Not What It Seems

Characters: Aikuen, Fira, Kentar, William/Orph

Spoofs: Orderbeasts (Lilly, Rubella, Justin, Emily, Colin, Matthew, Aaron, Thomas, Andrew, and Betty), Rose, Daisy and Bloodthorn.

Locations: Domus Pacis Lepus, Kept Grounds, Fieldmouse Cottage, Trench and Tunnel

Domus Pacis Lepus: Visitors Quarters

The shrine's bell pealed twice to mark the noon time meal and the travelers made their way out to the grounds to eat with the Orderbeasts

Kept Grounds

The quartet of travelers sit down with the Orderbeasts to eat lunch. Rabbits in white and blue order robes could be seen bringing food from the cottage behind the shrine and there seems to be no shortage of good food here. Many beasts take third and fourth helpings without thought.

Kentar was looking around mostly, more then eating really. Mainly since he's been able to eat, just not get out and about. He nibbled on something every now and then but really just glanced around. "I like this place" he says absently.

Orph shrugs a bit, plate abandoned in favor of looking around as well. The stream of beasts coming from the cottage ceases after a while. Will stares at the door chewing his lip, "Hadn't really planned t come here, but .... Kinda strange that it is still there." To Kentar he halfheartedly agrees, "Yeah it's ok."

Kentar looks over and nods slowly. "Well. I'm glad we came here" he pats his bandaged head. "If we didn't, I'd probably still be a useless lump" he laughs, smiling some before looking at the sky.

"Uh ... yeah. ... I-I got some stuff t do .... tell Pa I'll be back later 'k." The rat sets off toward the cottage as though drawn there by some unseen force.

Fieldmouse Cottage: Back Room

Orph steadies himself and takes a deep breath before entering the cottage.

The rat walks across the dusty floor of the cottage's back room and lays down by the fireplace, the right-paw side in fact. He cries into his own crossed arms as he lays there.

The ratlings sobs alert the owner, an old mouse-maid, who enters and sets herself down in a worn rocking chair. She sits and rocks letting the dibbun cry and saying nothing.

After a while the rat stops crying and looks up at the old mouse embarrassed. "I uh ... you might not remember me but I used to live here ... an my brother ... he ..."

"I know. And I do remember you William. /Very few/ vermin came through here," the old mouse sniffs annoyed.

"Oh. Uh ... I ..." he fumbles around in his pack before pulling out the letter Sister Mary had given him, "Mary uh I mean Sister Mary wanted me t give this to you." He gets to his feet and walks over, to hand her the letter.

The old mouse sighs a bit as she snatches the letter away and reads it over to herself, "/Good/ news as usual." She says sarcastically. "I doubt you just came here to play messenger beast now did you?" she asks folding the letter up and tucking it into a pocket of her apron.

Orph says, "Not exactly ... a friend of mine needed a healer an we we're nearby here sooo .....""

The old mouse looks at the young rat skeptically.

"An ... I ... missed him." The ratling wipes at his teary face with a dirty paw.

"Well suit yerself then," the old mouse grumbles sitting back in her chair to resume rocking.

Orph rubs the stones of the hearth gently and quietly sing songs a half remembered old song," ... whose messmates lie dead. Blood turned th seas red, run from green arrows of vengeance ..." changing the words on purpose, "through his dreams, walked th fear of a warrior from th place called Redwall. Now th life of two brothers, who came from th sea, will ne’er be the same for such a rover is me. ...."

Kept Grounds

Its just after lunch, and Aikuen is sitting by the burnt part of the wall. A piece of bread clutched in his hand. He slowly munches on it, and watches as the shrine beasts go about their business. He hums to himself, and leans back.

Kentar was also sitting but not eating. He was mostly just looking around the area again, thinking quietly to himself, most like he did when they left the abbey.

Aikuen polishes off the bread, and sighs. He pops his neck, and looks to Kentar, smiling, "So how yah feel mate?"

Kentar blinks himself out of the train of thought. "Hum? Oh. I'm fine I guess. Potion works just fine. Not as big of a headache anymore"

Aikuen nods, "I hope so..." He taps his claws against his knees, and he watches a certain beast for minute. He shakes his head and asks, "This place... Is kinda weird... Like the abbey... except... i don't know... just scares me..."

Kentar blinks and laughs. "What do you mean? Scares you?" he asks. "Nothing to be afraid about here"

Aikuen laughs weakly, "Yah, i guess your right... But still... It reminds me of a cult... Nevermind...There nice enough"

Kentar nods slowly. "Yeah. Just glad we got here. Healers said I'd have been in worse shape if there weren't proper treatment" he shrugs. "At least, you didn't do any real damage" he grins.

Aikuen eyes Kentar, "Dont know if i should offended, or glad!" He was going to shove the Stoat playfully, but thinks better of it. Instead he pats a paw on Kentars shoulder, "Glad that you are okay matey! And i was thinking... maybe we should have brought a healer along... Too late now matey!"

Kentar eyes Aikuen then laughs. "Yeah well. I suggested that a few nights ago, so don't steal my thoughts" he grins.

Aikuen bobs his head sarcastically, "Yah well... It was a good idea! Just reinforcing it!" Nodding to the other beasts he says, "so how do you like the place?"

Kentar shrugs and lays back down. "Its alright. I don't really want to stay for much longer though"

Aikuen watches the Stoat for a minute before saying, "Yah, I feel the same way matey... I wonder if Will has done the thing he came here for?" He shrugs.

Kentar nods. "Sort of hope so" he shrugs. "Ah, well. We'll leave when we leave. Not before and not after"

Aikuen nods, "True... But the sooner is better for me..." He sighs, "Well the food is okay... i guess... need to restock before we leave" He taps his claws against his fangs.

Fieldmouse Cottage: Back Room

Orph continues to half sing the modified song over a few times before drifting off to sleep.

Rose grumbles to herself, "This isn't an orphanage no more, and even if it was I take returns anymore." he walks over stifly and hooking her paw under the ratling's arms she drags him away from the fire and leans him against the door.

Due to just barely on it's hinges the door swings outward with the added weight against it depositing the worn out ratling on the back doorstep.

Rose doesn't bother to right him and walks off into another room to reread her letter.

Orph lays exhausted by the door of the cottage unnoticed.

Orph wakes feeling tried and unhappy. He walks back into the cottage to wash his face. As he's leaving the kitchen he hears a sound coming from the boarded up pantry. He quickly slips back around the corner and watches as a small fox opens the seemingly boarded up door from the inside and steps out. The fox dibbun closes the door and walks off into one of the rooms. Will doubts the fox is up to anything good and slips back out of the cottage and hurries up the path back to the kept grounds.

Kept Grounds

Kentar nods slowly. "Yeah. Would be nice to get going soon though...Don't really want to wear out our welcome"

Aikuen nods and goes back to watching the beasts walking around. One is watching back, and the otter stares her down. She soon goes off about her business. He shakes his head, "I think its already starting..."

Kentar nods slowly. "Maybe" The stoat shrugs and yawns a bit more, looking up. "Wonder where we're going next" he yawns.

Muffled shouts and screams can be heard coming from the direction of the gardens. An elderly white rabbit with ruby eyes approaches the otters and stoat cane in paw as she smiles at them. "Greetings children. I am the Priestess here," the doe wheezes. "My name is Daisy. It is a great pleasure for us to have you here. We don't get many visitors these days." The rabbit holds out her free paw toward her guests. "I had planned to met you all sooner, but my duties did not permit it until now." she grins cheerfully as more screams can be clearly heard from the gardens. The Orderbeasts stand nervously still, their eyes wide as they wait and watch.

Aikuen laughs, "To the end of the world probably... But we should be home soon... Er what the..." He hears the screaming, and immediately looks to the Rabbit, and her... unnerving grin, he says, "Hello... I'm Aikuen... Er what's the screaming going on?" He glances to the other beasts, before setting his eyes back on the rabbit.

Kentar blinks and quickly stands up upon hearing the screams, his eyes glaring at the rabbit. "What's that screaming?" he asks, eyes darting around the area, guard raised as high as it can go, not bothering to introduce himself.

