An Almost Normal Day

A continuation of this log

Characters: Aikuen, Orph/William, Fira, Kentar

Locations: North Path: Northern Woods,

North Path

Fira walks along at a leisurely pace, no point hurrying, specially when Kentar and Aikuen are off scouting ahead. She's snacking on the move too, making the most of her own collected food, picking off a few nuts.

Orph walks along side Fira letting the other otter and the stoat go ahead of them, not like they can get too lost so long as they all keep going the same way.

Fira gives the rat a glance after a few minutes, silence certainly doesn't bother her but she feels obliged to do something so she offers out a nut "Nut?"

Orph shakes his head, "No thanks. We should make it to the river by dark unless they get lost, don't think they will though."

Fira shrugs a shoulder and eats the nut herself "Be quite impressive if they did given it's a straight and obvious road we're following"

Orph laughs, "Exactly."

Fira continues to plod along, brief glance around before she looks back to the rat again "Always possible of course still. No clue if either of them are good with directions"

Orph nods, "Don't know about Kentar ... but Pa is good at getting lost."

Fira smirks faintly "Riiight. We'll just have to worry if we don't see them before dark"

Orph nods, "If they're together they should be ok. Though ... seein that they're a lot a like in bein stupid an not listenin', we shouldn't let em go off together too often."

Fira chuckles quietly "Oh that's really reassuring. Don't listen and get themselves into trouble? Didn't know coming along could involve possibly having to play rescuer"

Orph shrugs, "Well, even they shouldn't be able t get too lost jus followin th road."

Fira smirks "We can only hope they don't see something and dash off to find out what it was"

Orph nods.

The rat hums a cheerful tune as the road begins to climb.

Ahh silence again. Well really there's humming but Fira doesn't know that. She plucks off another nut as she plods on up the hill, using her spear as a sort of staff all the time. She's young, in the prime of her life and baring her ears she's healthy, hill's not too much bother yet.

Orph sits down by a small clump of trees, that have grown up in the middle of the path, providing a little shade along the sunny path.

Fira is more interested in the trees themselves than the shade they're providing. Giving one a look over before she leans her spear against the trunk, put her bag next to it and jumps up to grab hold of one of the lower branches, awkwardly pull herself up into the tree, mostly since otters weren't really made for climbing.

Orph looks up at the otter, "Wot ya doin?"

Fira sits on her little low branch, quite smug looking. Glances down at Will a second later, she can predict some questions "Dancing a polka, what's it look like?"

Orph asks, "So yurr a squirrel now?"

Fira grins back down "My big fluffy tail's on order. Come on, you never climbed a tree for the hell of it?"

Orph says, "Not in a long while. Climbed th Abbey once, didn't get too far though."

Fira snorts, amused "You haven't lived" she looks away again and back up the tree, getting back up again to start climbing once more.

Orph leans against one of the other trees smiling, "Maybe not but I am alive ... sides I'm a /lousy/ climber."

Fira is climbing! It's not great time for lip reading though she does just catch sight of him again when she's looking for a spot to place her feet "How can you stand being alive if you never really live?" another grin before she's off up another few branches, misses the other part about not being good climber though. She comes to a stop near the top of the tree, high enough to peer out and get a good view of the road spreading into the distance. She gives a silent whistle of appreciation. Whistles, never did get the hang of them. "Some view. Shall have to climb more trees at sunset or something, got to be beautiful then."

Orph says, "I live. I go explorin all th time. Jus not as fond of climbin as some is all." The rat's spent most if not all of his life trying to survive, yes having fun has been large part of it too but the main goal has always been to still be alive the next day.

And Fira hasn't? The constant search for food, the fact she can pick up and leave without any need to even go home or do anything. This isn't a beast with a whole lot going for her. No riches, no family, just her...She just thinks differently that's all. Difficult to get her depressed despite everything. She doesn't catch Will's last words at all, questionable if she can lip read from the top of a tree anyway. It's a couple of minutes of thoughtful silence from her though before she starts to climb down again "Break out some lunch, may as well enjoy the shade"

Orph nods at first then groans, "Pa has th food in his pack ..." sigh, "We better go look for em if we want t eat."

Fira drops back down out of the tree, gather up her bag and spear again "Eh, well could use some of mine. Not sure how far ahead they'll be by now. Should argue for your own bag sometime"

Orph says, "Yeah. ... Wot ya got?"

