And so their journey begins - Part 1
RW Abbey: Entry -------------------------------------------------------------------- You stand on a grassy sward between two cottages. To the south you see a small, calm pond. To the north lies an open space where the Abbey has its feasts in the warmer seasons. To the east is the Great Hall, a massive structure that rises far above the abbey walls and is completed with large towers that pierce upwards into the sky. The main building is completed with a large, iron banded door that would allow one into the Great Hall. The blanket of snow is replaced with the vibrant greens of spring. Newly sprung flowers and young shoots dot the path. They hold a promise of color and enhancement. The earth is relatively dry here, and the soil rich for growing, but muddy patches of dirt still can be found. Many Abbeybeasts can be seen tending to the gardens, though some are content with just being out and about, enjoying the warmth of the virgin sun and the pleasent weather. Dirt pawprints are tracked upon the clearing's surface, serving as witness to the fact that the majority of Abbeybeasts are caught up in the "spring fever." Most will will do just about anything, or make any excuse to be outside, eager to watch as spring colors emerge in scraggly clumps. --------------------------------------------------------------------
Kik emerges out of the front doors, a haversack tossed over her shoulder. She has dressed in some decidedly warmer clothes which consist of a ankle length, brown tunic and a thick green cloak. In her paw she is carrying a nicely sized walking stick. She looks up at the bleak winter sky and takes a deep breath of the frigid air. What a wonderful day to travel!
The otter looks up in time to see a blur streak across the sky down towards her. "Look out! Look out! I'm gonna crash!" the bat shouts as she practically dive bombs the otter. At the last minute though Kacy rights herself and lands gracefully on the tip of the otters walking stick. Leaning down with a mischievous smile the bat replies, "Heh, just kidding."
Kik lets out a straggle screech as the bat comes plummeting towards her and she leaps to the side, landing on her back. Her staff stands on its own for a split second, and then topples down. Kik sighs ruefully as she stands and brushes herself off, "Fair warning would be nice, next time."
Kacy falls flat on her face along with the sick. So much for graceful. The bat picks herself up, dusting dirt from her shirt and shoulders as well, "Heh, sorry, couldn't resist." Kacy then passes the otter a glance by tilting her head to the side, "Are you heading out somewhere miss?"
Kik chuckles as the bat falls and after the other recovers, she waves a paw dismissively, "No worries. If I had wings, the temptation would be too great." She picks up her staff and nods, saying, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am! Im heading out to a place called Camp Willow. Its a camp of otters, I suppose. I want to see if they'll let me join up."
Kacy rubs her chin with a wing tip, "A camp full of otters? I don't think I have ever heard of such a thing." She smiles mischievously again, "Say, do you need a traveling companion?"
Kik narrows her eyes at the bat, though there's a hint of a smile on her lips, "I dunno. Are you open for the job? You'd have to promise not to eat all my food."
Kacy gives her trim waist a pat. "Heh, sorry about that yesterday. It's just ...was a while since I last ate." The bat then places one wing tip on her hips as she explains. "Sure i'm up for travel. The area around here has grown a little stale for the bard business. Only the bandits, horde, beasts, and warlords have any real gold." The bat adds, "How far is it to this place of yours?"
Kik smiles, shrugging, "It's fine. I can hardly blame you." She pauses, then adds, "Perhaps you can sing a few marching songs with that fine bard voice of yours!" She seems to actually want to hear the bat sing. She bites her lip as she contemplates the last question, "I'd say it's about half a days walk from here. If we leave now, we'd probably get there by night fall."
Kacy nods happily, the bat looks relieved to actually have someone want /her/ to sing for them. "Alright then. You wanted music, you shall have music..." The bat takes in a deep breath and belts out a stream of notes...each off key with ear splitting accuracy.
Kik smiles pleasantly at first, happy to have caused the bat some happiness. Her smile quickly melts, however, when the first spitting notes burst from the bat. She winces and /almost/ covers her ears, but thinks better of it. She quickly cuts in, "That was.....wonderful! You should probably let your singing voice rest. We wouldn't want to damage it!" She starts towards the gate, saying, "We should probably get going, though. The days not getting any younger!"
The bat squints as she smiles, "You really think so? Cuase I can really belt it out! I mean honestly. I can liven up the entire /countryside/!" Kacy chirps as she walks along side the otter.
Kik laughs aloud, nodding as she does so, "I bet you can! You're voice is very powerful, to be sure." They reach the gates and the guards open it, allowing the pair to exit onto the road and begin their travels.
After a few hours….
The sun has continued to move across the sky and now it looks to be about midafternoon. The otter and bat have been traveling steadily and now some lunch is in order! Kik pauses in the middle of the forest and sets down the haversack, saying as she does so, "I'm starting to feel rather hungry. Are you alright with stopping here?"
Kacy quiets her growling stomach with her wingclaw pressed firmly against her exposed middle. The evening sun has made it hard for the bat to see too far, especially for flight so she found herself walking to Camp Willow...and besides you can't carry on a conversation if you are ten feet above your companions. "Some food would be nice yeah, what do you have?" The small fox bat leans forward giving the sack a good sniff.
Kik opens the food holder and starts to take things out, nameing them as she does, "Well, we have come scones, apples, a bit of cheese, a few carrots and here we have a...." She frowns as she looks at the food artical, "I think this is a beet, but I'm really not sure."
Kacy licks her chops at the apples, "Mind if I take the apples? Some fruit is just what my diet needs." Kacy picks up the apples and goes to the nearest tree. She flaps up to the lowest branch, hanging upside down while she feasts, "So where are you from Kik?"
Kik grins as the bat helps herself, muttering, "Not at all". She takes two scones and a carrot and goes to sit near, yet not under, the tree Kacy is hanging on. She starts to knaw on a carrot as she replies to the question, "A small town to the east of here. They called it 'Blarn', which I always thought was a bit of a mouthful. How about you?"
Kacy snerks as she almost chokes on her apple, trying to eat and laugh at the same time, "Seriously? 'Blarn'?" she chuckles, "Oh wow, thats...that's rich." Continuing to eat the bat replies again, "I come from the caves to the far south. I never was one for the whole 'fly in a group' type scene. So I decided to ehad out and work on my musical tallents." she smiles as she eats, "The clan was very supportive of me heading out to do that."
Kik glances up at the bat, chucking a stub of carrot playfully in her direction, "Hey! It was my home!" She laughs lightly, "You're right, though. It was hardly very poetic." She nods sagely, "Ah, yes. And it was well that they encouraged you! I mean, look how far you've come! You should go back sometime and preform for them." She smiles, though on the inside she's really not sure if she should be encouraging her.
The bat grabs at the carrot with her wing paws. Drat, she misses. Oh well, there is still a tasty apple to eat. "Yeah, they were really supportive, they even gave me gold to get started, helped me fly off to a new home." She scartches at the back of her ear with her free claw, "Funny thing is I sent word home once that I was coming back...my entire clan was on vacation at the time. What timing you know?" She shrugs and finishes the second apple.
Kik's forehead creases with sympathy. She has to admit, she feels rather sorry for the bat, "Aye, quite the timing they had there. Have you tried to contact them since?" She pops the rest of a scone into her mouth and chews, though her mouth is starting to get rather dry.
Kacy opens her mouth to reply. Instead she turns her head around behind her, ears twitching. "Kik...I hear beasts coming up the road..." she says cautiously. "And a wagon."
Kik tenses and stops chewing, listening instead. She frowns and says in a low voice, "Are you sure? I can't hear a thing." She cautiously makes her way over to the haversack and stuffs everything back in. She then returns to stand under the tree, the sack slung over her shoulder.