The doe blinks a few times, "I've very sorry dears, but I'm a bit deaf ... old age and all that. Could you say that again?" The screams die down and then suddenly stop. The Orderbeasts are quick to go back to their usual routine.

Aikuen gets up and stands next to the Rabbit, yelling slightly, "What the hell was all the screaming about!"

Orph comes running up the path from the cottage but slows seeing the others. He starts to open his mouth to speak, but thinks better of it suddenly and puts his paw to the hilt of his sword to make sure it's still there.

Kentar frowns and goes over to her as well. "Tell us or we'll find out for ourselves" he shouts, making it known he doesn't like this place anymore.

"Screaming?" the Priestess asks bewildered, "Children," she addresses a pair of Orderbeasts passing by, "did you hear anything just now? Any screaming or other strange sounds?" They shake their heads, "No Priestess we heard nothing." They hurry off up the path to the shrine before the old doe can ask them anything else. "Well that's odd." the old one remarks, "You weren't hearing things were you? Maybe a Cuckoo? They can copy about any sound or so I'm told. Quite remarkable really. They often have a dreadful habit of mimicking cats of all beasts."

Aikuen eyes the the other beast, then back to the rabbit. He thinks 'Yep definitely something wrong here', he says "I heard what i heard..." He sees Will, "Oi! Will! Did you hear the screaming... Do you know what's going on 'ere?"

Orph says, "Uh ... I ... I heard it but ..." he edges away from the rabbit and closer to Aikuen, "... this isn't a good place to talk about it."

Kentar doesn't seem to take that very well. In fact he's really getting annoyed. He doesn't like random screaming. "You'll tell us what that screaming was" he growls, his paw is now resting on the hilt of the rapier, ready to draw it. "I think we should get out of here" he says. "Find that screaming"

"I still don't know what's going on. Where did this screaming you think you heard come from? The woods around here aren't always the most friendly, perhaps it came from somewhere past the walls?" Daisy tries helpfully.

Orph says, "She either really doesn't know or isn't going to tell us." He pauses to chew his lip some before adding, "Do we really want to know what caused that screaming?"

Aikuen nods to William, and whisperers, "Alright matey... We gatta know..." He looks to Kentar and places a paw on his shoulder, "Cant help them, if we don't know what happened..." Then back to the rabbit, "forest is too far away far the screaming i heard... we will be back... you can count on that"

The priestess nods still smiling as if nothing were wrong, "Alright then if you really want to go chasing noises I won't stop you." Cane in paw she hobbles back toward the shrine.

Kentar looks at Will and Aikuen, nodding slowly. "Give me five minutes alone with her...I'll know if she knows anything by then" he whispers to Aikuen, making sure William can't hear. "I honestly think she knows something" that part was louder.

The old rabbit disappears from view though the shrine's back door, no doubt to resume her priestessly duties - whatever they are.

Aikuen shakes his head but cant help but chuckling, he whispers, "I love interrogation as next as the next beast... But she might not know what's going on... Lets go find out what it was... before we start squeezing information..." He walks toward the gardens, tapping his dagger lightly, to make sure its there.

Gardens

A few Orderbeasts are in the gardens when the otters, stoat and rat arrive. The Orderbeasts are picking fruits and vegetables all very harmless. One looks up and smiles at the newcomers, another waves a little before returning to their work.

Aikuen gives a small salute to the orderbeasts, and leans against the wall. He gives a quick look around before saying, "Looks all clear to me... What happened here... i don't think we are all going crazy do you?"

A young rabbit looks up from his work and asks, "You beasts need something?" The another slightly older buck sits by the garden wall jabbering to himself.

Kentar looks around, but keeps an angry and worried look upon his face as he moves. "I'm telling you, they know something...all of them" he mutters to Will and Aik, ignoring the waves and such. "All three of us can't be going crazy. Its not possible...is it?"

The jabbering rabbit looks over at the stoat and grins, "No no, not crazy. No they just want you think that, yes they don't want you to know Hehehehhehehe!" The other Orderbeasts roll their eyes at the crazy or out right ignore him.

Aikuen shrugs, "Dont think were going nuts...hmmm" He looks to the young rabbit, "Yah matey... we heard sc..." He stops immediately when he hears the older rabbit, "Nevermind..." He looks to the stoat, and nods repeatedly.

The crazy rabbit's grins even wider, "Oh? What did you hear? Did you hear the one being punished? The Guardian has to test things he n-"

One of the other Orderbeasts, not too please with the crazy one talking to their guests, clonks him over the head with a shovel. "Please disregard him, he isn't well." she says coldly turning back to her work.

Orph points to the long shed at the other end of the gardens, "Could what we heard have come from in there maybe?"

Kentar frowns and draws his rapier as soon as the rabbit was clonked over. "What was he about to finish?" he asks, aiming the tip at the beast with the shovel. "Tell us, or that beast on the ground could be you next"

Aikuen also becomes slightly put off as the older one is clonked. He clenches his paws and takes a step forward, "Tell us... He is not lieing..." He looks to Will, "We will soon find out..."

The Doe isn't too happy having a blade at pointed at her, "He's an idiot, who knows what he was going on about this time. He's always going on like that spreading lies about everybeast."

The crazy one pulls himself back to his footpaws, clearly he wasn't hit that hard or maybe he's used to it. "Hehehehe!" he narrows his eyes at the stoat then laughs, "Hey there why you pointing that thingy whatsit at my sis for, she aint done nothing t you. Hehehehehe!"

"You really shouldn't believe everything Colin there says," the other younger rabbit nods toward the crazy one, "He's a trouble maker or was fore he lost his wits. You can talk to him, but don't expect too much."

Kentar growls and points it at both of them. "Beasts don't clonk beasts over the head with a shovel for no reason. Tell me what you've been hiding, or I'll make you both the next ones screaming. And yes, thats a threat"

Aikuen does unclench his paws, and slowly steps back and asks Will quietly, "Do you think it came from the shed? or do we need to find out from them"

The doe glares at the stoat, "Go ahead and kill us if you want, I don't know what you're going on about any more than what the idiot was. But I do know that if you kill us the Guardian will punish you for it!"

Orph shrugs, "I don't know if it did, but it could have if the beast screaming was screaming loud enough. Maybe these rabbits weren't here then, maybe they were. They aren't helping much except the crazy one ... You want to talk t th crazy rabbit or look in the shed?"

Kentar growls. "You both know something. Maybe I'll make it a very slow death so you can still tell me before you die" he growls, about to give a slashing motion downward at the doe, leaving just enough time to Aikuen or Will to stop him.

Aikuen sees the slashing motion, and is quick to deflect it with his armor. He yells out, "What the hell matey!" He then whispers "Not right now... later..."

Colin, the crazy rabbit, still a bit dizzy from the blow to the head staggers between the other Orderbeasts and the stoat or at least tries to anyway. "Hey what you doing?!"

The doe takes the otter's distraction to swing at Kentar with her shovel. Colin, ducks out of the way with a soft, "No."

Kentar looks to Aikuen. "I was about to get our..." CLONK! Down like a sack of potato's after having taken that shovel end to his head. "information." he groans out before closing his eyes, out like a light for the moment.

Aikuen watches as Kentar falls. He growls and gives a heavy right jab at the hare with the shovel. Nothing else seems to matter at the moment.

The slightest sounds of glass clinking against glass, the shuffling feet and a door moving so very quietly are drown out by the voices and now the fighting going on in the garden nearby.

Orph pokes at Kentar with a foot lightly. Colin sits once more by the wall shaking his head, "House of Peace my lucky foot! Mister? Mister Otta be sure t kill my sis, if she was like us she be greatful for it." he nods a little, "Hehehehhehe! We'll kill every Orderbeastie so he wont instead! Hehehehehehe!"

"Mister? Mister Otta be sure t kill my sis, if she was like us she be greatful for it." he nods a little, "Hehehehhehe! We'll kill every Orderbeastie so he wont instead! Hehehehehehe!"

The doe lays on the ground glaring up at Aikuen. She don't move any, "You'll be sorry you will, the Guardian will do horrible things to you for what you've done!"

Kentar doesn't move or groan or anything when he's poked at by Will's foot.

