Going Too Far Part Two

Will says, "Yes, stupid otter. You're not any better, Kentar." He looks over to where the 'stupid' otter is by the fire, "I should have tried to stop him sooner than I did ..... Skuld's gone now and if she's smart she'll leave us alone now." The rat sheaths his sword and looks over the dagger glancing between Kentar and Aikuen from time to time.

Kentar looks between them, drying his eye for a few moments before growling, and sitting next to the otter at the fire. "Don't worry mate, she won't stay mad at yah" he growls loudly.

Aikuen takes the sword from the fire, and it is red hot. He grunts as he places it on his side where the wound it. He makes no movement, screams or grunts of pain, as he seals the wound permanently. He pulls off the sword, and the area is blackened and smoking still. he looks to Kentar as he shoves the still red sword into the ground, "This is exactly what i was afraid of..." He places his bloodied paw and rubs his face.

Will watches the others, still playing with the dagger out of boredom.

Kentar looks over to Will before looking to Aikuen again. "What were you scared of?" he asks.

Aikuen wipes a tear, and looks to Kentar, "That she would see my true side eventually... Nobody would want to marry me, because of that..." He wipes another tear, and mumbles to himself. then he says, "Sorry i pulled your arm out..."

Kentar rubs his arm some, and slowly places it over the otter's side. "What? You saved the kid remember? I sort...of went a little crazy. And you saved her life...so...I don't see why she wouldn't want to marry you"

Will has become very interested in stabbing the dagger into the ground over and over, still listening but no longer looking at the stoat and otter. Nosey little eavesdropper isn't he.

Aikuen leans in a little closer and sniffles slightly, "I guess so... but im the one who gave you the dagger and let you torture her...Just as much my fault..." He looks to Will and says, "You can have that... i wont be needing it anymore..." He begins to take off his weapons and armor and putting it in his back.

Kentar tilts his head. "What are you doing?" he asks, head tilting the other way. "You can't just...give up fighting"

Will's ears swivel around as usual pausing at the stoat's words to the otter more than the otter's words to himself. "That mouse talk to you too or you jus gonna try an quit by yourself?" he's as surprised as the stoat if not more.

Aikuen has put all his weapons into the bag except his knife and the sheath for it. He ties it around his right inside calf, "I am... For her... anything... but im not stupid as that... My fists are more powerful then swords, and i have this knife just in case..." He sighs and looks to Will, "If i was Martin... i would have given up on me by now... So this is all me... Im a fighter... not a warrior... I don't think i could lose her..." He rubs his eyes again

Kentar frowns. "Your such a stupid otter you know that" He actually goes to shove him. "Martin doesn't give up on beasts." he says, growling. "You cant just give up what you are you dumb beast" he growls.

Will says, "Yeah. But what if he's not really a fighter?"

Aikuen stands up when he is shoved, and shrugs, "7 seasons ago... if you called me stupid... i would have killed you, and not care a stinking bit... I have changed a lot since then... I never wanted to become a fighter... But the loss of my daughter forced that upon me..." He sighs, "Im not giving up fighting, but... I don't want to see her go because of that..."

Kentar blinks. "Well he's not a bloody singer, Will" he says, not looking over, placing his paw on Aik's shoulder after standing himself. "Aikuen. You won't lose her...trust me on this..."

"Sooo you gonna farm sugar cane or whatever it was like you did before M- ... uh before you became a figher?" Will asks. He was going to say before Mehra but thought better of it.

Aikuen looks to Will and says, "Seems that way... But sugar cane wont grow in this climate... may have to do vegetables..." He chuckles, "The only thing i was good at, and it makes life miserable..." He takes a deep breath and looks to Kentar, "I know ive said this before... But i hope your right..."

Kentar pats the otter gently. "Trust me Aikuen, you won't lose her...and do not, I am telling you this moment, do not go into farming!"

Will grins, "Hey, you want us to starve or live at th Abbey again. He was already doing that before we left. Though the gardens back home have probably grown past where he'd cut them back to by now. Guess we'll have to start over."

Kentar frowns. "Then don't go into farming full time, for season's sake," he mutters before sitting down and looking to Will. "I'm uh...sorry"

"It's alright. Though if you still want to live with us at Moledeep you'll have to help out in the gardens too. No gardens = no food," the rat is amused.

