Ebony Cares After All

~ ~ A hidden Clearing in the Woods~ ~

Ebony sits on the log and looks rather peeved, “You can’t handle a simple request, you could of just grabbed her and left would it of been that hard or are you missing something that makes one smart?”

Ryker glares at his boss, his shoulder has been tightly wrapped and knocked back into place and it still hurts, cracked but not broken all the way, “I tried and she fell down this hole by the wall and then the blind squirrel prevented me from getting to her.”

Ebony shakes her head “So a blind squirrel beat you, oh that’s a GREAT tale of an assassin now isn’t it, surely not one I would want to tell, least you and the others took care of that beaver..didn’t you?”

Ryker nods “Of course your grace his hut is no more and I would not think any would of survived it, I told my beasts to make sure of it”

About this time Thorn is walking in the woods, “I just think I can change her, maybe make her see reason, I mean beasts have changed right? Flicktail said he was bad and he is good now and Bottlebrush was a bad pirate and he changed and is good and a healer at that so why can’t my mother change also?”

Zork sighs , “So beasts just can’t lass and I think this was a bad idea, let’s head back ta de abbey” They have only went a half an hour or so away and he is starting to feel uneasy as he looks around, “As for helping Kadar see whats salvageable in his hut, well..things can replaced I say”

Ebony quickly quiets Ryker as she hears voice and one very clearly as she stands and walks slowly to the tall weeds and peers past them, her eyes widen when she sees the badger and..”Thorn”

Ryker gets his longbow ready, “I say we finish this once and for all Ebony, and no better time than now”

Thorn frowns “But what if she can change? Doesn’t she deserve a chance Brother Zork I mean..she is my mother and I am just curious what happen when my birth father left that camp and took me with him two seasons ago, I deserve answers and I want them”

Zork chuckles a little “ You remind me of Zinnia a little when she first came ta de abbey, she was all do what I want to do also. But ya also wise in a way too lass and smart and all beasts are curious of where they came from when it’s not clear and all beast deserve answers I understand, but some of de others that work for ..Ebony is not so good ta run inta out ere’”

Ryker nods to 5 rats with him and motions them to surround the two as he steps into view “No, it would be soooooooo unwise but oops too late” He smirks as he draws back his longbow.

Ebony walks out and folds her arms over her chest, “Well well visitors or trespassers. Which is it” She looks at Thorn, “Change your mind perhaps or are you just here to die and whats with the stripedog..bodyguard since you couldn’t be alone, do you fear me?”

Thorn frowns, “Mother..” She says softly, “And no I don’t want to join your group which cause of your actions seems to be falling apart slowly. I do want to give YOU a chance, maybe a better life and we could even be a family again..what happen to that anyways?”

Zork takes a defensive pose, he may not have his sword anymore but it doesn’t mean he is any less dangerous if threaten, even with the fact he can’t risk fighting.

Ebony looks at her and motions for Ryker to lower his longbow and the rats to stay back for now, “Better life? My life is mine and I rather like it the way it is. I get good meals and sometimes good things, I stay safe by not staying in one place too long and I keep trusted skilled beasts at my side and what happen to family you say?. Ask your father, oh yes you can’t the fool let the long patrol slay him..he never was any good at real fighting and when you were almost two seasons old he took you away…oh to have better power and opportunities he said, oh a horde. I was not much for that stoats horde and see…he lost and fled to hide after his great horde fell and see my group, even if smaller, is still around and still a threat..even if it’s a small one compared to a mighty horde, see the size of a group matters not, it’s their skills that matter”

Ryker lowers the longbow by a little, the five rats stay where they are and await an order.

Zork keeps an eye on the rats, “You know your group also hurt my friend, more than one of me friends”

Thorn frowns, “And you didn’t even try and find me mother, and not like he paid me much attention besides learning to use a dagger, or pick locks sometimes, skills wish didn’t have now. And you know what I am glad I ended up in the abbey, it’s changed me for the better I have learned a couple new skills, I have friends and beasts who achally care about my well-being, friends that help me when I am feeling bad or when I was ill one time for a few days, they care where I am and where I am going. You changed too recently with these attacks your having done and you always said you didn’t like to draw attention well you sure have now, haven’t you and some who would like to see you dead.” She frowns as she carefully steps forward “I don’t want to see you dead, I want you to change but to a good beast..please” She offers a smile, it’s clear she wants her mother in her life again, if she is willing.

