Rotbrain and Slopnose

Stubb, Sandy, Marandus, Erebos, Soclose, Slopnose, Amos

Location: Marshank

(Sometimes Club) — Jan. 29, 2012

"Don' i' bloody figure," Stubb says, limping into the room with a length of board wedged under his arm for support. "Soon as oi ain' fit ta leave, i's jes' what oi'm itchin' ta do." His small eyes wrinkle and survey the rafters, the floor, the walls. "Place stiww gives me tha willies. Looks loike i' could bloody faww in on us any momen'." He looks back, but whoever his words were meant to address has given him the slip. He grunts his annoyance and pulls a fist-sized stone from the pocket of his vest. He turns it over and runs a digit along its dirt-encrusted surface.

Had there been any booze left, Sandy would have probably been all over it. What with recent events and the like taking a new-found toll on her thoughts, she wasn't in much mood to be chatty to the other beasts. Leaning against a wall with a hand to her face, she just sulked in her own thoughts. Wondering what to do next.

There is a clattering and clanging, coming from the room off the hallway, the din of which suggests the movements of a very large beast.

Stubb continues to stroke the rock with slow affection while his head moves with unhurried calm. "Wha's go' you so low, princess?" His brow twitches at the commotion from the armory as he limps toward Sandy. "You ain' had a ou'burst in days, oi wagah. Oi'd a fough' you was settlin' in, if oi didn' foind you lookin' so glum."

Marandus had heard Stubbs chunering from where he was nesting and so wings down to the floor dusturbing who knows how much dust, grime, and muck as he touches down in the side room he chose to inhabit. The gull then waddels into the hallway from a side room, a few pices of moldy old straw stuck to the birds plumage here and there. He Cocks his head sideways at Stubb after his belated entrance and squaks out " Goinga where from here? and is nice enough to have sky water off your head as well as keeping the ice out. "

Sandy glances up from the sounds in the armory. Of course, she had a high feeling it was just one of their own... And the thought that she was actually considering herself a member of their 'group', if they even called themselves such a thing, made her feel a bit worse. To reply to Stubb, she sighed, and shook her head. "I've got so much on my mind right now... I just really don't know what to do anymore." she replied. Damn, did she sound bitter!

The noises in the armory cease as the sounds of conversation reach its inhabitant's ears, and all is silent for a moment. Then there is the muffled clack of claws on stone steps, and the creaking of the heavy door as it is opened. The bald, scaly skull of Erebos appears, brow ridges creased and bruise colored tongue lapping at the air. His eyes observe the beasts he knows blandly, and then focus with more acuity on the squirrel. A clicking, hissing noise rumbles up his throat, but is suppressed before it escapes his mouth.

Stubb nods vacantly at Sandy's words, but he's looking toward the seagull. "You ain' cleared off ye'?" He makes no attempt to disguise his misgivings about the gull. "Wha's tha problem? Yore own koind don' much take ta you? You gotta bovver us land-bound toipes?"

Sandy sighs a little bit in disgust, and puts her hand back on her forehead. Perpetually missing anything else that was going on at the moment, she just stood there, lost in thought again... "Damn that hare, drinking every little drop of alcohol we had..."

With a few flaps of his wings Marandus takes a hop skip back towards the room he had came from on hearing Stubbs words. As Marandus comes to halt he points his beak upwards in an almost silly look of dismay the gull says " Kind of mine are worst than most kind of yours, I make exception for you though ground crawler! "

Soclose steps their way down the stairs from the rooms above. Having entered via the hole in the roof Soclose's feathers are a little dusty, but he makes sure to ruffle them down before he reaches the hallway. "/Ah-ek!/ Hello, there!" He calls out a bit quieter, "Surely outside is nice, why does everyone huddle down here?" Tilting his head, Soclose notices the armory door and remarks, "Exploring, then? What have you discovered?"

