All That is Left
This is apart of The Great Ones, a Camp Willow plot. Read the [[[The_Great_Ones_Aren%27t_Here|introduction]]] and [[[The_Great_Ones%2C_Part_One%3A_Under_Siege|Part One]]].
Setting:
Traveling along the River Moss
Characters:
Lutea, the Taggerung
Gaheris, the Skipper’s son
Zurrg, a slaver
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<----> All That is Left <---->
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Night is falling as Lutea plunges herself further into Mossflower with stubborn desperation. Since finding one beast, a bloodied otter named Jake, collapsed by the Road, she has taken it upon herself to find more news on these raiders; as a Northerner, she was struck from the same hunk of ice that these monsters were, and she feels a sense of duty in their presence here. The moon illuminates a silvery path as the tattooed beast rushes onward, her gaze anxious as it flicks from side to side, ears perked forward for the hint of a sound. War has been thrust upon this land with little warning, and she'll be damned if she stands idly by while a force from her homeland wipes the peace from these lands.
When the vikings came few were prepared for what followed, the death and destruction. Few who lived in the camp could remember a time when it was attacked and lost, it had been a strange concept and there was still some denial in a few of the survivors but here they were. Many had run when the homes were attacked, those who escaped found themselves in the woods and most did what otters do best and headed straight for the river. A small group of them had found each other, how many other otters had made it out they didn't know, their main concern was the thought that their attackers were still out there, waiting to finish them off.
Gaheris had been with the houses when they were attacked. He'd seen the group break off and head for the homes, he'd tried to help and in doing so he'd got some otters out. He'd also left many behind, he wasn't comfortable with that. He was one of the few in the group still fighting fit though, he had some deep cuts on one arm, a fair chunk of fur and skin missing from one side of his head and some burns to his back and tail but he was better off than most of the group so he scouted around the area as the otters slowly made their way in the dark.
Splitting from the main road, Lutea plows into the surrounding wood. Not wanting to risk attack, she has brought no lantern, and relies solely on the signs of the darkened forest; unfamiliar to these parts as she may be, she at least understands the way the land works. She knows how to find the River - and in her pursuit of it, finds Gaheris as well. At first, the savage-looking ottermaid stops, crouching down in the shadow of an oak - this strange beast could be one of them, could be one of the Northern beasts seeking... No! It's an otter! In her excitement, she stands straight upright and raises both paws, and her staff above her head. "Otter!" She calls out, a hoarse whisper forced to carry the small distance between them. "Ye come from Camp Willow?" She has not seen the signs of the party he travels with.
The group carries no light either, too worried about being seen, they'd barely dared to stop to rest even but there were the old, young and injured to worry about. Gaheris was paranoid about every noise, every slight movement. His swords were for once safely on his back but he hadn't put down his bow for hours now, an arrow ready to be drawn back as he walked. He catches a slight movement but it's about the twentieth one this hour to worry him so he doesn't slow as he scans the dark trees but his bow does quickly spring up, arrow drawing back when Lutea suddenly springs up. He nearly shoots but the whisper makes him hesitate and the question stops him entirely "Come where I can see y'. Y'alone?" he keeps his voice low too and still seems ready to fire but then all he can really see is a shape in the dark.
Lutea obliges, paws still raised above her head. "I found another of y'kin by th'road." She explains, the words rushing out of her in in a hurried torrent."I'm alone, aye - y'comin' up on Redwall in th'next few hours, though." Proximity has never been a friend of this particular otter when it comes to convincing beasts of her good nature - the Juska tattoos have seen to that, and whoever isn't too put off by the vermin markings still have to contend with the rest of her adornment. She's become acutely aware of this fact in recent months, and continues to hang back, hesitating her advance. Fear makes beasts hasty. "I mean y'no harm, only offer m'help."
Gaheris slowly lowers his bow. She didn't seem threatening and she did give up any attempt at surprise. He slowly nods at her words, his eyes quickly scanning the rest of the woods "More survived...tha's good" it was first good news he'd had about any others "Redwall is where we're 'eadin'. 'elp would be really welcome" He gestures for her to follow as he starts back tracking along the river but he's also keeping a really close eye on her and those woods. The last thing he can do is relax his guard now.