Ebony glares at first at the rat dibbun and draws her blade, she listens to more of what she says and tilts her head, “I did try to find you stop being such a brat and I gave you a chance to be in the Silent Blades and you refused me, not once but twice!”

Ryker reminds her “And as you said Ebony, to leave the group is punishment by death”

Zork stays close to Thorn and all the while keeps an eye on the rats, “Thorn..as much as I am fer talking things out we need to leave, that would be best” Yeah if that’s even possible without injuries.

Thorn looks near tears and then glares at Ebony, “You don’t care about me, do you! You just care about your dumb group and trying to have less and less know of it or what you’re doing, you probably never cared about me! I HATE YOU!!!” She then clings onto Zork, yeah that’s a great plan right now, and starts sobbing into his robe.

Ebony softens her glare and lowers her blade, she watches Thorn and it seems those last few words stung some.

Ryker looks like he has had about enough of this and takes aim with his longbow, he narrows his eyes as the rat dibbun hugs the badger, well maybe if he shots the right way he can kill them both, he takes aim and then goes to fire off his arrow.

Zork frowns as Thorn clings onto him “Lass, not de best time fer this” He doesn’t notice the arrow being fired as he is trying to comfort Thorn right now.

Ebony blinks and goes to shove Ryker aside, hopefully it makes the arrow go elsewhere than his intended target, “Thorn run!”

Ryker cusses loudly as the arrow goes off course and misses the rat and probably the badger totally.

Thorn gasps in mid sob as the arrow lands right beside them just about and buries it’s self in the ground, she clings onto Zork more now.

Zork picks up Thorn and looks around, he then narrows his eyes at a nearby rat and full on charges towards them and using his free arm slams one rat in his way right into a tall oak tree, “Ok we are outta ere’!”

Ebony watches as the rat that was slammed into a tree gets its skull cracked and falls over dead. The other four look shocked and unsure what to do as they look to her now. She looks at Ryker and heads after Thorn and the badger.

Ryker narrows his eyes, “Alright…you all listen to me now, after them!” The rats obey and give chase.

Thorn frowns, “Wait..we left my mom back there, she tried to warn me, maybe she can change we need to go back!”

Zork doesn’t get too far before he pants and has to sit behind some bushes “I..need..to…stop..doing this crap”

Thorn frowns, well his choice of words could have been a lot worse than that.

Ebony catches up to them and slows, staying a little ways off not yet going over to the two.

Ryker is peeved and beyond that as he gets closer to them, “Surround them” He tells the four and selects another arrow.

The rats surround them, and look ready to fight.

Zork looks up and frowns “We have company lass” He is still out of breath and not in any shape to do much right now.

Thorn looks and frowns as she sees the rats, she has yet to see Ryker and Ebony. She walks a little ways from Zork.

Ryker has his eyes on the dibbun, “ Little to the left… Perfect” He aims and he fires!

Ebony could have easily jumped from the brush and grabbed her daughter, but she choice not to, she catches movement out of the corner of her eye and they go wide, she dives forwards and in an effort to knock her daughter down on purpose, if she succeeds she will be where the arrow lands.

Zork looks around and frowns “Great..rats, just wot we need..Thorn?” He quickly looks around, where is she, he panics and then hears the woosh of an arrow “Thorn!!”

Thorn is taken by surprise when she falls sideways and in the progressive her knee is very skinned up and her ankle twisted, she then gets a shock as she sees why, Ebony with an arrow now in her “Mother!”

Ebony sort of stands there in some sort of shock as, did this just happen? An arrow clearly in her chest as she looks to the hazed view of Thorn and tries to get out words before falling forwards, her life hanging by a mere thread now as she coughs up blood, the arrow may of hit her lung.

Ryker seems to care less, he does cuss a little and just loads another arrow to his longbow.

Zork finds Thorn with the help of the yell and looks at Ebony and clearly what she just did, he can tell where the arrow hit but to try and make sure Thorn follows him he scoops up Ebony and takes Thorns paw “We haf ta leave, come on!”

Thorn frowns but follows, “We need to get to the abbey Brother Leon can help her!”

