The Natives Seem Friendly Enough
Characters: Aikuen, William, Kentar, Fira,
Spoofs: Order Sister (Doe) and Order Sister Rubella (mouse)
Location: Domus Pacis Lepus: Visitors Quarters
Domus Pacis Lepus: Visitors Quarters
Its just past the Midnight Hour, and the party is sleeping in the Visitors Quarters of Domus of Pacis Lepus. Aikuen is violently tossing and turning in his sleep. He mumbles out, "No... No... Mehra... No..." He is sweating, and breathing heavily.
Apparently there's a pattern in sleep problems because Fira's not exactly having a peaceful night either. She's not tossing and turning though, simply wide awake and staring at the ceiling as she thinks. Every so often Aik's movement makes her glance over but in the gloom she has no idea his mouth is moving in actual words rather than just some gibberish.
Kentar wasn't asleep, nor was he awake. He was out like a light again, thanks mostly to the blows to the head. Mostly Aikuen's. But he still seems restful. At least the stoat isn't snoring, so that's a good thing maybe. Though he does wake up now, slowly blinking and looking over in Aikuen's direction.
Aikuen's Dream just seems to real. He and yells out loud, and Pulling his dagger from behind him he plunges into the mattress, then pulls back on it, cutting a huge hole in it. He breathes heavily, and looks around the room before he realizes that it was a dream. He pulls out the dagger and stares at it, then looks to Kentar and Fira open mouthed.
Fira turns her head to the movement again, no clue Kentar's awake but can certainly see Aik stabbing his mattress. She raises a brow and sits up enough to prop herself up on an elbow soon as Aik's looking their way "...Well I'm sure it deserved it, I just don't know why" she says in what she assumes to be a whisper.
Kentar looks over slowly and hrms a bit. "Are you alright?" the stoat asks, slowly sitting up and rubbing his head a bit, before looking back over.
Aikuen sheaths the dagger before slowly getting up and going over to his pack. He digs in it and pulls out a small pouch, and a canteen. He sits back down and whispers. "I need to control it, if you were front of me... i would have killed you... im not alright..." He places the canteen on the bed, and searches though the pouch.
Fira still isn't actually aware Kentar's awake! Teach her not to be fast enough to get a bed to one side of the room where she can see everyone. The brow remains raised but at least Aik moving puts him in a little more moonlight for her to work with "Cause any of us are going to be right in front of you when you're sleeping?...Might at least consider maybe putting the dagger little further away if you're really concerned" alright, a little more seriousness creeps in "What's wrong anyway?"
Kentar doesn't say anything else, just keeps his ears pointed at their conversation, listening to see what is said.
Aikuen pulls out a red vial from the pouch and pours it into the canteen. Giving a swish, he drinks a heck of alot of it. He grunts painfully as the potion begins to take effect, "Argh... Memories... That need to go away... Or else innocent beasts will get hurt..." He takes another swing and stead of grunting, he yells a bit. After recovering from that, he looks to Kentar, "You said your family was all killed... Were you there when it happened?... Cause i was, when i say my holt burned to the ground."
Fira gives him another funny look "Memories you need to master not drown in potions" she mutter. Fear her disapproval! The killed family bit confuses her for a moment till she looks over her shoulder "Hey Kentar" and she relaxes a bit, try and get in a comfy spot where she can look between the pair easily"
Kentar sighs and looks over, slowly nodding. "Yeah...I was. Well...for most of it anyways...when they died, yes..." he replies quietly before thinking, slowly standing and leaning on the wall near the other two.
Aikuen finishes off the canteen and tosses it back at the pack. He rubs his eyes before answering, "Did you go berserk... did you kill all of them?... did they all die?... Everybeast?... Survivors and the ones who did it?" He sighs as he shakes the memories in his mind, "When i saw my Daughter... Screaming with pain... I remember seeing red... Then waking up in the Infirmary... three days later... They told me... that the raiders were all killed, and all of the holt also. Now every time i think about it... it happens again... and i wake up... and somebeast is dead..."
Fira stares at Aik for a moment. Ok, yes, sad and very tragic yet somehow she's able to think past this for the moment to the very obvious problem "...And just when were you planning on informing us all that you could get mad and kill us all in our sleep because you can't control yourself? Apparently after anything happened judging by that mattress" she groans quietly and actually gets up to head for the door, muttering "Going to go sleep up a tree, least there's normal dangers outside" lack of sleep and the possibility of getting stabbed in it has apparently zapped her of her usual cheeriness.
Kentar thinks for a few moments. "There were only three survivors in my case, and both died soon after, so...but I don't see how that really relates" he says after a little bit, the stoat listening carefully before closing his eyes and thinking.
Aikuen shakes his head, "No... Fira come back... Im fine now that i have taken the potion... should be for awhile... It hasn't happened in over two seasons... and the potion helps, said that a badger lord discovered it to control his bloodwrath. Im sorry if i didnt tell you... didnt want to alarm you guys... Will knows already" He smiles weakly trying to dissolve the situation.