Kentar slowly shakes his head. "Not quite what I meant. I meant I'm sorry for the cat thing and all"

Will says, "Oh. You should be. I don't like her either but that /was/ going too far. But maybe it'll give her a reason to stay away from us."

Kentar nods slowly. "That's exactly why I did it" he says.

Will raises a brow, "I doubt it was the only reason. ....... I .... Aikuen stopped you. I tried but if he hadn't stopped you I doubt I could have on my own ...... Since I can't stop either of you when you do stupid stuff .... try to do it where I don't have to be around it. I'm getting better but he's still there and I ... he's already killed six times and didn't care what beast thy were that he killed. If ..... I don't want to ever wake up again with somebeast's blood in my mouth and be told I ripped their throat out again and I sure don't want you or Aikuen to be the beast that's dead if there is an again."

Aikuen tilts his head at Kentar, then at Will. He takes a deep breath, "Im going after her... try to explain it to her..." He taps the knife and slowly goes after Firas trail.

Kentar Sighs a bit. "I just wanted to torture the poor thing" he says. "I need..." he sighs and clenches his paw. "I just have that need to kill again" he sighs to himself.

Will asks, "You know what causes it or have an idea of what causes it?"

Kentar nods slowly. "I hurt the kitten...It made me remember all the things I've done in my past...and why I did it"

Will nods, "Ok. Why did you?"

Kentar closes his eyes and holds his head in his paws. "Because it was...fun. I enjoyed it."

Will asks, "Why?"

Kentar Sighs. "Because its fun. Its just...like playing a game."

Will says, "How is it fun? What do you like about it?"

Kentar shrugs and closes his eye. "I don't know. I really don't. It just is!" he shouts.

Will lays his ears back at the shout, "Ok. .... What else do you like to do?"

Kentar sighs. "I don't know right now, I really don't know."

Will's ears droop a little, "Ok," he sighs, "You probably don't want to play marbles right now huh?"

Kentar slowly shakes his head and just sighs. "No."

Will nods slowly, "Ok. I'll play it by myself then." He starts to gather any small roundish stones he sees nearby.

Kentar sighs and sits next to the fire, laying down and watching Will as he thinks.

Will draws a circle in the dirt and lays out a pawful of pebbles in the middle, keeping on in his paw to shoot with. He sit at one end and shoot then goes to the other end and shoots, actually playing against himself. The rat doesn't seem to care too much if he looks dumb doing this, he's bored and this gives him something to do.

Kentar continues watching for a few more moments before speaking. "What...What would happen if I died, Will?" he asks.

Will looks over at the stoat puzzled, "To you or to th rest of us?"

Kentar frowns. "I know what would happen to me" he says. "I should have asked how you'd have felt"

Will ahs, "Well in that case. If you died. It'd hurt. Always has before when beasts I like died, why would it be any different if you was th one dyin'. I guess it'd hurt Pa and Fira too but I don't know if that who it is fer all beasts, just know it is for me."

Kentar nods slowly and shrugs a bit. He closes his eye and nods a bit. "I suppose..." he shrugs.

Kentar nods slowly and shrugs a bit. He closes his eye and nods a bit. "I suppose..." he shrugs.

Will looks the stoat over, "It hurts a lot! So don't go dyin on purpose if ya can help it, ok. I lost enough family for a good long time I know I'll loose more but I'd like to be a lot older before I have to bury another family."

Aikuen comes back from the forest, feeling a little better, because he is holding paws with Fira. She also seems better, as she lets go, kisses him on the cheek, and goes off into the stream. Aik watches her for a few moments before going back to his spot at the fire and hums slowly. He only catches the last bit Will said, and looks up, "hmm?"

Kentar nods slowly and sighs. "If...If I die, don't worry about burying me. Save you the trouble, just chuck me in the fire and go on" he doesn't notice Aikuen get back.

Will shrugs, "I was little then and not allowed t 'play with fire'. Hello Pa. Kentar didn't believe me when I said we'd miss him if he died."

Kentar shrugs a bit to himself and just closes his eye again.