Ebony doesn’t really say much, she can’t say too much and doesn’t fight being picked up, like it would matter. She coughs. ”No..leave me..take Thorn…” She coughs roughly, ”Thorn…love you..always d..did..go to abbey…live…” Her eyes close in death now, a healer couldn’t of saved her even if one was right here , right now, but at least she left her evil ways before death claimed her.

Thorn eyes go wide, she looks at Zork “Help her ! Do something! Don’t let her die!”

Ryker and his rats are now close, “Find them!”

Zork frowns and lays the rat down before picking up Thorn and..well he runs, “She’s dead Thorn, I can’t help her lass and we haf ta leave now”

Thorn screams and uses her fists to hit Zork over and over again as he carries her off “Nooooo!”

Zork frowns, “We can come back later lass!”

Ryker narrows his eyes and nods to the rats he now controls “Kill them!” He smiles coldly as they give chase and so does he.

Zork frowns, great out of breath and chest hurts as he gets to the grasslands and frowns making Thorn lie down, “Sorry..lass, got to get back to the abbey”

Thorn curls up into a fuzzy sobbing ball.

Zork frowns, he tries to keep Thorn calm as he listens to where the ferret and the 3 rats are, "Ok..ya stay here and stay low, if something happens ta me you just run whether it’s ta de abbey or elsewhere...Ferravale I don't care." He doesn’t have any weapon with him but he didn’t always need one and if done right maybe they can still get out of this.

Thorn frowns as she wipes her eyes, "But you’re not supposed to fight."

Ryker still has his longbow and the three rats are close now, "Find them, couldn’t of gotten that far"

Flicktail arrives in the area of the grasslands and draws his sword, he uses the grasses to stalk Ryker he WANTS that Ferret

Zork shrugs keeping an eye on where the rats and Ryker is, too close to suit him, "Sometimes ya...haf ta fight" He makes sure Thorn stays low, "Just remember...something happens just run"

Thorn frowns but nods and stays laid down for now just listening for any sounds.

Ryker has yet to find where Thorn and Zork are in the tall grass and it’s starting to annoy him, "Find the brat" One rat speaks "Umm ..what if we find that stripdog instead" " yeah it’s scary" another says" The ferret rolls his eyes "Cowards, easy kill it"

Flicktail Tries to creep up behind Ryker smiling a feral smile if moves quite slowly creeping like other vermin have shown him how to sneak.

Zork stays quiet and waits till a rat is close, he doesn’t go to fight it he simply grabs him by the scuff of the neck from the back, the rat struggles and eyes go wide" Ello thar" The rat screams and drops any weapons it has and seems to favor the give up quickly choice as he is sat down, "Wise ta not move lad" The rat nods quickly. He looks two more rats and Ryker now, he doesn’t see Flicktail yet.

Ryker tenses a little at the scream and lays a free paw on a cutlass he has, "Dillweed?" The other two rats tense up.

Thorn frowns and seems unsure of whether to run or not, for now she stays where she is.

Flicktail pops up behind Ryker, quickly brining Martin's blade up to press the sharp edge against Ryker's throat "Ello there mate...how about I help you with that smile" He then calls out "REDWAALLLLLLLLL!"

Ryker feels the blade at his neck, He narrows his eyes, "This is a very unwise move on your part" He tries to move a paw to his cutlass very slowly. The two rats still left come to his aid and look ready to fight the fox.

Zork hears Flicktail and grins, the rat tries to slip away and the badger frowns, "Bad idea" He then goes to knock him out. The rat is easily knocked out as the badger chuckles "See no worries now"

Thorn stays where she is for now; this has not been a good morning, so much for trying to do anything today.

Flicktail draws the blade a fraction, NICKING the ferret's throat the instant his paw moves "Go ahead...move that Paw again!" After he Calls out his Battle Cry, from the Leaves 2 Sparra warriors appear Screaming at the rats "KILLIE KILLIE KILLIE!!"

Ryker makes a fist and growls as the sword nicks him, "I can easily tell my two rats to attack, and I am sure your friends are close by as well so after your slain, they are next" The two rats look ready to fight.

Thorn crawls a short distance to try and find out whats happening. she tries to stay low best she can.

Flicktail smiles as the 2 Sparra dive, one each to attack a rat from above while the fox smiles" Go ahead, you die first." He licks his chops "I’d LIKE that after what you did to me friends." I DARES ya" Pressing the blade close, cutting a touch deeper "Thorn!? Zork!? It's Flicky!"

