Another Return Home (Rogg/Open)

[Rocky]

When Skipper chose to leave for the Green Isles two seasons ago, he told his otters to stay behind, to help the people he loved. He promised a return to them and every one else he had cared for ever since he came to Redwall 4 years ago. They had come to him with sad faces, and hurt emotions saying, "If you loved us, why will you leave?" He had no response to that statement but tears. He himself wasn't quite sure why he was leaving his family at the beloved Abbey, the family that stuck with him through thick and thin to go and see his otter family who he hadn't seen since he was a little babe. MAybe that was the reason for his leaving? To meet his family that he hadn't seen in so long? To rekindle their relationship that was lost so long ago? These were the reasons that he had told himself in a desperate attempt to make himself feel better about leaving Redwall, but they weren't the reasons he believed.

His time at the Isles was slow, and not what he thought it would be like. He was greeted there so quickly and loved so easily, but it only reminded him of his true home so far away. He had rarely smiled at the Green Isles, and had cried most of the time he had slept, so why did he leave in the first place? The reasons were unclear to him, and this just confused him more. But one day, he decided to take a boat back to Mossflower and go back home, to see everyone he truely loved with all his heart. When he boat made it ashore in Mossflower, Rocky stepped out, not even caring to hide his boat, and dropped to his knees. As he lowered his hands into the sand he lifted them to his face, the small grains slipping through his fingers, and when he looked up at the massive Wood he loved so greatly, he knew that he was home, and he knew that he would stay.

Days had passed as he made his way towards the Abbey. Vermin trying to assault him made him smile. This was what he came home for. Battles. Redwall. Mice. Ferrets. Rats. Shrews. All of it. And it all made him smile. The shrews remembered him, the vermin hated him, but the Redwallers that he met on his way to the Abbey loved him still, and were happy of his return. They tugged his hands, begging him to come home and at this he laughed, telling them he would take his time, and explain everything when he got home. They were just so delighted to see him again that they ran back to the Abbey, not stopping no matter how far it was. They just wanted to tell everyone that the Skipper of Otters in Mossflower Wood was home. And it was true. He was home, and he was here to stay.

His boots made imprints in the long, winding path that would take him home, and when he saw that red belltower looming ahead, he broke out into a massive grin. Redwall was just around that corner, and nothing would delay him. Or so he thought.

[Glavon]

((Hope you don't mind me dropping in. XD))

The season seemed to be caught in a tug of war betwixt winter and spring; the air's temperature was that of a rather mild spring day, and not as cold as an average day in winter. All in all, it was warm enough that a beast would really not need anything to keep them warm.

Azalea was somewhat accustomed to the cold, even being a monitor lizard, mostly owing to the fact that she'd actually lived in Mossflower for quite a while after she had left Sampetra for the mountain of the "Badger Lords".

For simplicities' sake, she wasn't wielding her trident at the moment. Instead, her black steel scimitar was hanging loosely in a scaly, clawed paw as she watched an otter pass on the roads in front of her. As much as she was looking forward to her self proclaimed "meal", she was slightly confused as to why there was always packs of otters roaming Mossflower. Virtually every creature she'd seen was an otter.

She shrugged, dismissing the fact. All that mattered was the fact that she needed food, and here it was, walking along the road and paying absolutely no attention to the bushes where the monitor was hidden.

Slowly, she made her way out of the bushes until she was traveling almost right behind the otter.

[tacticalotter2]

Times were good. Yes, times were good for Rogg Streambattle. These were violent times in parts of the world, and the mercenary otter thrived on violence. He had just assionated a despot on the west coast and reaped an insanely large reward for the easy kill. He had left that area in chaos after another warlord took the assionated one's place.

Rogg did not take part the politics of these situations, he only went to the highest bidder. Even though he was seen as a ruthless killer, the young otter still tried to hold to his three golden rules. Rule number one: No names. Rule number two: No personal feelings. And rule number three: Never kill without good reason. He liked his rules. Very... flexible.

