A Good Trick Part One

Characters: Will, Kentar, Fira, Aikuen, Skuld, Mayuel

Location: Broadstream

Broadstream right before the North Path

Well. Finally, after yesterday, the stoatmaid that Kentar rescued is awake and talking. In fact they're both talking to the side near the river, keeping their conversation low.

Will is keeping away from the stoats for the stoatmaid's sake and his own sake as well. He's sitting by the water watching the bugs flitting about the reeds and grasses along the river's edge.

Fira has sat herself down out the way to lean against a nice big rock. Enjoying the moments rest, though, she does keep an eye on the stoaty pair. Curious, she can't help but try to lip read from a distance. Low conversation or not if they're facing just enough her way she might be able to catch something.

Aikuen is sitting by the fire, whetting his dagger. He hums lightly and leaves everyone else to there own devices. Periodically he stops and test the edge with his claw, before going back and whetting it again.

Kentar spends a little while more talking with the other stoat before they both stand and head back towards the camp, Kentar not looking very happy.

Snap! Snap! Snap! The rat is again hunting insects along the bank and enjoying munching on them. He hears the stoats coming closer before he bothers to turn around to watch them, leaving the bugs for later.

Aikuen sees the pair coming, and sheaths his dagger, and putting the stone back in his pocket. He smiles somewhat and says, "Hello you two..." His voice is very normal

Fira is quick to make sure she's not looking when Kentar and co gets up again...her attention instead going to Will, a brow raising. Strange rat.

The stoatmaid sits down as does Kentar, next to her. "I'm going to go with you as far as mossflower," she says, "before parting ways." Kentar just sits there, not saying much.

Aikuen nods, "Okay... Any reason why your going to Mossflower?" he asks. He gives a glance to Kentar, to get his take on it.

Familiar faces. A pair of staring, amber eyes peer from amongst the greenery, having made her way up from the South. She's been travelling for a few days, with no destination in particularly, and has found herself here. A familiar voice, Aikuen's, has prompted her to halt, not terribly well concealed, and watch this party of beasts.

Fira slowly turns her head back towards the stoats and Aik, a conversation she doesn't want to miss if just so she knows what's going on still.

The stoatmaid slowly nods. "Running away from my father," she replies simply. Kentar still stays quiet. Not odd really.

Will listens and watches the others from the bank, ear's swiveling between the conversation and something just out of sight to the south.

Aikuen snorts and nods, "Aye, good enough reason for me..." He smiles and continues, "Were those who attacked you... sent from your father... or just random bandits?..."

Will watches the whatever it is among the trees curiously only half paying attention to the group now.

Quickly, and carefully, a small shape darts forward, to get a little closer. Hiding on the southern bank, obscured, again not terribly well, by one of the trees. An amber eye glints as the figure crouches.

Fira looks curious, watching the conversation but she's still not interrupting yet. No clue about the other beast in the area either.

"My father's assassins" she replies. "He wants me dead. And if it wasn't for Kentar here..." she motions to him. "He'd have his wish"

Aikuen grunts, "Is there any more? Or is that the last we can expect from him right now..." He looks to Kentar and nods, "Aye good thing he was there..."

There's clearly movement, somebeast is trying to sneak up on them! The ratling readies his sling and waits for the intruder to get within range. He's a terrible shot with a sling still but it may detour the beast at least.

Skuld watches the rat. He's the closest, after all. And a familiar face. She's not sure what he's doing at first, and actually steps out, apparently not too concerned about revealing herself, to see it better.

Kentar frowns a bit. "Was nothing really" he says, scratching the back of his head. The stoatmaid smiles. "It wasn't nothing..." She leans over and kisses him on the cheek which makes him frown for a few seconds. She turns back to the otter. "I think it may have been the last, but I can't tell."

Fira raises a brow and almost smirks before she sees Kentar's expression. That causes a little curious frown of her own. Ah so complex.

Seeing the cat Will puts his sling away, he'd just get in trouble if he managed to hit her anyway. "What are you doing here?!" he asks her none too happy to be see her.

Aikuen grunts again, "Then we are just going to have to be more careful I guess..." Obviously the fact that they may be hunted doesn't seem to phase him. He asks the Stoatmaid, "Well if your going to travel with us... I will at least need your name." He looks to the cat and rubs his eyes, not believing what he sees.

A subtle little grin forms, never pleasant, across her mouth and Skuld places her paws behind her back, rocking on her paws gently. "Just... walking..." She answers the rat, then twitches her ears, and offers a tiny wave to Aikuen. "Interesting company you've found..."

"Then you can walk back to whatever hole you crawled out of Skuld," the rat growls. He wonders how much trouble he'd really have gotten into if he were to have hit her after all.

