There is Room for Love

[Elizabeth]

Silenis had been walking for quite a while, it was near evening and despite a soft layer of frost on the ground you could here an occasional bird's twitter in the trees. So far above the ground... She wondered what it would be like to be a bird, not chained to the ground by the law of gravity but free and soaring, going where ever you want to go. Silenis stopped a while and looked up at the sky thinking.

Realizing it was about dinner time Silenis sat down on the bank of the River Moss. Everything seemed very peaceful. She sighed a contented sigh and opened a small pack at her side. She took out a loaf of bread and a small piece of cheese. Oh well... It isn't much, she thought, but it's better than nothing. Taking out the stiletto she wore at her left side she proceeded to impale a small piece of cheese on the end of it. She sat silent eating a while.

When she was finished she went and washed her paws in the river carefully. After washing her paws and the tip of her knife she removed all of her equpment and unnessesary clothing. Then with hardly a splash she dove gracefully into the water. Swimming up and down and going for long periods without breath she played. She seemed not to have a care in the world at that moment.

Presently she came up out of the water and climbed up on to the river bank and lay there with her paws dangling in the river. Her smooth fur was creased with the clear cool water which was now creating little pools in the muddy grass beside her. She shook water from her head and blinked her eyes. Silenis put on her cloak, kilt, and vest which she had taken off before swimming. It was frigid out and swimming wasn't the brightest thing for her to do but sometimes she felt like she couldn't resist it.

(Silly I know XD!)

[Glavon]

((XD. And now, I shatter the nice quietness that prevails in most posts before I get here. > ))

Another nice, frozen evening in Mossflower Woods. The birds had started to trickle back into the woodlands, as Spring was arriving-not the smartest move, because some beasts would kill the birds if they were hungry; Solitude Fleetclaw was not an exception.

Although, at this particular moment, he wasn't hungry. No-he was tracking his new prey through the densely forested woodland, an otter he knew only by the first name of Silenis. Her last name was a mystery to him; not that he cared. She was an enemy-as such, she was dead to him-and corpses didn't need names. A smirk spread slowly across the mercenary stoat's face.

He walked forward until he had the female otter in his sights; he then drew his kilij, two or so feet of black, gleaming steel that shimmered in the dusky light of the evening, before taking a single step forward and placing the kilij tip's light weight on the back of the female otter. His smirk faded, to be replaced by a natural-looking smile.

"Hello." he spoke softly. "I am honored to meet you, but I must ask-are you the one they call Silenis..." Suddenly, the stoat found himself searching for a last name, and his smile widened as he found it, "Silenis Wildlough? Either way, it is prudent for me to introduce myself. I must apologize-I do not usually go by my first name-safety reasons, you understand. You may call me Fleetclaw or Fleet, whichever suits you or is easier to remember."

((My muse has deserted me. *goes looking for it*))

[Elizabeth]

"Sir?" She looked up at Fleet with her bright blue eyes. "Yes, that is what they call me? Funny you should know something like that. A nice day don't you think?" Silenis splashed her foot paw around a little and then stood up drawing her cloak tight around her. "Actually it's a tad bit to cold for me... Even without the drenching I just got." She giggled and shook her head again, little water droplets fell to the ground.

Looking at the stranger she tilted her head to the side, "Anyway, your name is Fleetclaw you said. I've heard of it. There has been a few tales of you that I've heard around where I grew up. From what my mother told me your not a very nice beast?" She studied the creature and seemed to be thinking. "What are you doing around here? I've been just wandering from place to place. I'm hoping I'll find a holt, or at least a group of beasts or something that will take me in soon. My food supplies are running very low." She sighed and put her paw to the back of her neck. She grabbed her hood and drew it over her head. "Well I really do think I have to be going... but it was very interesting meeting you none the less."

[Glavon]

Sir? Yes, that is what they call me. Funny you should know something like that. A nice day don't you think? Actually it's a tad bit to cold for me... Even without the drenching I just got.