Fira peers into her bag for a reminder "Aside from those nuts? Bread roll made before even came on this trip, probably only good for toast now. Couple of little hard cake biscuit things, they keep just about forever...Two apples, couple of small potatoes and an oddly shaped carrot" it's less her bag so much as her portable larder of stuff she's found.

Orph Hmms. "Mind if I have th carrot?"

Fira shrugs and pulls it out. Definitely carrot coloured but it's rather wiggly "Knock yourself out. Think I'll have a biscuit myself"

Orph munches on the carrot looking around in case the stoat and other otter had returned.

Fira props her spear back up against the tree before leaning against the trunk next to it, munching on the biscuit, very relaxing.

The otter and the Stoat have gone there separate ways. Kentar entered the woods, while Aikuen stuck mainly to the road. Mostly because with the color of his fur, and the color of the dirt. Its perfect camouflage. After walking a good deal, he decided to hike back down the hill. He gives three loud whistle blasts so Kentar knows that he is moving back. He walks down the hill for about an hour, before he sees two beasts. He drops to the ground, and slowly makes his way forward, Just to see who they are.

Orph hears a beast coming from up the road and turns to face Fira, "Think they found a way t get lost after all?"

Fira tilts her head faintly "As I said, it's always possible...you hear something?" genuine question. She gives the road a glance, picking up on some movement and squinting at Aikuen "...Definitely an otter coming this way but don't see any stoat yet" she has very good eyesight to make up for the lack of hearing.

Orph nods, "Well, one out of two's not bad. Course he may still show up."

Aikuen continues to crawl against the ground, not aware that he can be seen from a good distance away. Hills have that effect. He gets within distance and pops his head up for a second. He nearly punches himself, when he realizes he just tried to sneak up on the party. Grunting, he stands up and dusts himself off. He walks generally in the direction of the group.

Orph chuckles at the older otter's failed sneak attempt. "Hey, there! Was thinkin ya mighta got lost. Whurrz Kentar at?" He calls to Aikuen.

Might have got away with it if not for Fira. She scans the area for Kentar first before she looks back to Aikuen again, watching him get closer. Does ponder a bit about the sneaking but could be normal for him. She offers a quick greeting nod of the head when he does get up and walk to them though.

Orph says, "Maybe he didn't hear ya."

Fira considers it for a moment before shrugging a shoulder "Could have just been lost in the wood, signal would let him know the way back to the road then he's just got to follow it again. Can always go find him if he doesn't turn up in the next couple of hours"

Aikuen nods, "Aye, good idea. They place where we parted is just up ahead."

Fira hmms and looks up the road quickly before back to Aik again "Wait here or there?"

Aikuen says, "Lets go and wait there... Just in case he comes back the same way... While we wait we can have some food. At least something... not like that er... carrot." He looks to the orange thing that William is eating.

Fira smirks faintly "Clearly not one greatly exposed to the art of weirdly shaped vegetables" picking up her spear again as she talks, getting walking once more

Aikuen gives a nod to Will, before walking after Fira, "Not much into Veggies i guess. And i thought it was a large orange worm at first."

Fira keeps her head turned back towards them, going slow enough for them to easily catch up before she matches their pace. She chuckles quietly "Imagine my surprise when I pulled it out of the ground. I wasn't really convinced it was a carrot at all for a few minutes"

Aikuen laughs lightly, "Aye..." then remains silent. After a bit he asks, "So Why are you traveling with us. To a place that i have no idea... where it actually is..." He has caught up too her, and keeps pace.

Fira shrugs a shoulder "I guess cause I've really got nothing better to do and it beats spending week just searching the woods for food...heh" she grins "I really know how to make my life sound dull. What beast can resist random mysterious trips when they just drop themselves in your lap?"

Aikuen chuckles, "Aye that's true i guess..." He points at several tracks on the ground, "Here you can see mine, and Kentars footprints, and... that's were we split off." One set of the prints led off into the woods, while the other continues up the road. He goes off to the side of the road and plops down.

