Anba Hor Returns (Again)

Characters: Aikuen, Kentar, Will, Fira, Mayeul, Garnet(spoof), Skuld

Old Stone Bridge

A few days has past since Kentar left the group. The party has been somewhat quite, except for Garnet, who has been openly sobbing, but she is quiet now. They step onto the start of the Old Stone Bridge, and slowly walk across it. The otters are holding each other in the back of the group, making sure garnet stays on track. And if it couldn't be any worse, its getting cloudy, and it might rain.

Will walks at the lead of the group and Mayeul it seems has wandered off on his own down a side path to do some scouting. The rat recalls there's a tavern or two near here but he isn't sure if Aikuen would want to spend money on one even if it was raining.

On the bridge, a small figure is sat. Actually upon the stone 'railing' on the 'upriver' side of the bridge. Heedless of the approaching rain, her legs dangling into the walkway centre, Skuld sits. And she's watching the group approach, silently staring with her one eye.

Aikuen sighs and Squeezes Fira a bit, as the first raindrops begin to lightly fall. He can see the figure on the bridge, but cant see who it is.

Will can't make out the figure any better either and Garnet is too busy staring at the ground to even see the beasts sitting on the railing.

"One is missing." The voice states, simply and coldly. Skuld pushes off to stand upon the path. "Your other stoat is gone."

Aikuen stops when he sees the cat, but and doesn't do anything, "Why are you here..." He says keeping a hold on Fira.

"Why shouldn't I be here..?" She responds, narrowing her eyes at Aikuen, then smiles. He left paw is raised, holding up a branch that she's, somehow, sharpened into a point. A sharp flint, perhaps. Either way, she now has a weapon, however crude. "Where is your stoat?

"He left," Will says.

Aikuen says, "He has left..." He eyes the stick, "Dont hurt yourself with that... Do you mind getting out of the way for us please..."

"Either he owes me an eye," Skuld says, cold against the false smile on her face "Or, if he is not here, then one of you do. You /let/ him take it, after all... So I shall not move."

"I owe you nothing cat!" Come a voice from the trees. And following the voice is...Kentar! "And neither do they." He slowly draws his rapier. "Now, what was it I said. Ah yes, if I ever see you again, I'd kill you. I see you, I kill you. Regardless if I have Sinway or Sintay or whatever it was after me."

Will mutters, "/Now/ he comes back."

Aikuen looks to Kentar and smiles, but is soon washed away when he sees the rapier being drawn. He lets go of Fira, and slowly walks forward

Skuld flicks her eyes to the trees. And her eyes narrow at the stoat. At the name, there's a quiver to the stick she holds. "S-Sinw-... No! Stupid tricks... I'm not listening to you! You owe me an eye!" Her grip tightens around her sharpened branch, her stake, and she stiffens, fur bristling. She doesn't look like she plans on moving from the bridge path.

Kentar walks over towards Skuld but stops near her. With his blade he draws an eye into the ground. "There's your eye! Paid in full. And the name was Sinway...Otter or something from the abbey. Weird beast to say the least." he then peers to Will. "Yeah, glad to see you too. Any idea how hard it is to follow a moving group of beasts?"

Will shrugs, "If you were used to being chased and attacked by tree-rats all th time you'd walk fast too."

Aikuen laughs a little bit, as he draws near to Kentar, "Welcome back matey... But don't do anything too hasty..."

Skuld shakes her head, and grips her little weapon tighter. "No." She responds, glaring from the drawing to Kentar. And she stands her ground, still. "You can't say that name... You /don't/ know that name..." Growled at Kentar. She's aware of the others, but Kentar is getting most of her attention.

Kentar frowns and looks over to Skuld. "Yeah I do. Sinway...Ex-Novice of Redwall abbey. So he said anyways. Said your his daughter. Right Aikuen?" he looks to the otter. "Anyways, leave us in peace. I gave you your eye." he points at the ground. And if Skuld wasn't there right now, Garnet would be hugging Kentar quite a bit.

Aikuen nods to Kentar and looks to Skuld, "Aye its true, he threaten us too, when he said we hurt you..."

"N-No! You... You owe me an eye! I don't know how y-you know that name, but you /can't/... He... He's not... You /don't/ know it! This is just a stupid trick to make me forget about the eye! But... I can't forget about the eye... You took /my/ eye... You ruined me... Twisted my face... /You owe me an eye/...." She pratically growls the last, not sounding particularly sane any more.

