Anba Hor Returns (Again) Part Two

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

Location: Old Stone Bridge

"Ni'ed!" Comes a shout from the kitten, her eyes focused upon a little wooden tile in her paw. A cross, though the bar of it is at a slant, is the design. "You have things to learn. Will learn. Soon!" She calls to the trees, from the relative safety of behind a stoat.

Fira just catches sight of Mayeul still on the floor, distraction enough for her, she frowns slightly at the beast "...I'm sorry but, correct me if I'm wrong but this is one fox?..." she sees the dagger hit the ground "With a bunch of knives hiding in the trees...what are we so petrified of again?" actually starting to lean against her spear. Easy to ignore the fear when can't actually see or hear anything to be afraid of, well aside from the dagger but really, if it's meant to miss then it's little more than a game so far.

Anba_Hor snickers, "I don't mind at all being called things... most beasts tend to mistake intelligence for these things. Tell me - what intelligence would I possess in going up against all of you, all at once? Then again..." He steps out of the trees and onto the road, a fox almost a quarter taller again than most foxes, all black with the blue paint. His eyes, again, are solid /white/. "Indeed, what are you afraid of? You are more than me. All I have are these..." He frowns mockingly, "Loaded with the worst poisons I could collect. Indeed, ottermaid, you are right..."

Kentar looks over to the fox and quickly gets back to his original position, in front of everyone, blade getting raised towards him. "Stand aside. If you stand aside, I'll hand over Mayeul to you...or better yet, he moves to grab Mayeul. "Or maybe I'll just kill him myself. Caused us all this trouble. "What do you think fox?" he asks. "Should I?"

Will draws his sword and glares at the fox.

Aikuen lets go of Garnet, and reaches into his pack. He pulls out his kit, and a purple, and green vial. He pockets the vials, and goes back to leaning on Garnet.

Anba_Hor looks between Kentar and Mayeul, "Ha, if I thought you would, I'd have taken Mayeul out while we were further down on the path... you fool no one but yourself." He looks over at the rat, uninterested for now, "Don't make me use that weapon against you, rat... you are far too small for it." The fox looks back at Kentar and behind him at the cat, "Oh, snakes and jellyfish, jellyfish and snakes... there are varieties that would kill you with half of what's on these daggers."

Mayeul starts to flutter his eyelids, wondering what happened to him... then he sees Kentar standing over him, "What.... what's going... uhhh.." He looks at the fox and his eyes widen. He tries to back away on his paws and legs.

Kentar shrugs and goes to take the mouse close to Anba, still between the others. "Will, put it away." he says on his way to the fox. He stops just short and drops Mayeul, blade down at his throat. "Really? You don't think I would? Oh well your loss..." he raises the blade and brings it quickly down towards the mouse, unless the fox does anything.

Will sheaths his sword but keeps his eye on the fox.

There's a glittering of wary surprise, hearing of jellyfish venom, not so much for the serpent. "No plant..." She mutters, anxious at some memory tugging there. "Ni'ed... I pulled Ni'ed. I thought I pulled it for him, but..." Muttering to herself now, quietly nervous. Paw reaches into her little bag again.

Anba_Hor simultaneously grabs Mayeul by the collar and kicks Kentar, dragging Mayeul back towards him. "The mouse may die last, but I didn't say how long after... I have some valuable information I wish to torture out of this one before he goes, if you don't mind!" The fox pulls a dagger and flashes it in a wide arc, fending off any secondary attacks by the others

Kentar gets kicked over, his blade missing Mayeul. The stoat rolls upon the ground when he lands, quickly getting back up. As soon as Anba's arcing dagger was finished moving, he lunges forward at the fox, blade outstretched as he reaches for his dagger with his other paw.

...aaand Mayeul is once again a hostage. What /is/ it with this fox? Why can't he just die already! And betrayed by that stoat... now he doesn't feel so sorry for them, in fact he... uh oh, stoat is coming back for more, and the fox is grabbing him!

Skuld takes a step back. She's no longer got the stoat to hide behind. Her paw is a little fist, with another wooden tile within. She hasn't managed to look at it yet.

Aikuen growls as Mayeul is taken, but there is nothing they can do against the daggers, "What i wouldn't give for a bow beast right now..." He wishes he could help Kentar right now, It then hit him, "Somebody get me some paw sized rocks! Lots of them!" He lets go of Garnet and unravels his sling.

