An Otter Returns
Characters: Kentar, Tagger, Amethyst
Location: Moledeep
Moledeep. The beautiful place has has housed so many memories over the seasons. Kentar and Amy had just gotten back from Redwall after escaping the siege. They've been in now an hour or so, and Amy has gone to lie down. The old form of Kentar sits however in front of the fire in Aik's old comfy chair, half asleep, his cane set off to the side.
The stoat wont be half-asleep for long, as a soft simple sound permeated through the door of the tunnel. The sound of metal clanking against each other. Clunkclankclunkclank it goes. Slowly growing louder and louder.
Kentar's eye opens slowly as he glances to the door. His ears swivel towards the sound before he realizes what it could be. The war has come to Moledeep! OR so he thinks. But, rather quickly for his age, and only one or two winces, he gets up, grabbing his sword from a nearby chair, hiding off to the corner behind the door, just waiting for one vermin to step through.
The clunking gets louder and louder. One with good ears would know, that whoever, or whatever is just right outside the door. The scene gets quiet for a few seconds before the telltale whoosh of the door opening... then oddly, the sound of the door closing and slide locking. Whoever, wants no one to escape! Perhaps. As the clunking returns... Step by step into the hall. What enters could be either terrifying... Or aweinpiring. As a beast wearing a full suit of cold-iron around walks into the room. His helm completely covering his face as he looks around slowly. One can easily tell of a large bow on his back. But he is not armed at the moment.
Kentar's quiet. Well as quiet as an old stoat CAN be. His breathing is a little raspy but with the helm on, whatever beast is there probably wouldn't be able to hear him anyway. His eye widens when he sees just what's there. And after a bit of hesitation, he throws himself at the beast, trying to knock him over.
The beast in ironclad looks around the room gingerly. Not hearing the stoat regardless of whatever sound the stoat made. He seems to be lost before his gut feeling turns toward whatever caught his eye. A flying... stoat? The monster slowly leans down a little, as the ends of his gauntlets turn into maces of death (complete with spikes) Getting ready for a crushing blow to the end of the stoats head before blinking quickly and moving his arms out of the way. The force of the stoat collides with him and he quickly loses balance, and with a loud crushing sounds of metal on rock. The monster is down. But he manages to let out a loud 'uff' as he slams. One that sounds like a certain otter that passed away a few seasons back.
Kentar oofs himself when he lands on the iron thing. He didn't really think that through to be honest. And with a groan, he rolls off of the armored beast, blinking a bit before sitting up. "Aik?" he blinks. "No wait..who are you?" He asks curiously. He knows that sound, but he can't place it in his mind.
The armored thing groans and curses as the metal grinding continues against the rock. Managing to get a little leyway in sitting up before lifting the visor on his helmet. What can be seen looks exactly like Aik. Except with zero scars and wrinkles. In fact, the best way to describe it is like a baby face Aikuen. His clear green eyes looks at the old stoat before smiling, "Hello Uncle" he says in a clear baritone voice.
Kentar blinks a bit when the big thing sit up, eye widening when the visor opens. "Tagg!" he smiles bright and drops his sword, going to give his...nephew...a hug. "What in the seasons are you DOING in that thing?" he asks, tilting his head to the side slowly, going to try and help him up.
Tagger chuckles as he returns the hug with one arm. The other is used to keep him up. He then holds up his paw, "Help. Im an otter and i cant get up." he grins as the stoat, with some effort, help him to his feet. With much grinding, cursing, and brusing, the otter is finlly is back on his feet. He removes his helm and places it on the table, "Old Kentar. It has been to long... way to long." he hums thinking about the last time they meet, before nodding toward the helm and running a paw over his armor, "Well... I have some good news, and i have some bad news..."
Unfortunately, a few cracks are heard from the stoat when he pulls the otter up, groaning a bit before chuckling. "It has! Last time I saw you, you were...what...knee high?" he laughs with a smile, going to give him a hug again. "What brings you here?!" he asks blinking a bit though at the news bit. "What? Alright, bad news first." he frowns.
Tagger runs a paw through his sweaty headfur, leaning slightly on the table. Which creaks in protest, "Bad news first... Righto..." he snaps his fingers over his ears and then waves in front of them, "Im... Deaf... Or more likely. Going deaf. I can hear most loud things. And if i concentrate hard enough, i can hear some quiet things. But..." he takes a deep breath and sighs, "Its been getting worse. Turns out im getting mums ear thing..." he looks down before remembering to look back at the stoat, in case he starts talking again, "BUT! That leads to the good news. I came of age last season and with it, a promotion. And i have been given a title of protector at Camp Willow... thus, the armor. WHICH then bring to why i am here." he then goes silent.
Kentar listen's carefully, blinking a little bit with a frown. "Oh Tagg, I'm sorry..." he says a little louder to make it easier for him to hear. "Uhm. I talked to Fira at Redwall and she thinks she might be on the trail of a cure but...she isn't sure." he says before smiling. "Congratulations!" he says before he grins a little, deciding to tease his nephew. "SO! Came of age huh...can I expect any grand kids soon?" he asks, giving a nudge of the otter's side.