Kentar rolls his eye and nods. He gently pushes Aikuen away before raising his sword in a good fencing starting position. "Alright. If you want my eye. You'll just have to take it! En guard!" he shouts.

Will says to the kitten, "Take that bandage off. I think you're a bit mistaken. You have two eyes already. And we did stop him from taking your eye. Yeah it's ruined I'm sure but you still have it don't you. I can tell from the way you look at us that it's still there. And now the stoat's gonna be stupid again .... Kentar, get back here!"

Kentar just flicks his ears towards Will. "I know what I'm doing, shh!"

Aikuen shakes his head but stays out of the way, "Just ignore her! She cant do much anyway..."

Kentar does the same to Aikuen. "Shh...I know what I'm doing."

Skuld has a sharpened stick. This really wouldn't be a fair fight. The rat gets a glare now. "What good is an eye without sight? I /want/ revenge for its uselessness. I've been damaged by your stoat and I want... I /want/ retribution for this..." Even if she is mistaken, or flawed, she's not likely to admit it.

Kentar watches Skuld for a few moments before randomly yelling and attacking. Though he aims his blade just too high over Skuld, missing totally, but moving quickly. Then aiming his blade down to attempt to disarm her

The random yell startles her. Her reaction? To lunge forward in a stab at her apparent attacker. Thus, she has a blade whistle over and beside her, but her pointed stick is stabbed forwards at Kentar, to meet either air, flesh or armour. Right now, she probably hasn't considered what she'd do if it hit anything.

Kentar blinks and yelps. The stake clangs against his armor. That he didn't expect but when the clang finishes his blade swings about kitten head level.

Aikuen opens his eyes when he hears the clang. He tries to discourage the Stoat, "Just stop... She cant do anything... Just let her go..." This is not usual Aik.

Skuld steps back, stumbles and falls. The stake still clutched to her paws, though it's rather blunted by that clang. The fall probably saves her life, getting her head out from the path of the swinging sword.

Kentar frowns. "I'm willing to leave her alone, just scare her off. Get that weapon thing from her already." he says, stepping away. "I'm not going to hurt her...Just make a fool of her."

Aikuen nods quickly goes over to Skuld to try remove her of her weapon.

As soon as Aikuen gets anywhere close enough, Skuld, quite ferociously tries to jam the blunted point of the thing into whatever part of him is closest first. So, she's probably aiming for a leg.

Kentar frowns. "Aik watch out!" he growls, his blade getting pointed at the cat again, the stoat jabbing at her with it as she's attacking his friend.

Fira has addressed the whole thing like it was the twentieth fight in the last week she'd seen and felt the need to interrupt. Namely she's got fed up and sat herself on the edge of the bridge to watch until the point where actually needs to keep them all from killing each other.

Aikuen takes the blunted stick in the leg. He grunts and looks at it, then looks to Skuld, "Thats not very nice..." He pulls it out and tosses it away. He stands up, and limps away. By all rights he should hurt her... but he is not. He sits down and places a paw on his wound.

Will watches along with Fira, though he stands closer to the fighting. Seeing Aikuen limping he makes his way over to him incase he needs any help.

Skuld is hurt anyway. Jabs to her arm and her side from Kentar's blade. Nothing serious. They'll heal. But Skuld seems to have lost her fight. She doesn't get up. And she seems to be sobbing, though she's turned, face in, to the wall.

Kentar Frowns and aims the blade right to her neck, but he doesn't press hard enough to draw blood. "Leave cat. Leave right now. Because in seven seconds, I will kill you.

Fira sighs faintly, looks like it was over anyway. She too goes to check on Aikuen though she's keeping an eye on Kentar and the kitten first.

"Kill me then." Comes the kitten's voice. Small, sounding quite defeated. She doesn't move at all, but for her tail, which gives a small flicker. "I have nothing left now... I deserve nothing. So, kill me..."

Kentar eyes the kitten. "One two three four five six seven!" he counts quickly before jabbing the blade into the ground -right- next to Skuld's head. "I wont kill a dibbun." he extends his paw down to her. "Come on. Lets get you fixed up then you can be on your way. Sinway or whatever his name is came south. I'll help you look for him if you want."

A small pool of blood has begun to collect where Aik sits. He is beginning to lose conscious, but shakes his head repeatedly to stay awake. He looks to Fira or Will... he cant tell... and Smiles, "Hey... Do you mind getting me the kit please..." He blinks a few times and shakes.