Ah, but the warm breeze and cool streams were a nice respite from all of the killing that the young otter was used to. The big otter was trying to make his way south east to see if there were any more moraless vermin or cruel badgers that needed somebeast to get their wet work done. He was going to make a stop at Redwall Abbey to see if the food was as good as it was said to be.

Rogg was happially walking down the path toward the abbey when his keen scenes picked up the scent of another otter behind him. Normally otters were not hostile to Rogg but just to be on the safe side he checked his black armor. It was all in order. The young otter drew his sword and holding it in the reverse-grip style, he turned to meet his unknown shade....

[Eastpaw]

“Well, looky here.” It was a female otter, sitting against a tree. She'd been waiting there since the morning, and it was now shortly after noon. She'd looked eagerly when the black-clad otter came into view, but subsided without an outward sign when she saw he was not the otter she looked for. Now here came Rocky, looking cheerful and rested.

She wanted to slap him.

“Its the conquering hero, returning jauntily to Mossflower.” She stood, brushing her trousers off, the ground was a little damp from a rain the day before. “You know Rocky, Meko's been missing you.” I missed you too. But she wasn't anyone to miss, and she wasn't going to admit that she had missed him. He'd said goodbye to her in the infirmary where they had spent half a season together, but she had been feverish from a sickness she had caught her first days at Redwall, and things were blurry. Heck, the rest of that season was blurry and missing.

It was then that she noticed the black-clad otter was standing there, watching them, sword drawn. She stepped back from Rocky, to the edge of the path. She was still thin, but not painfully so. And wearing a tunic and trousers instead of her tatters or an infirmary robe made her feel bold for the first time in a while. “What do you want?”

[lorki]

(One of these things is not like the others, yes one of these things dose not belong....)

Being so near the abbey certainly did put an uncomfortable brick in her gut. She'd been inside few times before, sometimes forced, sometimes unwelcome, once or twice on business. She didn't like the place, didn't like the beasts there, and she didn't like how many creatures hung around the surrounding forests. She'd known where the beast was going when she'd tracked it through the heaviest parts of the woods, following a squirrel was always difficult, always obnoxious. Knowing that it was making a bee-line for the abbey frustrated her, gave her some form or motivation to follow. And she had, and she'd won. Blood speckled her dark cloak but it was almost unnoticeable against the black, it had been a quick killing, one that involved knives and distance, not sword tricks and close combat. The only reminder of it lay dead, just east of the abbey destination.

Figuring it would be wise to move west, away from the body and away from the Abbey, the ferret had wiped off her knives and gone on her way. Silence, a regular companion to the killer-for-hire, lead to thinking. Her thoughts always followed the same pattern when she traveled alone, purpose, desire, emotion, conclusion. The cycle that created her, that kept her killing, running, angry, spiteful. She knew how it worked, knew it was there but she followed it all the same. philosophizing often only lead to frustration and anger.

So the ferret walked, dark ears plastered back against her head, black eyes tinted violet glowered at the road before. His lean small figure held beneath the light dark fabric of her cloak, her arms crossed over her chest, half-tail swaying behind her. Sleetfang dragged her paws along the ground, blankly looking ahead of her as she turned the wide corner. She might not normally stay to large paths such as this one but she'd spent so much time in the brush running after that squirrel that-

Oh, there were otters... a lot of otters. Armed otters. Well lovely, she thought as she stopped and the fur along her neck and back prickled forward, lovely.

[Rocky]

(Glavon - Haha! Not at all, man. Not at all!)

Rocky's desire to get back home to the Abbey forced a crucial mistake on him by clouding his natural instinct. He hadn't known there was a monitor lizard behind him until he noticed the black clad otter in front of him stopped, a weapon drawn. At that point, Rocky looked down at his feet then turned to see if the otter in front of him had seen a foe behind him, as what otter would be hostile to another of its own kind? When he turned, he saw the large form of the reptilian behind him, and was quite aghast at the fact that he hadn't noticed it before. Several things flew through his mind at once, and it was hard for the young otter to follow. How long was the lizard there? Would he have killed him if he hadn't turned around? Is the otter in front of him hostile towards the lizard? Himself? Or is he just wary of creatures trailing behind him? He couldn't answer these questions as they quickly replaced the one before, negating him time to figure them out. Out of pure instinct, the hand went back, curled around the familiar feeling that he had been accustomed to his whole life, the hilt of his shortsword, then pulled it slowly from its sheath.