Anba_Hor throws Mayeul backwards, clean into the air, to land behind him. He takes a second dagger out before Kentar's blade makes contact with it, and the other dagger swings around and slices down towards the blade paw of the stoat. He sidesteps the entire attack, bringing his knee up to contact Kentar's stomach.

Fira moves forwards as well, never mind the mouse. She levels out her spear, stopping at a safe distance to the fox's right, jab at him with her spear if he gets too close and when he's busy attacking Kentar. Make the most of how much longer her weapon is than a dagger to keep her out the way.

That knee thing would hurt Anba more then it would hurt him, thanks to his armor. But it doesn't mean that it doesn't wind him. He oofs a bit and there's a loud cling and now a knee sized dent in his armor. The dagger blade was parried clumsily with his own dagger but he ends up on the ground. And as soon as he's down, the stoad tries to leg sweep the fox.

Will passes the dagger Kentar had used on the kitten to Skuld, "You might need this. Now lets find some rocks unless you want to donate your tiles there instead," his tone is rough and he keeps his red eye on the fox the whole time he's picking up rocks for Aikuen.

Anba_Hor knees the stoat, taking the pain, and spins around away from Kentar and towards Fira, already letting go of the dagger that he throws in her direction. He takes out another, coming full around again on Kentar, but the stoat is nowhere to be found. Just as Anba looks down, he's tripped! The fox comes down on Kentar's armor with both daggers aimed at his chest!

The dagger is taken, recognised, with a small simmer of a grimace, but the kitten says nothing. Instead, she nods, glancing once at the tile she's drawn, and seems to be put a little at ease by it, before dropping it back and starting to gathering up rocks, like Will.

Mayeul oofs! as he hits the ground, all after this initial attack which seems to be going in slooooow moooootion... He stumbles back to his feet and away from the fight, looking all around at the pandemonium.

Kentar grins when he trips the fox, The stoat rolling to one side to get out of the way of the daggers, however one of them slices his arm. "Yelp!" he yelps, but he puts it out of his mind for the moment, just aiming his rapier for the fox's face as best as and as fast as he can.

Anba_Hor lets go of one of the daggers and grabs the rapier, which does not have much impetus, with his /paw/, slamming the blade back down flat against the ground with some minor cuts inflicted. He pins it to the ground with a foot as he kicks the stoat with the other, trying to knock him away from it. At the same time reaching down to pick the dagger back up.

Kentar yelps as he ends up letting go of his sword, falling onto his side. "Darn fox, just give up." he sees Anba go for the dagger and lunches at it himself, hoping to get there before Anba, while trying to bring his own dagger down through Anba's paw

Skuld is passing rocks back for Aikuen's sling, venturing both close to, and away from, the battle, with little change in how afraid she seems to be. The dagger Will passed her, clutched tightly in her her left paw

Aikuen rips one side of his pants and wraps the cloth tightly around the top of his knee. He takes one of the Rocks and loads it in his sling. He stands over away from anybeast, and begin to twirl the sling. There is a low wurl as it spins, and he takes aim.

Mayeul yells to Skuld, "Throw it at him!! Throw it at him!!" The mouse runs past the fray to the other side where the others are, helping Aikuen any way he can

Anba_Hor backs into the ottermaid's spear a bit and howls, grabbing at the shaft of it and sacrificing the dagger. He avoids the stoat's dagger, but a stone whizzes past his ear, clipping it painfully.

Kentar growls and pulls his dagger out of the ground before getting back onto his footpaws, launching himself at Anba, dagger aiming for his neck this time

Will puts the rock in a pile for Aikuen and goes to collect some more. While looking for rocks he spies the dagger the fox had thrown at Mayeul earlier. "Thank you Mr. Fox," he whispers to himself before standing to hurl the dagger at the fox once he sees an clear opening.

The kitten isn't sure she should throw the rocks. She looks from Mayeul, to the rock in paw, and has an experimental throw at the fox. But, she decides that the rest of the rocks she gets, would be much better propelled from Aikuen's sling.

Aikuen was about to launch another one, but he might hit Kentar. He slows the spin as he re aims, waiting for his chance.

Anba_Hor doesn't give the rat much room to aim, as Kentar crashes down on top of him... the fox lets go of the spear and grabs both of Kentar's arms... this can't be good, considering how much bigger the fox is... Anba Hor chuckles and slowly starts to turn the dagger around in Kentar's paws. Not much can be done with projectile weapons unless they don't mind hitting the stoat too...

Kentar growls and does his best to fight back. "AIK, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! SLING QUICK! HIT HIM! HIIIIT HIM!" he shouts, growling as he locks his eye with the fox's, still trying to fight back.