Orph doesn't really care if the doe gets killed or not. He does wonder what's in the shed though. The younger rabbit runs off has the rat walks farther into the garden. "Pa? I'm gonna see what's in the shed, you coming?" he asks Aikuen as he draws his sword and enters the shed.

Aikuen has seemed to lost control of his temper as he back hands the doe, with his armored paw, and yells "I don't give a damn about your Guardian! You just whacked my friend..." He gets up close and whispers, "Tell your guardian... that i decline to be sorry!" He then yells out a laugh in the doe's ear. He gets up and breathes deeply, and now seems calmer "Alright Will... Lets see what's in the shed..." He heads off but stops near the form of Kentar, and taps him, "Gonna live matey?"

Kentar again, doesn't reply.

Apothecary

Orph says, "I don't think this is a shed after all .... Think there's something in here that would help Kentar wake up?"

Aikuen, who put Kentar against the wall before entering the shed, shakes his head, "Nah matey... he is just knocked out... Be right as rain in a few hours... though the doe might not... heh..." He slowly walks through the room, looking at the different bottles, "Looks like some sort of Alchemy goes on here... Don't see anything... out of the ordinary." He is just about to take another step, but stops. He bends down and looks at the floor at the place where he was just about to step on. He hmms.

Orph cocks his head at the shelves of bottles and things, "Don't suppose you could read what these say could you? I just know it's not English." He walks over and flips through the old book, "This isn't either but it looks more like it than the other stuff does."

Aikuen shakes his head, "No matey... different language then mine... though get me long enough and i can find out what it means... hmmm" He scratches the ground with his claw, and rubs it with another. He hmms so more.

Loud groan! Door opens...In steps dazed stoat. Perfect order of things. "I swear...if...I get my paws on that darn rabbit...I'll make her pelt into a hat" he grumbles, rubbing his head and stumbling in. "Did I miss anything?"

Orph is examining a bunch of herbs from a shelf, trying to make out the meaning of the label, unfortunately he inhales the herbs while doing so and drops to the floor.

Aikuen nods to Kentar as he returns, "Quick recovery eh matey... and this time it wasnt even me... sort of..." He licks the substance on his claws, and is quick too spit it out. He growls out, "Blood...." He stands up and begins to look around for more clues, when the glass shatters. Covering his nose, he walks toward Will, and asks, "You alright matey... Oh no..." He can tell what herb it is. He picks up the now chattering rattling and carries him over out of the way. He sighs, "This place is just wrong... Why would they keep that here..."

Kentar groans and clenches his eyes. "For crying out loud...don't shout" he mutters before looking to will, not having noticed what happened. "What happened...to will?" he asks, very quietly.

Aikuen is tapping Will around the face, Which Will, continues to chatter incoherently. He groans, "The herb he breathed is causing him to hallucinate..." Will is now beginning to get jumpy, and to counter this the otter takes his belt and ties it around Wills waist and arms. When he is tied down, the Rattling calms down, though still chattering. Aikuen grunts, "Should come out of it pretty soon... till then he is in danger of others and himself... why i tied him..."

Kentar nods slowly and ends up sitting down. Not that he wanted to of course, just happened. "He'll...be okay, right?" he asks, sounding a bit worred.

Aikuen nods, "Aye... he'll be alright...just a mild herb" The rattling has seems to have stop moving and chattering, except for the occasional squeak. The Otter breathes deeply, "You okay matey... A shovel to the head, with your wounds already..."

Kentar sighs and rubs his head, bleeding from a wound that was torn open and another that was created thanks to the shovel. "I...don't know" he says. "Drifting...in and out again" he grumbles.

Aikuen shakes his head, "Damn... just as we were seeing light at the end...then this happens..." He sits down next to him, and examines the wounds, "Yah got two open, and their slightly bleeding... and I left my kit back at the quarters..." He look around the room, and grunts, "This place is evil... There was blood on the floor... and i can see a few jars of nightshade... There is no other medicinal purpose to that herb... except to kill..."

Kentar slowly looks up at Aikuen, squinting slightly. "You...Me...should kill...everything here...burn it...kill them...then take Will with us...And...leave" he tries to say, many random words appearing in his speech in the spaces he used to breath with.

Aikuen gives a stern nod, "Aye... Im with yah on that, first i thought they were just a cultist group, and now i know they are... But i don't think burning and killing will be enough... They said they have a guardian here... I would like to meet this, 'guardian' Heheh..." He notices the abnormal breathing, he places a paw on Kentars forehead, "You alright matey?"

Kentar slowly stands but wobbles, putting his paw against the wall to steady himself. "I'll be fine...at least...to kill every living thing out there...skin them say I do we" he blinks a few times before sitting back down.

Orph shakes his head and wiggles against his bonds, "You sound like a sparrow, Kentar. 'Kill kill kill', just like a sparrow." he grumbles as he tries to figure a way out of the belt that's pined his arms down. He considers chewing through the belt but he can't quite reach it to do so, "Is there a reason I'm tied up?" he asks, ears laid back in annoyance.

Aikuen feels Kentar go limp in his paws, He blacked out again. He shakes his head and looks to Will, "Your tied up because you could hurt somebeast... Lets see if your sane again..." He stands up and walks over to Will, and pokes him in different spots on the face, then he asks, "How many beasts are in the room..."

A door or at least it looks kinda like a door, opens silently behind the otter before closing again. The ratling stares at it supicously, "Four in here. You, me, Kentar and Fira." He cocks his head to the side to try and see the phantom 'door' behind the otter better.

Aikuen smiles and nods, "Correct, you've just earned your freedom! Haha" He removes the belt, and rebuckles it around himself. He looks to Will, "What yah looking at?" He looks behind him... and doesn't see anything... yet.

Orph stares at the wall behind Aikuen, "There was something there ... like a door, but it was the wall and it open a little, not enough to see anything and then it closed again. I think we're being watched."

Aikuen scratches his head, still not seeing anything. But he believes Will, and nods slowly. He walks quietly toward the wall, and taps on it. Soft thunking noises can be heard as he taps the wall, when suddenly a hallow sounding thunk occurs. The otter fells the area of the wall, he nods back to Will, "Something here matey..."

Muffled voices can be heard from the other side and the sounds of beasts moving about quickly.

Aikuen reacts quickly, and shoves forward on the area of the wall, it moves slightly but not enough. He thinks quickly and moves it in one direction, sliding the panel out of the way. He looks down the passage, and sees a shadow disappearing. He looks to Will, "Your were right... Come on mate!" He begins to jog down the passage.

Orph follows with Fira right behind them carrying Kentar.

Domus Pacis Lepus: Guardian's Quarters

Blood, the grass mattress it covered in blood and is the floor. Evidence can be seen that something or someone was dragged across the floor and out the curtained doorway across from the window. Two grown rabbits stand in front of the curtain blocking the way. The bucks are armed with staffs and look nervous and untrained.

Aikuen exits from the passages and slightly squints at the sight. He shakes his head, "Oh... This is wrong" He growls out. He Looks to the Bucks, and barks out, "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED! And you best tell me, before i start adorning my belt with rabbit ears." He smiles wickedly.

The pair of 'guards' back away from the otter holding their staffs up defensively, "The Priestess said to guard her chamber nothing else. She and some of the other went outside with something large wrapped up." They're a little hard to understand since they both are trying to talk at once and hoping to get out of this alive.

Aikuen grabs one of the end of the staffs, and twists violently on it, he growls out, "And i say you better move... Rookies... There is enough blood on the floor to fill a cauldron... And im betting that whatever is was that they were carrying... was a dead beast... And i better find out soon enough... or else there will be more dead tonight..." That evil otter grin again.

The rabbit, who's staff Aikuen is holding, releases his 'weapon' and runs out the curtained doorway and other starts to follow his companion.

Kentar groans loudly and starts to wake up, the stoat slowly coming back to life. Slowly Fira puts him down but steadies him as his eyes open slowly. "Did I cheese miss shed blood? Wait..." he blinks. "Did I miss the blood shed?" he asks groggily.

Orph says, "Yes and no. Look around."

Aikuen smirks as they flee. He turns back and hands the staff to the Stoat, to help him walk if he needs it, he says angrily "We found the reason for the screaming..." He points around the bloodstained room.