Erebos emerges fully into the room, Straightening his spine, as he must duck to pass through the doorway. He holds two javelins close to his body with one claw, the other clutching a long rectangular whetting stone with the other. His stare stays on Sandy until soclose's piercing voice reaches his ears, and he turns, his brows unknitting. That is the extent of the change in his expression. "Zuppliez," He answers curtly, his tail making a 'thwap' noise as it whips to the side and inadvertantly hits the doorframe.

Stubb nods absentmindedly. "Ay, Sandy. She's cleaned up. Moight 'ave ta make our own. An gonna need water besoides, 'less we get anuvver rain soon." He examines his pet rock with interest after giving cursory salutations to the others.

Sandy gives a little huff, and throws her hands up, as if in defeat. "Well damn it, we could! I mean, what's it take to make mead? Honey, I know!" she said, sounding exhasperated. "But there's no hives around this damn place one would call a fort! Whoever made it should have been killed with a sword to the chest!" she added in an angry comment.

Marandus Backs into the door way he had first come out of and swivels his head about looking at all of the beasts now gathering here. The sound of Erebos's tail slaping the door frame also startels the gull, so that he backs up further still, now only Marandus's head protrudes into the hallway.

"I'm always surprised as to what you can find in these safehouses," Soclose croons, looking at the javelins. "Were there more of them down there?" He peers into the armory and mutters, "Perhaps they were left behind when they had the big battle on the beach?"

"A clawful," Admits Erebos, his tone offhand. "Zough ze more commonlee uzed weaponz 'ave all been taken, I zeenk." He then twists his head to scrutinize the squirrel again, one glittering black eye pointed in her direction. "You are cheztizeeng ze archeetectz because ze beez do not like eet 'ere?" He frowns, tilting his head to haughty angle. "Ze beez do not like eet here becauze of ze zea, not ze buildeeng."

Stubb blinks at the squirrel's sudden outburst. He retreats to a corner to pick the sandy dirt off the rock, but he continues: "Go' some roots, oi fink. Frigg 'uz diggin' em up in tha garden. Moigh' be dere's more abou'." He blows on the stone and, for a moment, presses his face close in scrutiny. Then he resumes his cleaning. "Won' do us for long, though. Gonna need ta fetch water from tha stream." He bites his lip. "Fink oi'm gonna go mad..." he says in a whisper.

Sandy sighs, and puts her face back in her paws. Perhaps being cooped up in a place with little food and drink, and having the only person she could have ever related to leave, she was going into either depression, or starting to lose her sanity. The lizard's comment went completely ignored as well; seemed she was in a weird mood.

Marandus keeps his eyes bounceing from beast to beast his head constantly turning side to side from the doorway he occupies, occasionaly shifing from one webed foot to the other. For the time being the gull remains silent pondering over what the creatures present and going on about.

"What's this about bees, then?" Soclose asks, "little tiny things, always angry aren't they?" The osprey sweeps a wing and says, "Be glad none are here--or wasps either. You don't have feathers--or wings-to-fly-away! --you'd likely get stung pretty fierce." He crouches down suddenly as he looks up and notices the gull skulking about in the other doorway, "He's still here, is he? Hasn't he delivered his message or whatever it is and departed yet?"

Erebos's neutral expression sours into a scowl, the beast not taking kindly to being ignored. He expells a short sharp breath and looks at Marandus, turning his back on the strange, moody squirrel. I do not zee wat eez ze matter weez zis. 'E eez not taking our food, zere eez no food of ourz to take." he does not seem nearly as bothered by the fact, the fish from a short while ago still sustaining him. The seasons may play tricks with his body, but being a reptile has its advantages.

"'Course you wouldn', though," Stubb says with an evenness that belies the barb on his words. "You ain' been frough what da rest a us 'as. Wif spois an armies a foxes tailin' you, you'd be a bi' wary yorself of a innerloper pokin' 'is beak in yore home." The weasel glances at Marandus. "Don' explain 'isse'f, don' way nuffin'." He mumbles, "Jes' wish 'e'd tell us what 'e's about, eh?"

