By the Waters of Ruingate

Stubb, Angus, Rentha, Amos, Hactor, Dangeon, Frigg, Darkmane

Location: Near Ruingate

The brittle crunch of leaves underfoot pronounces the arrival of Stubb in the autumnal evening cool. The weasel's fur has grown long, looking faintly comical in the way it protrudes in great gray-brown swaths from above and below his small waistcoat. His nostrils tug at some elusive scent, and he swivels his head around, as much to address his companions as to seek better purchase on this curious trail of airborne fragrance. "Oi fink oi smells somefin', ma'es," he says in an almost conspiratorially soft growl.

Angus fails to produce a verbal response for his weasel companion; instead, the dragon flickers his tongue, slurping for the alleged scent. Something is decided on the breeze, and he bobs his scaly head at something in the distance, as if to denote a vague origin for the aroma. He shifts, then takes a few paces away from Stubb, continuing to lap at the smell.

A little ways back, Rentha walks at an even pace toward the weasel and others ahead of him. From a distance the fox is almost an animal shaped black blob. His cloak curled around him, very little in the way of features is clearly discernible.

Amos brings up the rear, paw wrapped firmly around the hilt of his weapon as he shifts constantly his glaze and flicking his tail somewhat nervously, "Is sumtin' about this place I tell ya, ain't the kind of feller to be all roughing it and be all lost, " He grumbles to no one inparticular, looking grizzeled and unhampered in his dull green tunic and trousers.

Rentha is closer to the others now. He notes, the weasel, and is slightly taken aback at the lizard. Didn't know those existed, not 'round here at least. Behind him, he hears walking noise; given the speed and rate, he takes it to friendly or at the very least not hostile and continues on. To the observant eye, he appears to be limping slightly and holding the cloak and his other arm with one arm and using the other to keep a light grip on his saber.

Stubb's errant gaze lands with distant curiosity on the cloaked fox and settles there. "Oi see we 'ave a new friend. When'd we pick 'im up, kitty ca'?" he says with a brief cock of the head in Amos' direction. The weasel stops now to properly address his attention to the column. One paw idly traces the fringe of grass at the edge of the Broadstream's bank.

Angus is also looking a tad road-hard these days. With little chance of sprouting any seasonal fur, the lizard has compensated (perhaps over) by doubling up in garments. Thick wool blankets have been slung around his shoulders, pinned and contorted to resemble something like clothing, insulating him from ever-plummeting temperatures. A stripy scarf twists about his neck, and a nebulous blob of fabric is pooled aloft his head, further fending off the uncomfortable fall night. Now is no time to become sluggish. This mountain of a ragamuffin grunts, "Eh .. that's a diff'rent one? Figured it was just one o' the other dogs'd been tailing us over the moons. Can barely tell 'em apart sometimes."

Amos gives Rentha a passing glance as Stubb mentions him, "Ain't my friend, just some feller traveling our way I figure, " He grumbles, still looking somewhat preoccupied as he eyes the surroundings visibily annoyed and uncomfortable, "Ain't no kitty cat, and ya better know where ya be going ya grubby weasel."

The "kitty ca'" growls very softly. Calling a fox a cat, and a docile one that, an offense indeed. Still, he's in no position to defend his pride, an altercation could do him in for good. No sense in provoking violence where none is provoked, wounded pride albeit. He glances over at the speaker, and gives him a raised eyebrow ( a wildcat, that's not exactly common). He speaks in a measured tone, "I be headed to yonder vermin city, weasel. I've heard it's a fair place for a fox to stay. 'at and woodlanders not welcome. That I can agree with."

Stubb slides a thumb under the strap of his pack and fixes the fox with a long look before nodding. "Loikwoise, to be shoor. We 'ave no special fondness for tha li'le roden's." He shifts his weight, then looks at Angus. "Looks loik our senses di'n't deser' us, den. S'pose we'll press on till noight if we need to."

Angus snorts, but concurs with a bob of his head. The hulk begins to lurch onward, headed along the fringes of the most well-worn path, ideally toward food and a bed, all though this is probably wishful thinking. "Aye--off with us then, eh, mates?" he clips back to them, dragging his sore feet, tail cutting a wake it the dirt behind him. Their journey has taken a turn for the mundane recently--interminable walking--and the lizard is tired, distant.

