A Picnic Is Cut Short...(LP LOG)

Along the western shorelines, just a little ways from the Mountain. Flint And Windrose start to have a picnic and maybe a nap, but then have to head back early

Flint is sitting at a campfire and a couple blankets are laid out to sit on. By the campfire is a basket with a loaf of bread, some blueberry scones, a bottle of cherry cordial, some cheese and apple slices and some spicy soup of some kind. He also has apples to roast.

Windrose arrives and looks around, ears perked as she blinks “Errrr, wots all this Flint. Ya sent for me and said it was bally well important so I thought you were in trouble or something.”

Flint just smiles, “No, I wanted to have a picnic and spend some time with ya lass, that’s not a bad thing is it?”

Windrose at first looks annoyed and then looks at the small set up and chuckles slightly, ”A blooming picnic when it’s almost winter time, ya be crazy Flint you know that wot?”

Flint shrugs as he answers her question, “Maybe, but not any rules that says one HAS to have a picnic when it’s warm weather.” He pats the blanket near him, “Sit down, I have food and a campfire and who knows maybe a story or two. A hare needs a day or night off sometimes, helps clear away de stress and I know we both have had stress of some sort off and on the past week or so.”

Windrose does sit down slowly and manages a smile, “I suppose one can have a picnic whenever they want to, and at least there is no snow yet.”

Flint nods and pours her some cordial and hands her the glass, “It’s also nice to get away from all the hares, I mean not that I don’t like the other hares just so many and so close together at times, and rarely any time to really do exercise alone.” He frowns a little, “Sorry Windrose, guess been so use to being alone for over 3 seasons, not use to all the hares around me now. I mean I got use to seeing one or maybe two toads once every couple days in that swamp. They let me out of this cage sometimes, but it was to gather food for them. Things like this swamp cabbage, or wild onions, sometimes worms or insects and I sort of got use to that sort of thing as well and maybe your look at me different for it, but it DID help keep me alive as the toads would offer water and some sort of seaweed or very dry bread like stuff.”

Windrose lays a paw on the other hares shoulder, “No, I wouldn’t cause you did wot was needed ta survive, some hares would of gave up and died during that time”

Flint frowns, “I had though a few times of just laying down and not getting up again, but something keep me going like I said, thinking of my family….” He sighs “My sister and her mate are dead, so is my nephew “ He smiles some now at a thought “But my niece is still alive and I have another niece now too. But I was also thinking of you Windrose, I like you even back then when we both were recruits…”

Windrose smiles warmly “You became a private first, I didn’t till after you disappeared, I am so very glad your back” She snuggles close to him “I missed you”

Flint places an arm around her and smiles “Missed you as well Windrose”

Windrose smiles and sips her cordial and nibbles on some of the food. “Well eating or not?”

Flint chuckles and starts having some food and drink as well, he leans back to lie on the sand and remembers that day 3 seasons ago, clearly as one can’t really forget that too easily.

THIS STARTS A FLASHBACK HE IS REMEMBERING:

It was a simple spring day, or almost spring when the fresh new private Flint was scanning the beach and watching a small vessel of vermin, a couple weasels, a rat and a tall fox who held captive a couple otters. A male and female and the female looked like she was going to have a dibbun sometime soon.

Windrose had followed him and was watching as well, “Should I go tell the others?”

Pete, a runner and fighter at the time nods “Yeah that would be great idea lass, ya want to be a runner then here’s ya chance to earn that title. Me and Flint will go after these rotters and you can bring help.”

Windrose nods and is off to get help quick as she can she races across the sands.

Flint and Pete go after the vermin who hold the otters captive, swords waving from both good and evil as the fight is intense. Flint gets a wound on his leg and Pete a wound to the head and arm. The fight last a good half an hour maybe but ends with the otter and his mate getting away and the fox and 3 rats dead at the hare’s feet, but sadly also the hares are injured and caught. Both hares are dragged to the swamp.

Windrose arrives with some other hares, about 3 others and one is a commanding officer, the hare maid frowns “I don’t know….LOOK!” She points to where a trail shows drag marks, they also manage to find and speak to the two otters and then it’s a race against time to free their own.

Pete is quickly running out of energy, and suffering from a lot of blood lose, he looks at Flint, “We..gonna show em’ we don’t go down..easy” He then kicks and manages to get loose and scrams the Long Patrol battle cry as he stabs one of the weasels and the weasel goes down.

Flint takes the chance to get free and elbows the other weasel and almost trips over a rotten log on the swamp edge lands.

Pete breathing is labored and he drops the blade he carries as he looks at the dead weasel…”Flint…run…” He then falls over as toads suddenly appear, a good 8-10 of them with nets and tridents and coming fast.

The weasel seems to show his true self and runs for his life only to fall victim to quicksand and after panic and struggle he meets his death.

Flint rushes over to Pete, “Pete?...” He takes a pulse…none…”PETE!!!!!”

The toads come closer and the leader croaks “Get..fur one*croak!*”

Flint tries to lift Pete up and run, but is caught by the nets and knocked out. The toads leave the dead hare and take Flint away, placing him in a cage where he spends most of the next over 3 seasons.

Windrose and the others find Pete and search a good 5 weeks for Flint and find his old longbow and boots, they declare him dead and leave a stunned and crying family and friends.

Meanwhile Flint is a slave, unknowns to them till a recruit is captured 3 seasons later, that Flint is indeed alive

FLASHBACK ENDS:::

Flint jerks awake suddenly and shivers, sweat down his face and chest as he frowns.

Windrose looks at him with concern”Flint..Flint are you ok?”

Flint nods slowly and reaches out to hug her, if able tightly and just stays silent for a while, then “Just…some memory…le..let’s get back, o..ok lass?”

Windrose of course allows the hug and nods, “Sounds good” She gathers up the things and places leftovers and blankets in the basket and goes to led Flint back to the mountain, concern showing on her face.

Flint allows the help back and frowns, he can only hope he won’t be having any more of those flashbacks and especially ones that seemed so very, very real.