Fira is fortunately still choosing to pay attention and she does stop to fold her arms, look at Aik. Kinda annoyed sadly, it's just one more danger to worry about "Yet somehow I'm not reassured. You wake up to stab your bed then inform us it could have been us..." snapping suddenly into a yell "Why the hell are you sleeping with a dagger?!"
"Probably the same reason I do" Kentar says quietly, chuckling slightly before yawning.
Aikuen nods, "Aye the same... When your in the forces you sleep with one eye open and a paw on your dagger. Just a habit i never got over... besides not like it matters if i has the dagger or not... Kentar can vouch for that." He chuckles slightly.
More Fira thinks of it the more rattled she's getting. She's tired and already been thinking too much, she's not really herself, it's all kind of piled up. She narrows her eyes a fraction and gestures towards Kentar "He's not going to stab us in his sleep" a pause and she looks to the stoat "Unless there's something you'd also like to admit to tonight?" who knows, he might have murderous dreams too.
Kentar chuckles a bit. "Its not the reason why I sleep with a dagger" he smirks a bit before laughing quietly. "Not really...aside from the fact that I can't sleep...but you know that already" the stoat hehs a bit. "No...I sleep with a dagger because I'm so used to having someone wanting me dead...and with that punch Aikuen gave me...I can't be too careful" He smirks.
Aikuen smiles to Kentar, "Im sorry! You were hunted... by who?" He leans back in the bed after fully recovering from his 'Nightmare'.
Fira remains standing, she's nowhere near relaxed enough to go back to bed yet. Frowning a little too but she's gone quiet.
Kentar tilts his head to one side. "What do you mean, hunted by?" he asks.
Aikuen nods, "Aye, if somebeast wanted you dead... Aren't you being hunted?... Like if you were on a wanted poster, and so you are being hunted down... that type of thing..." He scratches his head.
Kentar thinks hard for a few moments. "Well...there might be that fox after me...but I doubt it...And the only beast who actually hunted me I killed"
Fira shakes her head faintly, now she'll be worried about foxes coming after them with everything else. Still, silent again.
A knock comes from outside the room. Some beast rapping on the doorframe and a timid female voice asks, "I-is everything a-alright in there?"
Aikuen nods and smiles, "Well good matey... Er hello? Come on in... Its alright..." He looks to the door.
Fira is oblivious to the knocking, deafness is a pain. She looks slightly confused when Aik says 'come on in', soon figuring it must be the door and she turns, give the door a glance.
The voice from the other side of the beaded curtain answers, "I wouldn't wish to bother you ... uh any of you? In the m-morning a-after you have eaten of c-course, t-the Priestess would like to met you and w-welcome you properly." After a few moments of silence the Order Sister can be heard walking away and the tinkling sound of a curtain moving as she enters one of the other rooms.
Fira tilts her head...she's sure there was movement there but she couldn't see anyone so of course she's missed the whole message, she's not even sure if the beast's gone or was there at all. She glances back to the other two, annoyingly clueless.
Kentar looks over at Fira and blinks at the look she has. "Something wrong?" he asks, not saying thing in regard to the voice they heard.
Orph sits up, he's been awake for a while but only now bothered to make it known.
Fira is uncomfortable, mostly since for all she knows the beast might still be there. Oh well, not her fault she can't hear "...Is there someone at the door or am I just confused over something?"
Kentar blinks a few times. "Uh...There was someone at the door, yeah...you didn't hear them?" he asks, the stoat laying back down with a hrm, watching Fira for a few moments
Aikuen looks back to the other two laying back against his pillow, "Well at least we know now that they are good beasts, unless its some sort of trap of course" He yawns. He looks to will, "Evening mate" Before closing his eyes.
Fira stares at Kentar, just patiently waiting for him to come to the realisation of what he just said by himself. She did tell him before that she was deaf after all, it's not like he doesn't know.
Orph shakes his head, "She asked if we were alright an said that some beast wanted t met us in th morning, then she left an went in another of the rooms I think." He shoots Kentar an unpleasant look.
Kentar blinks a bit and ohs. "Right...yeah, sorry..." He hrms. "Tired...you can't expect me to remember everything, can you?" he says, yawning.
Orph's face softens some, "They have medicine here .... in th morning we could ask a healer if they got somethin that'll help ya."
Fira rolls her eyes, such a normal problem for her actually relaxes her and she wanders back to her bed, small nod going to Will on the way for his explanation "Thanks"
Kentar failed to note the unpleasant look until he looked over. "Er...Something wrong?" he asks, before nodding. "That...would be good, yes...I can't stand these sleepless nights" he yawns.
Orph says, "Nothin' ......" The rat lays back down, ".... how long is it til morning?"
Fira just sits down on the edge of her bed, not lying down yet, easier to see them like this "Several hours yet I should think, no sign of the sun yet anyway"
Fira just sits down on the edge of her bed, not lying down yet, easier to see them like this "Several hours yet I should think, no sign of the sun yet anyway"
Kentar yawns slightly and hrms. "Are you sure?" he asks at Will before nodding to Fira's words as well.
