Running Rat

Characters: Aikuen, Fira, Will, Kip(spoof), Yalen(spoof)

Location: Moledeep: Infirmary

Moledeep: Mole Hall

Will had woken up in the sleeping hall that morning a little confused as to why he was there at first but he figured it out once he was more awake and made his way to the storage chamber and was about to crawl into the dibbun hole when he heard Fira out in the hall. He peeked out of the storage chamber just as she dragged Aikuen into the sleeping hall and the infirmary. The rat wasn't sure what exactly had happened but it looked bad. Not knowing what condition the older otter was in or anything about the stoats whereabouts the dibbun began to load his pack with anything that may be useful from the storage chamber before quickly and quietly heading for the tunnel entrance.

Fira is keeping an eye out for the young rat and indeed both of the stoats in the hope she'd just missed them. Not such luck but there's the dibbun "Will! Where are you going?"

The rat freezes, ears back, he wasn't expecting to get caught. He shifts his pack a little thinking up a good answer, "Uh ... outside?"

Moledeep: Infirmary

Fira is rather understandably bit stressed out right now "Help me get your father onto a bed first. Have you seen Garnet or Kentar today? Is anyone else missing?"

Will figures running would be a bad idea right now and drops his pack to the floor nodding a little as he moves toward Fira to help her. "... O.K. ... Haven't seen anyone today except you ... an Pa kinda when you came in ..." he says wishing he hadn't woke up today.

Fira nods along as she struggles to get Aikuen onto a bed. She's somewhat at a loss of what to do once he's there though. Has to find the stoats but can't leave him "Alright...go and make sure Racky's still there" going to check over the other otter again, maybe if he's stable she can go and look.

Will nods and hurries off to check on the fox dibbun, though he's more than likely sleeping in the dibbun hole still.

Fira runs out of things to do after a minute. Well, she could try and clean him up a bit more but that would require staying still and she really can't right now. Pacing a little as she waits for Will to get back.

Will had checked on Racky, who was asleep as the rat had thought he'd be and really considered crawling into the dibbun hole to sleep with him and maybe all of this would go away. Will had learned early on that otters couldn't fit into the dibbun hole and he hoped adult foxes couldn't either. It was the safest place he knew of but Fira would be mad if he took too long. He looked in the other rooms on his way to the infirmary to see if either Kentar or Garnet were inside. They weren't. He walks into the infirmary to report back to Fira, "Racky's in our room an sleepin' an I looked everywhere else an Kentar an Garnet aren't inside."

Fira would be worried if he didn't come back, maybe little mad but she is pretty much at the end of her rope and one more thing to worry over and she may just break. She looks back to him when he reappears, nodding slowly. What to do..."Will, I think Aikuen's alright right now but, I'm sorry but can you watch him? I've /got/ to go and look for Kentar and Garnet...he wasn't far away from the entrance so they're probably not either...Just need someone to watch him" as much as she doesn't want to leave for all she knows the stoats could be out there in a similar state.

Will nods. His pack is still where he left it in the hall should he need it. For now, though he sits down on one of the chairs to watch Aikuen, for a while at least.

Fira goes to give his shoulder a little squeeze before she goes "I won't be gone long" she heads off out into the hall a moment later...pausing to look curiously at the pack on the floor. What's he need a pack for anyway?....She decides to have a quick peek inside.

Fira looks confused when she sees all the stuff...looks enough to go away for a while. She forces down a sigh and an oncoming headache, taking the pack and going back to the infirmary, hold it up "What's going on Will?"

Will had sat a short while before peeking out to see if Fira had left or not, since he hadn't heard her leave. He'd seen her looking through his pack and had ducked back into the infirmary, knowing he's likely in trouble again. He wonders if she has the same odd parenting ideas Aikuen has as she comes back in holding his pack. He looks down at the floor as he answers her, "Nothin'."

Fira might not worry so much about him going away if not for the fact that everyone's missing or injured. She sighs heavily, rubbing her eyes for a moment "It's just not a good time to go away."

Aikuen groans, as the pain killers begin to come into effect, and is now waking. Though the pain is still there, it is bearable, as the otter opens his eyes, and looks around. His breathing is still irregular, as he tries to talk again, but coughing ensues with no blood. He blinks a few times, and finally is able to say, "Dead..." before more coughing again.