Fira follows the point to the tracks, looking off into the woods "Hm. Well woods could look more sinister and I assume you've heard no blood curdling screams so give him time to find his way while you break out the food"

Aikuen nods, "Aye... Sounds good." He places the pack in front of him, and opens the side pocket. He pulls out the jar, then points at the food, "Im just going to have this, you guys can dive right in if you want too." He pops the top, and slurps a little bit. He wipes a paw across his mouth before saying, "I didnt hear him... or anything out there... is quite out there."

Fira fishes about in the pack before she comes up with a roll to munch on as she sits down at last at the edge of the road "Good to know, let me know if that changes. Find anything on your little scout ahead"

Aikuen nods, and whispers "There were remnants of a Tribe of squirrels, but it seems they left the area awhile ago. Otter tracks start and continue north of here. Also seems like River Rat movement. Other then that... nothing else." He drinks from the soup jar.

Fira sadly knows not that things have moved on to whispering so she's talking at her usual volume still "Sounds like lot of random beasts about the place but none too recent, wonder if that's a good sign or not"

Aikuen tilts his head, "Well its mid-spring. Time for migration for some beasts." He re corks the jar and places it back into his pack, "Do you think we should go look for Kentar now?"

Fira raises a brow "Beast'\s migrate?" not a concept she's come across before. She gives the woods another glance "Could walk right by him in there...try giving the signal again, see if he can follow it out"

Aikuen says, "Might want to cover your... Er... Nevermind..." He places two claws in his mouth, and emits three Extremely loud whistles.

Orph folds his ears back at the sound. "Looks like there's an old trail there ... I think, goin off somewhere ... think maybe he went off explorin without us?"

Aikuen shrugs, "He might have... Though being alone out here might not be good idea right now." He looks to William, "Its up too you mate... Follow the trail and his tracks, or wait here."

Orph says, "If we find him we won't have t wait for him."

Fira can see moving's going to happen again soon but logic is over ruling her and she jerks her head towards the wood "Look, you both go in and look for him, I can wait here in case he finds his way back out. Get him to whistle if I see him. In a few hours if you haven't found him then you come back here. Less likely to miss each other that way"

Aikuen thinks that that's one of the best ideas he has heard in awhile. He gets up, and says "Sounds good, alright we will go look for him. I'll leave the pack here, use whatever you like." He checks his sword and armor before looking to Will, "All Set Matey?"

Orph looks back at Fira before nodding to Aikuen, "Ready."

Aikuen nods to William, before following the trail into the woods.

Fira settles in for the time being, munch on her roll. She gives the pair a quick nod "Good, see you later, take care of yourselves" Sod's law says if you walk into a wood looking for someone, ten minutes later they'll walk out looking for you. Least she can catch it if it happens and until then, lunch time!

North Woods: Trail

Aikuen continues to walk along the trail, following the stoats tracks. He mumbles, "Where did that little... ack... Get too? Hey wait a minute..." He stops and kneels down into the ground clawing the ground lightly.

Orph nearly crashes into the otter. "Whoa. What'd ya find?" he asks noting the otter's behavior.

Aikuen stands up and dusts the dirt off, "Looks like... Hare tracks... Are we near the fort already?" He continues down the path.

Orph doesn't like the sound of that. "Wot fort?" he asks warily. Hares don't tend to like him too much.

Aikuen continues down the trail but looks back to William, "According to the map, er... Fort Two-socks i think it was... supposed to be related to Salamandastron somehow... I just assumed, see hare tracks in large amounts... we would be near the fort." He grumbles

Orph says, "Oh. Think Kentar would have gone there? Don't think any hares would like it if he did ..."

Aikuen eyes Will, "Well, not all Hares are like Craven... Some are generally good..." He scratches absentmindedly at his scar that he got from the very same hare. He continues, "If he did go there, im sure he is still alive... if that's what you mean..." The top of the Fort can be seen off in the far distance.

Orph says, "Yeah ... not all 'vermin' are like me or Kentar or Flicky but th hares' don't know that."

Aikuen continues to walk down the path, when he is stop by what he sees. There had to be something going on here, the ground is all turned up, and a bit of blood stains on the ground. He places a paw on Wills Head, "Get down... Be quiet..." He gets on the ground and crawls toward the area. After searching it for a bit he stands up, and asks Will to come over. He points at the ground, and whispers "Something went down here... See his tracks stop here... then they are drag marks heading off toward the north. There are also hare tracks that surround the drag marks" He points into the woods, "Stay low, and follow me... and for Hellgates... Don't go rogue on me..."