Orph asks, "Should we follow them?" The question is drowned out by the bell's two rings. Is it time for the evening meal already?

Kentar doesn't seem to see the staff, even though he's staring right at it. He just leans on Fira and turns his head around the room slowly.

Aikuen nods resolutely, "Aye matey... And we will make them pay...Hahaha" He places the staff near the door, and pulls back the curtain. Then he steps through.

Scattered drops of blood across the floor of the main room make up a faint path to the Orderbeasts' bunk room.

Aikuen sneers and continues to follow the path of blood. He can feel his temper beginning to rise with every step.

Domus Pacis Lepus: Orderbeasts' Bunkroom

The mouse-maid from before and two other mice are busy cleaning in the bunk room. One mouse in sitting on top of one of the bunks washing the windows. The other is sweeping the floor with Rubella the mouse-maid is making on of the beds. The three of them look up when the otters, stoat and rat enter.

Kentar is being helped along by Fira, the two of them whispering back and forth until they stop anyways, the stoat looking around. "What's going on?" he whispers to Aikuen.

Rubella smiles at the guests, "Hello again. Do you need something?"

Aikuen grunts, then sighs. He whispers to Kentar "Lets just say... we will soon find out if we need to massacre this place..." He takes a step forward, and gives an evil smile, "Hello! Just wondering where your priestess went off too with a dead body... that's all!"

The mouse-maid nods, "She went out to the grounds. ... Watch that you /don't/ fall /down/ any hole out there." she smiles as she returns to her work. Her brothers go back to their work as well.

Kentar blinks a few times. "That...was easy..." he mutters, looking around blindly still for a few more moments before closing his eyes.

Aikuen also blinks, "A bit too easy... if you ask me..." He whispers to the group. To the workers he gives a confused nod, "err thanks..." Then back to the group, "The blood trail ends here... Our only lead... i saw lets go".

Kentar looks around a few times again, sighing to himself loudly before he's turned towards the hall slowly.

Rubella waves as they leave, "Just remember not to fall /down/ the hole."

Domus Pacis Lepus: Hallway

Orph says, "I wonder what that mouse was talking about. I didn't see any holes outside."

Aikuen shrugs, "A warning maybe... Some sort of trap out there, i guess..."

Kentar thinks for a few moments. "We should be careful when we're out there...and maybe I should stay behind?"

Orph asks, "Thought you wanted to kill beasts? Sides where would ya stay that they couldn't get you at?"

Aikuen shakes his head, "just follow me... and like Will said... this might be our chance... i mean you can still swing a sword right?"

Kentar slowly closes his eyes. "I want to kill the beasts here, yes...but...I can't see a darn thing. I'll be more of a problem for you two then I would be a help"

Orph shrugs, "So yurr blind now? You can still hear an stuff right? You'll be ok." He looks to Aikuen for confirmation.

Aikuen stops suddenly and looks to Kentar and says quickly, "What? Your blind! Why didnt you say something before!" This was probably not what Will wanted to hear...

Kentar looks away from Aikuen. "Because I didn't want to" he replies quietly.

Orph says, "Ok. If we can get across the grounds to the cottage .... maybe Rose can stay with Kentar while we find out what's going on."

Aikuen shakes his head, "Argh... What can you see... all black... all white... or all red..." He hopes that he cant see what he thinks. He looks to Will and nods, "Aye... may have too... er is rose...umm... on our side?"

Orph chews his lip thinking the question over, "I don't know, but /I/ trust her."

Kentar blinks and opens his eyes again. "I don't really know...sort of whitish redish but its more white then anything" he says. "Why?"

Aikuen grunts, and says sadly "That shovel hit... maybe causing your eyes to bleed... that's the red... and the white... is where your eyes are dying... It may be permanent..." He looks to Fira, "Guide him until we get to a place where he can be safe..."

Kentar blinks a few times. "Maybe? There's still a chance I could see again?" he asks, hoping.

Aikuen shrugs,"Maybe..." and without another word, continues to walk down the hall.

Kept Grounds

Kentar sighs and clenches his fist tightly, the stoat being lead along behind them. "If the one who smashed me over the head with a shovel is still alive...and if you see her...give her to me" he growls out.

Orph says, "I don't think she is."

Aikuen hears what Kentar said, but doesn't say anything. He looks around, its dark... too dark to see anything. He takes a lantern hanging from the exit, and carries it with him, as he slowly walks forward.

Kentar nods slowly as they go. "Well she'd better be. I have a great idea for her pelt" the stoat growls

A hooded figure appears in the middle of the Kept Grounds as if they'd come right out of the ground! The beast is hard to make out in the darkness, but the light shows that the beast is dressed in green and blue and armed. The stranger just stands there watching and then disappears.

Orph comes up next to Aikuen. "We should get Kentar to th cottage before we go down there," he says.

Kentar looks up at the sky, thinking to himself, closing his eyes for a moment. "No...I'm going with you..." he changed his mind rather quickly.

The same figure appears again coming quickly from the cottage. The beast stops by the lower part of the wall still watching.

Aikuen nods, "Right..." He gets a bearing of where he is, so he can find the hole later. He walks back to Kentar and says, apologetically, "If you want to come mate... you must realize that you cant do what you used too. Listen and do exactly when i say, no matter what... what say you mate..."

Orph pokes Aikuen in his bad arm just enough to get his attention. The rat nods at the wall where the stranger beast is, "Do you see that too?"

Kentar nods slowly. "I say, that I can still fight" he reaches down to his Rapier. "Just give me the chance, point me in a direction, then lemme fight" he grins. "But yes, I say I'll do exactly as you say"

Bloodthorn is enjoying watching his new playthings from the wall and idly wonders what they'll do next.

Aikuen gives a quick look to the wall, but quickly looks back to Kentar. He taps his nose twice, acknowledgment. He whispers to the group, "There is somebeast by the wall, Don't make any sudden movement. Fira and Will, lead Kentar to the hole... Ill get the bugger." He slowly pulls out his dagger, "When you hear a whistle, make your way to the wall. Two means move it!" He places the dagger between his teeth, and walks out of the light

Orph nods.

Bloodthorn, climbs up onto the wall and sits there with his legs hanging over the side. He gripes the wall ready to slip into the trench unharmed should he need to.

Kentar nods quietly to the the otter's direction, tightening his grip around his rapier hilt, looking around, even though he can not see.

Aikuen gets to the part of the broken wall, and using the broken bricks, he slowly climbs it up. He reaches the top, and slowly crawls his way toward the beast, sitting atop it.

"Careful old one, you might fall." The young hooded beast smirks before slipping off the wall to fall down into the pitch black trench on the other side.

Aikuen curses as the the beast falls. He takes out his dagger from his mouth, and give two short whistles.

Orph drops down the hole followed by Kentar and then Fira.

Tunnel

The trio drops down into the middle of a dark tunnel, there's a faint glimmer of light coming from one end.

Kentar follows still, landing on his footpaws when they drop down, looking around a bit. "We shouldn't have just left him out there by himself"

Orph nods, "I know .... but the other beast fell off the wall so Pa's probably gonna come down here too ..... of course that's assuming he were smart, which he's proven before that he is not. Which way should we go?"

Kentar sighs. "he's going after that beast, Or he'd be here already" he mutters. "I should go out after him...Its not right we just leave him like that" he says.

Orph agrees to climb back up out of the hole they return to the grounds in time to hear a scream coming from somewhere past the wall. Will turns to the others eye shut, "Now what?!"

Trench

After giving the whistle, Aikuen then follows the hooded beast by which of climbing down. He accidental slips, and falls down not far enough to get hurt much... Except for one of the stakes, that was placed in the ground. It pierces the otters lower leg. He grunts and screams with pain. Breaking the stake as he fell. He clenches the dagger in his fangs, and pulls out the hunk off wood. He grunts with pain, then making his way to the side of the trench he lays there breathing hard. He looks around and sees the fresh mangled form of a doe... he quickly looks away

Aikuen tries to stand up and grits with pain. Ignoring the wound, he climbs out of the trench, slowly... and painfully... When he reaches the top, he lays there breathing hard... trying to get his second wind

Kentar smiles a bit and follows out again, the stoat frowning after the scream, slowly drawing his Rapier. "I'll go check out it maybe?" he offers.