Rentha follows in the direction Angus, more by agreement with that being the apparent path, than by order of following. He grumbles under his breath about the ache in his feet and how long it took to get here. Some of his wounds still hurt too, being healed over but quite sensitive, he doesn't mention those.

Stubb turns and plunges onward, having satisfied himself with a quick look around that the group is in agreement. "'Ow far, foxy?" he calls over his shoulder. "Oi cou'd go for some propah vi'tles tonoigh', 'stead a dis horrid stuff we been ea'in'."

Stubb scarcely waits for a reply, his legs pumping with increasing vim as he wraps himself in warm fantasies of epic meals, all narrated aloud in his heavy accent.

The fox turns to look at stubb, "I reckon a bit father up the pass. Never been there meself, but this is definitely the way there, I recognize it from a good many traveler's descriptions. Being a fortress it would be high up, for defensive purposes". He says this with a slight mocking smile.

Half of the monitor's mouth contorts in a faint smile, ignited by the thought of warm and meaty foods. ".. and perhaps a bitta' wine, yeah?" Angus muses softly, joining in on the various inviting reveries. "A fire a'cracklin' in the corner, too." His heavy head tilts back, to better catch Rentha's words. "Maybe even a slinky lady lizard ta' .." He trails off after that, but the smile has overcome the remainder of his snout.

They arrive at the gates to the town.

Stubb's footsteps slacken, and his shoulders roll slowly forward against the tug of his bag's shoulder straps. "Oy. Dis don' look good, ma'es," he calls to the travel-mates in his wake. Before him tower the ominous, black gates of Ruingate, spiked now with the silhouettes of sentries and guarded by two stern sentries.

In mid-conversation with the hare Dangeon, Amos looks up as Stubb announces that they're here and the sentires yell down at them. He then turns to the hare as he stops, "So what'cha hear about this Ruingate place, and that horsey feller of yours gonna be catching up?"

"I'm pretty sure "m'horsey feller" will be catchin' up soon enough." The doe grins, and tilts her head at Stubb, guards and gates. "Well. I know this place is run by foxes. Actually, seems like everywhere we go is fox-run these days... Good year t' be a fox."

Stubb's visage transforms in a flash from the face of the confident leader to that of the sycophantic beggar at the door. "Oi assure you, we be nought more dan a pawful of travelers wif need of shelter an' food. We've been told we c'ud foin' bof here in tha walls a' your fair town." He bows his head, an obsequious gesture apparently calculated to draw disinterested disgust from the guards.

The gaurd snorted and replied, "No anymore it aint! Ruingate now belongs ta Verahgo and tha Hoard o Athousand eyes!" He laughed a bit, but then listened to Stubb's change of demeaner. He stroked his chin and spat on the ground before continuing, "Allrigh. Your lott can ener. Ba ifn ya cause one lick a trable," He made a slising gesture across his throat. He was about to give the order to open the gate when he noticed another figure coming up the road. The figure though hooded was obviously a fox. It was apparent by his bushy tail and mussle. He was smoking a pipe, and seemed to be an /actual/ beggar. The gaurd called out, "Oy you! No bush tails allowed in!"

"Was surprised he let ya out of his sight, " He grins back to Dangeon, attention refouced on Stubb and the guards as he listens to her, "Aye, but maybe not." He turns to look at the stranger, "That beastie better not ruin our chances at a warm bed and some good grub."

"He's a horse; tall an' c'n probably see a long way anyway..." Dangeon answers, distractedly, nodding slightly as she hears a response to her comment on foxes. ".. Verahgo? And.. a thousand eyes? I guess that's five 'undred beasts. Big force. What's this Verahgo like? Aside from down on 'is kind." She gestures her head toward the approaching beggar.

Stubb looks back at the chatty pair with mild annoyance painting his features, then resumes his bit of theatre. "No trouble, ma'e. We're a scrawny lo', most of us, 'cep' tha' lizard, an' 'e's mopin' too strong to bover wif troublin' ovvers." He shakes his head; perish the thought!