Aikuen crouches behind a tree, and Will is right behind him. He takes his arm sling off and pockets it. Then he takes out his sword, and gets to the ground, he mumbles out the side of his mouth, "I can hear them... Just follow me..." He crawls toward the small hillock. The otter pops his head over and he stunned to what he sees. Four regimental hares, and Kentar laying against a tree. He curses under his breath, and whistles softly three times trying to get his attention.

Kentar is sitting there, hunched over, maybe knocked out or asleep or something. Although its not likely when he slowly looks up and frowns. "Bah...still here..." he grumbles. From his head, there's a bit of a gash but nothing serious. Probably just a minor knock. His ears turn towards the whistles, quietly whispering out. "Whose there?"

Orph stays low following the otter with his sword drawn. He sees the hares and Kentar laying there. He is angry but he needs to keep his temper, he needs to. At least the stoat is still alive and doesn't appear to be hurt much. William lays his tattered ears back and his tail quivers in anger at the scene before him. He grips his sword tighter, he needs to keep his temper ... at least until the hares' intentions are known.

Aikuen hears that Kentar said something, and drops his face into the dirt, not even daring to breath. After a few minutes he looks up slowly, the hares didn't even notice. Too busy eating. He looks to Will, and whispers quietly, "He is alive. Were going to free him, but i don't want to alarm the hares. A Battle we might not win" He slowly crawls toward the tree.

Orph nods and sheaths his sword and follows otter closely, looking over at the hares from time to time.

Kentar looks around and sees nothing. "hmm" he blinks a few times and sighs, looking over to the hares, staring at the spot where they put his sword. He rests back against the tree, as if there was a choice. "No more walks" he grumbles, staring at the hares. "You know, I don't think the abbey would be happy when they find out one of their residents was captured? No? nothing? Drat" he frowns, closing his eyes.

Aikuen makes it behind the tree, and taps Kentar on the shoulder. He whispers, "Kentar matey... Its Aik... Stay quiet... can you move?"

Kentar blinks himself awake after having drifted out for a few moments. "what?" he almost shouted. "oh...Aik..." he takes a deep breath. "Your late" the stoat then nods. "Yeah, I think so...They only beat up my top half, so unless I need my arms to walk, then yes, I can move" he whispers out quickly and quietly.

Orph silently watches the hares, his ears swiveling about constantly to hear the conversation and listen for any movement from the over grown rabbits.

Aikuen smiles, "Okay... Did they take anything? Or can we just run for it..." He looks at the Hares... A few have stopped eating.

Kentar blinks and looks over towards a table with his sword, and two daggers. "Over there...I'd very much like my sword...back..." he blinks a few times before drifting off for a second before blinking again. "Sorry...

Orph frowns. He whispers to Kentar, "Ya gonna be alroight? I mean once we find a way t get yurr things back ... yurr gonna be able to get outta here, right?"

Aikuen sighs, "Its fine... Here..." He pulls out a small knife and places it in Kentars hand, "Im going to create a Diversion, get your stuff." He looks to William, and smiles, "Time to give your Sword a first time battle..." He smiles and unsheathes his own.

Kentar frowns as the dagger is placed in his paw. "Wait...don't..." he says. "I want...to get out of this without anyone getting hurt. If..you can convince them I'm with you...maybe they'd let me go...and offer some of that good looking soup too" he chuckles slightly, gripping the dagger a bit lighter then he should. Will gets a bit of a tired smile. "It will take more then a few stomachs on legs to stop me" he nods off for a second before moving the dagger to his side slowly.

Orph nods grimly and unsheathes his sword. /Only attack if you have too .... and try not t do something you'll regret/. he tells himself sternly before nodding to Kentar. "Pa," he whispers to the otter, "Ya think iffen jus you talked to em it'd do any good?"

Aikuen winks to Will, "that was my plan in the first place, Oh by the way Kentar sorry for what im about to do... Will, stay behind him and when they catch my ruse... Do whatever you can to save eachother" He winks again and stands up, and walks in front of the tree, twirling his sword, "Evening Mates!"

Orph sighs, "Really hope he knows what he's doin'."

Kentar blinks. "What...is he about to do?" he asks quietly, watching the otter but ending up drifting off every few moments.