"At least two tha' I've 'eard of. Lad named Jake I found by th'Road, another lass they're keepin' at the Abbey. Seemed in a... Bit of a state, 'e did." Lutea admits, lamely, her eyes casting down and away from Gaheris. 'Bit of a state' is an understatement, and she knows it. "'Ow many are with ye? An' ye..." She clears her throat, awkwardly. "I'm sorry, y'know? F'what y'goin' through." She waves a paw ahead, up the darkened river. "Camp Willow was kind t'me in my stay there. I'm ashamed tha' it's beasts from th'North responsible f'all of this..." She growls, that paw waving again as she searches for the right word. Eloquence was never her strong suit. "... /this/." She finally decides on, since it seems to sum it up.
Gaheris stops suddenly, looking at her "Two? Tha's it?" he sounds distressed for a moment but quickly his jaw tightens and with a little growl he starts walking again "There has t'be more" if he starts focusing on worrying about who made it out he was never going to stop, he didn't have the time for that break down right now "Twenty three" he answers for the question about their numbers. Twenty three out of a camp of hundreds. The sympathy slows his angry marching but he doesn't have the right mind to find the right words for that "This ain't the end 'f it by a long way"
"Tha' I've heard of." Lutea affirms, sadly. "Twenty three! Tha's... somethin'." All she has to compare it to is the meager number she's met... And the hundreds she saw during her last visit. The situation just seems more hopeless. "Y'cin count m'blade among yours, if it's a fight it'll come to. These..." She, once again, finds herself floundering for the proper word, and instead chooses to turn her head and spit upon the ground. "They won' stop with y'Camp. Th'winds of th'North never stop howling, an'its children never stop fightin'. But they're flesh'n blood like you'n me."
Zurrgg has been by a tree watching the otters and listening to them, he now steps away from the tree, still keeping his distance "Has something major happen river dogs?"
"The abbey will 'elp. I'm sure 'f tha'" Gaheris was riding a lot of hope on their old allies "Any beast who wants t'elp fight is welcome t'...Y'sound like y'know these beasts?" The new voice immediately has Gaheris drawing his bow again and points an arrow back to the trees "Who are y', wha' do y'want?"
"Aye, I'm from th'North like them. Gran used t'tell us stories about their type t'get th'dibbuns t'behave." The savage otter shakes her head in disgust. "They were well known among m'people, bu' here..." And then Zurrgg shows himself. The funny fact about beasts who've lost everything to vermin: they don't like vermin. Lutea is on the defensive in a flash, her staff snaps forward into an offensive stance, even as her other paw brings her dagger up to guard her muzzle. "Y'better speak faster than death'll come t'ye." The Taggerung snarls, already advancing, angling her approach from the wildcat's side, and out of range of Gaheris' arrows.
Zurrgg watches calmly as his tail moves slightly with a bend, "Who am I matters not to you. But firing of anything would be a bad idea as I have friends" His friends are around 15 beasts of creatures like rats, a couple foxes and a weasel, he nods his head to the fox "Do go back with him and him" Two rats, " We can't leaave our guests while I am away, I have plans especially for the one" He smirks to the otters "A future...weapon for me"
The night of the attack is fresh in Gaheris' mind, it's like one long endless day for him because he's barely dared to sleep since. He's running on fear, adrenaline and a sense of duty and now here's some randon beast come to threaten them. Gaheris snarls, his growl can barely make it through as his breathing turns ragged and he nearly completely loses his mind to the rage. He remains barely in control "Y'got one chance. Leave."
Somehow they have missed all of these vermin hiding in the shadows - and Lutea is angry. "Y'know this really ain't a good time f'us, an' it'll be an even /worse/ one f'you if y'don't shove off." Her staff spins, once, in her paw - loosening the muscles, preparing her for a fight. She continues to slink forward, dagger and staff waiting to bite into flesh and strike darkness through their skulls.
Zurrgg chuckles "On edge? Well perhaps I should go and head away from any super power vermins. Sides… "He smirks "It would mean less slaves for me if some beast else wants this area and I have plans, maybe will head to the coast as heard its nice on the beach this time of year" He does seem to to back off but the fox with him seems to have decided the otters are a threat" Tis was some otter that killed some of our group earlier so they should die" The wildcat shrugs and that seems to give the fox the ok to try his luck at slaying an otter as he goes in for an attack.