"Not by yourself you don't!" The rat growls, "We are sticking together. .... who has the lantern?"

Fieldmouse Cottage: Entry

After a minute, the otter stands up again and makes his way forward, placing a paw on his wound, which has clotted up. He makes his way toward the cottage. He gets to it, and instead of knocking he just opens it and steps through looking for any medical kit he can get his claws on

Aikuen gives a quick look around, and seeing nothing that can be used to sew him up. He sits down, and breathes deeply. He gives three short loud whistles, to give his position, and leans against the wall.

Noises of a scuffle can be heard coming from a farther in room. After a while a old mouse-maid walks in through the archway. "There a reason yer here?" she asks annoyed, arms cross over her chest as she taps her foot waiting for an answer.

Aikuen scoffs, "Well hello to you too! I just thought i would come in here and bleed over everything..."

Rose wags a finger at the otter, "Don't you dare youngster, I'll get the kit. And don't you /move/ til I get back here you understand?" The old mouse-wife walks off into the old dusty office before Aikuen can answer her.

Aikuen nods, "Oooooookay?" He just sits there with a paw on his wound.

Kept Grounds

Kentar looks down to Will, actually getting the look right on this time. "You'd best stay with Fira" he takes a few steps forward, handing the lantern to the otter. "If anything happened to you Will, I'd have more to worry about then just my sight" he smiles a bit.

Orph takes the lantern from Fira and makes to walk off before turning back toward the stoat, but Fira grabs the lantern away before the rating can smash it over Kentar's head. Not to be defeated that easily the youngest of the group kicks the stoat instead.

Fira cuffs the rat lightly, "We need the lantern."

Kentar frowns, and flinched slightly then yelps quietly when he's kicked. "What in the seasons is wrong with you?" he asks quietly, blinking and rubbing the kicked spot. "That hurt" he mutters. "fine, we'll stay together"

Not answering the stoat's question Will says, "We're going to the cottage now and maybe Rose can help ... she might know how t fix your eyes even." That said he heads out for the cottage leaving the lantern with Fira.

Kentar was about to object when the eye thing was said. He places his Rapier on his belt again, and gets lead along by Fira. "Well then. How can I argue with going there?" he smiles.

Orph says, "You can't .... or at least you shouldn't. Sides I said /maybe/. Either way she might know more about what's goin on an if that fox I saw had anything t do with it like i think he does."

Kentar nods and chuckles. "Yeah, but maybe is good...Maybe is great actually. Gives me hope" he chuckles and sighs. "Aikuen said I may get my sight back. Though its a huge maybe" he closes his eyes and sighs. "I don't know why I bothered joining the group in the first place...left on potion for the rest of me life, and blind. What next?" he mutters.

Path to Cottage

Orph growls, "Lot worse could happen .... yurr not dead, an Pa /might/ not be either .... if he is ..... there'll be a lot more blood split that's fore sure."

Kentar nods and walks along. "Aikuen doesn't die easily. He's just too bloody stubborn to die" the stoat chuckles a bit. "He'll be fine"

Orph says, "Exactly ... if he wanted to he'd do it ... an yurr jus as stuborn as he is. So neither of you are going to die so long as I'm round t try an keep ya from it .... it'd help if ya'd both listen once in a while when it's important though ..." They reach the cottage door and the rat sighs and pulls it open for the others.

Kentar nods and chuckles. "Aye, I'm stubborn as well" he grins. "Too stubborn to die" The stoat laughs before thinking. "So. Where are we goin' next?" he asks, looking around, but not seeing anything, just going where he was lead.

Orph rolls his eyes, still holding the door open. Fira has already gone in with the lantern, "Jus get in there already!"

Fieldmouse Cottage: Back Room

Fira set the lantern down and take a seat in the rocking chair in the far corner of the room. Will sits by the right paw side of the fireplace, which is burning pleasantly. Will pets the stones that make up the hearth, he seems to be in his own little world right now

Kentar finds a seat and slowly sits down, taking a deep breath, looking around. "Nice place? Or dark and not great?" he asks, thinking.

Orph doesn't answer and Fira says she doesn't know.

Fieldmouse Cottage: Entry

Rose returns with kit in paw a short time later and tosses it to the otter. "You have a name lad?" she asks shining the name plate with her sleave more something to do.

Aikuen takes the kit, and pulls out the needle and thread. He begins too suture it up, and says, "Thanks... The name is Aikuen... ung..."

She nods, "And what are ya doin on my property if I may ask? ..." she turns her head to look at the room behind her as she hears voices faintly in the back room. "You got any friends that might be lookin for ya?"

Aikuen finishes and cuts the thread with his fangs, then leans back against the wall, "I'm here... cause i was bleeding... and i needed something to stop it..." He sighs, "Aye, three of them... Don't know where they might be now..."

Rose smiles, "Well there somebeasts roaming about the back room, just came in. Want t see if their yours?"

Aikuen slowly gets up and grunts with pain, though it hurts less now. He slowly walks forward, "Aye... lets see them"

Fieldmouse Cottage: Back Room

Kentar nods some and sighs. "So where is this beast that should be here?" the stoat asks, sitting back in his chair.

Rose leads the way through the nice room and short hallway out into a large and dusty back room. "Well there are three of them though only two are strangers." The old mouse shoos Fira out of her rocking chair and sits down in it.

Aikuen becomes surprised, he waves weekly, "Well hello..." He has a new bandage wrapped around his lower part of his leg. He slowly walks forward and sits next to Kentar. He says to the bunch, "How did this happen..."

Orph looks up at the familiar voice of the old mouse. "Hi Rose .... You found Pa!" The ratling is soon on his feet and hugging the otter.

Kentar slowly looks up towards Aikuen, thinking. "You alright? You hurt? You'd better not be" he grins slightly, trying to look in the direction of the otter's voice.

The old mouse blinks a few times. "Aikuen you are aware this is no longer an orphanage and regardless I no longer take returns. Especially on /certain/ dibbuns," she winks at Will.

Aikuen hugs the rat back, "Hello matey!" He winks as the rat before turning to the stoat, "Yah im hurt... Lets see; i fell down a trench, got pierced with a steak, pulled out a wood hunk, crawled here, bandaged myself up, and now im here. Im okay now though." He looks to Will, then to rose, "He was a orphan here?"

Kentar blinks several hundred times. "What? Your too darn stubborn otter...shouldn't have gone after that beast..." he growls a bit before sighing. "idiot" the stoat mumbles.

Rose shrugs playing with her locket, "What, you really think I'd have left a little babe to die on the sea shore when I had a house full of dibbuns going in and out. Why else would he have been in here before ... visiting with me?"

Aikuen nods, the pieces are now fitting together. He smiles, "Well thanks for saving him! I guess you already know that im his adopted father right, Thank you so much!" He glares a Kentar, "I heard that..."

Kentar doesn't notice the glare, due to obvious reasons. "Good. Won't be the last time either, y'idiot" he smirks. "Glad your alright then" he laughs.

The old mouse nods, "I'm putting the pieces together, yes." she continues to play with her locket opening it and looking over the portraits inside it, which seem to interest her far more than then the others company does.

Orph releases Aikuen and returns to his spot by the fire. He sits there petting the stones of the hearth as he hums to himself softly.

Aikuen laughs along with Kentar, "Thanks matey... So how did you wind up here... last i saw you were going down a hole."

Kentar grins. "Well, we were going to go out after you. But then we ended up where...Wherever here is" he looks around a few times and sighs. "I swear, if that shovel wielding devil is still alive, she won't be for much longer" he grumbles.

Rose says, "Oh I wonder which of them picked to come here, as if I didn't know."

Orph sits by the fire humming to himself like he's in his own little world.

Aikuen shrugs, "I haven't seen any beast except for..." He nods to the old mouse. "Im guess your name is Rose..."

The mouse rolls her eyes, "Give the otter a prize. I'm known as Widow Fieldmouse but you will call me Rose. I'd expect you to after all it is my name. The rest of you name name I take it? Mind telling them to me? ... You lad-that-wants-to-see-again, you have a name or want to be called 'lad-that'wants-to-see-again' everytime I need a name for you?"