Orph forces a small smile on his face for the stoat's benefit, "What ya said. He's doin what ya said. Jus follow me when it's time t get outta here."

The hares are Dumbstruck, as the otter Waltzing in to their camp. The one wearing the red jerkin(obvious leader), steps up and asks, "Whats all this then, Wot? Wot?" Aikuen just winks at the Regimental hare, "Oh nothing much matey... saw you captured one of the Vermin early today! That was Excellent mate,... Er,... Sir!" The hare is impressed at the otters attitude, "Quite right! Caught the blighter when he was lost in the woods... Wot?" The otter looks around and asks, "But it seems you didn't get the others... Bad luck matey..."

Kentar blinks and frowns quite a bit. "What...is he doing...for crying out loud..." he sighs. "So...much for telling the truth...sigh" he drifts off, a little longer this time but only for a few moments.

Orph shrugs, "He's tryin t help .... sides ya really thing they'd believe we weren't vermin?"

The other hares begin to pack up to find the others, put a paw sweep from the Leader stops them in their tracks, "How do you know that there are others... What reason would you by feeding this information to me...Wot?" The otter smiles back at the hare, "because when i found out, i came here as fast as my paws could carry me...see me holt is in danger of them" The hare nods, "Too True... Better leave this up too the professionals... But what are we going to do with this blighter... Can just jolly well leave him here unattended" The otter smiles and says, "I could's watch him for yah... till yah get back... I don't mind too much."

Kentar sighs a bit and nods. "Look...Will..." long pause. "I'm sorry I got you both into this...mess" he drifts off again before shifting in his place.

"'s alright," the rat has been busy digging out a tunnel of sorts behind the tree, bit by bit to keep from being over heard. "Think ya kin walk? If not I got an idea ..." he hugs the stoat suddenly before ducking down to dig some more.

The hare eyes the otter up and down, "And why should i do that... Maybe your a theft and feeding me lies, to get us away from here... Well that's jolly well not going to work with me." The otter looks pleadingly at the hare, "Come on mate, me holt is in danger! They are going to kill me family! Please Help me! Here what if i knocked out the stoat, and came with yah! How does that sound" The hare ponders this for a moment then says, "Sounds Reasonable... Need another sword beast... and you look quite capable... Alright knock the beast... then lets be on our way wot?" The otter slowly nods, then stands over the stoat, paw clenched. He mouths sorry, before doing a light but still painful jab at the stoats head. needs to look real.

Kentar blinks and hides the dagger under him, sitting on it rather uncomfortably, the stoat letting out a yelp. "No wait!" thud. He's out like a light, hunched over and bleeding just a bit more from the original wound that the hares gave him.

The hare laughs, "Haha That'll teach vermin to mess with Woodlanders eh? wot? Alright Company! Get ready to follow our otter friend, he needs out help... and we are more then happy to oblige!" The otter has hoping not to lead, and he cant think of anyway to get out of it, he smiles weakly, "Er... Yah Follow me to my holt... HeeHee..." He starts to run off in a eastern direction. The hares have left their camp open, as they only took their weapons. After a bit, the otter runs back in yelling, "Yah, ill get the sword you wanted!" He goes over to the pair and says quickly, "Im going to leave them on a wild goose chase for a bit... Get your stuff and get the ... Out of here... no arguments, don't follow, go back to Fira... shes at the crossroads... Ill be there as soon as i can." He walks after the hare troope, and is soon lost to the forest.

Orph asks, "Can ya walk? If ya can get your stuff an be quick about it. If not I'll get it."

Kentar blinks a few times and looks around, taking the dagger from under him and /very/ slowly getting up. "I...I think so..." he says, rubbing his head, but after a few moments of standing and walking towards his things, he topples over. "Oh for..." he sighs and slowly makes his way to his weapons, taking them and restoring them to their place after a few moments. "I...Am ready" he nods off, longer this time.

Orph looks around, certain the coast is clear, he makes his way over to the stoat and drags him back behind the tree and sits him in the tunnel he'd dug. "Stay there a tic .... I'll be right back."

Kentar wakes up in the hole as Will speaks. "What...how..." he looks around, nodding slowly. "alright..." he says.