Gaheris' eyes focus on the fox as he makes his case to attack. He gets a chance, one chance to just leave. He was no fan of slavers but he had his otters to worry about, he doesn't need to risk their lives in a fight but it looked like he was going to have to. The moment the fox moves towards them Gaheris quickly shifts his aim and fires at the fox.
"Yeah jus' be on y'way, filth." Lutea snarls, eyes flicking to the fox - and then narrowing. She could use a good fight, and this clown would be a good conduit for her rage. When Gaheris looses an arrow, the otter in the Juska markings follows - letting out a shout and streaking - not for the fox - but for the wildcat as he backs off. The staff extends her reach, and it swings at Zurrgg's head before jerking back to her side. The warrior bends low, and then springs forward again, snapping the staff out towards Zurrgg in three, quick jabs aimed at his face, chest, and legs. The beasts behind him earn an anxious glance, but if she can take the leader out quickly, these hordes tend to dissolve into chaotic confusion.
Zurrgg was watching, sadly the fox gets an arrow threw the neck and falls dead at the otter's feet. The wildcat has no time to use a blade right away as he blocks on hit to the chest, gets a hit on his legs and growls as his ears flatten, “I now hate otters, ya both should die...Me? I have two guests to check on, "Boys!" He goes to slide backwards while two weasels take his place to fight the otters, He limps some though.
Gaheris growls again and mutters a swear. He fires another arrow to take out one of the weasels and keeps firing one after the other as he finally starts to move "He's got some beasts prisoner an' we're goin' t'need t'get 'em" He has a responsibility to the otters he's been protecting but even if he doesn't know who the slaver has leaving them to their fate is just wrong "Run an' live or take an arrow f'yer fleein' boss, he ain't stoppin' t'elp yah an' y'ain't gettin' anythin' f'bein' dead!" he yells at the remaining vermin as he gets close enough to draw one of his swords.
Lutea continues to try and attack the wildcat, even as his vermin take his place. She is a trained beast, hard-wired to fight by the origin of her birth, and the symbol on her paw. She is a warrior, and some half-bit scum sent her way by some cowardly slaver are not something that give the otter much pause. Her dagger slides, sideways, into a rat's neck before she wrenches it free in a spray of blood, her staff swinging to sweep the legs out from a second before the dagger is plunged into his chest on the ground. "Coward!" She snarls after the retreating wildcat before she stands and spits onto the body of one of his felled followers. But she has lost him - it matters not, this is not the horde she is here to fight, today. Lutea rushes back towards Gaheris, firing off his arrows. "Y'alright, mate?" She asks, still ducking low and ready to pounce back into the fray.
Zurrgg seems to care less about his so called vermin friends as he is outa of here and already fleeing into the woods. He will have to make a false trail and get moving to get whomever these-guests- are elsewhere. One last weasel stays and spins a throwing dagger as he looks between the otters, he seems over sure he will kill one of them "Who dies tonight?" The weasel says buying time for his boss to get away.
Gaheris places his bow over his shoulder so he can free up his other paw to draw his second sword. "Fine" he grunts in response to Lutea before he speeds up to run towards the weasel, weaving between the trees to make himself a poor target "How about ya do" another growl and he leaps at the weasel, going to stab him right there.
Following after him, again, Lutea stops short, letting him go after the weasel as the rest of them disappear into the trees with a snarl. "A coward's horde, can't even face two beasts in th'dark." The disdain is heavy in her voice, and her tail slaps at the ground. She certainly hopes his leg smarts - and next time she won't be so gentle.
The weasel gets a confused look on his face as the one otter seems to disappear and then feels the blade in his back as he falls forwards and is dead fairly quickly after that.
Gaheris picks himself up off the weasel quickly as he scans the woods for another attack. It's only when one doesn't come that he looks in the direction the cat went only to see no sign of him. Gah growls again "Damn it" he kicks the dead weasel once, he has no time to go chasing beasts through the woods and can't get too far from the group of otters and risk leaving them on their own. He looks back to Lutea and he's finally close enough to see the markings. There's a short pause but then he just seems to move on and start marching back the way he was going "We don't 'ave time f'this. We need t'get the others t'the abbey before anythin' else 'appens."
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