Rescued. (Part of Scioto's and Astra's story.)

FV:Nightbreath's Home:Main Room

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That's the symbol carved over the door that you see as you walk in.

The center of the room is dominated by a rectangular oaken table, inlaid with countless glyphs, runes, tales, and prophecies, apparently carved by a claw. There's an assortment of plain wooden chairs, unadorned, except the back of each is marked in the same way as the doorway. The right wall of the room harbors a small fireplace, with a long, jagged katana-like sword sometimes kept on pegs over the mantle.

Upon the mantle is a woodcut, simple, yet polished and maintained as well as is mortally possible. Next to it lies a scroll, kept in a metal tube and plugged at the end with a wood stopper. Opposite to the fireplace, on the left wall, is an ordinary wooden shelf with a carved skull of indeterminate species set on an elegant stand--the skull doesn't quite look real, but it does look like bone--, carved with strange markings. Arcane plants grow in small holders fashioned from earthenware; they, too, are on the shelf.

Next to the door, on the front wall, are several pegs for hanging cloaks, as well as some sort of rope. Cabinets line the front wall as well; even a Seer has to eat.

There is also a strange bowl of water, made from white marble, or maybe glass, that never seems to spill, on the central table...

Exits: [R]agg's [R]oom, [S]leeping [Q]uarters, [O]ut

Nightbreath kneels before the fireplace, starblade in his paws, sheathed, held in front of him. He casts about with his mind, summoning Ragg.

Ragg comes tramping in the door, his fur slightly snow encrusted. He shivers and talks off his cloak, saying to Nightbreath as he does: "You called?"

"Ah, good, you have come," Nightbreath says. "Bring your blade, Ragg. We have a Chieftain to save."

Ragg is speechless. He just got back inside! He sighs heavily and a nods, walking to his room and soon returning with his sword. He puts his damp cloak back on and looks glumly at Nightbreath. "Are you sure we can't go /after/ it's done being winter outside?" He seems to be partly joking.

"This is urgent," Nightbreath states flatly. He stands up, already cloaked and armed. He belts the blade to his side and coils Equilibrium around his arm. "Let's go."

Ragg nods quickly, accepting his fate to be doomed to traverse in the out of doors as he begins the follow Nightbreath.

• After traveling for a while, they arrive* Grassland

Just off the beaten path, a stretch of grasslands creates a seemingly peaceful location to rest travel-weary paws. To the north, the outline of the Black Gull Tavern is just within sight, through the thin curtain of trees that surround this clearing. The region itself is trim, not overgrown or plagued by weeds in the slightest. Most noticeably, there is a strange, tall rock close to the treeline...

Exits: [M]ossflower [W]oods, [D]irt Road

Nightbreath walks through the frosty grass, cloak fluttering silently behind him, grim purpose in his every move and thought...and his eyes...always the eyes.

Ragg is following behind Nightbreath and surprisingly seems to be enjoying the walk. He stays more or less alert, but his mind seems to be floating off in some other place.

"Ragg, doest thou sense anything?," Nightbreath murmurs.

Ragg s ears perk toward Nightbreath before his words actually register in the weasels head. He snaps out of whatever musing he was just doing and smiles quickly. "Hmm? Oh, right." He stops walking and stands still, closing his eyes. He stands there for a minute then nods slowly and opens his eyes, saying. "They are close by. I'm not sure /how/ close by, but near none the same."

"Indeed." Nightbreath nods. "You are growing more powerful, Ragg. Soon you will be even more attuned to the energies of which the world is made."

Ragg grins. "That will be exciting. How long did it take you to become a full-fledged seer?"

"Many a season, many a season," Nightbreath whispers. He's drawing closer to a mound of snow...

Ragg contemplates this answer as he follows Nightbreath.

"Ragg..." Nightbreath pause before examining the snowmound. "Where did you come from before I met you?"

Ragg shrugs, taking a deep breath. "Here and there, I suppose. I was born in a coastal village of thieves. It was attacked by pirates and me and the few others who lived set out on our own. At first we stayed together, but one by one each of us started to drop away. When I eventually left there was only two beasts left. I traveled for a while then ran in with Vladmir and, well, it took off from there."

Nightbreath nods, silent. "Ragg...We will discuss this in more detail later. I have found our Chieftain."

Ragg nods and his grins excitedly. "Ah ha! Good going, Nightbreath!" He seems like he is about to go to Scioto, but then he looks around and frowns. "Where is he?"

Nightbreath taps on the mound with his sword. "Within."

The light of realization dawns in Ragg's eyes and he circles the mound "How should we go about getting in?"

"We dig." Nightbreath steps forward and raps the mound again. "But we must be careful, to avoid causing a cave in.” He gently slides his sword through the snow to get an idea of the thickness

Ragg nods and stands back, not wanting to make the whole thing fall by digging at random.

