08-21-05 3

Characters involved: Zeraph, Icepaw, Zoe_Lang, Windrunner, & Vansinnig.

Halyard Village: Main Street(#123920RJ)

Zeraph moves back into the area, gazing around as if expecting someone to jump out onto him or something. He picks up the pace moving across the road and yawning now, seeming sure that the officer that had yelled at him earlier is gone now.

Icepaw jumps in front of Zeraph very quickly to suprise him. " 'ello, mate." he almost shouts at the other hare.

That officer may be gone, but there's another one in residence - Zoe. She's wandering down the street from the direction of the western square, looking displeased.

Zeraph does jump a little, and immediately goes to punch Icepaw in the jaw, which is just that reflex in these stressed times.

Icepaw feels Zeraph's punch crack a tooth and knock him a few steps back. He spits out a little blood and smiles a big goofy grin. "Nice shot, wot."

Zeraph is still tensed up, paws curled into fists and held up at the ready. He slowly lowers them, brows furrowing. He smacks himself in the forehead. "Gah! I'm sorry Ice.." His ears tilt back.

Zoe_Lang observes the general jaw punching etcetera with little surprise. Battle stress will cause such things. She turns her direction, heading towards the pair of bucks.

Icepaw turns to see the colonel coming towards them. " Uh oh mate."

Windrunner jogs into the town, his breathing still easy in spite of the soaked state of his shirt. It is clear that Windrunner has been for quite a run, but it seems to have tired him little. A sword is strapped tightly to his back, along with a quiver of arrows, and an unstrung bow is held in his left paw as he draws to a halt. Flexing his knees, he looks around the town, nodding to the beasts wordlessly.

Zeraph stares towards the Colonel. Oh crap. He smiles a little, then remembers the salute...

Zoe_Lang returns the salute via a nod, stopping in front of the two hares. Windrunner is noted, but she leaves him to himself for the moment. "Everythin' a'right here, lads?" She looks from one to the other, questioningly.

Vansinnig stirs slightly in an alleyway, blinking open red eyes. Grunting a bit, he sits upright, feeling at the improvised bandages. "Hwuh?" Glancing out into the street, he sees hares. Quite a few of them. Snarling softly, he snuffles a bit, rubbing dried blood off of his paw. The bleeding stopped, apparently, which is a blessing within itself. He sits quiet for now.

Windrunner doesn't mind being left to his own devices. He stretches for a few minutes, allowing his body to cool down from the extended jaunt.

Icepaw shakes his head."Yes, ma'am, just a few of playful jabs" he replies to the colonel's question.

Zeraph is now wringing his paw from where he just felt the punch. Hitting someone's jaw can hurt. He nods. "Yes, ma'am...He just startled me." The buck's ear flicks backward for a moment, in the direction of the alley and he tenses, pausing from rubbing his knuckles, then he just seems to calm again, attention returning to Zoe.

Vansinnig snorts softly, flicking his ears at the end of the alley as Zer seems to hear him. He smiles grimly. So perceptive, that one. "Mebbe I should take 'is ears off so they don't 'ear so well," he whispers.

Zoe_Lang's ear flicks in the direction of the alley as well, but her attention is soon diverted back to Zeraph & Ice. "A'right... good." A nod is given to the both, though she particularly focuses on Zeraph. She's looking at him rather closely. "Yer Keita's friend, righ'?" She frowns, thoughtfully. "You were captive t'gethah t'least, righ'?"

Zeraph nods slowly. "Aye, yes...I'm Keita's friend." He smiles a little, then looks around as if just thinking about something. "I need to find her, by the way.."

Vansinnig grunts softly as he stands, feeling the bandages around his stomach. He plans to move in the opposite direction....but, he knocks over some loose planks standing against the wall. Oooh. CLANKity CLATTERy.

Windrunner finishes his stretching and wanders towards the gathering of hares on the other side of the square. He is too far away to make out their words, but he notices a badger in the alley behind them. He squints, then shakes his head slightly, muttering, "Badgers are odd folk."

Icepaw looks towards the alley where the noises are coming from.

"I--" Zoe frowns, looking around in the direction of the disturbance. "What the..."

Zeraph is now staring towards Vansinnig too. He grins and wiggles his fingers at him, in a sarcastic wave.

Vansinnig snarls as he is obviously found out. Stepping out of the alley, he squints in the sudden light. In response to Zeraph, he whips of his chain end lightly at him. "Don't get smart, hopper."

Zeraph is popped in the side with a chain. He scowls and rubs where it hit, though it wasn't as hard as it could have been. "Oy! And you know my bloody name, Van!" His whiskers twitch indignantly.

Vansinnig smirks wide, revealing his gums. "Eh, I'll pretend I don't." He glances about. None of the others are familiar. The blade end is instantly attatched to the chain end. Chain links hum and tinkle as it is through in a tight windmill in his paw. "Wot's this, a welcomin' committee?"

Zoe_Lang blinks in general confusion at the sudden appearance of a badger that she very much does not know. "Zeraph, who is this?" Yes, because it's polite to speak as if the badger's not there. But then again, he does have a weapon out. Her paw rests on her sword hilt.

Windrunner's brows arch at the badger's actions as he approaches, chuckling, "A bit touchy, are we?" He seems decidedly more relaxed than the rest, then again, he wasn't fighting the day before.

"Not gonna ask me directly, hopper?" Van glares slightly at Zoe. "That ain't polite, ya know. Didn't ya get taught good manners when ya were a leveret?"

Zeraph pulls the sword off of his back, like he's contemplating chopping this big, fat, stripey head off. He realizes the Colonel is speaking to him though. "Oh..That's Vansinnig. Ignore him, he's not too smart.."