Orph returns a short time later and hands Kentar his canteen, "Here." The rat isn't sure how he'll get the stoat back if he can't walk ... "Try an walk an follow me ... if that don't work ... we'll think of .... something."

Kentar very slowly looks up, and takes it, nodding slowly. "Thank you..." he says quietly, slowly opening it, taking a short drink before dumping the rest of the water over himself, giving a bit of a shudder. "Mh...alright..." he slowly stands and hobbles about for a few moments before taking a deep breath. "I think...I can walk"

Orph nods, "Hope so, follow me. Fira's waiting for us."

Kentar nods slowly and hands back the canteen. "I'll...get you some more water" he smirks a bit before hobbling along. His left paw is holding his side and his other is holding his head as he goes, not in the best of shape. "Sorry I wandered off...I guess...next time, if I need thinking time, I'll think quietly near the fire"

Orph nods, "Yeah, that might be best .... not good t go off alone ... I had t learn that th hard way too."

North Path

Orph and Kentar met up with Fira without any mishaps and they set up camp under the clump of trees to wait for Aikuen to return.

Kentar sits down slowly and sighs. "If it had have been vermin that captured me instead of hares, I'd be dead right now...or worse..." he mumbles. "Thank you for coming after me..."

"Y-your welcome?" the ratling isn't sure what to say. He'd thought hares were pretty bad, though he'd never been around any vermin species much before.

Orph sits by the fire at the side of the road, "You say you left it with us? It's probably around somewhere." He paws a paw at where his and Fira's packs are sitting.

Kentar slowly does up his wounds, placing herbs and bandages over them after having been cleaned up, mostly. The hard part was bandaging his head but other then that it was rather easy.

Orph looks over at the stoat, "You gonna be alroight?" he hands the stoat an apple, "Aikuen has most of th food. When he gets back we'll divvy it up better."

Kentar slowly nods. "I...will be fine...its..." he drifts off before blinking, taking the apple, not finishing his sentence. "Thanks" he says.

Orph says, "I think you need t stay awake, best ya can ... could be wrong though .... jus .... won't be bad if ya went t sleep ... it's weather ya wake up again that could be a problem."

Kentar takes a bite of the apple and nods slowly. "Well...I guess...but...I think a nap...would be in order...Soon or...something" he sighs. "I'm probably going to be slow over the next while though...maybe...when Aik gets back...you three should go on without me so I wont slow you up"

Orph says, "No. It'll jus take a little longer t get there. We're not leavin' ya. An iffen ya /try/ an stay behind I'll drag ya along behind us if I have to t get ya t follow us all th way. Weather ya come back with us t th Abbey can be sorted out later. Not sayin ya can't go back with us, jus iffen ya'd rather not ... we'll figure that stuff out later."

Kentar sighs. "I don't want to slow the trip down for you" he says before sinking, ears flattening when the rat mentions returning to the abbey. "I'm not going back..." he says. "This...is a one way trip for me" he says.

Orph says, "I know a place on th river .... we may stop there a while, if it hasn't burned down yet. They usually rebuild it when it does, but Mary said Rose is gettin real old now so she may not bother t rebuild it if it burns down again .... been a long time ..."

Kentar nods slowly and is glad the rat said nothing about him not going back. "Well...I'm sure they'd rebuild. Sounds like they're to stubborn to let it burn down for good" he hehs a bit, not having a clue what he was talking about.

"Maybe. She'd have t do it all herself though ... less .... nothin .... should be interestin' t see it if it's still there that is. Been what is it now ... three? three seasons or there abouts .... long time." he nods to himself.

Kentar dozed off for a moment there, ohing a bit and nodding. "Yeah..." he replies before looking around. "I wonder why Aik is taking so long to ditch the hares" He hrms.

Orph sighs, "Don't know ...." /They better not kill him/.

Kentar's narrow as he looks around, slowly standing. "Maybe I should go look for him" But he ends up right back on the ground.

Orph says, "Maybe you shouldn't. Fira and I decided that you and Aikuen shouldn't go off alone together, you're too much alike.

Kentar blinks. "What is that supposed to mean? I'm not sure weather if I should be offended or flattered" he laughs.

Orph grins, "I'd tell you but that wouldn't be fair, since you're in no shape t be offended."