Aikuen blinks a few times then looks to Kentar, "Of course we'd miss you... Your our matey! Though we might not show it..." He hmms and taps his claws together.

Will says, "That's what I told him."

Kentar shrugs slowly. "I'm sure your just saying it to try and comfort me."

Aikuen snorts, "If i was trying to comfort, you know it...I wouldn't do this!" He picks up a small rock and tosses it lightly on Kentars stomach, "Take that Stoaty!" He chuckles and says, "I would also hand you the rest of the wine to numb the pain in the shoulder... but im not... matey!"

Will says, "And we're back to this again."

Kentar growls and draws a dagger, throwing it at Aikuen rather then another rock. "Buzz off waterdog"

Will groans, "If we all get back home without killing each other we should make our next trip much shorter. Do you have to throw stuff at each other?"

Aikuen moves his leg out of the way, and it cuts some of his fur off. He picks up the dagger and begins to twirl it in his paw, "Im an otter... I cant buzz off... See i don't have the wings to do that..." He makes flapping motions with his arms, and laughs.

Kentar frowns. "Shove off then" he growls, rolling onto his stomach and closing his eye again.

Will turns back to his marble game not wanting to bother the stoat anymore right now.

Aikuen shrugs and smiles, even though the stoat can't see it,"Okay mate, ill shove off..." He scoots himself from his spot to where Fira would sit, he chuckles a little bit, but it would be funnier if Kentar was watching. He sighs and says, "I wonder if Garnet caught Fira yet... Since Garnet is fishing and Fira is swimming..." He laughs at the thought, and pulls out a biscuit from his pack, munching on it.

Kentar's ear flicks. "Oh drat...Garnet...did she happen to see what happened?" he asks.

Aikuen shakes his head, "I don't think so mate... She was way down the river when it happened... my have heard the screams though..." He scratches his head and thinks about it.

Kentar sighs and nods. "Good" he mutters before yawning.

Aikuen tilts his head, "Good that she was far away?... or good That she heard the screams?"

Kentar rolls his eye. "Dumb otter, that she was far away for crying out loud!"

Aikuen sticks out his tongue, "Yah well, it seemed like you didnt like her... thought id ask...But now that i know..." He laughs, "Do you like her... Kenny?" He holds in the laughter as much as he can.

Kentar growls and takes a piece of burning wood from the fire, tossing it at Aikuen. "don't call me that!"

Will chooses to ignore the stoat and the otter and continues to play marbles against himself.

Aikuen gets hit with the burning long on his arm, which ignites quite quickly. He stands up and hits himself on the flames to smother it, "Ack!... Alright... Ill stop talking... apparently its rude just to open my mouth..." He shuts his mouth and begins to hum to himself. But this otter is talkative at the moment and breaks his silence, "Well do you like her...eh,

Kentar has settled down after the otter shortly caught fire. "Thought you said you'd be quiet" he grumbles. "Well. I guess...I mean..." he pauses

Aikuen smiles some and says, "You like her! Don't worry i wont say anything..." He twiddles his claws in front of him.

Kentar nods slowly. "I...I like her, yeah, I guess" he shrugs.

Shakes his head as he sets up the pebbles again for a new game of marbles, "Why don't ya jus leave him alone for a while an come over here so I don't have t play all by myself anymore," the rat calls over smiling.

Aikuen winks at the stoat, "There yah go mate... Now, im not gonna help you... Like you helped me and Fira got off the ground..." He looks to Will and nods, "Err... Yah... sounds good..." He walks over and sits beside the circle, looking at the strange game.

Kentar looks to Aikuen. "Heh. You needed it" he smirks some.

Will asks the otter, "You know how t play marbles?"

Aikuen eyes at Kentar, but says, "Thanks for that, By the way..." He looks back to Will, "er... sorta... Haven't played in a long while, and it was called something... don't remember the name... Is the point to try to knock at all the opponents marbles, before they do yours?" He knows some.

Will nods, "Yeah, jus one at a time. Zen an Kentar didn't know how t play so I showed them how."

Kentar watches them quietly, and sighs. "You owe me one" he smirks at Aikuen.

