Taye.

Taye grins over at Audri and then holds a finger up to his lips; they're in enemy territory, now. He begins moving forward, placing the arrow to bow string. "It's jus' a coupla roofs on..."

Audri nods, ears pinning back, crouching lower as she moves along behind him. She takes a quick leap to the next roof, making a muffled squeak as she's found the roof with the loose tiles. "Taye..this roof has loose tiles so be careful."

At her warning, Taye does indeed begin moving more carefully. In fact, he slips when he takes the jump to the next roof, but he /just/ makes it across. "Oof."

Audri was scrambling up to jump to the next roof but upon hearing an 'oof' she turns back, brows knit in worry. "Ya a'right?"

Taye gets up and follows after Audri, nodding. "I'm a'right. Keep goin'... it's the next roof ovah."

Audri nods, giving him one last look. She quickly slides down the roof halfway before leaping onto the next one, griping her claws into the tiles while she glances around.

Sighing softly, Taye sets his arrow back upon the bow string and scrambles across the roof after Audri, until finally, they reach the appropriate roof. "A'right... we're here." His voice is a low whisper, and he looks around warily, feeling less and less sure about this little adventure of theirs.

Audri nods, peering off towards the street, tail swishing from side to side. "So, which way to the alley?"

Taye jerks a thumb towards the back of the building, and towards it he heads. "There used t' be an old set o' rickety stairs... Ah! Yeah... still there." He grins with satisfaction and drops down onto the wooden stairs, which give a few perilous creeks.

Audri glances at the stairs, looking rather unsure of the creeking. "I think..I'm just gonna jump off 'n meet ya back there." She whispers, starting to slide down the roof quietly.

Taye rolls his eyes and continues down the stairs, though at a slightly slower pace than he'd usually take. "Fine... seems sturdy enough t' me, though."

"Yea, that's why they're creeking so much." Audri mumbles, looking off towards the street before hopping off with a muffled 'oof'. Dusting herself, she glances around again, heading back towards the alley.

NiXia this time has tried her luck climbing over the barrier, instead of using her existing escape route. things really were getting to easy. she freezes when she hears the woodlanders thanking her sense to dress up in night colors.

Finally reaching the ground, Taye looks around the dark, dirty little alley quietly. "Ahhh... it's jus' like it used t' be. 'Cept... quietah." He glances around to locate Audri.

Audri soon appears, eyes going over the alley with an inquisitive look. "Looks pretty cool. Was worth all that roof climbing."

NiXia notices the short legth from the wall top to the roofs, and leaps, landing safely, yet shakily. she checks to make sure that her bloodthirster loot is well hidden then frezes, hearing voices below.

Taye nods to Audri and grins. "Lotsa things t' get int'..." He turns 'round about, and finally locates what he's looking for. He points towards a door, "Through there 'n' up the stairs t' the second floor, that's where I used t' live."

Audri oohs, looking off to where he's pointing with perked ears. "Do ya think its locked up like the store are?" Her ears flick, nose twitching thoughtfully as she glances up towards the roof with a squint.

NiXia crosses the roof, bringing the two into view, she watches the two, following them silently, until...a few very loud chain like weapons fall out of her theif's pouch. She watches forlournly as they crash down to the cobblestones bellow.

Taye is moving over towards the door and thus closer to the edge of the building, when the chain weapons come crashing down not too far from him. He actually squeaks and jumps back, but his /second/ impulse is to raise his bow and arrow, and to look up. "Audri, get back!" This is a hissed whisper.

NiXia finally comes to her senses and stumbles back, cursing herself for such an amatuer slip.she unsheathes her halberd in case things get heiry. giant blades have ways of convincing people.

A

udri was watching the roof just when the weapons came down, her brushtail fluffing up. She quickly scrambles to the back of the alley, crouching down behind some barrels while keeping watch on the roof. "Shouldn't ya find some cover first before ya start shootin'?"

Taye's ears twitch at Audri's question, but rather than answer it, he does it. He slowly begins backing up, his arrow still trained on the roof in question. The first barrel he reaches, he ducks partially behind it, eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

NiXia has the bright idea to travel the roofs, circling aaround to the rooftop above them directly, her halberd leid in front of her, for leaning

Audri sighs, looking relieved since the hare's got some cover. Taking one last look at the roof, Audri ducks behind her own barrels, ears perked for any sound.