Fira gets that Aik's started looking at something else and it's a moment after Skuld's even spoken than she looks round and even notices the cat. Looks a little surprised but only mildly. Not the first time she's been snuck up on, doesn't look like a danger anyway.

Aikuen now scratches a claw in his ear. His imagination now making the imaginary devil kitty talk. He blinks a few times, and is beginning to realize that she is not his imagination. And seeing that Will can see her too, that confirms it. He growls out, "Why are you here?"

"I'm Garnet" the stoatmaid says back to the otter before looking to the kitten, then to Kentar. "Know her?" The stoat shrugs.

Skuld looks over each in turn. "All paired up too... Except for the rat." She ignores Aikuen's question, focusing on Will, once more. "Hole? The Abbey was no hole when I left. Isn't it /nice/ to bump into friends?"

Aikuen nods to Stoatmaid, "Garnet... Nice name... Im Aik By the way..." He is trying to ignore the kitty, because the last time they crossed path... the otter wanted to kill her.

Fira raises a brow once more, slowly glancing between Will and Aikuen...ok, not a friend then. She's apparently keeping out of it.

Will doesn't respond to the cat's comments, but he keeps his eye and ears on her should she try anything.

Garnet smiles a bit and nods. "Nice to meet you" She smiles before poking at the fire. Kentar and her exchange whispers now for some weird reason.

"So /interesting/, already. Two friends, always /nice/ to see. A 'Garnet', who flees..." It might be safe to say, Skuld heard some of what was discussed earlier, if unclear of how much. "And one to attend her... And... A new mother, rat? My... You're more an otter than that poor deluded fox at the abbey, by now...

Fira watches the kitten...ok, so she doesn't get the tone, she doesn't really get what's going on and Skuld is of course tiny but she's already deciding she doesn't much like the cat "And you are?"

Kentar and the other stoat ignore Skuld for now, the two still talking.

Will does get the tone but chooses to take the last remark aimed at himself at a complement rather than an insult. He still doesn't say anything to the cat though he smirks at bit at the otter part.

Skuld watches Fira, then tracks back to the rat. Gesturing with her right, left paw remains behind her back, over his eyepatch, then sword. "An otter pirate, perhaps? Unless I am mistaken? Perhaps you are embracing the career of a sea rat, one could hope?" Another look over at Fira, and the cat is almost spitting. "No... No. You put too much stock in /family/... And /woodlanders/. And how things should be... Otter father, otter mother... You'll probably kill them both, eventually, though. Or they'll leave you. Rats are rats, whatever they believe."

Kentar's turn towards Skuld, the stoat standing and turning towards her. "Thats enough of that thank you."

Fira finally moves, getting up and going to walk towards Skuld "Kid, I'm going to punt you into the trees in a moment if you don't watch your tongue. It'll be for your own good too. One, you might learn some manners and two it'll keep rest of them from killing you. So. Would you like to run along now or shall I try and find a nice big boot?" delightful smile for her.

Will had had enough and was about to give the cat a piece of his mind til Fira had joined in. The rat remains quiet after all and inwardly cheers the ottermaid on.

Skuld looks to Kentar. "Oh. A stoat, too. What are you? An uncle? Cousin? Servant?" And then, Fira's walking towards her. Skuld matches the ottermaid's smile, though does try to make herself taller. "Where did they find you..? Go. Find a boot. Actions don't change truthful words. And you won't, anyway.

Kentar Growls and draws his rapier, taking a few steps forward. "I'm neither. Do not dare call me as servant again."

Will says, "And your words don't change the truth, cat." He sees the stoat drawn his blade, "Kentar, don't!" the rat orders doubting the stoat will listen.

Fira is not generally one to kick a dibbun but there are always exceptions to the rule. She smiles nicely down at the kitten, doesn't have to make herself taller, she just is "Do speak louder though" in the middle of the sentence she's lunging out a paw instead, going to grab hold of the front of Skuld's clothes and draw her upwards, at arm's length.

Fira quickly goes to swing Skuld out the way of the blade, give Kentar a little disapproving look "Get that temper in check" course she has no idea what's got him worked up anyway given she's only had Skuld's side of the conversation to go on for the last few minutes. Still, she goes to walk the dibbun to the river bank.

Will really wishes Aikuen hadn't picked now to fall asleep or whatever it was the other otter was doing instead of helping them right now. "Kentar come here," the rat calls forming a plan.

There's not so much as a wince from the kitten, given that she's swung from the path of the blade. "Ooh. Definitely an accomplice. A right paw for a future captain..." Skuld mocks at the stoat, even as the otter starts carrying her towards the bank. "Yes, yes, /Kentar/. Go to the rat like a good underling..."

Kentar misses and frowns. "What is it Will? Can't you see I'm a bit busy..." he looks to Fira. "Hey...I just got an idea...How about we cook her up? I just love dibbun's! But I could never eat a whole one...maybe we should see if that's changed."