"The walls art thick indeed," Nightbreath declares. "This may be difficult."

• After an hour or so of digging….*

Hollowed Out Den

The inside of a very much in need of repair den, its unsafe to stay here long.

In the stygian, freezing, chilling gloom...Now light. A decently sized hole letting it through, glinting on the snow, breaths of precious clean are wafting in...A glint of steel beyond the cave.

Astra had passed not to long ago and coughs some now.

Scioto is still passed out but he is alive just not awake yet.

Through the hole leaps Ragg, the weasel seeming to have no head for safety. He winces as he lands a bit wrongly on his right foot paw, but he brushes it off as he peers into the surrounding room.

"Ragg, it was really unwise to do that," Nightbreath calls from outside, standing framed in the sunlight now, silhouetted in the golden glow of radiance. "Suppose you too became trapped?..." He shakes his head and works for several minutes to widen the hole before afixing the blade end of his blade-rope Equilibrium in a tree trunk several yards away outside, descending elegantly and artfully along the length of the rope. "We need to get them outside as soon as possible--they have some fresh air now, but more would be welcome for sure, and we need to get them warmed up, fast." He shakes his head as he casts a fogged grey eye over the limp figures, and mutters, "Mudfur will _bleed_ for what he has done. But first--We must bring the Chieftain and Astra to safety--Get ready for another long walk, Ragg...back to the village. And then, we leave in force..." He takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly, and finishes. "To hunt."

Astra coughs, still a little out of it, she stands slowly and falls stareing at Ragg.."w..who?"

Scioto groans as air comes into the den now, he doesnt open his eye, it stays closed

Ragg throws a laughing grin over his shoulder at Nightbreath. "You have a point, but I have no need to worry about getting trapped because /you/ are here." He turns back to the room and looks at the two cats, frowning worriedly. He smiles softly at Astra and intrudes himself. "I'm Ragg. Me and my mentor are here to get you both out of this mess." He steps forward and offers a paw to help Astra up.

Astra nods slowly and with help does stand, she shivers, "Its..cold," She coughs and allows the help outside where the air is better and smiles weakly, its cold air but any air is good to her.

Scioto groans, he needs lifted out and if Ragg is helping Astra that leaves Nightbreath to lift the chieftain out of the den and to a better supply of fresh air. He coughs and mutters something but it's unclear what he mutters.

FV:Infirm:Main Room

This is the infirm. The far walls are lined with simple cots with clean sheets and pillows. The sheets and pillows are mainly white and blue.The room is keep clean and well sweeped. Cabnets are agaist one wall full of healing supplies and herbs,each marked in its own jar. A examineing table is seen and a wash basin.

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• This is set a few minutes after they arrived at the infirmary* The day is progressing into evening as Ragg sits on a chair near the door, his cloak wrapped tightly around himself. He still feels cold from the long walk back to the village with Scioto, Astra and Nightbreath. Scioto and Astra and on cots and the healers hurry around them, tending to their needs.

Astra shivers a little as she is warmed up, she glaces over at Scioto as the healers tend to them.

Scioto coughs weakly as he mutters again, he may of left with a thick cloak but didnt keep it on the whole time, he draped it over Astra, an extra blanket is placed on him as the healers check on the two beasts.

Ragg watches the cats being tended to and sighs contentedly. Everyone is okay. He settles deeper into the folds of his cloak, contemplating a cup of tea.

Astra is able to sit up, "What..happen to Mudfur?" She keeps the blanket around her, "He was yelling after the.." she closes her eyes "Cave in happen"

Scioto lays on his cot under a couple warm blankets, he has stoped shivering but has yet to fully awaken or fully know where he is as he mutters...well something.

Ragg's attention is drawn to Astra as she speaks and he shrugs. "I'm not sure what happened to him. Nightbreath said something about hunting him down, but I'm not sure when that will happen. Why were you and Scioto in the den, anyway?"

Astra frowns, "Mudfur used the den as a shelter from the cold before he...took me back south, he was going to leave when Scioto came, there was a fight and..then the den started to cave in with the ice and snow..rock and, was a nightmare, Scioto pushed me out of the way and..we were traped inside and heard Mudfur laughing outside."

Scioto moves slightly on his cot.

Ragg nods slowly. "Why was Mudfur trying to take you south?"

Astra sighs, "To make me marry him, I refused and so he said he just would kill me then, there is not much more he can do to my clan, my clan is gone now thanks to him"

Ragg frowns. "I'm sorry to hear that. He sounds like quite a...." He coughs in a slightly uncomfortable way, not sure how to continue the sentence. He quickly changes the subject. "Do you think Scioto will be alright?"

Astra glaces over at Scioto and then back to Ragg "I do not know, I am not a healer, sorry."

Ragg mentally shakes himself. "Yes, of course. Sorry. I'm going to go to the tavern for a cup of tea. I hope you both get better." He stands and quickly walks out the door.