Slopnose opens the oak doors of the longhouse from the outside and pokes an explorative snout through furtively.

Sandy remains completely quiet at the moment, thinking. What should she do now...

Carn comes down from upstairs, looking pretty tired. He moves to sit heavily on the floor, leaning against the wall.

Marandus Stops swinging his head about to focus on the osprey, giving the other bird a blank stare as he flutters his wings slightly dislodging some of the straw that was clinging to his plumage. As Erebos mentions food Marandus breaks off his gaze from Soclose and takes a step towards Erebos squawking " Goodfood you seam not to have is true, wings fortunate for me, makes fish find easy. " He also pointedly ignores Stubbs last remark choosing to focus on the lizard.

Amos stumbles out of the kitchen, nearly trips over his feet and grins at every beast as he yawns, "Why, what a gathering!" He smirks, noticing Slopnose as he arrives, "Ah, and look who it is Stubb ol' pal, your favorite buddy!"

Soclose moves aside as Carn passes by on the stairs, the osprey turning to watch him as he walks through. The osprey's eyes narrow and he says to the gull, "Is that some sort of joke, or an offer you are making us?" He looks over to the entrance door as it creeks open and waits to see who steps through the door.

Erebos turns his head from Marandus to Stubb, blinking sleepily. "I 'ave been zrough enough to know what you are talkeeng about, eef 'e eez a zpy or eenvader, 'ee eez goeeng about eet ze wrong way." He then steps more fully into the hallway, closer to the gull. "But you want 'eem to tell you 'eez planz, zat can be eezilee done."

Slopnose jumps slightly with surprise at being noticed despite his best attempts at stealth. The sudden movement, combined with the uneven slippery flagstones and his ill-fitting footwear are sufficient to unbalance the poor weasel. He tumbles through the door loudly, landing unceremoniously inside the longhouse with a thud, sloppy nose first.

The wildcat's shout does nothing to diminish Stubb's shock as his conspecific tumbles gracelessly into the already crowded hall. Stubb abruptly pockets his stone and takes his crutch firmly in paw to limp toward the fallen buffoon. "Talkin' a spois..." He turns his head away, coughing. "Oy. Oi'd a fough' we'd smell 'im before we saw 'im."

Marandus Turns his head slightly so that he has one eye on the osprey and the other on the lizard, and awnsers the osprey first with a question " Offer? what is offered? somehting of mine? or yours? " then with a slight flick of his head to the lizard " Who say's I plan? the lesser grumbeling ground crawler thats hobbeling over there aside. " at the mention of the other beast Marandus points his beak at Stubb

Carn sits on the floor, running a grindstone along the blade of his dirk. He's half paying attention to the conversation, but is becoming more and more disenchanted with this ragtag group of vermin.

Slopnose is attempting to scrabble back onto his footpaws, clutching at his eponymous snout and clutching for his dignity, with considerably less success. He manages to attain a kneeling position as Stubb approaches, and he extends an arm to the other weasel. "Rotbrain, matey! Fancy seein' youse in dese par's, harharhar.. ow."

"He-heh-he-hek!" Soclose's staccato laughs fill the hall, the osprey staring wide eyed at the fallen weasel as he makes his entrance, "Welcome aboard! /Ah-hai!/ Hope the porch steps were not too stormy!" Soclose makes his way closer to the front entrance, "We haven't met." He pulls up short as he passes down the hallway, keeping an eye on the gull.

"Aye, I knew it was him! I'd know that snout and smell anywhere!" He wrinkles his nose, he looks remarkably better. Still with a bandage around his head, and moving a bit slower than usual but he's up and about at least and grinning at Slopnose as he wanders over to the other weasel and looks at him curiously.

Slopnose grins and moves to clasp his paw onto Stubb, but suddenly freezes mid-motion. His eyes dart around nervously and his nostrils flare. "Say... Rotbrainy ol ma'e.... tell me y'goriddof th' lizar' thin' youse keep aroun'...."

