Hidden Rat Worried Otter Part Two

Characters: Kentar, Aikuen, Sinway, Mayuel, Will, Fira

Location: North Path

Aikuen bobs hid head, but then tells the stoat why he actually wanted to leave, "I just don't want Will to be obligated to say nice things about me... He keeps thinking that ill hurt him when he does something wrong... and he might think that if he says something bad... i might hurt him..."

Kentar frowns. "I don't get that or why he would ever think that. But fine, I'll ask him" He frowns then punches the ground.

Aikuen tilts his head, "What the ground do to you?" He shrugs, "Ill still tell him, you don't have too... He should know that ill never hurt him... Only time that i might have, is when i threw him in the pond. and that's because he was drunk..." He sighs, "Ill tell him..."

Kentar was about to say something before his jaw drops. "Will got drunk? How in the heck?"

The sober rat has since climbed, poorly, a tree to think a bit while still keeping an ear on the talking coming from camp.

Aikuen says, "Aye... I don't quite remember how it all got started... Something to do with Zen, I think...Well, anyway. He came to me one night, and i could tell he was drunk... so i tossed him in the pond, to sober him up..."

Kentar laughs and smirks. "Fun. Did it actually work?" he asks.

Aikuen nods, "Aye, of course it works!... I used to do it too myself all the time... Your still woozy, but you think clearer after a dunk." He chuckles.

Kentar nods and laughs. "sounds like a rude wakeup call." He laughs.

Aikuen smiles, "It is! specially when your asleep and they toss you in there... in the middle of winter! That water is cold!" He laughs along.

Kentar chuckles. "I've almost never been drunk. Never came close to it. I rarely drink." he chuckles..

Aikuen sighs, "My father was a brewer... so i was drinking before i could walk... Its not fun...." He shakes his head, "But i've been sober for almost a full season now... and i feel great!"

Kentar nods. "Good." he smiles. "Heh, I don't get drinking. Its not all that...er...good." he shrugs.

Aikuen says, "Its not... at all... only leads to trouble for you an others around you..." He sighs and rubs his paws together, "I only carry drinks for medicinal purposes only... like the wine..." He looks to the empty burrow, "I wonder where Will is..."

Kentar nods. "Right. Well healing is good, right!?" he smiles before shrugging. "Probably left before your stupid catches." he grins before laughing. "Nah, just gone for a walk probably.

Will listens from the tree not liking the stoat calling the otter stupid for once. He chews on his lip and sits in the tree and thinks things over to himself.

Kentar Yawns and lays back, drifting off into a nap.

Aikuen nods, and crumbles the rock, which is actually a clod of dirt, "Yah, i trust him enough..." He sighs and pulls his pack toward him and takes out the leftovers. Placing the leaf near the fire to reheat, he leans back, placing his paws behind his head, and relaxes.

After a while the rat slowly and clumsily makes his way down the tree and back to solid ground, from there he starts to head back toward camp.

Aikuen moves the leaf away from the fire, without even looking at it, or feeling if it was done. He stretches and sits back up, opening the leaf and taking a bite of the fish inside. He throws a rock near the napping stoat, but he remains asleep. He mumbles, "Fine... more for me i guess..." He takes another nibble.

As Will wanders back toward camp he smells fish and still being quiet moves faster toward the camp.

Aikuen hums lightly as he nibbles on his fish, periodically throwing stones near the stoat... just for fun.

Will enters the camp site right behind the otter, following his nose to the lovely smell of fish. He tries to sneak up on the otter to get closer to the fish.

Aikuen cant tell that Will is behind him, the humming is masking the footsteps. He places the leaf on his leg to pick up a pile of rocks, and place it in his lap.

Spying the unguarded fish the rat swipes it for himself. "Mmm. Fishy," he murmers softly to himself taking a bite of the otter's fish.

Aikuen picks up the pile and places it in his lap, muttering, "Prepare to be bombarded sotaty! Hahah" He reaches for a hunk a fish, but he only finds the leaf minus the fish. He looks to his leg, then all around it, like he dropped it. Not finding it, he scratches his head, muttering, "that's strange..." He then hears the voice, and turns around. He nearly falls off his seat, when he sees its Will, And the rocks in his lap go everywhere. He breathes heavily, "Matey... Dont sneak up... on me like that... whew..."

Will laughs tucking his fish holding paw behind his back.

Aikuen rubs his paws through his head fur, "Scared the living out of me mate... Now help me find the fish... I seemed to have lost it..." He turns away and smiles, he knows that Will has it. He acts like he is looking for the fish, "Here... Fishy... Where did you go?"

Will grins and gently sets the fish down on the otters head when he isn't looking, paws out to catch it should it fall off.

Aikuen can feel the fish being placed on his head, and tries not to laugh. He slowly picks his head up, to keep it on there, and scratches just inches from where it is, "I cant find it... Like it disappeared of the face of the world...Do you see it?" He chuckles.

Will can't help it, he laughs, "Pa you got a fish on your head!"

Aikuen laughs and bounces his head, causing the fish to fly off. He neatly catches it in his paws and hands it too Will, "Must have been raining fish while you were gone. Hahah..." He settles back in his seat, and sighs.

The rat looks at the fish in his paws, "Don't you want your fish back?" he asks puzzled.

Aikuen shakes his head, "Nah matey, ive already eatin' a good bit of that today. You can have it if yah want it!" He stretches and motions for Will to sit down, "So... have a good walk?"

Will shrugs and take another bite of the fish, "I guess .... why?"

Aikuen shrugs, "No reason... Just that another otter came by, who used to live at the abbey... I was wondering if you crossed paths or not..." He yawns a bit, but shakes it off.

Will shakes his head and continues to eat the fish.

Aikuen hmms, "Really? No? Well he is the Father of Skuld... I know! That's what i thought... He threaten us, but he went on his way to find her after that so..." He chuckles, "He also told us that Flicktail... is the new abbey champion..." He waits for an answer.

Will nods while munching on the fish, he knew this already but the otter didn't know that. "Mmm hmm, Flicky's th champion now? Like Mathias from the stories?" he asks ignoring the Skuld has an otter father that attacked us part.

Aikuen slowly nods, "Aye... Just like Matthias, I still don't believe it... but it makes sense. Flicktail is the most peaceable creature i know... who better to lead Redwall in continuing it..." He nods and chuckles, "Well anyway after the otter left, it got me thinking... and Kentar also shoved me into doing it..." He stops and closes his eyes, thinking on his next words to say.

Will finishes the fish, "You want to ask me something?" he says knowing what's coming.

Aikuen creasses his brow, and nods, "Aye..." He clears his throat and speaks slowly, "Do...you... Do you think im a good...a good Father?" He holds his breath waiting for an answer.

Will asks, "Do you think you are?"

Aikuen wasn't expecting that, and it makes him think about it. He takes slow breaths and continues to have his eyes closed. After a few minutes he finally speaks, "Yes...I am..."

Will shrugs, "Then what you want from me?"

Aikuen opens his eyes and looks to Will, smiling, "I'm not quite sure anymore..." He chuckles lightly.

Will chews on his lip unsure if he should answer the otter's earlier question or not. "Sooo ...." he looks around for something to talk about, " .... how long do you think Kentar will sleep for?" stupid topic yes but it's something.

Aikuen looks to Will, odd change of topic...oh well. He picks up a stone and chucks it at the stoat, and there is no movement except for his breathing, "Don't know... Few more hours if i hazard a guess... looks like he had a good sleep... just tired I suppose."

Will nods like an idiot.