Aikuen quickly launches the rocks in that direction, as fast as he can load them.

Kentar provides another opening and she grits her teeth when Anba lets go of the spear again, going to stab the big fox repeatedly in the back as many times as possible.

There is nothing to lock eyes with... the whites of the fox's pupil-less eyes don't seem to be staring anywhere... the fox sees Aikuen preparing to throw again and moves the stoat in front of the incoming missle! Ha! Doing his job for him! The stoat would have a hard time combatting the direction the fox is rolling him, as he's the one on top!

Skuld has a dagger. The fox is under a stoat. Both arms are occupied... She decides, as long as she doesn't mind getting a little bit hit by rocks, and can avoid the worst of it, that she can move towards the combatants, dagger held, a little uncertainly, ready to stab.

Kentar Growls and cling! The stone hits him. "HIT HIM! HIT HIM NOT ME!" he shouts, but finally his dagger gets lost and his arms are in total control of Anba.

Mayeul sees Skuld moving in and shouts, "Yes! Yes, now!! Into his skull!" He sees the rock fly from Aikuen's sling too late, and sees the fox using the stoat as a shield, again in that strange sloooow mooootion... Noooooooo....

Kentar Growls and cling! The stone hits him. "HIT HIM! HIT HIM NOT ME!" he shouts, but finally his dagger gets lost and Anba is in total control of his arms

Aikuen growls as he hits Kentar, He slows the swing, and takes aim again, instead of blindly shooting.

Skuld is egged on by the mouse... So she keeps going, with the clear intention of taking the mouse's advice, and trying to put the dagger in the fox's skull.

Fira keeps moving with the fox's back, staying behind him when he turns and still stabbing at him. She quickly aims a strong jab at the back of one of the fox's knees, try and bring him down. Luckily Anba and Kentar are nicely shielding her from most of the stones.

"Shut up, mouse!" the rat snaps as he continues to gather rocks to add to the pile for Aikuen's giant sling.

Anba_Hor has had enough of four-on-one... he headbutts Kentar and holds him up as he stands, shoving Kentar in front of Fira's offense, pointing a dagger at his neck. "Enough! I thought this might go more smoothly, but perhaps I underestimated you all, by a /tad/. Instead, I will take this one, and Mayeul... if your conscience is what I think it is, you'll hand yourself over - this stoat didn't mean to offer you up, and you /know/ it. Do it to save his life." He looks back at Fira, eyeing the spear, shaking his head.

Mayeul's shoulders slump as it looks like the fox has beaten Kentar again... anything thrown at the fox or jabbed at him might make him angry and kill the stoat. He looks back at Aikuen and at Fira... "No, wait... you don't have to take him at all - I... I'll help you with the information you need... besides I... I guess I owe you one for taking care of Odilo." He bites his lip while saying this last part - he doesn't mean it one bit.

Fira has the sense not to stab Kentar, just holding the spear ready. Maybe someone else can get at his back now he's turned "Riiight, you really think too highly of yourself if you think threats with poison, daggers and kidnapping is going to end in any other way than this sort of thing"

Kentar yelps and gets dazed as the headbutt lands, leaving him semi out of it. "No...No dont! I'm telling...you Mayeul, No! don't you dare!" he growls.

Anba_Hor nods, "Listen to the stoat this time, Mayeul... no, I can't risk an exchange here and now - I'll put this one out like a light and take him back with me... you'll meet me there, and if I'm correct, you know where to meet me. Bring nothing and nobeast with you." He starts to back away...

Kentar looks to Mayeul again and then tries to elbow Anba in the stomach before trying to stomp down on his foot.

Aikuen has a shot, he sticks out his tongue, and takes aim at the tiny head of Anba.

Skuld has halted. And is looking around. She looks at the dagger she still holds, than around again. And finally back to Kentar and the fox that holds him. The fox that seems about to leave. "Is... Is everyone going to let him take the stoat..?" She seems genuinely aghast at the idea that they might. Her back is to Aikuen, so she doesn't see him aiming.

Anba_Hor points the dagger closer on Kentar, tightening his hold on the other side... "Don't you dare, stoat... toss /all/ the daggers back, if you value his life. I'm at the edge of the trees, and I'll kill him and run. You'll have maybe 5 or 6 seconds to wish him well on his journey to Dark Forest."

Kentar Growls and goes to try to grab Anba's arm to try to pull it away. "Good...bye friends...Do not...do not...listen to him..." he growls out.