The rat's tail swishes, he doesn't like this idea. "I have t stay? Stay an see you all die ... th stoats are probably dead an he'll be dead an somethin'll happen an you'll be dead! And it'll just be me again, like before!" he tucks his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them, he'll stay for now ... but he doesn't have to like it.

Fira runs a paw over her head, must not break down, must be strong. "No one's going to die," bad timing really as she doesn't hear Aikuen and only notices he's awake when he starts coughing. Quickly she charges back across to his bedside.

Aikuen reaches out for Fira's cheek, "I'm... I'm sorry... " He coughs a bit more, and lolls his head to one side, then looks back to her, "Never leave you again... Never..." He was able to hear the conversation between Fira and Will, so he mouths, so Will cant hear, 'Kentar...is dead...'

Will is aware that Aikuen is wake and at the moment anyway still alive. He walks out to the sleeping hall hoping to make it out outside this time with or without his pack

Fira's ears go back. Damn it. She looks away for a moment, rub her head again. Her breathing's gone little irregular too now "Where?" doesn't always get that he's mouthing sometimes given it looks much the same to her. She does see Will move again too and head out the door "Will?" everything's falling apart.

The rat pauses and comes back to scrawl on the tablet before leaving again. He moves too fast to be grabbed should either of the otters try to stop him.

Aikuen blinks a few times and looks at the rattling, "Will... Son... Where, are... are you going... Please don't leave Moledeep... I cant tell you why... Just don't go" He words are now getting better, and actually sound coherent. He closes his eyes as Will leaves. He blinks back tears, to no avail. He looks to the tablet, "What... What does it say?"

Fira is utterly panicked, looking between Aikuen and the leaving Will and she's still got to see about the stoats. Yep, panicked. She goes for the note a moment after Aik asks, biting her tongue a little at the last bit "He's gone to the abbey for help" and she wipes the message on the way back, leave the tablet out the way on another bed "He'll be fine. Are you alright?" she's not going to mention the rest of the message.

Aikuen goes to sit up, and uses his bad paw on accident. He yelps and grasps his wrist and falls back on the bed. He grumbles out "I feel like... Like i was beat with a boulder... oh wait... i was..." He scoffs, and sits up using his good paw instead, "Our friend, the Fox... is out and about... though he may be in the same condition i am... Will needs to come back... Has garnet come back?" he asks hopefully.

Once he was out of Moledeep, walking by the Moss River, Will decided it would be faster and maybe easier to go to Camp Willow for help instead of Redwall Abbey. Kip was glad to see his friend and the pair made quick work of finding a healer for Aikuen, but when the rat retreated to the cannel to wait things out Kip when looking for him. The otter did not approve and after a short tussle he slung the rat over his shoulder to carry him back to Moledeep. Will was not pleased but calmed down enough to be returned to the ground by the time they reached the tunnel entrance of Moledeep. Once inside he points the healer old healer otter toward the infirmary while he quickly goes to curl up in the dibbun hole. Kip goes after the rat but he can't fit into the little burrow, annoyed with his friends behavior he makes do with sitting out in the hall to wait him out.

Fira resists the urge to scrunch up her eyes at the mention of the fox. Damn him. She shakes her head "No, no sign of her. I should go and search, don't want to leave you alone but promise I won't be gone long" course by the time she's back seems they'd be a proper healer there too.

Aikuen goes wide eye, "Don't bother looking for Kentar... And do what you have to ... Just always know... I Love you and I will always love you, please be careful... and I'm sorry... Thanks you for saving me... I'm sorry..." He wipes away a tear, and looks to the new otter in the room.

Fira squeezes his good paw lightly "Where were you? You're going to have to tell me what happened to Kentar and Garnet. Where is he?" she needs to see a body. It's not that she won't believe it without, she just needs to be sure.

Aikuen smiles, but then frowns "We were deep in Mossflower... near the river... His body was thrown in... I didn't see it, when I came to find him. Garnet was captured by the fox, and I couldn't find her also... though I think the fox was unable to carry her... She might still be out there..." He closes his eyes as the otter healer goes to look him over, "I'm okay... really... but thanks..." The healer says, "Well laddy... Ill be da judge of that..." He humphs as he continues to look over Aikuen.