Now. Because... I'll... I'll just try to hurt you all again. You... Should not help me. I don't need help..." The kitten hasn't turned from the wall.

Fira nods once to Kentar's actions, still feels the need to keep half an eye on the pair but most of her attention does have to go toe Aik's knee "Mm...that's a lot of blood" she pushes her paw onto the wound firmly, makes her a little connected to the leg, hopefully Will will get the kit.

Kentar Sighs. "He said he was away for a very important reason. Trust me, he still loves you...come on." he keeps his paw out. "And if you try to hurt me again, I'll just try not to get hurt again."

Will had already begun digging in the otter's pack for the kit and pulls it out. "Here it is," he sits the kit next to Fira.

Aikuen Blinks a few times and leans his head forward, but smiles and says, "Stick hit a muscle... Heh... tore it... Heh..." He stops speaking as he passes out

Fira gets to work quickly, clean the wound out a little, trying not to get too distracted by the worry of Aik passing out as she gets to sowing it up quickly. Getting quite good at sewing up beasts too.

Skuld starts to sit up. She's unaware of what's going on nearby, still facing the wall. So she doesn't take that paw yet. "What... reason? Why should he go so long and not take me? He abandoned me... I was just... left. And..." Her ears flick back. "Why are you helping, now..? You wanted... to kill me."

Will says, "Looks like your coming with us like it or not Skuld. Don't try an argue that stoat and this otter you stabbed, the both of them are terrible at listening. As for Sinway, when you find him you can ask him all those questions."

Kentar frowns slightly at the sight of Aikuen going out like a light. "Will he be okay?" he asks the group before looking to Skuld again, paw still outstretched. "Said he had some vermin to kill or something. It's all he said. Please. Just let us help you."

It's a chance of getting back alive, at least. And to have them around, and not as enemies would be a lot easier... Her ears slowly perk back up. And she stands, turning, and nodding dumbly. "... Thank you." She has quite some trouble forcing the word out. And, finally, her paw goes to meet Kentar's.

Mayeul comes from farther south, out of the trees - panting and limping. He is scratched up on his face and paws, and looking about ready to collapse. "Stop! Friends... not... not this way....f... fo..." With that, he collapses into the dirt, sending up a great cloud all around him.

Kentar takes the kitten's paw before nodding. "Please, just don't kill me in my sleep. Er. If you go to kill me, do it in my sleep." he says before looking towards Mayeul's direction. He lets go of Skuld and runs over. "What happened?"

Will hears the mouse and sees him fall, "Aikuen, this is a bad time for you to not be awake."

Fira stays crouched by Aik even when she has sorted out the wound, she's sure he'll be fine, she's just biased. At the sight of Mayeul collapsing though..."Oh for the love of peat" she mutters, grabs the kit up again and goes to have a look at him as well.

Skuld looks from Aikuen, to Mayeul. And. Smiles. Briefly. It's not the same smile she's had so often, and it's only there for a second, before she starts toward Aikuen and Will. Mayeul already has two beasts over there now. And, she did stab the otter after all...

Mayeul is still conscious, but barely... he can't talk, choked up with all the dirt suspended in the air, and only coughs out an inaudible reply. "I...k... I-k...ame...ba... ahah... Od...il... and..." After that, he coughs and coughs.

Kentar frowns. "Quiet mouse...shh...save your strength. Fira!" he looks to her. "Can you take care of him? I have a beast to hunt I think"

Fira doesn't really catch a word from Mayeul, lip reading, distracted, it's all confusing. She does recognise what looks like coughing though and grabs for random drinks from the pack "Shh, just calm down, have a drink and rest" she glances back to Kentar "Perhaps best to find out the full story first so you actually know what you're looking to hunt?"

Aikuen slowly awakens and blinks a few times. He looks at his wound, and rubs a paw of the suture. He smiles some, and sits correctly. Whoh, head rush. He blinks a few more times to bring focus in his eyes.

Kentar nods slowly. "I know who I am looking for." He looks to mayeul. "Quietly...tell me where he went."

Mayeul reaches up to Kentar, somehow able to find the strength and talk as the dust clears, "No... no! Not Odilo..." He's breathing hard still, but regains control, "The fox, Val... I think... killed him... I ran as fast as I could!"

Skuld is keeping an eye on Mayeul and the others, but notes the otter waking. "Sorry for stabbing you..." She mutters, sliding her eyes sideways for a moment.

Kentar blinks. "Who? Val? Never heard of the...fox? Wait now...fox?" he asks, tilting his head. "Did you kill him?"