Erebos's previous thought is interrupted, and he stops advancing on the gull. The strange, friendly reactions between the three beasts seem to confuse him, and he Stares intently, his tail raised like the fur might on the back of a mammal's neck. Apparently slapstick does not tickle the lizard's funny bone. Nor to quips about his kin.

"I's a smell we cou'd do wifou'," Stubb responds to Amos, brushing away Slopnose' mendicant paws. "Bes' we move i' ou'soide, if you follow me. 'Ere, 'mos, gi' me a hand, eh?" The weasel roughly grabs Slopnose by the armpit. "Oi sappose," Stubb says sharply, his voice tight from the effort, "I sappose you mean moi /friend/, ay? 'Gus? 'E's still abou', an 'e'll give you the what fore if 'e catches soight a ya."

Marandus Moves half a step back as the other beasts that have shown up start to croud in the hall, part of the step might of been from the smell but the gull keeps silent for now, its fine by him if he goes unnoticed for the time being

"Aye, happy to!" The wildcat follows suit, grabbing Slopnose's other arm, grinning, "Ya remember me right?" He ughs at the offensive ordor that is Slopnose.

Soclose stands back a bit, the bird making sure to not get in the way, "Wheree did he wander in from? The beach?" He gives the second weasel a close scrutiny before saying, "Obviously he hasn't been floating out in the ocean this whole time. /Hee!/ He would smell different."

Slopnose's lopsided grin returns amicably enough to his face. He seems to have only processed the part about Stubb's statement about Angus not being around (having not yet noticed Erebos). "Ahhh! 's well to 'ear!" He gives a broad wink to Soclose, who had given him such a polite welcome earlier. "I'm Slopnose! I'm Rotbrain 'ere's bruvver in law! Any ma'e of rotty's a matey of mine!"

Carn half sighs, half growls to himself, taking his dirk in one paw and spreading out the fingers of the other. Slowly at first, with increasing speed, he moves the point of the blade between each of his fingers. He obviously dosen't care about the little reunion going on, not even enough to try to annoy 'Scaly'.

Erebos gives the happy family a sneer and turns about, heading to areas unknown. An arched brow is aimed at Carn's little game of solitaire, familiar with that particular way of passing time.

Stubb hisses words of rebuke to his alleged relation. "Shad /up/. Shut yore yap!" With difficulty, he responds to Soclose. "Ell if oi know where 'e come from. If 'e's been followin' us since Roongate, oi don' wonder dat e's smewws loike 'e bin livin' in a barrel a fish 'eads." Stubb leans heavily on his crutch and tries to drag Slopnose forward toward the exit.

"Oh sure-sure," Soclose replies to Slopnose, "We have been tramping up and down those coastline for a bit now." The bird pauses and says to Stubb, "Oh-ho-well! Someone else who won't complain about fish smell? Already--I can begin to see benefits."

Amos moves in sync with Stubb's movements, holding Slopnose on the other side of Stubb, "Come along nice and quiet like, maybe we can give you a bath of sumthin', " His nose still seems to be struggling with Slopnose's stench.

Marandus backs into the doorway he first came out of, only his head visiable again as he watches the proceedings, this time however he coments " Ground crawler friend needs less smell, found dead shore wash that was more pleasent. "

Slopnose allows himself to be hoisted up and "guided" to the doorway. "So 'ows Cordy, ole ma'e? Is she 'round? Hohoho-boy I've missed so'e o' 'er cookin' lemme 'ell ye! Lookin' roigh' forwar' t'dat I am mate!"

Soclose steps aside, moving back to the opposite side of the hall. Avoiding the bad patch of ceiling, he tilts his head as the three walk through. "I'm sure I'll figure out who that is later," he croons, "ah, or we all will, at least."

Erebos meanwhile moves in the opposite direction, passing Marandus and Carn and pulling his coat close to him. It is obvious he feels cramped in this space, with so many beast feeling about. As he passes the squirrel he can be heard muttering something in a baritone...in a foreign language.