"What do you want with me?" He asked towards the monitor. His words seemed foreign, even to him, as he hadn't spoken in so long. The deep, suave voice of a young male otter filled the air. The young Skipper took two steps backwards and two the left, so he was between the armored otter in front of him and the monitor lizard behind. The blade dipped slightly towards the ground in the loose grip of Rocky's hand as he looked left and right. THe black clad otter turned and the two locked eyes as Rocky stared at him. He was older then himself, Rocky could tell, but that was it. He had never seen this otter before, and as to the lizard, well, all monitors looked the same to him. "I have done you no harm, I assure you." Rocky spoke once more.

His eyes then moved forward as another otter he had longed for so much came into view. Tampa Tiderunner. His blade almost fell out of his hand as he resisted the temptation to sprint towards her and grasp her in his arms. How he missed her so much. She was faring well for one who was beaten as badly as her. His time on the Green Isles almost rid him entirely of what she looked like, but when he finally saw her, he knew that that was Tampa. "I missed you." He said softly, his eyes twinkling slightly with tears that made his muscles in his face tense. As she spoke of Meko his heart lept. He was happy to hear his friend was alive, yet not was no time to think of things other then the lizard, the two otters, and his instincts. He had to remind himself that now was no time for reunions. "Do you have a weapon?" Rocky asked, more sternly this time. What tears that were threatening to reveal themselves before were blinked back as he looked left and right again... Then left once more. Another form filled his sight, this time a ferret and one he knew too much. Her name was Sleetfang, and he'd heard stories, from hermits in Mossflower Wood and from his close friend, Arel.

He really didn't want to fight her, or get in any confrontation with her, really, but not because of lack of confidence, no. He just wanted to get to the Abbey, his home, with the least scrapes as possible. He began this journey thinking the only cuts and scratches he would recieve were from thorns and bushes as he traveled on his way towards Redwall, but now, he was having second thoughts. The young Skipper's eyes flicked right to the armored otter who looked like he could hold his own, to thin Tampa, to the Lizard that looked seasoned in battle, and back to Sleetfang, the ferret who had become so infamous to him through the stories he's heard.

[Glavon]

What do you want with me?

Azalea hissed. It was pretty obvious to her that monitor lizards had never helped anybeast; this otter was either ridiculously stupid or her knowledge of the world was limited severely. In her mind, the first option was much more likely. She'd lived with her kind and they were savage beasts indeed. None of her kind would help a woodlander. None that had at least an ounce of self-respect.

Do you have a weapon?

Azalea, not knowing if the question was even directed at her, ignored it. Anybeast could see, from the daggers, longsword, and scimitar in her paw, that she was armed-she would kill if need be, and that had been her original plan. She needed food, and otters would fit the purpose.

"Well...thisssss turned into quite a...ssssshall we ssssay...party?"

Her accent was strange; she didn't really know if the creatures would understand her.

[tacticalotter2]

OOC: your posts are so dang long Rockey! lol gives me something to read.



Rogg waited for the unknown creature to come around the corner of the path. He was astounded to see another otter. Other otters were not normally hostile so he relaxed somewhat and smiled.. The stranger seemed not to be hostile so Rogg was about to speak when he saw the monitor. Monitors were unusall creatures, the mercenary otter had never actually seen one in person. He didn't know to much about monitors, just that they were some kind of primative lizards. This one seemed was armed with a katana, which are fearsome weapons in the right paws, but in a powerful lizard, well that was dangerous enough without possiably having to fight the otter.