Fira raises a brow briefly but good thing she's not taken to saying 'told you so' yet. She keeps the drink close by incase Mayeul should end up wanting it "Alright, guessing there was a fight...best thing to do would be confirming if the fox is actually dead or not. Where abouts would he be?"

Mayeul shakes his head, now sitting up and waiting for his heart to stop pounding... "No, he... he killed the squirrel that was following me... Odilo... At first... at first Odilo confronted me - that was enough of a surprise... then... the dagger - he fell, and it was in his back..." The mouse looks down at the ground, "I don't... don't think he made it..."

Kentar frowns some. "Odilo is dead?" he asks, frowning more.

Mayeul nods, "I can't imagine... he just fell over... then I saw him - I can't imagine he let Odilo live..." He puts his paws over his face, feeling the sting as he touches the cuts and scrapes from the foliage. "We're all dead."

Kentar growls. "I won't let that happen Mayeul...Your fine. Where did the fox go? Can you tell me?"

Mayeul shakes his head, still in shock... "I guess... guess he saw me go into the trees... but I didn't... didn't have enough time to cover my tracks... he'll be here in a matter of minutes, I... I'm sorry." His eyes start to tear up, but he holds it back. "I don't want any... any of you t-to die..."

Fira runs a paw over her hair. Doesn't know any of these names but guesses it's important "Alright...well, whether the squirrel is dead or not we apparently have a dangerous fox in the area...is it important that we recover or help this Odilo?...Cause I'm thinking moving may be the next best bet right now"

Skuld is starting to wander closer. Lingering behind Kentar to listen to it all.

Kentar looks to Fira. "If that fox gets here, I'm going to kill him. Or at least give you guys a chance to escape. I have a little...payback due." he stands and draws his Rapier. "Don't worry Mayeul, you'll be fine."

Aikuen has recovered enough, He stands up slowly and and limps to the others slowly. He watches what's going... Mayeul is here? How long was i out... Rapier drawn... i don't get it...He goes over to Fira and says, "What i miss?"

Mayeul holds a paw up, desperate to stop Kentar, "No!! We should all flee! We need to think about this... n-not... go in risking... everything..."

Kentar Frowns and shakes his head. "He owes me my favorite tunic. At the time...it was my only tunic."

Mayeul looks strangely at him, "Tu... well, whatever... trust me, it's not worth it... he'll... he'll throw a dagger into your forehead as soon as you're in /sight/. Please... for my good conscience, don't..."

Skuld stands a little away from Aikuen. Sure, she apologized. But, if he's still confused and fuzzy-headed after waking, he might not understand why she's still here. She drifts closer to Kentar, for now.

Kentar sighs. "Mayeul, I've been with this fox before. Trust me, please. He wont kill me." he says. "Trust me." He starts in the direction Mayeul said Anba would be coming from.

Mayeul doesn't want to be at that fox's knifepoint, a second time. He feels wobbly, but tries to get up. "Ughh... and what are we supposed to do? I can take us out of here safely, just /listen/! We need to go into the cover of the trees, opposite of where I came out - then find a way to hide our tracks and double back here." He leans over, coughing and spitting dust.

Fira rubs her eyes a little, blood's starting to boil a little. Aik helps a little and she rests a paw against his side as she gets up again "Oh, just killer fox on the way here" she looks very pointedly at Kentar then, going to grip firmly onto his shoulder to stop him going "He's coming here. How about you stop, help your friends and worry about your avenging your outfit if he turns up" she sounds angry, it's one more thing on top of it all.

Kentar thinks then pauses. "I don't know, I really think I should stay behind to give you guys a chance..."

"If you're staying... Then I should too..." Skuld pipes up, at Kentar. "It was /you/ who told me to stay and that you'd... help...

Kentar Frowns and looks to Skuld. "Your either dumb, or brave. You'd not last a single second against that fox. You stay next to Aikuen. And try not to make any noise."

Anba_Hor is hiding in the trees watching everything. Yes... let the stoat stay... then he'll follow and pick everybeast off, one by one from behind. He ducks down and sneers silently at the cat, 'Oh how touching...' he whispers to himself... The fox readies a few daggers and considers just throwing them all from this point - but it's all about the fun, not what's easy...

Fira shakes her head "No, you should come with us so we vastly outnumber the guy and have at least one fighting beast who's not wounded or exhausted" delightful grin for the stoat before it snaps away in a second "Now help carry stuff" going to grab up her pack and spear up again, go back to Aik, make sure he can limp alright on his own.