Will wakes up in the dibbun hole and peeks out into the hall to see what's going on. Kip waves the rat over, "Everyone's in the room back there," he points toward the sleeping hall. Will nods unsure weather he should go in or not.

Fira nods slowly, well there's a healer to take over from her and she nods once to him "Right, I'm going to go and look. I will be back" going to carefully give Aikuen a little kiss on the head before she jogs for the door, grabbing her healing bag up on the way

Aikuen reaches for her, "Please... Be careful..." But his words fall on deaf ears, as she is not looking at him anymore. He sighs and then squirms as the otter pokes him in the ribs, and says, "Ya lungs, da seem to be alright...hmmm" He mulls it over giving a few more light pokes on the other side.

Kip watches Fira pass through. "Who's that?" he asks Will. "Fira. She's gonna marry Aikuen sometime this summer an be my Step-mum. Don't know where she's going ..." the rat says. Will looks over to the sleeping hall before walking over to go to the infirmary

Aikuen watches the healer work for a few minutes before saying, "My name is Aik, by the way... What... What are you doin' " he asks at the poking at his ribs. The healer nods and says, " Yalen, tis my name... ya were coughing up blood... I don't know why that is lad..." he continues to poke in different places. Hitting a particular spot, Aikuen coughs heavily and a bit of blood comes up. The healer says, "Tis okay... lest we know why now..." he checks the area, where he poked

Yalen check the area, and sees a black and blue area. He asks as he looks at the bruise, "What were you hit by? A boulder?" he laughs, but doesn't expect Aikuen to say this, "Actually i was, it was about three times the size of your head, and i was beat the heck out of..." He sighs and leans back in his bed. Yalen shakes his head, "Ya punctured your lung... from da inside... out... As long as yah don't touch it... it'll heal again..." He goes to check over Firas work. Aikuen groans and looks to Will, "Your back matey! thank ye... you're safe... I'm fine... I'll live, I'm too stubborn to die..." He smiles. Yalen takes a glance at the rattling and rolls his eyes, but continues to work

Will nods some, "Where'd Fira go? Kip an I saw her leaving, by herself ... th fox is still out there an she can't hear anything ... is she gonna be ok?"

Aikuen closes his eyes, not wanting to think about, "She better be... I trust her, to do the smart choice... unlike me... If she gets in danger, she'll know what to do..." He takes a deep breath, and it stutters. He talks more to himself now, "Please... Let her be safe... Please!" He stutters again, and is silent. His head rolls to one side, "Please..."

Will duck his head when Yalen give his a mean look for upsetting his patient. Will reaches over and gentlly pats Aikuen's arm, "It's ok, Pa. She'll be fine cause she's real smart an stuff ... an you'll get better soon an she'll be happy about that and ... and after you're all better you an Fira'll get married an everything ... we're almost done fixing stuff up too. We cleared out th gardens an planted food an clean out in here and th well ... just need t clean th kitchen a little an the rest of th inside some an th shed and we'll be all done. It's not that much work ... mostly washing blankets an stuff like that an th floors somehow ... well sweep em since ya can't wash dirt floors too well," he chuckles trying to lighten the mood before falling silent.

Aikuen looks to Will, and smiles some, "That's right mate... Soon it'll all be done" He still hasn't told him about Kentar, and doesn't know when to. He looks back to Yalen and says, "So... What else is wrong with me... I have a bit of a headache..." He grunts as he reseats himself on the bed. Yalen says, "Ya, got a bit of a whole in ya head... I've already started cleaning it" He pulls out a roll of bandage, "Don't move..." He rolls the bandage around his head. Soon he looks like he is wearing a round hat on his head. The healer then doubles check the otter to make sure if there is anything he missed, "Got any pain... anywhere else?". Aikuen thinks about it then shakes his head, "I don't think so... Everything still hurts" The healer nods, "That will happened for the next few days... Here is all the reducer I have on me, gotta get some more somewhere else..."

Yalen places three brown vials on the table near the bed. He sighs and says, "Lad... I've done enough damage... now all you need to do is rest... and try not to move..." He begins to pack up, and then heads out the door saying, "This one is free, don't usually do house calls... but your... son... seemed so adamant to get me here..." He soon disappears. Aikuen sighs as he is left alone again. He leans back and taps his claws on his good paw, thinking. He rubs his eyes, and wipes the streaks from his fur.