Kentar hehs slightly and smirks. "All I can say about that otter right now, is even if he punches lightly" he pokes the bandages on his head. "he sure packs a whallop!"

Aikuen comes from surprisingly the west forest. He seems no different then when you last meet, though a bit winded, and no worst for wear. He carries a rapier in his left arm. He spots the group and heads toward it waving the sword, "Haldo the Camp!"

Kentar has been sitting there going in and out of consciousness for ages now. He slowly looks up at Aik before giving a bit of a wave. "You...need to watch...your punches, you know that..." he calls out.

Aikuen comes over and shoves the rapier point first into the ground. He sits down next to Kentar and smiles, "Sorry about that... meet only to tap you... I thought you were faking... and i believed it. But we did all escape with our lives something to be grateful for i guess." He reaches for his jar, and takes a light sip, "How you doing matey? I couldn't tell how bad you were, when I saw you last.

Kentar frowns slightly then grins as best as he can. "Next time though..." he drifts off for a sec. "...you'd better be...on time" he laughs a bit. "But No, I wasn't faking" he then shrugs. "well...aside from sore...I cant...stay awake..." he says.

Aikuen looks alarmed and turns to face the stoat, "Are you tired or is it something else?" he glances at his claws, hoping that it wasn't his fault

Kentar shrugs. "I'm...far from tired..." he replies simply. "I think it was those darn hares...and the hard hits...to the head," he says, "I could...really have done without those..."

Aikuen shuffles his footpaws a little, "Oh geeze sorry mate... And then i punched you... Great, i feel awful now... Just... Just try to stay awake... It would... be... be best." Hopefully he doesn't have what he is thinking...

Kentar grins a bit, giving the otter a weak shove. "I know you enjoyed it deep down" he smirks. "Look...I want to thank you for saving me...if they had have been vermin, I could have been killed or worse."

Aikuen shakes his head, "Its not a problem..." He sees William and whispers to the stoat, "I actually did like it... the whole thing... haven't done something like that in seasons." He smiles, " You know it must be hard being... and i mean no offense, being a vermin... Being hated by both Woodlander and Vermin alike most the time..."

Kentar nods slowly. "Thank you anyways" he says before listening, sighing as Aik speaks, looking down to the ground, sighing. "It is...it is very...hard" he says. "Which is why I don't talk about my past to anyone...and why I keep to myself" he says before looking around

Aikuen nods, still whispering, "I completely understand... a reason i didn't give my whole past too... er..." He tilts his head toward Will. He sighs, "Well anyways, you want this..." he taps the Rapier, and it begins to sway, "That hare gave it to me.. before i escaped, i have no need for it."

Kentar looks at the rapier, thinking for a few moments before nodding. "Sure...I guess" he says but then goes out for a few seconds. "hm? Oh...sorry"

Aikuen waits for him to come back before saying, "Well Alright mate. I hope those Blackouts that you are getting... don't last too long... I don't think i have a potion to help that... though i have no idea what's wrong with you." That he wants to say

Kentar blinks a few times, nodding. "Right. well..." he eyes you. "Are...you sure" he says, taking the rapier a few moments later. "Are you sure you don't need this?"

Aikuen laughs lightly, "I fought against badgers with claymores... A need something with a little more... wielding power..."

Kentar nods and slides it in his belt. "well..thank you" he says before laying back and sighing. "I've been though worse...no need to worry" he mutter to himself really, although its quite loud.

While the older otter and the stoat have been talking the rat has been digging in Aikuen's pack dividing the food between everyone's packs, so that when the otter goes off again they rest of them will still have food to eat.

Aikuen watches Will, "Alright Matey... What are you doing?"

Kentar drifts off for a lot longer, probably just sleeping or something.

Orph says, "When you wandered off earlier you took most of th food with you. Now we'll each have some, so you when you go off again we can have a better lunch while we wait t hear from you."

Aikuen nods, "Aye... sounds good matey. Lightens my pack!" Always thinking of the good things. He continues, "You look great, did you help each other out, while i was gone?"

Orph shrugs. "You mean me an Fira? I guess so. We walked some and talked some an she climbed up a tree just because, then you tried t sneak up on us. I heard ya an she saw you fore you saw us I think. An Kentar an I got back as ya kin see."

Aikuen takes another swig from the jar, wiping his mouth he says, "Good to hear mate..." He yawns bit, but shakes it off.