Ryker watches as the two rats are attacked, one rat manages to wound one sparrows wing before it’s killed by both sparrows, the last rat goes to try and flick a throwing dagger at Flicktail while Ryker goes to stomp on Flicktail’s footpaw.

Zork goes to help Flicktail, if it’s needed and looks back to where Thorn hopefully still is.

Thorn is a little too scared to show where she is, not with fighting going on.

Flicktail is forced to duck, but brings down the legendary blade, hoping to lop off or at least seriously cut the ferrets sword paw as the 2 sparra gang up on the remaining rat, Flick tail Crouched and ready, he pays the foot stomp no attention weather it hurts or not will remain to be seen later.

Ryker growls, his arm is cut badly and he uses this as a way to try and break free of the fox and gets a hold of his cutlass to slowly draw it.

Zork watches as the two sparrows finish off the one rat, he glances over at a still unconcious rat and frowns hoping Thorn is still somewhere close and didn’t rush off elsewhere.

Thorn is still where she was, just a little ways, 10 feet, from where she was, she can now see the fight as she stands just slightly.

In Ducking, Flicky DID have to release the Ferret, but blood now shins on the words on Martin's Blade, and Flicky stands easily grinning ferally as he causally, with great confidence swirls his own blade, watching the injured beast draw his cutlass Flicktail crooks his fingers "Come on Ferret, the Dark Forrest awaits ye”

Ryker spins around and angles his cutlass; his longbow has been dropped as he narrows his eyes, he then swings his blade forwards at a slight angle towards the fox's arm.

Thorn frowns, she dislikes fights and so stays where she is and quiet.

Flicktail s blade seems somehow much lighter and quicker then a normal blade its size, and Flicktail brings it up to deflect the blow, as the blades connect a blue spark flashing, Flicktail turns into the ferret's off paw side trying to quickly bring the pommel of his own blade down into the Ferret's face while heeling the blade across his own chest ready to parry any counterstroke

Ryker gets a face full of blade handle and growls as he again tries to stab downwards at the fox, he is growing tried as well, "Your..pay" Blood still runs down his arm.

Standing so close to the ferret's body, makes the long cutlass hard to stab down and Flicktail tries to dodge, not completely successful as the cutlass slices into his "off shoulder" The fox makes a slash at the ferret's legs

Ryker smirks as he draws blood and then the smirk ends as he gets a slash on his right leg and falls backwards, he goes to try and sweep with his other leg to trip the fox, the one unconcious rat groans as it wakes up and looks around.

Flicktail Tumbles backwards his foot paws going up in the air, as the fox does a backwards roll into a crouch, his left shoulder drooping but his sword up ready to lunge. The Sparra Warriors, who had been watching but not interfering, pounce on either side of the stirring rat.

Thorn frowns, this is not a fun thing to be near.

Zork takes the chance to get Thorn safely back to the abbey, he is sure Flicktail and two sparrows can handle an already wounded ferret.

Ryker growls, he catches sight of the sparrows as they slay the last of his rats and looks around for Thorn, he also doesn’t see the badger anymore, He scoots back and stands as he smirks at the fox.

Flicktail advances on the ferret, still confident, as he begins an assault on the other beast "Ye attacked me BEAVER friend" *Slash* ye attacked me Badger Friend!" *thrust* and ye called me friend a BRAT! *SHASH*” He snarls as his powerful 2 pawed thrusts rain at the ferret

Ryker manages to block one hit, the other two cut deep into his right shoulder to the bone and the other across his chest, he ends up dropping his sword as one slash cuts into his arm, " Yeah...so...they got in my way. So did a vixen." He goes to try to pick up his cutlass as he is losing the fight to stay awake quickly.

Flicktail Does NOT slay the beast, instead he uses his pommel again to bring it down sharply against the back of his head to knock him out, at least he doesn't DELIBERATELY slay him...

Ryker feels the handle slam down and all goes dark as he falls to the ground, he is not dead but very close to death right now from lots of wounds and blood loss and now has a fairly nice knot on his head.

Flicktail Glowers and pants, cleaning off his blade on the ferret’s fur. he gives a whistle, and a healer beast comes out of the brush where he was hiding to bind the ferret's wound.

Ryker lies there; it's unclear if he will live or not.