Taye looks back at Audri and shrugs very slightly... It's hard to see if anyone's still up there. He mouths the words, "What d'ya wanna do?"

Audri shrugs, looking off to the building from earlier. "Could we hide in there for awhile?"

Thinking quickly, Taye nods and waves Audri to go in. This she does, but instead of following, Taye shuts the door firmly behind her. He then looks up, bow and arrow still in paw as he looks up towards the roof. He mounts the steps, which creek eeeever so softly as he ascends.

NiXia leans over,stray strands of hair falling over the roof. she truns quickly as she hears foots steps nearby, taking her halberd in paw and walking toward the source, trying to look dangerous. theif she might be, but not a vermoin.

Taye probably doesn't look all that intimidating himself, but he keeps the arrow at the ready as he continues upward. Finally, he reaches the top of the stairs, and the first thing to come over the edge is his bow and arrow, then his upper body. Grr, argh. Fear him. Er... right. Nixia is spotted rather quickly, as is her halbred. He brings his bow around and aimed at her, though he doesn't fire, nor does he make a sound.

NiXia has her halberd slung over her soiuldershe grins. " 'lo, liddle rabbiddy." she says, tapping the long leather bound hilt and dropping the blade in front of her, some tiles away with the sheer weight.

Taye stays where he is, firmly atop the stairs, and his arrow remains pointed directly at the main mass of Nixia - her torso. "'Ey," is all he says, either from nerves or from simply not seeing the point in a long conversation.

NiXia is extremely reluctant to use the halberd, preferinging knives.the polecat. Raises a brow. "Whattdya want???"

Taye eyes Nixia for a long and silent moment, before shrugging. "You 'n' yers outta Halyard, fer one."

NiXia laughs. "oh, me an' mine,lemme tell ye somethin' about how I feel about the 'bloodthirsters' Eh?" she says, sheathing her halberd and approaching him.

As soon as Nixia starts moving forward, Taye takes a step forward with his bow and arrow, shaking his head. "Stay! ... Stay where ya are. I'll shoot ya if I have t', 'n' trust me, I won't miss."

NiXia leans forward, white eyes narrowed. "-I- never wanted to be part of, Daclon's all powerful group. -I- never wanted to take over a village -I- just wanted to filch some things form a sleeping ferret His armor alone is enough ay off me worries fer a whole ten seasons." she said. "So, If ye don' mind, I'm tryin' ta escape, but yew Lp or whatever, 've kept catchen' me an' sendin' me away. first I had to pretend ta be a gypsy then." she counts off all of five accounts, taking off her mask. "I would jus' like one free day where I don' ge in live's way an' nearly die.

Taye's arrow tip slowly lowers as he listens to Nixia's story, and after a few seconds, he... shrugs. "So, ah... why dincha jus' say so?" He quirks a brow at the polecat and glances over his shoulder towards the alley he came from. "Ya head back from that alley, you'll hit woods. Why doncha jus' go?"

NiXia blinks. she didn't thikn telling the truth would actually work. "Really?? Thank rab-...I mean 'are. Whatsyer name???" She said, fishing around in one of her concealed pockets.

Taye gives Nixia an odd look, the sort of look that says, 'Vermin, what do you expect?' He lowers the arrow point so that it's directed mostly towards the ground, "M'name's Taye. Ah... what's yers?"

NiXia walks forward, smiling welcomely, holding out a paw, somethingcocealed in them. "Th'names NiXia. NiXiasheehan, m'love she says, holding her paw out as if to shake.

Taye keeps hold of bow and arrow with one paw while he extends the other, almost by instinct, to accept the shake of the paw. Though, still, he's looking at her warily. "Good t' meetcha, I... guess."

NiXia passes the somethings into the buck's paw, which turn out to be pearls. big ones. black ones. expensive. She runs by him, saying jokingly. "Y'know, yehr not a bad lookah, Taye." she bounds down the staircase and calls out as she races towards the forest. "For a long patrol 'are!"

Taye blinks as the something is passed and as she darts past, he looks down at his up-turned paw. His eyes widen slightly and he looks over his shoulder, watching her retreat down the staircase. It's only then that her words register, and the young buck flushes darkly as he watches her go, without another word.