Kentar slowly sits up and groans. "I won't be sleeping again...anytime soon" he sighs, leaning on his paws.

Aikuen looks to Kentar, "You were just saying that you are tired... whats wrong matey?"

Orph says, "If it's 'bout what I said ... I could be wrong."

Kentar closes his eyes. "I get to sleep...I wake up a few moments later...and I'm even more tired then I should be..." he says. "Its nothing I guess"

Aikuen sighs and looks apologetically at the Stoat, "Sorry to hear that matey... Do you need anything? Don't think i have a sleeping potion..." He opens a small pocket and begins digging through it.

Kentar shrugs. "I'm fine" he says, laying back again and staring at the sky. "I'll just...be very tired by morning" he nods. "Maybe you two really should head on without me. Would slow you two down"

Orph lays his ears back at the stoat's words, hadn't they gone over this already?! "We're /not/ leaving you and I'm not letting you stay behind either." End of discussion!

Aikuen shakes his head, "Your coming with us... even if i have to carry you!"

Orph says, "Yeah."

Kentar smirks at the two of them. "Why are you two so set on me coming?" he laughs. "besides, I doubt you, Mr Otter, could carry me" he smirks.

Orph says, "Ok, we'll drag you along behind us then. You're still coming."

Aikuen says, "Were not leaving you because you are our friend... And that's what friends do..." He flexes his right arm, "You be surprised what i can carry matey..."

Kentar was about to say something before he ended up drifting off again.

Aikuen looks to Will, "May have to carry him anyway... May not have a choice..."

Aikuen chuckles at the idea of carrying him in the tarp. He looks to Kentar, then back to the Rat. He shrugs, "Not sure matey... I've seen something similar to his condition... and the outlook is... not good."

Orph nods. Yes the stoat was weak and would die, but the rat had hoped it wouldn't be soon .... "He gonna die then?" he asks matter-a-factly.

Kentar rolls over onto his unharmed side and starts to snore.

Aikuen says, "Don't quite know. We will find out soon enough... a couple days at most... if his condition doesn't improve." He rubs his paw in his head fur, "Till then... better not tell them i said that." He hears the snoring and smiles, "That's always a good sign..." He pulls out the tarp from his pack, and places it near Kentar.

Kentar Yawns and slowly wakes up, blinking a few times before rolling onto his back. "How...long was I out for?"

Orph Hmms. "Don't want him t die. I know he will someday, but maybe when he's really really old first. .... Like maybe twice as old as Riverdale or more."

Orph Uhs, "Not too long ... how ya feelin?"

Aikuen laughs loudly, "Twice as old as Riverdale? He is already ancient enough! But i cant tell, until its too late" He sees that the Stoat has awoken. He smiles weakly, hopefully he didn't hear what he just said.

Kentar sits up and yawns. "I'm...Tired still...and very...very..." he pauses for a few moments to think of the right word. No, he didn't hear the parts about death.

Aikuen tilts his head, "And what else matey?"

"Hungry" the stoat replies with a bit of a smile.

Aikuen nearly falls to the ground when he hears that, "Your hungry! Oh... I thought... Never mind..." He rubs his eyes with his claws, and pulls out several food items from his pack, and places them near Kentar.

Orph laughs, "I think we can fix that," he grabs the stoat's pack, now filled with a little over a fourth of their food, and passes it over to him. "Wot ya want? There's bread an apples an lot of stuff ... so what ya want?"

Kentar chuckles a bit and hrms. "Bit of bread and an apple, would hit the spot, I think" he nods.

Orph takes out an apple and a roll of bread and hands them to Kentar. "Any thing else?"

Kentar shakes his head, taking the apple and the bread. "I'm good, thanks" he smiles, taking a bite of the apple.

Aikuen pulls out the four bedrolls, and begins spreading them around the camp. Fira immediately get to hers and lays down. The Older otter gets to his and sits like he normally does, and closes his eyes. He says "Its good that you are eating mate... And if you don't mind... I'm going to bed..." He yawns loudly, but remains sitting upright.

Kentar looks over and nods. "Sleep well Aik" he smiles

Orph hasn't really bothered with 'his' bedroll as much lately preferring to dig himself a burrow only big enough for himself to squeeze into and can keep quite warm in it.