He was again about to speak when he saw a female otter emerge onto the scene. What was this path? A community center? The young otter sighed getting slightly frustrated at the complications he had come upon. Rogg looked behind his shoulder and saw the ferret. This was one of the strangest days the otter had experenced in a long time. Why were all of these creatures converging on him? Why was it never easy? He scratched his forehead, exasperated. These creatures even seemed to be hostile tward each other. He addressed the croud, sword still ready.

"Who the frell are all of you?? And why are you all following me??"
The big otter's brow furroed, Rogg did not like unknown creatures following him....

[Grath]

"I missed you."

Tampa didn’t believe it and her eyes said so in the brief moment she met his gaze before she found an excuse to look away, turning her head towards the monitor lizard coming up behind them, paying little attention to Rogg now that she had found a bigger threat. After all, Rogg was an otter, and while she knew that was no guarantee of good behavior, the lizard posed more of a threat. There had been a small band near her home on the southern coast, and she knew well the harm one could do. Her paw went to the one weapon she had brought with her, a sling at her belt.

"Do you have a weapon?"

“I have never made the mistake of going without one this season.” She said, eying the lizard with some apprehension. The ferret was not such a threat that she took much of her attention off the lizard. The ferret didn’t seem hostile, anyhow. She breathed in deeply, monitors only wanted to eat, and she did not want to die.

No, those days were over.

Tampa had not been raised a fighter, though she knew how to throw and she knew how to sling, mostly from slinging competitions in their small community. She had slowly built up strength the moment she was out of bed, steadying her aim and finding the exercise brought back together the edges of her broken self. The sling was unwound and a rock placed in it, but she did not sling yet.

[lorki]

Sleet knew she must not look particularly scary- standing awkwardly with her footpaws placed in mid step with her head tilted enough to the side to make her look more confused than curious. She took in the scene quickly, there were two otters near by one another- a large male and a stickly looking female, another stood farther away and... a lizard. Gross.

She took note of the short glances her appearance gathered, it was just as obvious to her as it was to them, the lizard was much more threatening than the passing ferret... well as long as her temper stayed at a low level. It was Rocky's that she noticed most, she knew that look- it was the sort of look a beast got when they knew her, obviously without being personally acquainted. That look could be dangerous... but she didn't see the malice that often followed it so she wouldn't have to worry yet. Rather she raised one paw up in a half wave and gave a fakely sweet grin to acknowledge his recognizing her.

That lizard though, her eyes were on it just as quickly as the rest of them and her paw twitched to her waist to brush aside her cloak. Sleet had little experience with reptilian creatures, the truth was she rarely even saw them. She let her paw rest on her hip just above the row of knives, she'd like to just inch around the conflict and go on her way but that was looking less and less like an option. She took a few more steps forward.

[Rocky]

(@rogg- Hahah, thanks bro. Glad to keep ya reading.

The young otter's eyes turned slightly from Sleetfang to the monitor lizard. It spoke, which somewhat surprised the Skipper. He had never heard a lizard speak before, only felt the strength of one as he was nearly killed a few seasons ago. The battle was hard, and towards the end, Rocky's strength was leaving him, and his blade fell in the sand of the endless beach. His breath came in heavy pants as he stared at the lizard, thinking those would be his last moments. Then, the lizard fell down, the scracthes and cuts Rocky inflicted upon him had worn him down but those weren't what killed him. Two arrows planted themselves in the chest of the large reptile, and Rocky turned to see a grinning Meko, and a kind looking squirrel. Rocky was relieved and lay back on the cool sand, too tired to stand and walk, ready to take a nap.

He shook his head sharply, the flashback ending. That was his only encounter with a lizard, other then this one, and he was reluctant to have another occur. But Rocky was younger then, although only a few seasons but he had grown rather tall, and burly in the time that had passed, but that made no difference. This lizard was a new opponent, and Rocky has no idea how he would fare in a fight with it.

Black eyes twitched as the armored otter spoke.

"Who the frell are all of you? And why are you all following me?"