Icepaw stands there unimpressed, waiting for something to happen so he can have a little fune.

Vansinnig flicks the un-weighted chain end at Zer again.

Zeraph catches it by sticking his sword up in time. He grins. "Oh, I'm surprised you figured out that was an insult.."

Vansinnig grins a bit, then yanks the chain while Zer's still holding it. "Keep quiet or I'll skewer ya. Weren't talkin' ta you, were I?"

Icepaw waits for a fight to break out.

Zeraph is tugged forward a little, footpaws planted firmly upon the ground, though. He scowls up at him, ears tilted back. "..but you were.." The buck states matter-of-fact-like.

Zoe_Lang has been watching Vansinnig throughout this exchange with increasing dislike. She gives Zeraph a look which would seem to suggest that he shut up for a few seconds, and then she inclines her head /just/ enough so that the badger can see that she's doing it but not enough to really be called polite. "Didn't ya get taught good enough mannahs not t' swing yer weapon around in good company?" Or, for that matter, when the odds are overwhelmingly not in one's favor. XD

Vansinnig snarls a bit, before retracting the chain. "Lissen 'ere, hopper. I 'ave business wit' the snippy one 'ere."

Zeraph tugs the chains away from his sword, ears nearly crossing, and gazing hard at what he is doing, though he doesn't say anything. I mean..Zoe gave him 'the look'.

Windrunner tenses up as he senses the tension on the air. Looking from beast to beast, he decides not to play peacemaker at this juncture. He'd rather not have a badger fall on him, particularly one with sharp things on chains. He stays back as he idly leans on his bow stave, watching and waiting.

Zoe_Lang's eyes narrow ever so slightly, and she looks to the side at Zeraph. "As his superiah, his business is my business. So, ya have business with me. It's eithah that or I c'n have ya escorted t' the entrance o' the village. Choose."

Vansinnig grunts, then smirks. "Very well." The chain swings slowly in his paw as he steps backward...but instantly feels a stab of pain in his gut. "Eh, perhaps not. Try me when I'm be'er."

Icepaw taps his foot waiting for a fight. Big stupid badgers usually pick the violent way in most situations so he expects a small scuffle.

Zeraph scowls up at Vansinnig again, almost thoughtfully too. Then he sticks his tongue out at him. Quite the Long Patroller...He goes to walk back towards Icepaw.

Vansinnig grunts at Zer's display of immaturity. "So...ya never grew up then?" He lets out a harsh bark. "How'dya get inta the Long Pat-things."

"If ya want t' remain, yer goin' t' have to relinquish that weapon, though it will be returned t' ya on leavin'." The Colonel waits, paw still resting on sword hilt. Then, as an afterthought. "If ya need medical attention, I c'n see t' it." Ooh, there goes Zeraph. Um. Oh, darn. But then Van speaks, so she doesn't bother calling him back.

Zeraph pauses and looks back towards him, then grins. "Ah...did I hurt your widdle feelings?" He starts to laugh. Maybe he's having too much fun with this. But Van is so easily riled.

Vansinnig stares over at Zoe. "Tell ya what...I'll go find a nice barrel a aged ale and not relinquish my weapon, eh?" He snorts, unclipping and stowing the blade and chain. Then, he heads towards Zeraph....and walks by him, throwing a swift cuff of his paw at the back of the hares head. "Told ya ta watch 'at mouth a yours."

Zeraph is popped in the back of the head, nearly stumbling forward, and he begins rubbing it. "..ow.." He mutters, unhappily, though it is a small price to pay for entertainment. The fighter glares after him. "Nancy." He grumbles at the badger's back.

Vansinnig growls. "-Will- ya shut up?...Nancy?"

Zeraph moves to hide behind Icepaw, trying to control his laughter. He says no more though...maybe he can't at the moment.

Windrunner has left.

Bristlingly, Zoe watches Vansinnig's retreating back. Then, Zeraph is given /another/ look. "C'n I trust this idiot not t' attack anyone /othah/ than yer brilliant self, lad?" She watches the buck move behind Icepaw and scowls. /Not/ in a good mood, her.

Icepaw smiles at the banter between the two beasts."You'd bes' stop while your ahead, wot.", he says to the badger.

Zeraph looks towards the Colonel and his brows furrow. "I'm not sure..As long as I keep his focus on me, he may leave all you others alone." He nods, looking completely serious now.

Vansinnig shakes his head, snorts once, and heads out, a rather puzzled look on his face. "Nancy?" He heads off, and is lost among the buildings. All other comments are ignored.

Zoe_Lang rolls her eyes. This was not the answer she was looking for. Two fingers are held up to her lips, and she whistles sharply. She raises a paw, and several hares jog in her direction. "I want that badgah found, 'n' escorted out o' the village." There's no real point in them asking /what/ badger, seeing as how one village usually isn't going to have more than one wandering about it. They all nod, and head off. Grr, argh. There may as well be a gray cloud circling her head.

Zeraph raises a brow. Well, whatever.

Zeraph remains there behind Icepaw, gazing off in the direction the badger left. Hmm..

With the badger situation 'handled', so far as she's concerned, Zoe turns to Icepaw and Zeraph, again. "Keita's recuperatin' in her room, at the tavern. G'day, lads." She nods to the both, preparing to turn and leave.

Icepaw turns to Zeraph. "Don' hide behin' meh, mate. Tha' badga' is ye problem"

Zeraph nods slowly. "Yeah..he's definitely a problem." The buck rubs his nose and watches the doe go to head off, with a sigh.

Zoe_Lang continues off, for location's unknown. She stops to speak to a hare here and there, but she's heading in the general direction of the eastern square.