Kip can be heard talking to Yalen in the hall, the young otter walks in and looks over Aikuen who's resting as he'd been told to do. Kip then pulls a chair up next to Will and sits down. "Yalen's a good healer. Your pa'll be fine once he rest an all that. How're you doin' OtterRat?" he puts a paw on the rat's shoulder turning the smaller beast to look at him.

Will nods a little and keeps his eyes on Aikuen, "I'm ... I'm better I guess ... he's not dead yet ... I should just go somewhere else ... they'll all just gonna die again anyway."

Kip rolls his eyes, "Will you shut up about that, he's gonna be just fine an your mum or whoever she is will be back later from whatever she's doing before long. You got nothing to worry about.

Aikuen is awaken with the talking, but maintains the act that he is asleep. But needs to say something eventually. He fake groans and rubs his eyes with his good paw. He sits up slowly and blinks a few times, "Oh... Hello, Will...umm... Kip, I persume" He may have met the young otter before, but doesn't remember, "Fira... is her name... And she'll be back... I can feel it..." He sighs.

Kip waves, "Yeah, I'm Kip. I met you at Camp Willow sort of, when you were sleeping for days and days, it was a long time ago." He turns back to Will, "Like i said, Fira will be back soon. Even your pa says so.

The rat watches the older otter for any sign that he may have heard what the rat had just said since it's very likely he did.

Aikuen leans back in the bed, "She better come back..." He did hear what the rat said, and will comment about it, "Why... do you want to leave...Will?..." He looks into the rats eyes

The rat sighs, he should have seen this coming but he'd hoped it wouldn't come, at least not yet. "Kentar an Garnet are gone and with that fox out there ..." he lets Aikuen fill in the blanks, "and you're lucky you aren't dead now!" He continues omitting Fira's chances for survival so as not to upset him again, "... then it'll be like before an it'll just be me again."

From the look on Kip's face he's heard this one too many times already and would like not to heard it any more.

Aikuen shakes his head, "You have no faith in our friends... Garnet and... and Kentar, will both come back alive... And why do you want to leave, /now/, we're not dead... and we won't be." He turns on his side away for the Rattling, "I'm alive because I came back to you... I could have died... but I came back with my last ounce of strength." He keeps from telling him that Kentar is dead

Will says, "I saw Fira drag you in ... I was gonna leave then but ... then you probably would have died an she'd have been here all by herself. I got you a healer .... and you can marry Fira since you're not dead ..." He shrugs not sure what to say. It's not the whole truth, but that would just get him in more trouble and he has no idea how to explain it in a way the otter could understand.

Aikuen takes a deep breath, and says, still not looking at his son, "You were gonna leave... because I had almost died... Thats great... Just great...perfect" He scoffs, his mood getting no better, and asks, "And yes I can marry her... but what does that have to do with you leaving..."

Kip isn't sure he should be in here or not and starts to edge, in his chair, toward the door slowly so as not to interrupt the other two. He shakes his head a little knowing from past conversations with Will that the worst the rat will probably get for his behavior is a loud talking to, which seems to be in progress

Will lays his ears back, "I didn't /have/ t get a healer for you," he growls, despite the fact that he would have gotten the healer even if he'd had managed to leave on his first try.

Kip has made his way into the sleeping hall and traded sitting on a chair for sitting on one of the beds. He can hear the other two from the infirmary just incase he's needed for something. He might just hang around til Fira gets back or til Aik gets well, he's not sure yet.

Aikuen turns sharply out the growl, glaring back at Will, "Is that why you left? Cause i thought you were leaving to find another family!" He yells at Will. He closes his eyes and takes slow breaths to calm himself, "I'm sorry. is that why you were leaving, to get a healer... i thought the worst, when you said you were going..." He sighs, with his eyes still closed.

Will is floored, "I-I wasn't. I ... we ... stick together ... we ... I wasn't gonna do that! ... I ... it looked like everyone was dying again ... and I ... I ... I wasn't ... I wouldn't ... Pa? Pa, I wouldn't do that!" the rat starts to cry, not realizing Aikuen had exhausted himself and is now asleep.