Amazing Race: Map Piece 9 10
OOC: Hale and Wildefray are characters that both belong to me, but I was playing Hale, and a friend of mine was playing Wildefray. [She doesn't have an otter char.]
Camp Willow: Inlet
<----> Camp Willow - Inlet <---->
The waters seem to be flowing with a slight more vengance, sending water flowing faster in the main current, than at either side of the current. Reeds and tall cattails poke out at the shore, which is sandy and full of riverstones, like headfur from a scalp. The reeds are spread thickly, hiding anything and everything from view. Smoke trails can not be seen from the camp, since they were already disappated in the wind.
-- Travel: Public Places: Private Adobes: --
-- [In]let Shoreline [D]ocks +unavailable+ --
-- --
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Hale crouches in the bushes bordering the riverbank. She knows tree rats come here often, but the tough otter doesn't care too much. What she does care about is the map on the other side of the rushing river. Knowing she'll have to cross, and not wanting to be dragged under by her heavy weapons, she sheds her tunic and one sword, keeping the other at the ready.
Wildefray sits on the soft earth next to her friend, watching the river run. "I know ye c'n swim, but I'm lighter. Mayhap I should cross instead o' ye, an' ye c'n stay and throw your tree trunks at any rats that show their evil faces. " She turns her gaze to Hale.
Hale pushes her friend over playfully. "Are ye scared, matey? Don't fret your pretty liddle head- I'll come back f'r ye. And mind now, there swords, not tree trunks." She grows serious again. "They could be here at any moment. We should get goin'. She bellies closer to the water, not wanting to be seen as she slips into the water.
Wildefray stands up, though she's bent over, staying under cover. "Aye, they are swords. Large ones. I'm comin' with ye, matey. Ye know we fight better t'gether. An' I'm far from scared." She jumps into the water, vaulting off of a rock sticking out of the bank. She doesn't make a splash, though she shudders as she hits the river. Her fur keeps her warm, but she's still a bit chilly. "Come on now, matey. Now better time'n now."
Hale watches Wildefray launch off of the rock. When her head re-appears, Hale grins lopsidely. "I was 'alf hoppin' that ye'd decide t' cross wi' me. Tis always better with a matey by your side." She strikes out towards the opposite bank, cleaving through the water easily.
Wildefray follows Hale quickly, wanting to finish this quickly. She reaches the other side before her friend, and without incident. She picks the map piece up, waves it at her friend. "lookit what I caught!" She smiles and hands it to Hale as she slips out. "Keep it with the other one." She jumps back into the water, not wanting to stay any longer.
Hale takes the paper and slips it into her sword sheath for safe keeping, then jumps in after Wildefray. "Quiet now. I think ye've woken somebeast up." She swims faster.
Wildefray looks around the trees, then unsheaths her sword, just in case of trouble. "On guard now, matey. They're comin'." She dodges the first noose to fall, but has to chop down the second that falls so she doesn't get trapped. "Quiet doesn't matter now, Halestorm! Let's not die today! I'm too young!" To herself, she mutters. "All this f'r one measly paper. Don't even know what it's for."
Hale pulls out her sword, cutting vine ropes left and right. The chattering of the tree rats is loud and clear, very distracting. She hears Wildefray muttering. "Tis a map, I told ye. Ye follow it!" She leaps out of the river for a moment, using some submerged stone to propel herself. A rat screams as it falls on the blade that chopped it's noose down. The carcass turns the churning water red, then drifts into pink.
Wildefray shouts back. "I know that! I'm a traveler! I may very well know more 'bout maps than ye!" The water turns a deeper shade of pink, the ropes looking like snakes as, waterlogged, the drift to the bottom. "What i want t' know is what's at the end o'-" Her sword paw has been caught mid-swing, sending her sword spinning into the air.
Hale throws her empty paw into the air, catching her matey's sword just as it goes flying. She tosses the weapon to Wildefray, cuts her loose, then ducks under the water, coming up right at the bank.
Wildefray tugs the cut rope, sending a frightend rat into the river. She dives after the figure of Hale, crawling out onto the bank after her. She shakes herself, sending water flying and fluffing her fur. "So? where's it lead?"
Hale pulls herself up. "Ha! ye look like a dibbun with your fur like that. Come on now, tis a mad dash f'r the camp! Can't wait around here any longer. Don't know where it goes. That's what we have t' find out." She grabs her tunic, slips it on, belting it as she moves. Her swords are tossed over her shoulders, and they bang her back a bit as she runs.
Wildefray chases after her friend. "I suppose tis to your guard post to decipher it? Unless ye have more information about it...?" She sheathes her sword and tightens her belt, squeazing water out of her clothes.
Hale laughs. "I told ye what I know. Ye've got t' help me t' learn more, O traveler who knows all about maps."
Wildefray punches her friend playfully as she runs, almost falling over, because of how /solid/ Hale is. "Come on then, let's go an' learn somethin' new about maps."
