Journey Home Again

Characters: Aikuen, Will, Kentar, Amy

Location: Northern Woods, Dirt Road

Northern Woods

It's just sometime in the afternoon. The travelers. Stoats, rats, otters, and of course the little weasel, are all padding their way back west on the path, back to their home. The otters are hanging around the back. Fira is having pains. Nothing to get concerned about at the moment. Its all the movement they are doing, and the fact that she is expecting in the coming week. Aik is all concerned, like he is, but he trying not to baby her. Its difficult. Fira pushes him away, and they continue on west. Aik sighs, "Glad to be going home..."

Will looks back at the otters, hoping the baby will wait til they get home before joining them. He walks in silence near Amy and her chair to keep his eye on her so she can't get away from the group too easily and get lost.

Aikuen also really hopes that the mini otter doesn't join them. Not now! Not until they get back home, at least. Fira groans a bit, and places a both paws on her belly. Aik grits, "Do... We need to sit down for a minute Fira?" he cant help it. Fira shoves him, "No! Come on..." she hmphs and gets on walking. Aik sighs, "Okay darling. Whatever you say..." The sooner they get home the better.

Kentar has been napping most of the day while Robin pushed him along. Garnet was just walking near the two, carrying Chris in her arms. She's been feeling, and seeming, a lot more happy since he told her that he couldn't accept his rank. Slowly, he opens his eye and then stretches. "Are we home yet?"

"Not yet," Will answers the stoat, "Gonna be a while. It's a long ways t walk."

Aikuen takes the paw of Fira's to rub in his own. Even though Fira is violent at the moment, she is still hormonal. And when her paw is grabbed happens, she gets all giddy, and smiles. Aik grins at her, before tuning back to the group, "Still a ways. Were not even on the dirt road yet... That will be awhile yet..." he sighs.

Kentar aws a bit and nods slowly. "Yeah. Drat. Sorry." he grins. "So. Um. How long have we been on the road? Er. Traveling." the stoat asks, looking to Will and then the others.

Aikuen rubs his chin, "We've been on the road...Two days by my count..." "Three.." Fira butts in loudly. Aik ohs, "Oh Aye...Three..." he nods, "So er.. Three days then. Should hit the dirt road before nightfall... yeah... Then its... Three more after that. Then we will be home..." he nods hopefully.

Will nods a little confirming this.

Amethyst says, "About half way there. May need t stop by th Abbey depending on how well the gardens faired without us."

Kentar nods and smiles a little. "Yay. Home." he mutters quietly. "I'm looking forward to it. Because this chair is killing me. Glad its the chair and not...ow.." Garnet slapped him a little, not wanting to think about it. Again.

Aikuen smiles and chuckles at Garnet. Good for her, "Well... What are you going to do besides sit in a chair? Are you gonna try and walk around with a crutch? If you pop your stitches again..." he shakes his head, "Anyway. Yay!" he laughs.

The rats just follow along with the others keeping quiet. Amy is also sick of her chair but she won't be out of it near as soon as the stoat will be out of his.

The stoat thinks and nods. "Next time we stop." he smiles slightly. "But I won't pop those stitches again. Promise." he grins.

Aikuen points at the stoat, "You better not!" he chuckles, "We will probably stop at the crossing for the dirt road. Take a break or something..." he looks to Fira for confirmation. She eyes him before nodding, "Sounds good!" Aik smiles, "Alright then... Did you bring the crutch anyway?"

Kentar chuckles a bit and nods. He points towards Robin who turns slightly so that Aik can see the crutch hanging off his back. "Heheh, yeah. I brought it."

Aikuen nods, "Oh good then. Hopefully you wont pop him. Or else I'm gonna confide you too a chair until your ALL healed... Healers orders and what not!" he laughs, and nudges Fira. Who in turn nudges him back... Forcefully. Aik ows, and nods, "Good. Yeah. Almost there... Its getting dark. May have to make camp at the crossing... Which is fine" He would like to stop, so Fira can rest. But he would really like it if she did not give birth here. That would stink. But Aik is prepared for it. Talked to the healers. Brought what he needs in his pack. Though he'd rather not use it, if he can help it.