"I am Rocky. More formerly, Skipper of the Otters." He said, his eyes flashing a certain gleam that hadn't been there when he left the Abbey. "And as to following you?" He chuckled, "I assure you, I have not been." It was interesting how quickly his personality can change. One minute he could be sad, then angry the next, then after that cheerful as a little dibbun getting dessert. It was a trait he was rather fond of, and a trait he would not so easily let go of.

He nodded knowingly at Tampa's response to his question. That was good, as if a battle had occured, he would probably need all his weapons for himself. Turning once more to keep and eye on Sleetfang, he half smirked as she waved at him, knowing that her wave was no where near cheerful. "Are you hear to do me harm? Or are you simply passing through? Because if just passing through..." He said, looking to each one in turn, excluding Tampa, not wanting to meet her gaze, "I would like to be on my way." A grin flashed, revealing white teeth that conflicted with his pure black coat of silky fur. The sword that was held loosely in his hand tightened, and his eyes finally locked with the lizards, "I guess you are right, sir. It does seem like a party. But how about we..." He chuckled, looking at the tall, armor clad otter, "... Crack open the lizard and see what falls out, huh?" It was one of Rocky's jokes, where they weren't necessarily 'funny', but moreso meant to insult, or get them angry enough to leave. He wasn't sure of the response of the lizard, but he himself chuckled, but the look in his eyes showed no merriment.

[Grath]

"I am Rocky. More formerly, Skipper of the Otters." He said, his eyes flashing a certain gleam that hadn't been there when he left the Abbey. "And as to following you?" He chuckled, "I assure you, I have not been."

“It is the road to Redwall, after all.” Tampa said acerbically, turning her attention to briefly to Rogg before focusing on Rocky. She had to admit, even if in a quiet, tiny personal voice, that he looked better than she last remembered him.

“Tam.” She shook, trying to open suddenly hot and heavy eyes, finally accomplishing the deed. A face slowly grew into focus before her, and the shaking stopped. Why was she shaking? There was a heaviness on her shoulder and the face was close, blurred by superposed images of Ren… she shrank back into the mattress, trying to draw into a ball. “Tam, shh. Its ok.” The noises came again, recognized as a voice. Rocky. No, not Rocky.

“Skipper?” some of the tenseness erased and she studied his face, now clear to her hot eyes. “Wot?”

"Are you here to do me harm….” Tampa did not miss how he avoided her gaze, though she tried to avoid his. That small part of her writhed as she stomped mercilessly on it, feelings were irrelevant here.

“I’m leaving.” She blinked heavily, time slowing. He was leaving? Is that what he said? She wasn’t sure, her body was hot and her fur itched, her dry throat was distracting and she longed for a cold drink. Was this another part of her delirium?

[[Sorry, mostly flashback… lol]]

[lorki]

"I am Rocky. More formerly, Skipper of the Otters."

Sleet raised her brow as Rocky answered the other otters question. Well no wonder he'd looked at her that way, there were so many otters in Mossflower it was hard for Sleet to keep track of all of them... and generally she liked them. That wasn't to say she hadn't roughed up enough to get a good recognition from the Skipper apparently. The corner of her mouth twitched up in a half grin.

"Are you hear to do me harm? Or are you simply passing through? Because if just passing through...I would like to be on my way."

She chuckled and the half smile turned into a fanged grin, "You? Heh, awfully full of yourself there, otter." She smirked, gesturing towards him with her paw, "but, to answer your question, no. I welcome you to stroll on by to your cozy little abbey." Her eyes shifted to the Monitor lizard, making a bit of a face, she added, "you too. Feel free."

Sleet was still, she didn't feel like stepping right into a conflict. There was a tenseness in the air that over the years had become tangible to her. It hung in the atmosphere before either a fight broke out or one was avoided. More often than not the first option was the outcome. Having just come off the adrenaline rush, that inevitably accompanied the assassination of any creature, she wasn't feeling particularly excited about the idea of fighting. Oh well, she thought, her paw returning to rest on his hip above her knives, she would have to wait and see what happened.