Will really wishes the stoat wasn't so much like the MIA otter sometimes. "Just get over here and I'll tell you," frustrating being one of the sane ones .... ok saner ones.

Fira keeps her attention on the others more than the kitten for a moment, raising a brow to Kentar briefly, small smirk coming through "I wouldn't advise it. From sounds of her she'd probably taste a little sour" yeah, the kitten isn't getting to her at all past the desire to toss her in the river just cause she's clearly trying to be annoying.

Kentar grins. "Come on, its been ages since I've had roast cat" he smirks before looking over to Will before slowly starting to walk over, not taking his eyes off the kitten.

"So... Garnet. Kentar." The rat and the otter, Skuld knows, and now she looks expectantly up at the otter who holds her. "And... rat's new mother... Would you mind putting me down?" Even at the request, the paw not held behind her back is, with claws outstretched, aiming to latch into Fira's right arm. All talk of cooking her, is seemingly ignored by the cat.

Once Kentar reaches him the rat turns his back to the otter and kitten, though he can still hear them quite well.

Fira was expecting claws sooner or later, it's why she thought holding Skuld at a distance would be best. The request she only just catches but then she's got claws to worry about and she growls slightly at the sudden pain "Sure" going to actually throw the cat downwards and try and kick her into the river. Did promise her a punt after all.

Kentar eyes Fira for a moment then chuckles before kneeling down to Will. "What is it?" he speaks quietly.

Kentar nods and grins. "With pleasure," he says standing and drawing his rapier again. "I'll. Try...not to hurt her. Too much," he says turning towards Skuld and going forward.

Fira of course can't even tell what the others are doing because she's too busy watching Skuld. Waiting patiently for the revenge to come "Oh you're quite welcome."

"I assume you have a name?" The kitten scowls at Fira. And actually doesn't move to get out of the stream quite yet. The ottermaid seems to have her attention, so she's not aware of what the others are doing either, right now.

Aikuen Slowly emerges from the forest. He had gotten away because he was beginning to see red again, and the last thing he wanted right now was to kill the kitten though she did deserve it. He comes back into camp rubbing his eyes, when he sees everyone looking at Skuld, He slips back into the forest... He has an idea.

Kentar gets behind Skuld quietly before attempting to grab her and lift her up by her tail.

Fira waggles a paw at the kitten "Oh no. I believe I asked first and you still owe me an answer" paying such attention to Skuld that she can only trust the others are behaving...she's never going to learn.

Will watches the other three pretending to be disinterested so as to draw less attention to himself.

Aikuen goes farther south, far away from the group, and the kitty. He takes deep breathe and quietly enters the stream. Making sure he makes no waves as he slowly swims north.

Skuld is grabbed by the tail. It isn't meant to be supporting her weight, and the stoat yanking it actually gets her to cry out. Needless to say, Fira gets no answer. "Aaaah! Filthy!" She turns, lashing out, wanting to claw the stoat across the face.

Fira blinks as Kentar's suddenly there and though she inwardly sighs she doesn't tell him to stop yet, just straightens up again.

Kentar does his best to keep her far away from him as he sheathes his rapier. He then goes to take her by the collar with his other paw. "You know...I've been told you carry a little bag with you...can I see it?"

Skuld narrows her eyes. She doesn't answer immediately, and as he takes her collar, out come both sets of claws, hoping to latch into his wrist. Her tail, still smarting, flicks angrily.

Kentar blinks and frowns, the stoat yelping as the claws dig into his wrist. "Ow...ow ow, you darn cat" He doesn't let go though, free paw going to search her for the bag.

Aikuen Bursts from the water directly in front of both Skuld and Kentar, making a grab for the bag. While Skuld is dealing with the stoat.

Will blinks in confusion. That was not part of the plan ..... it works but .... he just stares watching the other now having his full attention.

Skuld fumbles to grab at her bag as two beasts try to grab it from her. Which means letting go of the stoat's wrist. Though that doesn't mean she can't drag her claws a little on the way out. Her attempt to save her little pouch comes too late, and, fumbling at it, it ends up unheld for a moment by anyone, dropping into the water.

Kentar winces and looks down. "Aikuen, please get the bag" he says. "I'll dispose of the little runt" he nods.

Mayeul, meanwhile, is walking along the edge of the bank they've just crossed over to... he's been traveling half in and half out of the water for miles and miles, to lose whoever might be following. With tracking other beasts comes the knowledge of how to evade yourself - and he knows to be careful. He approaches the others, in plain sight, "Ho there, Aikuen! Er, William! Aikuen! Fancy this!" He jogs up to the others, but loses his breath a bit and walks the rest of the way.