Mayeul sighs, and realizes he can't stop anybeast from staying but himself... "I... can't stand here and watch this... I f-feel sick.." He leans over again and breathes, but he feels like he's looking at corpses, all of them, all around him. They're all dead in his opinion... and because of him... He sways on his feet, "Ughh..."

Kentar hrms and sighs before nodding. He sheathes his rapier and very quickly packs things up. Then his sword is back in paw. "Aikuen, how are you doing? Need me to carry you?" he asks. He then looks around, keeping his eyes peeled.

Aikuen looks to Skuld, and blinks a few times. Okay so the cat is good now? He looks to Kentar, "Yes, the muscle is torn i need help for awhile, but my sword arm is still good... Just hold up my right side..."

Kentar frowns and slowly looks to Garnet. "Help him. I'll take up the side." he says, putting himself between Anba and the rest of the group without knowing it. "Lets go."

Mayeul thinks this is looking good... the otter, yes the crazy one, seems disabled. What fools! He yells, cupping his paws to direct the sound off of the trees, effectively throwing his voice in about four or five directions, "I would advise you all to do as the mouse says...!"

The cat is complicated. And with a mind that nobody wants to look at. But, for whatever reason, she's not trying to hurt them, and seems to have attached herself to the stoat for now. There's a glance at Aikuen, but whatever emotions are hard to read there.

Anba_Hor thinks this is looking good... the otter, yes the crazy one, seems disabled. What fools! He yells, cupping his paws to direct the sound off of the trees, effectively throwing his voice in about four or five directions, "I would advise you all to do as the mouse says...!"

Will lays his ears back, everyone talking over him it seems. "Ok so the vermin fox is going to kill us or something is that what I'm hearing? I don't know /how/ to fight that fox but I do know one way /not/ to. I never wanted to see that fox again but I'm ready to fight, ready as I'll ever be."

Kentar frowns and looks about. "Don't worry, he's just trying to scare us." he then takes a deep breath. "Why don't you come out fox and then let me advise you!?" he growls. "Or are you just too scared to fight like a real beast, that you have to hide behind your poison daggers like a coward?!" his grip on his sword tightens as his free paw gently goes to push Skuld behind him.

Anba_Hor chuckles, thinking taking out the otter, rat, stoat, and mouse all in one sitting would be his best day to date! He doesn't care much about the others whom he's never met, but they'll make great trophies of his victory! He says again, throwing his voice against a different set of trees, "Ohhh ho ho ho! I'm /very/ scared... especially of /you/! You're the one I bested before - weren't you trying to find /me/ when you asked /me/ to help you?" He laughs out loud.

Skuld blinks as she's pushed behind the stoat. It's not something she was expecting, at all. To be turned on and used as a sheild would be more unsurprising than this. For a moment, she stands there, a little unable to comprehend the simple action. Her ears flatten at this strange beast's voice, her paws reaching for a familiar bag.

Fira misses the voice in the trees, hard to advise the deaf and stay hidden at the same time. Kentar's reaction is enough for her to get an idea something's out there though and she drops her pack in favour of holding spear with both paws. Turning her back on the group to scan the trees...not being able to see the beast is very unsettling.

Mayeul starts shaking uncontrollably, at the knees, elbows, and anywhere there's a joint. He goes over to Aikuen, "We... we're trapped... we waited too long!" He kneels down in the dirt and pounds his fists into it. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry... Aikuen will you forgive me?!"

Kentar competitively grins, and laughs. "Why don't you come out coward, then we'll see who bests who! You and me fox. Leave the others out of this until one of us wins. Or are you too scared to accept a challenge?

Aikuen eye twitches at the voice, and draws his sword with his other paw, using the other on Garnets shoulder to steady him. He yells at the mouse, "Get up, We need your arm... Apologize later!"

Anba_Hor ignores Kentar when he hears and sees Mayeul, "And /you/. You're the prize I never got my money for... you'll die /last/. If I can't have the money for taking you, I'll have you - I need a good mousefur hood for the winter..." He throws a dagger up into the air, almost vertically, and it seems to drop from the sky, right at Mayeul's feet.

Kentar frowns. "Coward! When I find you, I'll make sure you die slowly!" he looks around for the direction the dagger came from. Then he just sighs to himself and scans the area. "Leave us in peace, and we'll hand Mayeul over to you!"

Mayeul faints.