Aikuen scratches his head, but cant help smiling at the old mouse.

Rose smirks, "Hey it's not that bad one my daughters went by half-face for almost five weeks til my husband named her Anna so I'd stop calling her that."

Kentar looks over to the direction of the voice, not able to hide a laugh. "Haha. Lad-that-wants-to-see-again works just fine" he chuckles a bit before smiling softly. "Kentar"

Rose nods, "Kentar then. Though I still like the sound of 'lad-that-wants-to-see-again', oh well can't have eveything I suppose."

Kentar nods slowly. "Nope. As I know all too well" he closes his eyes and places his paws over them, rubbing his face a few times before sighing.

Aikuen points to the other otter, "and her name is Fira" He smiles, then looks back at the old mouse.

Rose says, "Eh ya still got yer health mostly an your young, think you'll live a while still." She nods to Aikuen, "Fira, ok then. That cover everyone I think ... except Bloodthorn, but if you spend enough time around here you'll run into him sooner or later .... later's always better than sooner with that one."

Orph is still in his own little world.

Aikuen tilts his head, "Bloodthorn? Whos is that?"

Kentar nods a little and sighs. "Not really worth living if you can't see" he mumbles, sinking into his seat and setting his paws to his side, the stoat closing his eyes and going quiet.

Rose stands up and cuffs the stoat sharply, "I will not have you talking like that lad, is that clear." she says evenly before turning back to Aikuen, "Bloodthorn's Anna's son. My grandson seeing that I adopted his mother an all. He's a bad one that's for sure an Daisy enjoys it .... I talk with him now and then but he doesn't listen anymore." She cocks her head at a unheard sound, "He's supposed to be in his room, but I doubt he stayed there."

Aikuen scratches his head, "A bad un eh... Wait a minute... I saw a mangled form of a doe in the trench... Do you think..." He looks to the others

Kentar doesn't bother opening his eyes. "Ah...why is that?" he asks, looking up then. "I almost got killed three times in this so called peaceful place. To find out most every beast here are murderers, and you want me to talk like everything is alright?" the stoat isn't very cheerful right now.

Rose rubs the bridge of her nose, "Yes he likes to play with his 'food'. ..... this is why the orphanage closed down and why we stopped taking in /vermin/. Yes /two/ of the four turned out alright as far as I know, but the other two not so much. And if Anna hadn't 'ave lost her memory before we found her she may have been just the same as her son is now, that changes the look of it a good deal right there." She pauses and looks over at Kentar, "Those rabbit are idiots and most of them blindly do whatever their daft mother tells them to do. And from what I've heard you won't need to worry about Emily hitting you with anymore shovels. Thankfully her two nephews seem to have a little more sense and might make it out of here alive. The only sane one over there'd be Colin and that's stretching things a bit."

Kentar tries his hardest to look over to Rose, only ending up staring at the wall next to him. "Then I vote we find their...mother...and take her skull as their payment for our lousy time here" he growls.

Aikuen becomes a little disgusted at 'food' and shakes his head. He agrees with Kentar, and growls out "Better hope that... thing doesn't walk out alone... might not make it back alive... heehee" He become aware he said that aloud, and smiles weakly.

Rose waves a paw dismisivly, "Little problem there, Kentar. Anna's been dead quite a long time now, unless you mean Daisy. Though her ..." The sound of the shrine's bell rings out from across the grounds. Four rings a pause and six more and again a pause and four more rings, this pattern is repeated twice more and then the bell stops ringing. Rose finishes "...her two remaining children may not like that. He's not too happy with you lot I think."

Kentar blinks and looks over at the sound of the voice. "I don't quite care who wouldn't like it. Its going to happen, even if we have to cut down her remaining children as well" he growls. "Right?" Then he pauses. "And who's not happy? Aside from me"

Aikuen looks to Will, before answering, "I wouldn't kill all of her children... just the ones we know that are bad...like Bloodthorn... Ill be happy when he is gone..."

Rose sighs, "You keep mixing up who's who. Daisy has or had many children who live with her at the shrine ... their all nuts. My granson is an orphan and I raised him myself or tried to and then Daisy got ahold of him or he of her, doesn't matter which, and he helps her run the shrine. They call him the Guardian for some reason. He doesn't guard them from anything, but that what they call him. You want to kill him go try and find him and leave an old woman alone for a change."

Orph is oblivious to the beast around him as he pets the stone hearth and hums. He stops humming at last and quietly sing songs the same half remembered old song from before with the altered words," ... whose messmates lie dead. Blood turned th seas red, run from green arrows of vengeance ... through his dreams, walked th fear of a warrior from th place called Redwall. Now th life of two brothers, who came from th sea, will neer be the same for such a rover is me. ...."

Kentar leans forward before standing, taking it that she can't get his sight back, seeing how she's mentioned nothing of it. "Fine. Then I will" he sticks his paws out in front of him and wanders towards the door wobbly. I'll bring back some long ears and fur to decorate your room with" he tries his hardest to find the door.

Rose walks over and grabs for the stoat's arm, "That just might work better if you could /see/ where you're going. Don't you think so? Of course you won't be able to go running off to kill everybeast right way if you want this to work ..." She doesn't care if he follows or not as she walks off into the kitchen.

Aikuen shakes his head, and stands up and follows behind Kentar. But doesn't say anything.

Kentar blinks as he's stopped, turning in the direction Rose was. "Who in the seasons does she think she is? Telling me what to do, pfft. If she cant fix me eyes, then there's no point for me to stay here

Rose walks back in from the kitchen carrying a bowl of some sort of salve, "You don't listen very well do you, Kentar?"

Kentar blinks and spins around a little, looking over to the mouse, still not seeing. "I'm a stoat, what do you expect?" he asks. "If you can't help me, then let me leave"

Rose scowls, "I am neither blind nor stupid young fellow, now get over here if you want to ever see again of I'll just put this salve back were I got it from."

Kentar blinks and looks around for a moment, then thinking. "Does she actually have something, or am I just being mislead?" he whispers to Aikuen.

Aikuen nods, even though he knows the Stoat cant see him, "Aye matey... she does... It might work... never seen anything like it..." He peers at the bowl

Kentar nods and then quickly wanders over to where Rose is, getting it right. "Sorry for...uh...annoying you" he nods.

Rose says, "Aikuen hold his arms in place for me please. Kentar, you'll need to stay still and this stuff /will/ sting and burn some when I put it on yer eyes, but it'll be worth it. Right?"

Aikuen pats Kentar on the shoulder, "Its alright matey..." He takes a hold of Kentars arms and puts it in a gently arm lock.

Kentar blinks and nods a few times. "Don't worry...I've been beaten up, blinded, smacked over the head with a shovel..." he doesn't resist. "This is going to be fine" he grins over his shoulder at the otter. "Break my arm though, and I'll break yours" he laughs, looking back to Rose.

"Thank you lad," Rose says dabbing her fingers into the bowl and coating the stoat's eyes with the greenish cream. "Now that needs to stay on there for a while. I'll tell you when you can wash it out, and after that yer eyes'll be blurry and you will rest til they aren't any more or you won't get your sight back any better than that, and this won't do you any good if that happens to you. You understand all that Kentar and more importantly are you going to do it?"

Kentar yelps and keeps his eyes open for a while until the cream is over his eyes properly, the stoat flinching and almost trying to resist, but not. "Yes...yes, I understand, and yes I will" he says, waiting for Aikuen to let go.

Aikuen holds the arm in the lock, waiting for Kentar to calm down before letting go. He mutters out, "Hear the mate! Ung, Good... Or else..." He slowly lets go, letting the arms go.

Kentar shudders and rubs at the closest spot to his eyes, that doesn't interfere with the cream, the stoat wandering for a chair. "Darn that burns" he mutters. "Alright...At least I'll get me sight back" he cant help but to smile widely.

Aikuen helps him too a chair, "Alright mate... Now you better do what she said." He sits down next too him.

Kentar nods and sits down slowly. "Thanks" he says before nodding. "I plan to...I don't really want to be blind the rest o'me life. Not really that fun" he chuckles a bit. "So. What to do to pass the time?"