Tagger chuckles, "I can read your lips as easily as mum can. You dont have to speak louder. Though... Thanks" he gives a weak grin. The table cant handle no more! And it creaks louder. Though Tagg does not notice, "I heard she was. Im not keeping my hopes up... Well. Okay maybe a little." He then has to roll his eyes at the stoat, "Oh your just as bad as my sis. And i will tell you what i tell her. Yes there are some maidens. And no, dont be expecting any kids soon." he shakes his head and laughs. Just like his father. The table creaks louder.
Kentar's ear flicks at the creaking before he laughs. "Oh ho ho! Maidens huh?! Do tell?" he motions to one of the chairs. "Oh, and I'd suggest you get off the table." he motions at it before laughing, going to sit down with a grin. "Chris has been of age for some time and hasn't mentioned anybody! So I can't tease him...but I can you." he grins.
Tagger blinks before getting off the table, which has bowed ever so slightly where he was sitting, "Oh... Uh. Sorry. I forget this thing weighs a ton." He starts unraveling the leather around his arms. Taking off his armor slowly, "Yes, maidens. Nothing serious. But they seem to have a thing for the yellow fur" he gives a sly wink, as he places the gargantuan long bow on the table with a quiver full of what look like feathered spears next to it, "Oh har har. Let the teasing commence. I can take anything you throw at me. Im tease proof" he snorts loudly and decides, for the sake of the furniture, to stand, "So... Why are you at Moledeep? Last i heard... You were at redwall... correct?" he rubs his fuzzy muzzle.
Kentar chuckles a little bit shaking his head slowly. "Don't be sorry." he smiles, watching the armor be removed, chuckling a bit. "Well. Amy and I left Redwall yesterday morning...and came down here. Chris and Thane are living in Ferravale right now, and Rob and Syla..." he pauses. "OH! Right! You don't know!" he smiles bright. "Well, Rob and Sy will be going to Ferravale soon too, BUT! BUT! I have news!" he smiles.
Tagger has removed one arm of armor reveling the nice soaked green tunic underneath, "I forgot how cold it is outside the shell!" he chuckles starting to work on the next arm as he listens, "Ah. Ferravale. I think i may have heard of it from some traveling beast from time to time. Don't know much else." he jumps slightly at the stoat, able to somewhat hear the stoat, which scared him, "What what!? What news!?"
Kentar smiles brightly. "Well! I learned about...oh...a while ago...that Rob and Sy are expecting again!" He smiles brightly. "Thane is going to have a brother or sister!" he grins, not bothering to tell Tagg about how verminous Thane really is now. "I know he's not excited about it BUT whatever." he grins. "I am! And so are Rob! And Sy! So!" he smiles.
Tagger smiles slowly goes from tiny to sixty times bigger, "Oh Kentar thats wonderful! Im excited myself. This weird family of ours just gets weirder and bigger everyday don' it?" he chuckles and puts the stoat in a otter sized hug. Boy, does Tagg STANK! "And im sure Thane well get excited sooner or later. Even though i hardly remember him much" he chuckles, "SO! When are they expecting?" He then blinks, "Are they traveling before or after the kid arrives?"
Kentar blinks and oofs when he's hugged before his eyes widen, pushing away from him with a gag. "PWHA! Wow! Don't do that when you've just gotten out of armor!" he laughs, waving his paw away from his snout. "Phew!" he laughs a bit, shaking his head slowly. "Before." he says with a nod. "We don't think the child is due for another little while yet. Just long enough for them to get to Chris and Will." he nods. "Which will be nice. I think Rob wants to open a shop or something." he chuckles a bit. "SO! How are the twins?!" he asks. "Anyone special in their lives?!" he asks, sitting back down.
Tagger grins before letting the stoat go seeing the stoat wave his paw in front of him, "What?" He blinks as he takes a whiff of himself, "Oh... Oh goodness." he coughs slightly, "Sorry... Haven't bathed in awhile..." he starts working on the chest piece, "Just cover your snout, it should be alright." he then continues, "The twins? Well. Venei is a teacher at Camp Willow. And i live with her. As far as i know she hasn't found anyone in particular. I guess im good at my brotherly duties." He smirks, "As for Ella. Your guess is as good as mine. We haven't seen her in a long time. She likes living the barbaric life, as much as it pains mum" he shakes his head
Kentar laughs a little bit and then nods his head. "True! True, that's good though. Aik wouldn't have been too happy to know his son was a bad brother!" he chuckles a little before frowning at news of Ella. "What? Really? Wow." he frowns a bit, sighing. "That's...pretty sad I guess." he glances towards the fire for a few moments. "But! I'm glad you're here. Its been different without an otter here."