This otter sure asked a lot of useless questions; Solitude didn't care at all if the weather was nice or not. Still, keeping up the well-done pretense, the stoat gave a nonchalant shrug. "I rather think it isn't too cold, but perhaps that is because I spent so much time living outdoors." Another shrug was given after the statement was spoken.

Anyway, your name is Fleetclaw you said. I've heard of it. There has been a few tales of you that I've heard around where I grew up. From what my mother told me your not a very nice beast?

Solitude searched through his memory quickly. No, he didn't recall having ever met an otter-and his memory was renowned. He looked quizzically at the female in front of him. "Now...has your mother actually met me? No. Then it could have been based on rumor alone. Of course..." he grinned, his teeth flashing, "she is correct."

What are you doing around here? I've been just wandering from place to place. I'm hoping I'll find a holt, or at least a group of beasts or something that will take me in soon. My food supplies are running very low. Well I really do think I have to be going... but it was very interesting meeting you none the less.

"Wandering as well...what else?" Fleet said, stopping dead as the otter announced her intentions to leave. The mercenary raised the kilij a little higher.

"I'm afraid I'm not authorized to let you leave. You see...I have been paid to kill you, and I'm afraid I'll have to do just that."

[Wildrun]

((Tell me if I should leave. :3))

It was cold.

"Curse this infernal winter..." The shrew was living up to her many titles--no matter that no beast was near to hear her, Trick Rampbrush would grumble until the sun fell from the sky! And it was cold! This alone was justification for her mutterings, assuredly. Glaring up at the sky grumpily, Trickio scowled and raised a fist, as if whoever or whatever was up there could see her. "Can't you tell it should be spring?!" she roared, stamping her footpaw as if to shake the sleeping earth awake. "There are birds here! The rivers aren't frozen! So why is it still so bloody cold out?!"

Of course, there was no reply. After another moment more of ranting to herself (and making a point, too, confound it), Trickio paused for air and coughed. Scowling still, she drew her cloak tighter about her and kicked at the hard ground, mumbling under her breath, "...Fine. You just wait until summer. Then it'll be warm! Humpf!"

And so the shrew stomped along, mostly alone, if it weren't for the prettiness of the river's voice and the chirping of those birds. There were no bugs to be heard, of course--it was, after all, still not entirley spring. Not a cricket or beetle in thier right minds would be out in the air now...

...but shrew's ears are for listening to more than just the serenity of nature. Was that somebeast talking ahead?

Trickio's eyes narrowed. For the past three days, whenever she had checked this route, there hadn't been a sign of any beast for ages except herself. And now, there were at least two other creatures, conversing by the river...The hair at the back of the shrew's neck prickled. Crouching, Trickio's paw found the handle of the oar she used as a weapon and grasped it, ready to swing and smash the face of an attacker. But no beast jumped out at Trickio Rampbrush. However, the otter was in trouble.

"I hope 'e gets frostbite," muttered Trickio. Snatching a fist-sized rock off the ground, she wound up like the Master Mud Slinger she was and let fly.

[tacticalotter2]

Rogg Streambattle watched the scene that was unfolding in front of him, a female otter and a stoat that looked as if one was about to have a really bad day. The young otter did not get a clear view of the other otter's face, but he could tell that she would not have a chance of survival as the stoat had the definite advantage being behind her. The mercenary otter knew it was time for in intervention, so he drew his sword and moved swiftly forward twords the pair. As he came closer he felt a strange tingling on his back when he saw the female otter better, there was something very familiar about her.... But he suppressed the feeling and concentrated on the stoat, thinking of the best approach. Should he attack right off and ask questions afterwords? Or try to get the ferret not to attack and then kill her. He decided to try and stop her with words first as if he just attacked the other otter might be dispatched before he could neutralize the threat.


"I'm afraid I'm not authorized to let you leave. You see...I have been paid to kill you, and I'm afraid I'll have to do just that."