Kentar laughs. "I wont." he grins then nods a little at the order. "Haha, Good. Yes sir! Sir!" he laughs. "So. How long till the road thing?" he asks.

Aikuen looks to the sky. He doesn't know why he is. Maybe he can find the answer up there i guess. He gives an estimate, "About... 2... maybe 3 more hours... until dark at least. May be sooner. May be later. I'm not sure..."

Kentar ahs and nods as his son pushes him along. "Good good. I'm looking forward to it. I want to get home so bad." he nods once. "Yeah. Very. Think Garnet is too." he looks to his wife who just smiles and nods.

Aikuen chuckles, "Me too mate! Me too! Though I love getting away... You know. When its good and stuff!" he chuckles and sighs. Fira is having one of her mood swings, and now trying to cuddle with Aik while on the move. Aik just chuckles and just hugs her back. Which Fira takes with a smile. The otters are silent from now on. They just keep on walking south, as the sun dips lower and lower into the horizon.

Dirt Road

The sun has set, and the moon rises above the party, giving the glow they need to light the path ahead of them. Aik swears to the party that the dirt road is just ahead, and he urges them to push on just for a little bit longer, before calling it a night. Fira is tired and is having a hard time walking, so Aik helps her along, "Almost there sweety...AH!" he smiles as they reach the dirt path, "There! See! I told you it wouldn't take long!" he chuckles, and continues to support his wife.

Amethyst is aware it is night now but it's of little relevance to her though it does explain why she's so tired now. "How much longer til we set up camp, Aik?" she calls out toward where she hears the otter. If he's still behind her it wouldn't matter since she won't bother trying to turn her head that way, too uncomfortable to do in her chair plus it's not like she can see him anyway.

Garnet and Robin took turns caring for Chris and pushing Kentar around and when they finally stop, it was Robin who finally got the break. He sits down and falls asleep rather quick, where as Kentar just sits there, looking around. "This isn't home." he smirks

Aikuen has already gone and picked a good spot, just to the side of the road, a little bit south of the path they were just on. Aik smiles, "Well! Right now Amy! Were going to camp here for the night!" Break out the happy snacks, "And after I put my..." he covers the side of his face, "My wife down, Ill make a dinner of some sort!" he chuckles, and drops his pack with a loud thump, "Well yah Kentar. But unless your willing to get up, and give my wife your chair. This will be a good place to hunker down! Until we get home!"

"He just might," Will chuckles wheeling Amy closer to the group before starting in on his usual duty of making the fire pit. Not much harder to do with one paw just takes a little bit longer is all.

Amethyst allows herself to be moved and waits for something to happen. Her ears move about trying to keep tabs on everyone.

Kentar yawns a little and sets his back against his chair, stretching out a little bit before scratching his cheek. "Mm. I can't wait to be home. Nice. Warm. Comfy beds. An infirmary rather then an infirmary tent." he chuckles. Happy thoughts of indoors. It keeps him from showing his fear of being outside.

Aikuen has placed a cloth down near, under a tree, and he sets Fira down to rest against it. She grrs at him, but gets comfortable all the same. Aik just smiles and plants a secret kiss on her, "Gotcha!" and before any retaliation by the soon to be mother, Aik is off an away! He goes over to the pit and smiles, "Alrighty! That's being done. Kentar Comfortable? Amy need anything?" he opens his packs and pulls out some dock leaves. There all about the same, until there is a big ole' one, "And this one is for Fira..." he opens them up. There all a flaked fish, mixed in with veggies, all inside a bread roll, "Mmm." he chuckles.