Carn glances up to the lizard as he passes, which causes him to loose concentration for the half second it takes to slice up his left ring finger pretty good. He can be heard muttering obcenities as he holds his injured finger to his kilt.

"'Cordy'. Oo in toads' names is Cordy? What the 'ell are you on abou'?" Stubb is more exhausted by the effort, physical and mental, of dealing with this self-styled chum of his than annoyed; so his weary tone suggests. "C'mon, 'Mos, pop open tha door. Still clear enough ou'soide. We can straighten tha bloighter out there."

Still holding onto Slopnose with one arm the wildcat pushes open the door and help stears the smelly weasel through it with Stubb's help.

Soclose looks towards Erebos, then follows along behind the stumbling crowd. He stops by Carn and looks over towards him, "Ah he? Are you leaving also?" He turns to look over his shoulder, "Who will keep an eye on that gull over there if everyone is leaving? Will I have to stay down here all day? I think not!"

Carn grumbles and gets up, tearing a peice of cloth from his kilt with his teeth to bind his finger with. He sheathes the dirk and looks like he's going to go whenever Erebos does.

Erebos scoffs, a heavy, reptillian chuff expanding his throat. He stops, swivels to look at Carn, and then in the other direction to eye Marandus. The lizard does not seem to be concerned by much. "What 'arm can 'e do eef 'e eez by 'eemzelf? 'E 'as been up een ze rafterz ze 'ole time, and we are not worze for eet." He pokes a claw at the squirrel, the handles of the javelin slipping down and nearly knocking Carn on the head. "You, up, com e weez me." then back to Soclose. "Where are zees rootz you zay zat mouze dug up?"

Marandus settels down in the doorway folding his legs under his body as he watches all the other beasts split up and flie out, for the moment it doen't look like the gull plans to go anywhere. Marandus gives one last blank stare at Soclose, before turning to watch Erebos and following the lizards path out

Slopnose clings to his two friends as they escort him outside, squeezing their shoulders amicably.

Slopnose glances at the troupe of characters marching to the courtyard with idle curiously.

Stubb shakes off the other weasel and limps away to a distance of about a pace. He turns on his heels. "So. You bin followin' us. For a year, you bin followin' us." Stubb turns first one way, then the other, his paw drifting into his vest pocket of its own volition, where it finds the stone still nestling. "But oi can' make ou' whoi." He snaps, "An oi wish you'd give up makin' loike we're ol' pals. Moi name's Stubb. Always 'as bin."

Stubb snorts, "An you cou'd a come up wif somefin' better than 'Rotbrain'."

Slopnose blinks, uncomprehending for a moment, before bursting out in thigh-slapping laughter. "Ohohohohohoo, Rotbrain matey dats a gud one youse almos' 'ave me a star'! Oi've not been followin' you! Firs' 'ime all year oi've seen yer ugly mug, matter o' fact!"

Amos pulls away from Slopnose as Stubb limps away, moving to a distance which is comfortable for his nose to tolerate the smelly creature, "He's telling ya the truth, and ya lucky Angus ain't around to pull off a limb or two, " He grins, amused at the thought, "He's Stubb, I'm Amos, and you ain't got any idea who this feller is do you?" Pointing towards Stubb as he realizes his words will probably not get him anywhere.

Stubb withdraws his paw from within the pocket and crosses his arms. The crutch rests impotently against his side. He sighs and turns to look at the ground.

Slopnose finishes up his bout of laughter. "All t' same ma'ey, I dint spect t' bump inta youse? Watcha doin 'ere in dese barren wilderlands any 'ow?"

"Oh ya know us Stinky, we go where the adventure is!" Amos grins.

"We /are/ where the adventure is, ma'e," Stubb replies. "An oi say: too bad for us." He rubs his face. "Bloody 'ell. 'Ow did we come ta be here? Can' remember most of i' moise'f. Spent most a tha toime in a dark room." There's a pause while he thinks a moment. "So say oi am Ro'brain. Say you've go' some sense in ya." He grins. "Wha' news a home you go' for ol' Ro'brain?"