Aikuen shrugs, "Don't know mate, Anything but rub your eyes..." He watches the old mouse return to the kitchen

Kentar nods slowly and chuckles. "Yer gonna have to tie me arms up though" he chuckles and smiles a bit. "Although...Next time I'm about to kill a beast, don't stop me" he looks stern. "I don't need to be hurt again"

Aikuen holds his paws up, "Okay Mate... I understand now..." He sighs and pats Kentar.

Orph has laid down and fallen asleep by the fire place, he's no longer singing.

Rose returns from the kitchen with a length of rope, "Will you be needing this or did you bring your own?"

Aikuen smiles, "She brought a length of rope... Im guessing to tie your paws together..." He looks to Rose, "I don't think we will be needing that...i trust him enough..."

Kentar thinks for a few moments and nods. "No, your going to need it" he says. "Its probably the only thing going to stop me" he laughs, but its cut short by annoying head twitches. "It is rather annoying"

Rose laughs, "Rope, lad. Do you need any rope?" She guestures to Aikuen that he should be ready to grab the stoat, "I didn't tell you before, due to your /charming/ personally, but you won't be able to wash that stuff off til morning and will have to stay in bed or near enough to it much of tomorrow. Now I say again need any rope?"

Aikuen shrugs, "Your call matey..." He goes over and takes the rope. He goes back, and says, "Put them together"

Kentar nods and thinks. "Somewhere more comfortable would be good" he mutters. "If I'm gonna be tied up, I'd rather be able to sleep as well"

Rose nods, "I think that can be arranged ... but you won't be able to leave the room til I say yer well, it's for yer own good. You can all stay there for the night. Bloodthorn doesn't bother to go down there so you should be safe or as safe as you can be without being me."

Aikuen tilts his head, "Where did you say, that we should stay?"

Kentar looks around. "I don't care where, as long as there's bed, and I can sleep" he mumbles.

Kentar looks around. "I don't care where, as long as there's bed, and I can sleep" he mumbles.

Rose looks over at the otter, "I didn't but I'll show you .... you may want to collect your son before he rolls over into the fire." The old mouse's legs pop as she stretches and starts to walk off toward the third room.

Kentar looks at Aikuen, or as close as he can anyways. "I'll carry Will, you carry me?" He laughs, going to give a bit of a shove as he slowly stands up.

Aikuen shrugs, if it was a joke or not "Er... okay matey... He goes and carfully picks up Will, Then handing him to Kentar, he says, "Dont drop him!" He smirks, as he bends over and picks up Kentar easily over his shoulder.

Kentar blinks as the ratling was actually given to him, holding tightly. "Er...That...Hey.." he erps as he's picked up. "That was a joke" he can't help but to laugh.

Aikuen smiles, "Oh it was... ah well... too late now! Hahaha" He laughs along with Kentar, as he follows the old mouse through a door.

Fieldmouse Cottage: Rose's Room

Rose stands waiting, Fira had already joined her and is sitting on the bed.

Aikuen Enters the rooms and carefully places Kentar back on Terra Firma. He looks around the room, and sees the painting. He looks at it, but doesn't move.

Kentar whoas and is set down. "Wow. Its a dizzying thing, being totally blind" he says, holding onto Will still.

Orph blinks as he starts to wake up.

Rose toys with her locket watching Aikuen, "Nice isn't it. It was done some time ago. The infant there is the one you'll be wanting to kill. And if you are through admiring my family I'll lead you to your room, since you are /not/ staying in mine."

Kentar looks slowly down at Will, not able to see anything still, sort of just wondering why he's left holding the kid. He can't help laughing quietly though.

Orph, now more awake, breaks free of Kentar's grasp and sits down on the floor looking around.

Aikuen becomes slightly nervous, "Oh er... yah... I thought... Nevermind..." He sighs and goes to Kentar, rubbing his paws together, "Ready for another trip... or do you think you can make it?" He laughs, "Evening matey!" He says to the now awake Will.

Orph looks up at Aikuen, "Hi. Why are we in /here/ I like the other room."

Kentar chuckles a bit, the stoat helping will down onto the ground before thinking, looking over to Aikuen's voice. "What do you mean another trip?" he asks.

Rose asks, "Something wrong Aikuen? If the kit dies he dies, I'm not going to protect him. He doesn't need it ... or deserve it."

Aikuen says to Will, "Because Rose over here said that we need to get Kentar to a place to sleep, and she offered a place for the night." He looks to Kentar and smiles, "Wrong answer matey!" He picks him up again. He heard what the Old mouse said... But the less said... the better... but he does say this, "Just... Nevermind okay... Lead us to the real room please..." His happy tone, seeming to go down.

Rose nods and reaches for the adjacent door, "Ever been to Redwall Abbey? I haven't myself, but I've heard about it ..."

Kentar blinks and yerps. "Yelp! Help! It's got me!" he grins as he's picked up again.

Orph doesn't look too pleased but follows the others anyway, as does Fira.

Aikuen nods as he enters through the door, he mumbles "Aye... I've been there... Everyone here, except Fira, has... Its nice enough i guess..."

Rose tries to block the otter from going through the door, too late. "We are going through the old office. No beast touches anything, understand? Nothing is to be touched except the door in, the floor and the door out."

Kentar tilts his head to one side as he's carried. "Why?" The stoat asks. "Understood, but...why?

The old mouse takes a deep breath to calm herself, "It is my late husbands office and I do not want anything in there disturbed. The only reason we are going through there is that it's the fastest way to get where we're going. Is that clear?" Rose blinks back a few tears and proceeds through the door.

Fieldmouse Cottage: Office

Kentar nods slowly. "Yes, its clear" he whispers quietly.

Rose tries to descretly dab at her eyes and sniffs a little, "Good."

Aikuen doesnt say anything, just looks around the room, but respects Mrs. Fieldmouse's wishes and doesn't touch anything either. He continues to follows the old mouse.

Fieldmouse Cottage: Entry

Rose shines the nameplate on the office door and waves a paw at the stairs, "Down there. There's still some bunks left over and I can find clean sheets if you need them." She doesn't move to go that way herself.

Kentar just lets Aik carry him with no resisting, although his paws go up to his eyes every so often.

Aikuen nods, "Thanks Rose... For Kentar... For me... For..."He doesn't finish and he slowly heads down the stairs.

Orph and Fira follow Aikuen down the stairs.

Fieldmouse Cottage: Cellar

Aikuen sets Kentar back down, and just looks around the room, placing his paw on the wall and dragging it along.

Orph walks around the room acting as if the old walls were still there.

Kentar hrms and lays down. "Should tie me paws to something now mate...Dunno how much longer I can go without scratching at my eyes"

Aikuen nods, "Oh.. Aye matey..." He goes over and using the rope, he ties the middle part too the bed post, then ties each end to each individual forepaw, he stands back and asks, "See if you can reach your eye with your claws"

Orph finally stops roaming the room and sits down on one of the beds. "They changed it," he says picking at a blanket."

Kentar tries but can't, shaking his head. "It will do" he chuckles. "Never thought I'd actually allow myself to be tied up" he chuckles a bit.

Aikuen laughs lightly, and sits down on the bed nearest Will. He tilts his head, "How was it different..." he scratches at his leg stitches.

Orph continues to pick at the blanket, "There were more walls. When you came down the stairs there was a hall that went sideways and on one side was the room where we slept an at the other end was the other room where the girls slept. And there were toys down here and more dibbuns lots more and it wasn't now."

Kentar looks over and tilts his head. "And what does it look like now?" he asks, looking around but seeing nothing.

Aikuen says, "A drafty old cellar by the looks of it now... No walls, except for the big ones... Well she did say that they closed the orphanage down..." He hmms as he looks around some more.

Orph smiles a little, "It's just one big giant room with some bunks sitting in it like the walls were still there."

Kentar ohs and nods, thinking. "Ah..Well. Sounds...ugly...glad I can't see it" he laughs.

The rat hadn't been paying attention much earlier, "What was Rose talking about before? And what's that stuff on your eyes Kentar?"

Aikuen leans back in his bed, still scratching at his suture.

Kentar shrugs some. "Not a clue, but its apparently going to give me my sight back...it had better work...or..." he doesn't finish

Orph growls, "You will /not/ hurt Rose."