The gaurd with /much/ annoyance replies to Dangeon, "Non o yer bussiness." He then looked down to Stubb and pointed to the beggar, "He with you?" The beggar just stood close by smoking, and glaring at the gaurd with a single, bright orange eye.

Stubb was clearly not expecting this hitch, and the question throws him off his poise. He stands up a bit straighter, his bearing no longer so timid, and scrutinizes the strangely attired beggar. The weasel's breath slows visibly, then seems to catch in the back of his throat. A short spell elapses before he finds his tongue again. "Oi... Wha' if 'e is wif us, den?"

The gaurd spat angrily, "Then he be yer responsability! We don take kindly ta unwatched bushtail mutts!"

"Dare then, should I, to say he is with me? You fool, look at you - where is your mother? To be acting so serious around a beggar and a poor little weasel. They don't look so tough to me, eh, and I'm an old woman! Out of my way, then, or at least answer me this: 'sthere anybeast of Redwall inside these gates? I was told there was, some time ago." The old maid pokes at the guard with a cane.

Amos leans close to whisper to Dangeon, mindful of the guards after they trounced the doe for her questions. All the while watching the guards and begger.

Dangeon nods enthusiastically to the whisper. "O' course." She snorts an amused reply, and smirks as she watches the old lady berating the guard. She hasn't recognised the beggar fox yet and remains fairly unconcerned for the moment.

Frigg doesn't get her answer and goes over to Dangeon, leaning down, "Are you being bullied? 'Sterrible business for them, I should think - nor a scrap of courtesy to me neither, by what right?!" She sighs, putting her paws on her hips, knees bent and eyes level with the doe's, "Are you really with this weasel, or are you alone, dear?"

Stubb looks again at the disguised fox. His eyes narrow to a squint, then quickly widen again. "You 'eard 'im then, Bushtail. Ge' your, er,... bushy tail movin'! An' don' troi nuffin' eiver, you, er, you mangy cur!" He thrusts a finger toward the gates. "Stay where oi can see ya, too!" He turns with mock exasperation to the sentry. "Me an' moi scaley frien' 'll see to it 'e don' star' nuffin'."

The gaurd roles his eyes at the maid, but then listens to Stubb. After much thougt ( which isn't much) he finally gives the order for the gate to be opened. The beggar grins slightly.

Hactor also called up to the maid, "O marm thank ye thank ye," And he groffled on his knees at Stubb, "Yas sar. I want be causin em no trouble sar."

Amos looks happily at the gates as they open, "Finally, " He stoops down to grab his bag and slug it over his shoulder, "Maybe I'll buy ya that drink after all, just one though, " He eyes Dangeon and moves forward behind Stubb, "Well then, where to now o' sneaky leader?"

"If y' get drunk 'nuff, you'll forget." The haremaid retorts, gleefully. "Will be more than one." She shuffles along behind, with a quick glance back over at the familiar beggar fox and the older mouse.

Frigg eyes the group ahead of her, and is a bit unsettled for a moment. Acting awfully strange... the dynamic between beggar and caretakers seems off, different than she expected. She shrugs, "Weird folks, up north. What a dreary-looking place, my.. well, I hope that dear son of mine appreciates the trouble!" She enters after them. "Excuse me, lads! Have you been here before, then??!"

Stubb appears content to let Amos and Dangeon bear the conversational load that their new remora is proving to be, but he offers her a quick, dark look, before proceeding through the gates. He moves with small, nervous steps, accompanied by a flurry of nods and bows that convey the subordination appropriate to this occasion. Not forgetting those below him on the ladder, however, he calls sharply to the hooded fox: "March, den! Ain' gonna keep da ga'es open all noigh'!"

"Oh Yes sar. Yar forgivn sir." However the old beggar fox still grined contently.

Dangeon keeps beside the wildcat as they begin to move, marching off through the gates. Amos answering the mouse, "Nay, can't say we have... " He looks about at his comrards, "At least I ain't been this far north, " He stares through the gates at Ruingate, "I wont forget, " He grumbles at the hare and passes through the gates.