So she was an assassin. Who would pay to have an innocent ottermaid killed? Some hopelessly depraved mind of a vermin band leader probably. Rogg sighed, how sad it was that creatures would pay to have helpless maids slain, poor maids that would never hurt a fly, maybe an female otter would hurt a fish.... But that was irrelevant, whenever the the mercenary saw other otters in danger it always sparked an instinctive urge to help them, even though he would not normally do that for every creature who was in danger of losing their life, the big otter always felt obligated to help those of his own species. It made him very angry that the stoatt would be menacing her, so he glared angerly at the stoat and spoke in a low, commanding tone of voice.
"let her go, or die." Then he added as if an afterthought.
"Well, I guess I should say; let her go, then die."....

[Elizabeth]

"let her go, or die."

Silenis looked up and gasped. It couldn't be. She stared at him. A little older perhaps but then again it had been about four years since she last saw him. "Rogg?" She paused trying to find her voice. "Rogg Streambattle? It can't be... Tell me, is it really you?" She took a few steps away from the weapon and then a few steps toward Rogg. She blinked tears from her eyes. "It must be... It's been so long."

(Ahh... what more is there to say?)

[Glavon]

((Wildrun Yay! Please stay! Just make sure you log on frequently to post, or you'll be left behind in the dust. :3 Also, I hope you threw that rock at Fleet because that's what I'm going to assume, which is bad. If anyone wants to know my way to remember that assuming is bad, PM me! :3 Although it utilizes the a-word. XD))

((@rogg-Solitude Fleetclaw is a stoat, not a ferret. XD))

((@nobody in Particular-And last but not least...I declare the name of this topic to be codenamed trifle! Because TiRfL sounds like trifle.))

Solitude had only been paying attention to his new 'prey'-not that anyone had actually hired him to kill her, this was purely for his own fun and entertainment. Yes, Solitude was a deranged maniac and really needed to be locked up in a mental hospital or something. Still, as such, he didn't hear the whistling of the rock flying through the air and only noticed it when it thunked with force into his skull.

Looking mildly displeased, the stoat spun around to scan the woods behind him. As this otter had so kindly pointed out, the stoat was actually rather famous and he had a feeling, if there were many beasts behind him, one would recognize him-or again, maybe not. Solitude's skull was rather thick-the large rock hadn't really done any damage.

But no-the only thing stretching out in front of him was gray branches and rocks as far as his keen blue eyes could see. He was about to turn back around when a flash of unusual brown caught his eye and he found himself staring at the form of another otter.

Let her go, or die. Well, I guess I should say; let her go, then die.

"Ah, do not become too hasty, my friend." Solitude said with a smile, the kilij pressed to the back of the female being pushed forth with a small bit more force, but not enough to injure or draw blood. "If I should die from letting her go...what's to stop me from killing her right here, right now? I will die anyways."

Solitude made air quotes around the last die, and it was extremely obvious he did not believe that Rogg would be able to stop him. The stoat's stiff arm twitched to show that he had a dagger ready to throw-or stab with-and would at a moment's notice.

Rogg? Rogg Streambattle? It can't be... Tell me, is it really you? It must be... It's been so long.

Solitude frowned. How much more sappy could this possibly get? He moved the stiff arm, attempting to stab Silenis in the back with it.

[Wildrun]

((You got it. Silly Trickio and her bad habits of rock-throwing. >D And I know how to remember not to assume. I nearly said it in history class once and my teacher quickly cut me off, saying, "We know!" ^^"

Trifle! Yum!))

An almost sadistic grin spread across the shrew's face. Direct hit!

Flattening herself into the bushes, Trickio's grin slowly faded into a frown of concentration. The stoat had not seen her, of that she was positive. But the arrival of this new otter could be trouble--he obviously hadn't seen her, either.

So, what? Keep throwing stones? Lay low? Burst out of the bushes hollering like a maniac and bop that stoat one over the head?

Quite frankly, none of them looked like very good answers.

"Oh well," she muttered, noticing the expression on the stoat's face and the slight twitch of his free arm. "All of the above!" Quickly grabbing another rock and leaping clear of the bramble, Trickio tossed the stone into the air and brought her oar around in a full swing. The flat blade of the oar and the falling stone met with a satisfying snap! sound. Trickio hadn't bothered to aim her swing--the rock hurtled past the stoat's face, missing both he and the otters by inches.