Aikuen nods and looks over the marbles, "You pick yours first, and then show me how to set it up... don't quite remember that part" He shrugs, and continues to look over the marbles. He glances at Kentar, "Yah well... just say the word..."

Aikuen nods and looks over the marbles, "You pick yours first, and then show me how to set it up... don't quite remember that part" He shrugs, and continues to look over the marbles. He glances at Kentar, "Yah well... just say the word..."

will takes five of the pebbles and drops the other five next to Aikuen. "Ok, I tried to find different colored ones but most of them are brown and gray so we'll just have to keep track of who's are who's. Now first we make a circle but I did that already and then we put all the marbles in the circle. And we take turns and pick one of our marbles to start with and try and hit one of th other beasts marbles out of th circle. The one with th last marble in wins."

Aikuen nods and places them in the circle, he keeps eye on the one he likes, "Okay... You can go first... Just to... Er... so i can remember properly..."

Kentar yawns a bit to himself and drifts off into a nap.

Will takes a gray pebble and shoots it at one of the brown ones knocking it out of the circle.

Aikuen takes one of brown ones, and leans down close to the ground eyeing the shot with a tongue sticking out. Using his two claws he flicks it at one of the grey ones.

The brown pebble hit the gray pebble pushing it a way but not quite out of the circle.

Aikuen says, "Nuts... Oh well just warming up..." He leans back and watches Will take his shot.

Will aims a grey pebble one of Aikuen's brown ones and flicks it out toward it hard.

The grey pebble misses the brown one by just a fraction, and rolls out of the circle.

Will says, "Your turn, Pa."

Aikuen nods and scratches his head as he thinks up the next shot. Smiling he says, "Oh here is an easy one!" He takes one of the brown ones and aims it at the grey pebble farthest from the center. He flicks it toward it.

The pebbles hit and the gray one rolls out of the circle. Will takes a pebble in his paw and flicks it hard at a brown pebble at the other end of the circle.

The grey pebble just taps the brown one, but it is enough to knock it out. Aikuen grunts and picks up another brown one and looks to the center where he aims at one of the grey one. He more or less taps it from his paw with his claw.

The brown pebble rolls across the circle and hits another brown pebble moving it a short ways but not out of the circle.

Aikuen grunts, "Dang it..."

Will aims and shoots at the pebble Aikuen just shot and the one it hit hoping knock at least one out of the circle or at lest closer to the edge.

The grey one hits one of the brown ones that's farthest to the edge, and it rolls out. But the grey one ricochets on it and is also rolled to the outside.

"Damn," Will mutters having only two pebbles left. This may be the first time he's lost at this game in a while.

Aikuen squints at what happened and shrugs it off, He picks up another one, and aims at the farthest grey one, He says, "Haha! I got you now!" He was laughing when he launches it, so it may be a little off course.

The pebble the otter shot skims by the gray pebble hitting it and knock it back as it rolls out of the circle.

Aikuen glares at the pebble, "You have betrayed me for the last time!... HAHAH" He laughs a lot as he waits for Wills shot.

Will aims his pebble at the brown near the edge of the circle and flicks it out hard.

Aikuen grunts as his brown pebble rolls out of the circle. He sighs and picks up his last one, "Okay... Mr. Pebble... Just do this for me... and i promise you, that i will not toss you in the stream..." He aims at the grey pebble, that hit his last one.

The gray pebble is knocked out easily and the brown pebble wobbles at the edge and stops on the line. Will takes his last grey pebble to aim at the brown pebble and flicks it out towards it.

Will can't watch.

The brown pebble naturally knocks the grey pebble out of the circle. And the otter wins.

Will peeks out to see what has happened to his last pebble. It's as he feared, he lost. "Aw. You're good at this game Pa."

Aikuen shakes his head, "Nah, just lucky... if it wasn't for this..." He points to the dug circle line, "I would have lost... Besides i was playing this game since i was about your age... maybe a little younger..." He scratches his head, and looks around, "Wow... a lot more has happened on the back journey... they the way up there..." He chuckles.

Kentar had been awaken for a few moments. "Its just luck Aikuen."

"But what kind of luck," Will says rolling one of the pebbles around.

Aikuen thinks about that for a moment, and says something stupid, "Lucky luck?"