The gates rattle shut behind the column, vocalizing their complaints in loud creaks as they do so. Stubb watches the path behind them disappear, then strides forward, to come up abreast of the peculiar fox. "Oi fink oi'm owed a bi' of explanation. One good turn an' all tha', eh? Bes' no' ta do i' out 'ere, a course..." His gaze sweeps furtively over the road, thronged with sinister beasts.

The fox chuckles and replies in a hoars voice, "Aye. Best not...Lead on sar." He chuckled a bit more an puffed on his pipe. He looked around the square a bit and was slightly disapointed. He had no idea of an invasion. NLooks like is plan to see theSoulslashes was off.

The doe has disappeared once through the gates, a grumbling Amos left behind watching as Stubb and the rest enter behind him. Closing his coin pouch and tucking it away, he gives Stubb a salute and sizes up the fox, "Might ya remind me again what we're doing here and what spoils can be found?"

Stubb's look lingers on the fox's lone eye. "Roigh'." He raises his thin nose to the air. "Smells loik deaf 'ere. Oi'm 'avin' moi doubts 'bou' dis." He sighs. "No turnin' back now, though, eh?" He crawls forward through the crowded street. "Don' see nuffin' 'ere. Looks loik tha cenner a town's jes' ahead, tho'... Rest a ya, troi an' keep up, eh?"

Hactor walked along with Stubb, looking around the town under his hood. It would appear he was the only fox in Ruingate, and as such was given un-approving glances by gaurds. He whispered down to Stubb, "You seemed surprised ta see me my friend? Did not the news of my defeat reach you sooner?"

Amos hangs around, Dangeon nowhere to be seen and off drinking on his tab no doubt. Still he waits around, watching the fox and weasel as he eyes his new surroundings.

Darkmane smirks slightly from under his hood as he sees the trio and nods to himself since it would seem everybody made it safely. A deep breath taken as his large form steps out of the shadows and approaches the group with slow but sure steps, his hands pulling his hood back as he just grins wryly.

"Er, a course oi 'eard, or oi'd've come down wif my second'ry force, as we discussed." Stubb continues through the crowd, turning onto the Via Ariadne. "Jes'... Oi weren't aware a your fa'e. An' you've traveled swiftly, too." His speech is guarded, as if sensing a test in Hactor's inquiries. "Ah, but 'oo's dis? That ol' horsey beat us to town?"

Hactor glanced up at Darkman and gave him a slight nodd saying in a hushed tone, "Well I was hoping to receive generosity from the Soulslashes. But seeing as they're not the...current establishment, it would sppear I'm stuck begging. For a time."

Amos follows behind Stubb, eyes scanning the crowd but soon falling upon Darkmane. As ever he isn't hard to spot, he returns his grin and gives a wave, "Darky, " He moves past Hactor and Stubb somewhat to approach him, "Dangeon is off finding a tavern, where ya been?"

Darkmane dips his head as steps in alongside Amos more or less once they reach eachother. "I know, i saw her pass earlier." His lips quirking slightly. "I deemed it would be wiser for me to wait until she had gotten some proper liquor into her system before meeting her rather then the stuff she might have had on the trek up here." His head then shaking slightly as he continues. "My apologies for the sudden departure tho, i decided it would be wise of me to deal with a few matters so they would not provide any distractions at a later date." His voice soft and toughtfull.

Stubb offers little more to the horse than a nod of recognition. "Come, 'Actor. Oi fink oi see tha spo'. Oi'm a bi' richer for moi travels, so oi'll buy, if tha' won' hur' your pride." He smiles, mischief articulated in his bared teeth, and ducks into the Skull and Candle.

Hactor humphs and replies, "Watch yer wealth my friend. I was king of Mossflower once. Now I'm a one eyed, one armed beggar." After extinguishing his pipe and giving Stubb a sower look he followed.

"Probably best, " Amos laughs, walking along with Darkmane besides him. As the Skull and Candle appears before them, he grins, "Well its good to have ya around again and I suppose that's where we'll find her, " He points to the tavern, watching Hactor before moving to duck into the tavern as well.

As he slips inside the tavern, the weasel's voice is faintly heard. "One arm...?"