Orph rolls over on one side, facing Fira. "Morning come fore th sun does round ere cause th mountains I or somethin' like that."
Fira shrugs a shoulder "Suppose that's possible. Still, it doesn't feel all that close to morning. Surprised we're getting visitors with messages in the middle of the night though so maybe it's later than I think"
Aikuen creaks open one eye, "I hope it wasn't my fault..."
Kentar blinks a few times and hums. "Hope what wasn't your fault?" he asks tiredly.
Aikuen absentminded moves his leg over the cut in the mattress, "Oh... Just for yelling and that sort of thing..."
Fira slowly glances round to Aikuen "Called in for waking them up on the night?" considering it for a second before she shrugs "I can think of worse things for beast to be mad over"
Aikuen nods, "Aye i guess so..." He yawns again and sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Kentar closes his eyes and does his best to get to sleep but just ends up drifting off, not sleep related.
The Shrine comes alive as the Order beasts, mostly rabbits though some are mice or other such beasts, begin to wake and set about their daily duties. In a short time the loud peals of a bell can be heard and felt through out the shrine, marking the start of a new day.
Fira does feel the vibration from the bell but that's just totally confusing when don't have the sound to go with it. It's like everything's just shaking a tiny bit for a second for no good reason. She actually leans down to put a paw on the floor, wait for the next one "...What the hell is that?"
Orph folds his ears back and covers them with his paws, "I think it's morning now or they think it is anyway!" he yells to be heard over the sounds of the bell.
Aikuen covers his ears as the bell rings, "Louder then the abbey bells... Cant leave a beast to sleep..." He shrugs, gets up from the mattress and stretches his limbs.
Kentar looks over and yawns some. "A bell I think, Fira" he replies before very slowly sitting up and groaning.
After about ten or so rings, though it'd be hard to keep count, the ringing of the bell stops. The place is very quiet save for the usual noises of beasts walking to and fro outside the door.
Fira leaves her paw on the ground long enough to feel the next ring of the bell, looks slightly amused when she sees other with paws over ears. She stands up again, rest tail on the floor and see how many more rings she can feel "Heh. Can tell when it's ringing...have to remember that" she's not raised her voice at all so probably can't be heard well anyway until the bells stop
Aikuen looks to the door, as if waiting for somebeast to come in, after awhile he shrugs it off, "Thought we were going to be introduced to somebeast... Eh..well..." He goes to his pack and places the canteen back onto it before closing it up. He looks back to the door, and watches.
After an hour or so two more clangs from the bell tells the residents it's time to eat. The noise outside lessens as the Order beasts file out to break their fast in their usual way. A small mouse-maid knocks on the door frame before peeking in, "Uh did you hear the bell? ..... no more sleeping and it's time to eat now."
Kentar has actually managed genuine sleep for the first time in ages since the first two or three bells. And he doesn't seem to want to wake up when the mouse knocks on the door frame.
The Order mouse looks at Kentar with a mix of concern and wariness. "I-if you need to rest m-meals can be brought to you in here of-of course. .... Is he alright?"
Fira seems to find some amusement through feeling the bells, actually thinking up ways to make more use of it when the bells start up again and there's a mouse "Ah, food, excellent" getting up again.
Orph asks, "Are they done ringing the bells?"
Aikuen nods, "Aye, thank ye." He takes off his sheath, and mumbles to himself, "Guess no weapons, and all that" He places it with the pack, then goes over to Kenatrs bed, and plops down, "Sorry matey, Wakey Wakey, Don't want to be rude..." He smiles to Will, "Aye I Think so..."
Kentar groans and shudders slightly but doesn't bother waking up, just slowly rolling onto his back.
The Ordermouse looks puzzled, "Um they won't ring them again til the next meal time comes. Unless they have a reason to before then. The bell is rung twice before each meal time. .... so it's not too likely they'll be rung again for a while. And it's rung a lot each morning and more each night, but that's being looked into." She looks over at Aikuen when he speaks, "Well there's no rule against it but most of us here have little reason to go about armed. We are peaceful beasts here and as such have little use for weapons. Unless the Priestess were to forbid it, I don't see why you couldn't carry your weapons if you wanted. Those of you that wish to eat with us may follow me and those that would rather eat here may wait and one of the Brothers or Sisters of the Order will be sent to bring something in to you instead."
Fira watches Kentar for a moment but has to look back to the mouse again soon enough, letting her finish before she speaks up "Would it be possible to have someone with some healing skill come and have a little look at the stoat here after breakfast? Had a few too many bumps to the head lately"
Aikuen doesn't pick up his sword, but pushes his dagger sheath behind him just in case.
The mouse nods, "Of course, after we've all had a chance to eat. It shouldn't be too hard to find someone, most of the Order is taught at least some healing and many are healers including the Priestess herself and the Guardian as well. Now, how many of you are coming and how many are staying here?"