Aikuen smiles evilly, he can hit a bug 50 meters away with the amount of aiming he has done. He lets it fly. The only variable is not there...

Mayeul can't believe he's responsible for the life and death of this creature. He can't in good conscience just forget about him... and that wouldn't solve the problem of the fox. Maybe he could somehow poison him once he's in the den... "I don't think any of us would want that... and I agree to your terms - just promise not to harm him." He frowns and shakes his head at Kentar, "Don't be stupid - just wait for me."

Kentar shoots a glare at Mayeul. "Shut up mouse! I've given you your life, now shut up." he keeps trying to pull Anba's arm away.

Will says, "You have all your daggers already fox."

Anba_Hor sees the rock but too late, it *smacks* into the side of his face, a glancing blow but a good hit nonetheless... the fox howls and stabs down at Kentar's paw, "Right, thanks!" He quickly shoves the stoat with him into the trees and makes off in an undetermined direction...

Kentar grunts as the dagger hits him, making him yowl in pain. "Don't follow me!" he growls out to the others. "Flee you fools!" Then he's dragged off by the fox.

Mayeul exhales as the stoat is forced to go with the fox... he doesn't know what to say, having brought this entire scenario upon the other travellers. He turns to them... "I..." The mouse sighs, and puts his paws over his face again, "I'll get him back to you, that's a promise. Safely. You were none of you hurt?"

Fira can't see much to do so she can only stand there and watch the fox take Kentar...she slowly looks to Mayeul. Silent blame in the form of a long stare

Mayeul exhales as the stoat is forced to go with the fox... he doesn't know what to say, having brought this entire scenario upon the other travellers. He turns to them... "I..." The mouse sighs, and puts his paws over his face again, "I'll get him back to you, that's a promise. Safely. You were none of you hurt?

Aikuen drops his sling, and has to sit down, "I couldn't save him... The rock was too small... It didnt kill him... I... Failed..." He begins to breath weirdly and stands up and walks over, without a limp but with a weird sound, to Mayeul and pulls him to his face, "You will bring back Kentar! AND KILL THE DAMN FOX!"

Will just seethes as the fox leaves with Kentar. The rat chatters to himself savagely over loosing the chance to attack the fox himself. 'rouge rat' is not pleased that the fox got away, after all that work to keep his temper in check and now /this/! The rat just can't take it.

Fira is probably more stressed out than she's ever been in her life because it's just been building up. Odd behaviour for her too as she actually goes over towards Mayeul as well, going to place a paw on Aik's shoulder "Let him go" that's normal, but then she waits until the other otter does let him go, stares at the mouse for another second or two and then goes to punch him in the face herself

Mayeul is frightened of the otter, "Yes, yes!! Of course, I will! I swear it!" He looks around at the others, /anything/ to avoid Aikuen's intense eyes.

'rouge rat' has calmed enough to be interested in his surroundings again. He sees Fira take a swing at Mayeul and takes it to mean they are attacking the mouse now. 'rouge rat' lunges at the mouse with fangs bared, ready to strike!

Mayeul takes the antidote and nods... he can't really say much more than he has, or else he'd probably be mumbling excuses or apologies that have already been said. He looks at Will and Skuld, guilty for having brought such violence to the younger ones... then he remembers Odilo, "I have to see to... Odilo, he might be..." He still cares something for the squirrel...

And all this time, Garnet, was just a pile on the ground sobbing again and again and again, so upset, thinking Kentar was as good as dead.

Mayeul is hit in the face by Fira, and groans, feeling his jaw break. Now he /really/ can't say much of anything... he goes to move his jaw and feels pain searing up the side of his face into his temples. "Ahhhmmm.... ahh....." What did she do that for?! He wants to die, forget the fox and the stoat and everybody else... give him one of those daggers

Mayeul is also bitten by the rat, "Oowww... AHhhh!!" He screams as the first cry causes him pain in his jaw...

Aikuen looks to Will as he is pulled off "We need him... Were just CHEESED OFF at him..." He kneels next to Mayeul and places a paw on his jaw, "Your fine! Jaw is dislocated..." He grabs it and shoves it in the other direction, putting it back in place.