Kentar looks over in Will's general direction. "If it doesn't work, I may just end up taking it the wrong way" he can't help but to frown, then look away.

Orph growls, "And my sword /may just end up/ through your hide."

Kentar blinks a few times before looking over again. "Then so be it", eyes closing, sighing.

Orph shakes his head, "You are very stupid you know that!"

Kentar chuckles a bit. "No...I just don't like being lied to is all" he replies. "Even if I can get some vision back, I'd be grateful...but for nothing...well"

Orph says, "Rose doesn't lie."

Kentar takes a deep breath. "How do you know? Every single living creature that's in this place lies. How do you know she's different?" he asks.

Orph yells, "Because I lived here before and my brother died by the fireplace up stairs four seasons ago and this is one the few places I lived where I wasn't hated, that's how I know Rose doesn't lie! Because I know Rose and she's not like that."

Kentar sighs and flattens his ears back. "But how do you know she wasn't lying then?" he pauses then sighs. "I'm sorry...I won't attack her. I'll trust you. Even if I don't get my sight back. I'll trust you..."

Orph's tail swishes back and forth, "Yes your sorry /now/. And you trust me you say. Why do you trust me cause I can hurt you, is that why? That was never a good enough reason for me t trust anyone. I was thinking about asking if you'd want t be part of my family an be my brother but I /don't want you/ to be /now/."

Kentar sighs. "I don't care if you can hurt me or not. I'm trying to trust you because your my friend. If you've known Rose for seasons, then...then who am I to say she's been lying? Really. I'm just upset. Will, I'm sorry. Its not because of the fact you can hurt me, and at this point I probably deserve it. Its because I didn't trust my friend in the first place."

Orph throws the blanket at the stoat not trusting himself to answer right now.

Kentar sighs. "I'm sorry alright?" he says. "I don't care if you decide not to ask me to be your brother anymore, I just don't want you to hate me totally."

Aikuen snores very loudly, and that wakes himself up, "Nrf... flannel..." He looks around the room, and scratches is head... He looks to Will, then to the blanket that is Kentar. He asks, "Did... I miss something..."

The rat is not talking.

Kentar sighs and nods. "Indeed you did" he sighs again, giving a bit of a tug on the rope.

Aikuen continues to scratches his head as he walks toward Kentar, removing the blanket that's covering him. He crosses his brow and asks, "What happened... I fall asleep for a second... What could possibly have happened?" He says knowing the answer.

Kentar turns his head the other way. "Oh, I just happened to say how I don't trust Rose, and he took it the wrong way. I didn't trust him at first and he got mad. Now that I finally trust him, he won't say anything and is mad at me now" he sighs, not mentioning the whole thing Will said about the 'joining the family' thing.

Aikuen blinks a few times, then says, "Oh... Okay..." Still confused, He takes the blanket and sits back down on his bed, he looks to Will, "Why are you mad? He says he trusts you... what seems to be the problem?"

Orph lays on 'his' bed face down, he doesn't respond.

Kentar would have left and found somewhere to get rid of his anger if he were not blind, the stoat would be somewhere, probably crying or beating something up. Or both! But he just pretends he falls asleep.

Fira is sleeping and thankfully for the others still deaf.

Aikuen looks to both of them, still confused as hell. After a long period of grueling silence. He decides to do something... starting with his son, He move over and plops down on Will's bed. He smiles, "Matey! Matey! Matey! Whats wrong! Tell your ole' pa!"

Orph had hoped that if he stayed very still he wouldn't be as likely to attack the stoat or Aikuen. "He said Rose is a liar and she /is not/!" the ratling rolls over to face the otter, paw on sword should they keep at him any longer.

Kentar sighs. "I said she might be. Everyone else here was" he says quietly, eyes still closed.

Aikuen makes no visible change as he says, "And isn't he entitled to his opinion?" He sighs, then says, "Besides Rose, the mouse-maid, and you three... I don't trust anyone else here either..." He looks to Kentar, then back to Will.

Orph's ears unfold a bit, "Maybe ... but he still shouldn't have said it."

Aikuen shrugs, "He is blind... and might be... for the rest of his life if the medicine, of a beast he just meet, doesn't work properly. I don't want to see the beast who is not scared or angry." He nods his head, "Understandable if he is a bit of a skeptic."

Orph doesn't say anything.

Aikuen gets up and sits back down on his bed. He scratches his suture for a moment before saying, "Were all together on this... We live together, eat together, and die together...Think on this for a minute; there is a chance that we might not live long enough to see" He points to Will, "Coming of age..." He points to Kentar, "Middle age, and maybe finding a mate..." Then to himself, "Living to see old age..." After that statement, he lays down again.

Orph rolls over onto his side, "I'm not gonna die /here/. We'll leave soon as Kentar's better or you an him kill everyone else, whichever."

Kentar can't help but chuckle at the age thing Aikuen went on about.

Aikuen Looks to Will, "Are you sure mate, Are you sure your not going to die in your sleep tonight... do you really know?" He shakes his head, "I'm not going to kill anybeast here... unless provoked..." He sighs.

Orph mumbles, "I've been through worse an not died yet."

"So have you," the rat adds after a moment.

The lantern casts weird shadows in the dark room.

Orph says, "Fair enough, but if I'd thought like that I'd let myself get killed a long time ago and you'd ... I don't know maybe you'd just still drink too much, I don't know."

Kentar slowly looks over to the two, eyes still closed, listening to them even closer now.

Aikuen shrugs, but chuckles "If i was still drinking... There would be a wanted poster in Redwall Abbey... It would have been that bad! And I thank you for helping me turn the other way..."

Orph says, "Uh, ok. You're welcome. Once we can leave here it won't be very far til we get where I was taking us .... though it doesn't seem as important anymore."

Aikuen is surprised, "This wasn't the destination? Then what is?"

Orph says, "We came here cause Kentar needed help an had some other stuff to do here ... You remember our last trip when you lead the way and we decided not to ... to go to the Western Shore instead?"

Aikuen nods and rolls over to get a better look at Will, "Oh aye."

Orph chew his lip some, "Well ... now we're going to th other shore."

Aikuen thinks about this for a moment before saying, "So... Were going to the Eastern shore... Er... Why?"

Orph says, "That's where we came from. I was born on a ship that got lost there or something an Rose found us on the shore not far from here. .... I wanted to see it again and thought you'd like to see it too an that maybe it'd be more fun with more beasts coming with us .... it was supposed to be a surprise, but I guess it doesn't matter so much now."

Aikuen taps his head a few times, "It still might be fun, If the medicine all works out and Kentar is willing, we can still go... Im not going to let a few hares, some otters, or some cult-like rabbits get in my way!" He points a claw in the air, just to emphasize this point.

Orph smiles, "Then you need to be alive tomorrow so I can take you there, cause if I didn't you'd just get lost like you do at home."

Kentar can't help but to sigh quietly, and turn away, thinking to himself, the stoat not saying anything.

Aikuen sticks out his tongue, like always, when Will brings that up. He makes circle motions with his paws, "I hate the trees! They confuse the heck out of me... My home is mostly wastelands... it was easier to track there... Stupid trees!" He laughs loudly, then says, "I will be alive tomorrow, and if not... well, then you can kill me!"

Orph's ears swivel around at the stoat's sigh, "Kentar, I'm sorry I yelled at you and I don't mean that stuff I said anymore. I meant it when I said it cause I was mad then, but I don't mean it now." He jabs the otter playfully, "I can't kill you if your dead ... I could hit though and use your corpse as a practice dummy ... but I'd rather you were not dead and that might not work very well to use you as a pratice dummy."

Kentar nods and smiles a bit. "I'm sorry for not trusting you," he nods slowly.

Orph asks, "Are you ok over there? Pa an me can come sit with you /if you want/."

Kentar Slowly shakes his head. "Nah...I'm fine for now thanks" he smiles a bit. "Besides" he yawns. "Getting tired. Might as well try my hardest to get to sleep"

Orph nods and lays back down, "Ok, night."

Aikuen nods, "Good to hear the both of you getting along again!" He lays back down on his bed, and turns over, looking at Fira. He says, "Night all!" and closes his eyes.

Kentar yawns and nods. "Night" he says quietly.