Turning on her heel, Trickio grabbed for the first branch she saw and hauled herself up. She was involved now--her presence was obvious. But if she was going to join this fight, it was going to be on her terms. A shrew with an oar in a tree was a much more threatening adversary than a shrew with an oar on the ground.

[tacticalotter2]

"Rogg Streambattle? It can't be... Tell me, is it really you?""It must be... It's been so long."




Rogg started when he heard the female otter's voice, and saw her face. The otter could not move a muscle as a torrent of old memories flooded into his mind; this other otter was Silenis Wildlough, the love of Rogg's life. He had not seen her since his departure from Green Isle, but not a day past when the otter did not see her smiling face. But the stoat was trying to kill her and that banished all thoughts of love from the mercenary's mind. Then the reality that the stoat actually was trying to kill Silenis struck him like a thunderbolt. The mercenary otter felt an instinctively protective paw grip his heart, how could anybeast actually want Silenis dead? Rogg felt the paw that was holding his heart tighten and a righteous anger began to form in the young otter's body. Who was this vermin to threaten a life that Rogg held so dear? He was nothing. The otter felt his webbed paws cracking as he clenched them tight, and his large body start to shake with wrath against the stoat.
"Yes, its me Silenis"
With that declaration, the mercenary threw a furious attack at the cruel stoat, slashing his razor sharp blade at the stoat's chest. This fool would be punished.... Hard.....

[Elizabeth]

"Ah, do not become too hasty, my friend." Solitude said with a smile, the kilij pressed to the back of the female being pushed forth with a small bit more force, but not enough to injure or draw blood. "If I should die from letting her go...what's to stop me from killing her right here, right now? I will die anyways."

Her body tensed as the kilij pressed tightly against her back.

Solitude frowned. How much more sappy could this possibly get? He moved the stiff arm, attempting to stab Silenis in the back with it.

She uttered a small shriek and hit backward with her hand hoping to catch the stoat in the face. All at once without any time for her to think the stone went whistling by their heads. Silenis jerked violently, she was confused. She knew she had to focus on the enemy before her but she couldn't while Rogg was there...

"Yes, its me Silenis"

"Rogg!" She couldn't say much else. She didn't have to. Rogg slashed out wildly at the vermin stoat. She jumped back and drew her bow, aiming an arrow directly at the stoat's head.

[Glavon]

Solitude's muscles tensed as he heard the sharp snap Trickio's oar had made as it smacked against the rock. The small pebble whistled past close to his face, and for the most part he ignored it. Whatever curiosity he felt got the best of him; he turned, observing the insignificant shrew hauling herself up into a tree, oar in paw. His attention was swiftly diverted with word spoken by Rogg.

Yes, its me Silenis.

As Solitude had been watching Rogg as he said this, he saw the mercenary otter's blade's sharp edge slash viciously at his chest. A smile overrid the usual frown; the stoat bent backwards like a willow and the blade narrowly missed his fur by inches. At this exact moment, the female struck at him, smacking him right in the face.

Solitude laughed, baring his teeth at the female otter. The pain from the hit had quickly faded, as it was bound to do, and now the only thought in his mind was the kill wouldn't be just for fun-he didn't approve of prissy little ottermaids in fights. It just wasn't...right.

Rogg!

Suddenly-and rather abruptly-the ottermaid picked up a bow and aimed an arrow straight at the stoat's head. Solitude dropped like a stone, hitting the ground with a solid thunk-the arrow wouldn't touch him. Then, in a blur, he leapt up, raised the kilij, and chopped at the female otter.

Afterwards, he yanked the kilij sharply back before proceeding to slash once at her face, then wrists. He would then spin around, charge at Rogg, and attempt to run him through before slashing at his neck and then stomach.

[Wildrun]

((Question before I post again--Can I bring in one of my baddies? This is kind of uneven here.))

[Elizabeth]

(Of course! XD I'll get killed, but heck! Who cares?! Go 'head Wildy bring it on!!! :3... yeah That'll be nice. Just rememb'r to posty!)