Tagger has achieved taking off the top half of his armor. He sighs heavily, "I just realized i have to put it back on... " he shakes his head, his ears playing back at the mention of his father, "Yeah. Pops can count on me. Venei will only have the finest of suitors." his ears spring back up clunking over and patting the stoat on the shoulder, "Hey. If there is one thing that Ella can do. Is take care of herself. When she left the camp with the great axe of hers strapped to her back, giggilng up a storm. I think i feel pretty confident when i say that she will return safely." He smiles, "I can tell. The pond is a sheer mess. Needs a good cleaning it looks like." He grins, "So... I have even BETTER news. One of the reasons why i am here"
Kentar tilts his head and then shakes his head. "No! No you don't! Just...keep it off and stay with us here for the day. We'll be heading up to Ferravale tomorrow. You can come with us if you want!" he then nods his head. "We'll have to find her one day. Or maybe she'll find us." he nods. "I just hope its not to kill us or anything." the stoat shrugs a bit before tilting his head. "What? Better news? What could be better than coming of age?!" he asks.
Tagger laughs as he starts to work on his mid section, "Don't worry old stoat, im not leaving today. Nor tomorrow. Unless i want to i mean." He grins, "The news actually has to do with my promotion. I can now range as far as i want, as a ambassador of the camp. I basically have free range to do what i want as long as its in service to the Camp. Which in a weird kinda convoluted way... I can" He puts his claws in the air to make quotes, "'Escort' you to Ferravale." his grin slowly turns into a smirk.
Kentar nods and then smiles brightly. "OH! That's fantastic!" he smiles brightly, the stoat standing up from his seat. "We'd love that! And I'm sure William would be so happy to see you." Kentar smiles bright before humming a bit. "Too bad Garnet isn't here. She'd be just as happy." he smiles slowly fades away into a frown.
Tagger smiles, "Heh! Good! Ive been looking for a bit o' adventure. This might be fun, if boring." he chuckles, "And it will be great to see him." His ears go back at the mention of Garnet, "Yeah... Speaking of which..." he reaches around his neck and pulls off his necklace. Which a simple leather band with a bluish translucent rock at the end of it. Shaped like a tear, "My sis wanted to give this to you. Its called 'Tears of the Blue' Its a rare type of Blue... Er. Garnet... Thought you might want it..." he clears his throat and hands it over to the stoat.
Kentar smiles a bit and nods. "Yeah. You have no idea how much I've wanted to go on an adventure myself." he tilts ihs head a little bit when he watches the necklace being pulled, the stoat's eye widening a bit, tears starting to well up. "What? R-really?" he smiles and slowly, and rather shakily, reaches out to take it. "Wow. T-Thank you..." he says quietly, wiping away his eye, and sniffling a little bit, looking down at the necklace. "Christopher should have this." he says. "He was young when his mother died...I mean...it might mean more to him..."
Amethyst enters Mole Hall having heard some strange going ons up there. The blind ratwife has been reaquainting herself with Moledeep, expecially the cellar. The rat enters the hall, staff in paw ready to beat any intruders that might want to steal her wine or do something to the stoats, either or. "Wot's goin' on in ere?" she demands as she draws near, not hearing any fighting only talking. The room smell strongly of otter, damp otter in fact. Ew.
Kentar glances up slowly and eyes the dogtags. "Yeah...and I've got his sword. It’s in the Abbey...well. I guess it would be William's or yours...probably yours since how big it is." he hehs a bit before spotting Amy. "Amy! Tagger is here!" he smiles bright before humming. "Oh! Well the pond...works fine." he nods.
Amethyst starts to ask who Tagger is before it clicks and the rat hurries over to paw at the otter. He should work on his eye sight more if his hearing is going. “Do yew know 'ow much .... I know Aik wanted yew t go, but .... Yer brother's gonna hear about this!” she says unable to explain to the young otter just what kind of an effect his family's leaving had on her family. “An yew'll 'ave t met yer neice soon to,” she adds talking loudly out of excitment not yet knowing he has trouble hearing. “Oh, Tag! Wot 'appened t yew? Yew was such a liddle babe an now yer all giant like yer Dad was. ...... I don't recall which yew favored more, but I think yew 'ad yer Mum's eyes, didn't yew?”
Tagger nods, “I don't want it... Was never good with swords... And it should be rightfully Wills anyway. First son thing, and what not. He can have it” He blinks before turning around quickly, “Amy” He grins and starts to noisily clunk over to her. Aiming for a hug. Which causes him to sniff himself. And he almost passes out, “Oh... sweet sanctity... that’s ripe...” he coughs loudly, “Eh... I will hug you after a quick cleansing dip. My smell is like a weapon!” He chuckles leaning down to let her feel his face instead. Remembering she used to do that, “Yep. I got my mums eyes. And dads... everything else.” He chuckles, “I came of age last season. And I know it’s been a long time...” he sighs not able to come up with a proper answer, “Anyway. It’s great to see you. And I promise to fill you in on the last year or so... After I de-weaponize myself.” He gives off a wanky salute before heading toward the door. Clunking with every step.
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