Fira sighs faintly, scratching her cheek lightly. Well, she did suggest the kitten just leave, she tried "Just don't hurt her whatever it is you're doing" she's sure Skuld deserves it anyway.

Aikuen nods to Kentar and is quickly lost underwater. After a few minutes, he comes up a little downstream with the little bag. He laughs as he walks slowly back to the others, not knowing about Mayeul yet.

Will's ears followed by his head turn to see the mouse calling his and his pa's names. He turns the right side of his face toward the mouse. "Hi there .... Oh, Your Zen's uncle aren't you?" he cries out recognizing the mouse at last.

Skuld has gone very still, anxiously watching for where Aikuen's gone. Even the stoat who holds her is getting no attention. The otter has her little bag and thus seems to be the only one to worry about.

Kentar nods and starts to carry the kitten along the side of the stream, walking along until there's a very deep spot.

Mayeul stops short of Will, looking down at him before out at Aikuen to see if he heard him hailing. Finally he replies to the rat, "Well, in a very informal sort of way, you might say that. I /do/ miss him, though. Eager to get back, much sooner than expected. The Priory is /not/ what I expected..." He sighs. He calls the otter again, "Aikuen?"

Will puts a friendly paw out toward the mouse, who in the rat's eye seems to have shrunk a little since last they met. "Pa's a little busy right now. Why don't you sit down an wait for him?"

Aikuen looks to the mouse, and for the second time today he blinks and tries to see if he is real. But he likes this beast so there is not much figuring out. He smiles and says, "Oi! Be with yah in a minute!" He takes the damp bag and ties it around his belt, walking toward Fira. He smiles and says, "Sorry I was late!"

Kentar finally reaches that deep spot. "If you drown, its not my fault," he tosses her into the stream.

Fira gives Aikuen a look "Explanation soon would hope...though not right now" as Kentar just threw the cat in the river and she does have to watch to make sure she doesn't drown. Doesn't looks like she's even noticed Mayeul's there yet either. Though to be fair to her there's a lot going on and she can't hear him.

Mayeul's anxious expression turns a warm smile as Aikuen recognizes and greets him... that's probably the first time he's been warmly received in almost a season... "Alright, friend, take your time!" He smiles and nods at the others he doesn't know, in the meantime. He doesn't mind if any of them ignore him... it's better than being threatened or given dirty looks, as had been the norm recently.

Will sits down by the fire keeping his right side to the mouse so he can see him. The rat's ears swivel about keeping tabs on the other stuff going on.

Skuld falls with a splash and panics. She was watching Aikuen, not paying attention to anything else. She struggles in the stream, momentarily, vanishing under the water for a long moment, before spluttering at the surface. Carefully, she starts to swim, and not too badly, for a cat, back towards the bank. She's determined to get to Aikuen, stooping to take a weighty pebble from the stream bed as she moves.

Aikuen snorts, "I'll explain it later...lets Just say she is an evil kitty, who almost got me thrown out of the abbey..." He watches Skuld struggling toward him, and tilts his head.

Kentar keeps his eye on Skuld as he starts to walk back to the camp.

Mayeul sits by Will, on his good side, and leans forward to get a better view of his bad one - "Goodness, lad... what happened there? You alright?" He briefly looks at everything else going about, before concerned again with the young rat's injuries.

Skuld seems to trip, though is, in fact, stooping to grab another pebble in the other paw. She struggles to the bank with a furious look on her face and hurls one of the pebbles, hopefully at Aikuen's head. The heaviest pebble, she's keeping for now. "Give it back!" As before, she's not quite able to focus on the others for the moment.

Will blinks having gotten mostly used to only having one eye now. "Huh? I'm fine. What are you talking ... Oh, my eye. Long story short .... there's a vermin fox in Mossflower Woods and I'm lucky I got away in a good a shape as I did."

Kentar sighs as he sees kitten. He wanders next to Aikuen, holding out his paw. "Can I have the bag please for a second?"

Aikuen takes the pebble directly in the side of his head, since he was not expecting that to happened. His head goes back a little, as he struck. He blinks a few times and pulls out his short sword, "Would you like to try that again..." He pulls off the bag from his belt, breaking the straps as he does, and tosses it to Kentar. He makes no movement but smiles evilly at the cat.

Kentar catches the bag and wanders to the fire. "So Kitten, you want this bag don't you?" he grins.

Fira nods slowly to Aik, trying to split her attention doesn't work well but soon as Skuld's clearly swimming she can actually pay attention to the other otter "Mmm, thought she seemed out to annoy everyone" she finally glances around again and oh look...there's Mayeul. She blinks...alright then, she doesn't know when the mouse appeared but never mind. She offers a quick nod "Hello" she gets a faint feeling as the stone passes by not far from her and Aik's odd movement draws her attention back to him but she looks puzzled having missed what actually happened. So easy for her to get confused with everyone about.