[Glavon]

[[YespleasedobeforeIgetbeatenup. X3]]

[tacticalotter2]

Rogg emitted a distressed otter-squeak when the stoat attacked Silenis, typical coward's tactic, to attack the weaker. But this was going to be a very unlucky day for the heartless stoat. The mercenary otter was still quite far away so he could do nothing as he careened forward, watching helplessly as Silenis was assaulted. The stoat had acted so swiftly that before Rogg had even got to the pair, he had turned, and was already charging the otter. Rogg cursed his luck, he would have had a perfect kill on it if the cruel stoat had not moved. But in a head-on collision, who would win? The huge, strong otter, or the wimpy little stoat? The mercenary knew that if it came to sheer power, he would defiantly be the victor.


The young otter was so blinded by the sudden meeting of him with Silenis, that he did not notice the patch if ice that lay in his path. But it actually saved his life; as Rogg slipped, the stoat thrust his scimitar-like blade at the otter's stomach [sorry for gmod] and in sted of disemboweling the love-struck otter, it smashed into his chest armor. The air came from his lungs in a great whoosh and he fell backwards of to the frosty ground, but he used his thick tail to keep from falling completely to the ground, and then his paws found less slippery turf. The mercenary otter was hardly able to react to the swift slashes of the stoat, barley bringing his blade up to deflect the attack on his neck. Yotz this stoat was fast, the big otter could not jump back in time before his second slash cut his stomach, sending a sharp pain throughout the big otter's body, and leaving a red trail on his soft fur.

But these temporary pains only served to give the mercenary more hate, fueling him, giving him strength. The big otter went low and attacked with a powerful, but controlled swing that would take the stoats head clean off, unless she blocked the blow. Then Rogg attacked with his full force and training, his blade was like a windmill of death, slashing left and right, diagonally, seeking a crease in the stoat's defenses. It was time for the stoat's miserable carrier of maid slaying to end.....

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

Merce had been tracking his hated enemy, Solitude Fleetclaw, for over a week. He had followed the stoat’s overstep, through forest, bog, field and dale. Now Merce's persistence had paid off. Now he stepped from the trees like an omen of death, a hideous smile frozen on his face. Infact, Merce was almost one of the living dead. All of his old life was destroyed and forgotten. Only an empty shell of a weasel, a mindless but cunning killing machine, remained.

Without a warning Merce stepped between Solitude and Silenis, sword and dirk in paws. He blocked every attack the stoat made with ease and grace. Then, he parried the attack Rogg made at Fleet with his blade. "This is not your fight," Merce said to the otters, "leave before I rethink what I just said." Then he turned to Solitude. "My move first," he said with a snicker. Then Merce lunged at Solitude, both blades towards the stoats chest.

[Wildrun]

((Sorry for the wait.))

"Oi!"

Advantage or n advantage, Trickio had soon touched ground almost as fast as she had left it. This wasn't a fight anymore--this was a free for all. There was no order!

"That's 'snot fair!"

Not quite realizing that, for a moment, she was playing as the stoat's savior, Trickio darted forward, wide flat-egded oar in hand, and smashed it with force at the first head she saw. Not caring who she hit at the moment, Trickio scowled and spun the oar, bring the wide side up to shiled her face as she crouched low. Over the top of the oar, she could still see everything that went on--and she had firmly made up her mind to smack whoever moved next into the River Moss.

"Wot kinda fight is this? Eh? 'aven't anya ye ever heard of honor?"

Hopefully, no one was paying the righteos shrew's sermon any mind--because one beast had heard it, and, suddenly interested in how he spent his few free minutes, decided to participate in the local happenings.

Matecol the stoat stepped free of the bramble and sidled up, slowly and unseen, to stand almost behind the ottermaid. Tipping his head to one side in almost apathetic interest (as Trickio would later say, using a confusing pair of adjectives), the stoat held one paw on his stone-studded belt. At the first chance, he intended to make himself noticed. After all, in the spiirt of kinship, he should help a brother stoat out, right?

Of course he should.

[Wildrun]

((Guuuyyys? Hallo?))

[tacticalotter2]

OOC: I think Bethy said she will post when she gets back from her grandmother's funeral.