Kentar can't help but to laugh his head off. "Uh...No, bad luck...dumb otter!" he laughs.

Aikuen shrugs, "Well bad luck is still better than no luck at all... Wait, that didn't come out right..." He scratches his head.

Kentar rolls his eyes and then chucks a rock at Aikuen's head.

Aikuen shrugs it off, just in time to see the missile. He reaches up and catches it from the air. He laughs and tosses it few times in his paw, before chucking it into the river.

Kentar grins and chucks another one, quickly at his head.

Aikuen woahs, and dodges the rock, as it plops in the stream, "Heh, you did half my work, by chunking the rock in the river!" He grins back at the Stoat.

Will sits watching the other two for a bit, "I'm hungry when do we eat?"

Kentar slowly stands and draws a stick sword. "When we kill Aikuen...Get him!" he tries to pounce the otter, as while as trying to beat him over the head with a stick.

Aikuen places his arms in a cross fashion to defend the blows, as the stoat pelts him with the stick, "Hey matey! thats not very nice! I enjoy living!" He cant help but laugh, as his defends himself.

Will laughs, "Yuck, who'd want to eat an otter?!" None the less he joins in playfully lunging at the otter still laughing, "I'll hold em down for you!"

Kentar Grins. "Good matey! I'll beat him to death with my...Eeee! His hard head broke my poking stick!"

Aikuen says, "I think, i would taste pretty good!" He chuckles as the stick breaks, but that's just enough time for Will to lunge at him, and knock him over completely. He holds up his paws in mock terror, and says in a maids voice "No! No! Master Redfang! And Mister Kentar! Please do not eat me with salt, nor pepper..." He smiles evilly, and says with a growl "Try it with Basil! im Delicious!" He laughs so hard.

Kentar Grins and throws the stick away. "move outta my way Will! I'm coming down!" he jumps on them both before Will can move. "I'm a stoat! I'll just eat you both now that I have have you in my grasp! Haha!" he looks at them both. "But I think I'll have to save Will for later...I love dibbuns but I could never eat a whole one."

Will laughs a tries to push the stoat off, "Hey I was here first! Sides I won't be a dibbun for too many more seasons."

Aikuen has the air shoot out of him when both beasts are on top of him, coughing a bit he says, "Oi! the Adult-to-be is right! get off before i suffocate!"

Kentar laughs and ends up next to Aikuen, almost cuddled in, but its only the way he landed. "Haha! You win this time matey!"

Will aws as he moves over to so he's sitting on the otter's leg instead. "Your an otter. Even if I was grown now you'd still be bigger than me. Do I /have/ to get off?" He's trying for the sweet and innocent look, yeah really innocent - not!

Aikuen chuckles, "Yah this time i won..." He looks to Will and smiles, "But you don't weigh four-hundred million pounds like Kentar over here" He laughs and picks up Will, scooting away before the Stoat has a chance to retaliate.

Kentar Blinks and frowns. "Hey! I may have put on a little weight since we left but come on, not that much!" he laughs.

The rat chuckles from his safe haven in the otter's arms.

Aikuen places Will on his neck, to grab on too his head, and begins to do a little dance, away from the stoat, "You weighed like a boulder... I felt all the fluids rushing from me middle! I feel sorry for the ground you walk on, it must scream with pain every time you step!" He chuckles and prepares himself to be attacked again.

Kentar laughs and grabs a rock, chucking it at Aikuen again before trying to pounce the otter again.

Will grins impishly down at the stoat hanging onto the otter's head as his tail loops around one of Aikuen's arms to keep him from being bounced off with the otter's dancing.

Aikuen predicts the trajectory of the rock, and easily catches it. He laughs and places it up on his head, so Will can get it. He laughs and says, "Our turn!...ufff" He is clobbered in the middle and falls over again, good thing he fell back with such force, or else Will would be the first to hit the ground. Will and the rock both land on his chest.

Kentar watches the two and stands, slowly shaking his head. "My my my...You two really are father and son, aren't you?" he smiles. "I wish my pa was still around...as much as an evil beast as he was" he pats Aikuen and Will. "Never let go"

The rat grabs the rock just incase it's needed. He beams at the stoat's remark briefly, "Don't worry. We're stuck with each other ... for a long time anyway. .... we still throwin rocks at each other? Cause you're 'it'!"