Kentar laughs and shifts about in his chair before slowly lowering himself onto the ground, not using his bad leg. "See? Now I'm comfortable." he grins, laying back and waiting for the fire to be lit. Garnet joins him at his side along with Chris, the stoat yawning a little.

"Done. You can start th fire whenever." Will says wiping his good paw clean on his trousers. His eys light up a bit at the fish but that's normal. "Oooh. Fishies." he grins and plants himself by Amy's chair across from the stoats. "You doing ok Kentar?" he asks, "We'll be home before too much longer."

Aikuen rubs his paws together, "Righto! Be right back!" and he is off to get some logs. He quickly returns with just two, "Ill get some more after were all done eating. This will work enough to cook the food until then!" he chuckles and takes out his handy dandy flint and sword. After a few tries (and some light cursing) the fire is lit, and now cooking all the dock leaves around in a circle around the pit. The otter hums to himself as he prods the food. He is keeping most of his attention on that. So he keeps quite to the conversation.

Kentar lays a bit closer to the fire and nods a little. "Yeah, doing fine!" he chuckles quietly. "I can get in and out of my chair, so I'm quite happy. The ground is a nice change." the stoat grins before looking to the fire. "Mm. Nice."

Aikuen smiles, "Well good Kentar! Okay... Who wants one?" he chuckles, "I know Fira wants one!" he looks behind to look at her, "Isn't that right honey!" she tilts her head at him, totally missing it "Yeah sure..." she says. Aik chuckles, "Righto. The big thing for the pregnant otter!" he chuckles and prods the food, "Okay! Its all done! Get it while its hot!" He grabs the big one, and the one of the smaller ones, before heaving himself over to the cloth, "Hey darling..." he places the big dock leaf on her very rotund belly. She smirks at him before picking at the food. Aik grins and starts to eat from his own littler one. Fira cant help it and cuddles up to him, while still eating.

"How is the ground?" Amy asks Kentar a little bitter that she's stuck in her chair til Winter and the stoat is nearly well already. "I can get out of my chair by myself too but only so much," she adds. Were she not so focused on here own misfortune she would be happy that the stoat is doing well.

The stoat chuckles a little bit and hrms. "Well. Its cold. But nice. I can help you to the ground if you want." he says. "Put out a bed roll and set you on that and all. Gives some time out of the chair. If you wanted of course."

Will look up at Amy to see if she wants out of her chair or not. He wouldn't mind if the stoat helped her but he doesn't want Kentar to hurt his leg any. "/Do/ you want down here?" he asks standing and looking at her and then Kentar. She's been moody because she can't walk but he's mostly gotten used to it.

Amy says, "I'm fine." She does want out of her chair but she doesn't want the stoat to help her, not because of his leg but because she can't walk and would have to be laid down on the ground like a babe which suddenly disgusts her and she wonders if there is any way to make her legs heal faster.

Kentar nods a little bit. "Alright." he says with a small sigh. Garnet already drifted off next to him with Chris and so Kentar cuddles up to her before looking to the rats. "I'm going to grab some sleep. See you in the morning." he says before yawning once more and drifting off.

"Night," Will says offhandedly shooting a frown at Amy even though he should know better.

Amethyst asks, "Are ... are they all asleep?"

"Yeah," Will answers leaning on the back of the rat-maid's chair.

Amethyst says, "Good. You can help me down then."

Will frowns again, "No. You can sleep in your chair. It won't hurt you for one night." The younger rat curls up on his bedroll to go to sleep. "You need t learn t watch what you say, Amy. And being in a bad mood doesn't give you rights t be mean. You just try t act nice and if you /can't/ then keep /quiet/." Will's temper is starting to show in his voice but it's late and sleep is calling so he doesn't get a chance to get too worked up over it.

Amethyst blinks and scowls out at the darkness not bothering to say anything to him for a while. When she does calm down and start to speak he's already fallen asleep. She sighs and closes her eyes and waits for sleep to come or morning either would be welcomed.