'rouge rat's goal if you can call it that was to kill the mouse, then Fira was pulling him off the mouse. 'rouge rat' hisses at the ottermaid not wanting to give up his prey after already having lost the main prize, namely the fox

Fira grunts as she's bitten, that's going to bleed but really it's just that sort of day now. She moves a little, going to force Will against the ground and hold his nose till he lets her go again, just continue to hold him down while she talks to the other, wait for Will to calm down "Mostly angry at the great lack of help he was with the fox rather than just because he brought him here...supposed to be fighting beast not cowering on the ground crying like a little girl...and encouraging the little girl to stab the fox in the head for you, don't think I didn't see that" she mutters.

Aikuen glares at Mayeul, "Kentar may be dead by now... Go... Save him... Or so help me..." He pops his neck.

Mayeul is completely ashamed... "You didn't /know/ what I knew about him! You'd have feared for your life too if..." He decides to be quiet, and takes a hint from Aikuen, "Alright, yes, right now..." The mouse clutches his neck, and runs off into the trees...

The rat thrashed about for a short while at first before giving in, releasing his grip on Fira and laying quietly. Still angry with the mouse and about the fox getting away but he won't attack the mouse unless he's told to now.

Garnet is still laying on her side on the ground, crying so hard, its painful, arms wrapped around her legs which are up at her chest.

Fira holds down Will for another moment or two after he's stopped thrashing before she finally carefully lets him go again, see if he's better. A quick glance goes to Mayeul's retreat, frowning at the mouse still "What good's he going to be if he can't even stand up around that fox when there's other beasts fighting the battle for him?" she's clearly in a really bad mood now, good thing she can't hear Garnet crying.

Hor Den

Anba_Hor shoves the stoat forward... he's denied the poor creature the antidote for the third or fourth time on their journey, letting it get worse and worse before giving it to him - thus keeping him under his control, dazed and teetering on the edge of death. This is the manner in which his pushes Kentar deeper into the underground, grabbing an arm and directing him towards a set of shackles between two dead carcasses.

Kentar was dazed and doing his best to stay alive, the stoat not fighting back at all, the stoat groaning. "You wont get....away with this...Aikuen will hunt you down...and kill you..." he growls as best as he can as he's chained to the wall.

Anba_Hor locks the shackles, finally giving the stoat once he's chained /just enough/ of what's needed to keep him alive. Barely a drop of the antidote. "Oh, is that so? Is he the otter one? Well, let me tell you about him... I encountered him before, and even /he/ failed against me - in fact, he's all maniac and no brains - he'd kill himself before he'd kill me! Ha!" He smacks Kentar's face around a bit, "No, you'll wait here a bit until I have Mayeul, then you'll die."

Kentar breathes as best as he can, giving a grunt every time his face is smacked. "He'll deserve...to die if he...follows me.." he growls. "I know...Aik is dumb, but...he's not that dumb..." he closes his eye and takes deep breaths. "So...fox...what are you going to...do with me n-now? Torture me? Haha..."

Anba_Hor chuckles, "Noooo, I'm not going to torture you. That word sounds nice to me. There's no word really for what you're going to go through. See these others here? See the claw marks on the walls? The nails embedded? Teeth even, when I had them facing the wall... Ha, now /that/ one was a funny one, I enjoyed that immensely." He stares at Kentar more, "Do you even know what that kind of treatment /feels/ like? You won't have a shred of decency or honor when I'm done with you. Then you'll beg for death... and just when you're ready to die, the second half of your torment will start.

Kentar eyes the fox with his good eye, before looking away, taking a deep breath then closing his eye. "Just start fox, I don't have all day." he growls weakly, the stoat just hanging on the wall, still armored and such. "Your time will come Fox, and when it does..." his lips curl into a grin. "I'll be the one gutting you."

Anba_Hor looks unimpressed... shaking his head. "You really have no idea what you passed on your way in - I give your friends a 75% chance of falling to their deaths trying to get into my ditch... then I give them an 80% chance after that of finding me when it's too late." He leaves Kentar there for now, "Your pain and suffering will start when I say it starts, and you'll wait and think about it until then..." The fox turns to leave.

Kentar grins. "Your too much of a lousy coward to start now fox...scared you'll crumble? Haha. I'll see you soon pumpkin..." his laughter dies off after a few moments. "Aikuen, stay away...please..." he closes his eye. "And Garnet...I know you can't hear me but..." he pauses. "I love you." The stoat whispers quietly before drifting off.

Anba_Hor knows the stoat is like /all/ the others, hoping that some amount of bravado will save them and their honor. He'll cry for mommy and daddy, though, like the rest, and most importantly provide the sick fox with his daily entertainment until he gets the real prize... he thinks about what he'll do to Mayeul and shivers. He'll make /so/ much money giving those other vermin that information.