Aikuen is still dazed a little bit. Even though Will didn't hit the ground first... the otters head did. He slowly sits up rubbing the back of his head, "Yep we sure are! were a lot a like... except he's smarter..." He blinks a few times to bring focus back to the world, and smiles oddly.

Kentar slowly sits down near the fire and sighs quietly, watching them, the stoat -almost- looking like he's about to break into tears, even though he has a small smile on his face.

Will tosses the rock aside and crawls off Aikuen, "Yeah the /three/ of us are very alike," he says watching for the stoat's response as he makes like he's picking up the pebbles from the marble game. He lets the pebbles fall from his paw a few times so he can pick them up again, it gives him something to do.

Aikuen gets up when Will gets off, and heads over to the fire. He pulls his Pack toward him and pulls out a dock leaf, and placing it near the fire to cook, "Were almost out of rations, so leftovers again!" The smell of yesterday's fish soon feel the air. He pokes the leaf periodically, and makes conversation, "My father hated me...especially when i got married... he never talked to me again until he was on his death bed... Was you father at least nice, as an evil nice, can be?"

Kentar looks up and shrugs. "My father loved me. Evil as he was. He was to me, what you are like to Will" he says. "He was always a kind old beast when he wasn't on the job."

Aikuen scratches his head, "Well that's good to hear, except for the... ahem... evil part..." he prods the leaf again and nodding, he opens it and takes a hunk and tosses it in his mouth, "Ah! Hot... But still good" He passes it a bit too Kentar, and yells to Will, "Oi! fish is up!"

Kentar looks over and shakes his head. Still he's not eaten but he doesn't seem to care. "I'm fine, thanks"

Will hurries over for his share of fish. He cock his head at Kentar, "You got to eat something or drink something at least."

Kentar shrugs. "I drink water every so often" he shrugs. "I'm fine."

Aikuen grunts and shakes his head, leaving the bit Kentar didn't want back into the leaf. He reaches into the his pack and pulls out his flask, "Drink this... You haven't eaten in so long... im surprised your not dead yet... This ill keep you from starving." Uncorking it, he hands it to the Stoat

Kentar eyes the flask. "I'm fine" he says. "And it hasn't been that long...besides, I've been trained to go a little longer then a regular beast without food, so don't worry." Doesn't sound nice.

Will says, "Just drink it," around a mouthful of fish.

Aikuen smiles and shakes his head, "You know i used to say that too... go for days and days without food... Then pretty soon i couldn't eat... even if i wanted too... I made this... Its a solution made from sugar, and herbs to help to stay alive when you cant eat. Now drink it... That's not a request..." He grins again and still holds out the flask.

Kentar eyes the flask. "How hard is it to make?" he asks.

Will rolls his eye, "You're not supposed to live off it, Stupid. .... Not if you can help it anyway."

Aikuen shrugs, "Don't know mate... I have an alchemist make it for me... usually takes a few days to make. And Will is right, this just postpones the starvation for about 5 days before you die of bleeding stomach." He shakes the flask.

Kentar takes it and hrms. "Can you get more?" he asks.

Will says, "You don't listen do you?"

Kentar ignores Will for the moment, taking a sniff of what's in the flask.

Aikuen eyes the stoat, "Don't know, haven't seen him sense i made the antidote... that was seasons ago. And beside that flask right there, coast about 15 gold to make...Why do you ask?" He hopes that its not what he think it is...

Kentar frowns and slowly tips the flask upside down, pouring it out. He wasn't going to 'eat' even if they made him.

Will frowns at the stoat and having already finished his fish he walks off down the path.

Aikuen watches his medicine being poured onto the ground. He makes a rude gesture with his paw, and gets up, "Fine... Die..." He follows Will, but he slips into the stream when he comes to it. Not wanting to see the stoat anymore that night.

Kentar watches the otter leave, but he's only poured out not even half of the flask yet. He then secretly takes a gulp, coughing and sputtering. He finally corks it and slips it aside, leaving a tiny bit less then half in the flask before laying down and drifting to sleep.