[Glavon]

((This is what happens when I want to post with a different character. D= And @ Skipper of Otters-Azalea's female, if you were talking to her?))

I guess you are right, sir. It does seem like a party. But how about we...crack open the lizard and see what falls out, huh?

Azalea smirked once, but for the most part ignored the otter's 'insult'-if that was what it was actually supposed to be. But nobody was really paying any attention to her. She was the only lizard in a gathering of otters and one ferret. Not paying any attention, she continued to think until she noticed Sleetfang looking at her.

...you too. Feel free.

Azalea merely blinked, looking slightly confused, but neglected to ask a question. Instead, she contented herself with glaring at the ferret for absolutely no reason-

The bushes rustled.

She looked quizically at them and sniffed at the air before frowning. She'd smelled that before, and it had been a ferret. Azalea was pretty sure she knew what the ferret's name had been...ah, yes. Something like Takuru.

And it was at that second she remembered the assassin was still hunting for her. She snorted, looking rather ticked off. All she wanted was a meal, and now this annoying little rodent had come walking along. With speed that originated from not wanting to have to deal with the ferret, she lumbered quickly toward the bushes on the other side of the path and vanished into them. She would still wait close by to see if she'd still get her prey, but she was in no mood to fight with the ferret she'd scented.

It was only a few seconds later when the form came out of the brush-a thin, pale gray ferret of average height with silver circles ringing her bright, cold, icy blue eyes. Or one of them-the right eye was closed with a long scar running through it. In the belt of the ferret, there was a strange weapon that looked somewhat like a scimitar, but made of iron and streaked with a bright yellow metal that looked like gold.

Takeru Stormston's one good eye looked around the little clearing, and the ferret frowned, raising her eyebrows.

"What in the name of Hellgates is going on here?"

[tacticalotter2]

"I am Rocky. More formerly, Skipper of the Otters.""And as to following you?""I assure you, I have not been."



Rogg was confused. The young otter had not seen such a diversity of creatures on a path... well... ever. A monitor, two other otters and a ferret, weired. The male otter, a skipper? Interesting, the mercenary otter had not seen one of these Mossflower skippers lately, they seemed to avoid the mercenary. Rogg did not understand that, he liked to be around other otters. Maybe because the young otter associated with vermin at times. These woodlanders seemed to hate all vermin for no apparent reason. Rogg did not understand that either. He smiled at Skipper, the big otter did not wish a confrontation with his own species.
"Well, nice to meet you Skipper. I'm Rogg Streambattle, and if your not all following me, then why don't we all go on our ways? Lets not make this get ugly, that would be completely unnecessary."



"... Crack open the lizard and see what falls out, huh?"



Probably some strangely colored guts and green blood... The thought made the young otter smile even more. Rogg liked this Skipper, his comment made the mercenary chuckle slightly, he could not show it to much though. This stupid lizard, crashing a good party, why was it never easy? He looked derisively at the monitor
"Why don't you just go uh..." What did lizards do? The big otter had no idea. "Why don't you go do whatever monitors do instead of getting your scaly body all cut up? It would be much better if you left us alone." He did not know if the two other otters and the ferret would fight if it came to that, but he decided to try and convince the lizard that they would.
"Look at the odds: three otters and a ferret against you. The odds are stacked in our favor, so, unless you are looking for an untimely death, get out of here?"


Oh yatz, what if they attacked him. He didn't think of that. The young otter let his blade fall to his side and looked around ruefully, there were quite a lot of them, it would be quite a hard battle, but a winnable one. But, the otters did not seem to be hostile, and the ferret was just standing there, the lizard on the other paw, looked quite hostile. She looked very evil, not very smart either.

"What in the name of Hellgates is going on here?"


Rogg was about to start talking again when the monitor left and the ferret emerged from wherever she came from. What in hellgates was right. This was one of the more strange situations that the young otter had been in. Why would that lizard leave and that ferret just randomly arrive? Rogg sighed.
"I have absolutely no idea what is going on now."
The young otter was not the best at patiently talking out situations, he hoped that fighting would commence soon....