In the darkness of night {Open}

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

(We don't mind at all! ;D I am just going to post to have Merce answer Shadowsleek.)

"Need help, daring one?"

Merce almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the voice next to him. Shadowsleek had caugth him by surprise. The black weasel was hard to see in the dark.

"Oh, hello Miss Shadowsleek," said Merce when he regained his composure, "there’s nothing like raiding an Abbey in the middle of the night to put the life into you.” Suddenly, his thoughts went back to the secret room in the library. There must have been something good in it for it to be hidden like that. “Come on Miss Shadowsleek,” he said with a twisted smile, “lets go see those Abbey folks.” Then, with his sword still in his left forepaw, he drew his dirk with the right. Then Merce headed to the broken window which smoke pored from. He waked for Shadowsleek to follow him.

[shade]

[[ I dont think your post was very realistic, Normaig, only because by the time he got their, ran to the abbey pond and back, the fir ewould have grown to an enourmous size due to the fact that the library is all wood and paper. So, a cloak and a bucket of water would have little effect. }}

[Nassu]

[ Sorry for my long abscence, oddly enough Holidays don't afford me a lot of time to get on]

Nassu was surprised he had missed his attack. He went staggering into the door. He heard a huge crashing sound and turned to see the library shelves falling like dominoes. "Nooooooo." he yelled exasperated. He knew he would probably have to pick up and recatalogue all the various scrolls and manuscripts. He shook his head to bring him back to the crisis at present. The white weasel had just thrown a candle onto the fallen shelves. They erupted in flame. Nassu bit his lip until blood began to trickle down his chin. How could any one be so heartless?

Nassu saw Travi start to writhe on the ground. He was not sure what was happening, but knew he had to act. He threw caution to the wind and leapt over one of the burning bookcases. He felt the heat curl the tips of his fur. Once he reached Travi, he squatted down next to him. "Trav! We've got to get this fire out." When he didn't hear a response and just saw the poor creature continue to writhe on the floor, Nassu grabbed him by his night shirt and tried to pull him outside the door.

As Nassu was pulling Trav to safety, he noticed that he hadn't heard from Brightly or Iven in a while. He started calling their names, so they could follow his voice to safety. "Mister Iven, Brightly! Follow my voice to get out of here. We can't save the library. We have to think of ourselves."

[burhurzur]

Ok, ok! I might as well get the heck out of this crazy thread!!!


Farwell! Normaig the Tyrant,

[redclaw]

(Yes you better. *prods Normaig with a stick* Why don't you delete you post.)

[Prankster101]

((Sorry Normag..maybe "Playing in the leaves" (although I think it was a dead thread when I posted..I'll have to check that..) will go better..))

Travi continued to writhe on the floor, he knew the heat of the flames was growing faster, but he didn't feel it. He heard the white weasel leaving the library, but he couldn't acknowledge it. Fear had gripped him too tight.

"Trav! We've got to get this fire out."

Travi heard Nassu, but could not respond. He wanted too, but couldn't come to the reality of the situation until Nassu physically grabbed him and jerked him up. All of a sudden his limbs stopped flailing and his eyes darted around glancing at the growing fire.

"Mister Iven, Brightly! Follow my voice to get out of here. We can't save the library. We have to think of ourselves."

Although he was deathly afraid of the engulfing fire, Travi's brow furrowed in anger and he took up that snarl he had when he was fighting the weasel.

He shouted over the inferno to Nassu. " Ye be a gettin' everybeast out o' 'ere mate!" He wrenched out of Nassu's grasp."Ah'll ga get dat varmint!"

Travi ran toward the broken window at the heart of the fire. Oblivious to all of the destruction and danger around him, he lept through the window the edges of his nightwear singed around his knees, but he didn't feel the pain. He landed on his paws, gasping for a split second from the impact of his paws on the ground then he jumped up and ran toward the two shadowy figures at the gate.

He had found his knife on the ground where he had thrown it at the weasel and missed and now held it like a miniature sword, thundering across the lawn, eyes blood-lusting for battle. He roared his family's time honored battle cry, unleashing his terrible rage.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Merce turned with a start as the yell echoed across the empty nighttime lawn. The weasel was frightened for a minute as he saw Travi hurdling towards across the grounds at an amazing rate. But, he quickly regained his confidence. After all, he had gotten his weapons back. "Now otter," he hissed to himself, "I have the advantage."

As Travi neared him, Merce stepped to side with great speed and swung at Travi's legs with his sword. At the same time he tried to stab Travi in the chest with his dirk.

[shade]

"Oh, hello Miss Shadowsleek," --- "there’s nothing like raiding an Abbey in the middle of the night to put the life into you.” --- “Come on Miss Shadowsleek,” --- “lets go see those Abbey folks.”

She drew her curved sword and returned the smile, her eyes slitting a little. She flicked her cloak in a dramatic was as she pulled the hood up, her vioce calm dispite the fact they were a littel out-numbered, " Then lets make it quick, the fire will eat us alive dare we stay in to long " suddenly, the thought of cutting down innocent abbey mice and bolting threw a furious fire felt exciting for some reason, possibly in her blood. She was just about to follow him when a loud scream made her almos tleap from her shadowy fur,

" EEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

A flinging knife whizzing past Mercve along with a large charging figure made SHadowsleek freeze for a moment, " Hellsteeth! I always thought knew Redaller's where half-crazy, but this tops all my thoughts! " her curved sword clutched tighter in her paw. Merce handled te situation better, already making a counter-attack. A smile edging on her lips, she waited for the otter to react to Merce's mvoe before she would strike.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!" "

[Prankster101]

Travi pounded forward. He saw the weasel's mouth move, but he really didn't care what he said. But what the other weasel said TICKED HIM OFF!!

" Hellsteeth! I always thought knew Redaller's where half-crazy, but this tops all my thoughts! "

No one insults Redwallers on Travi's watch! He mate a mental note to himself...after he had skinned the white one, the black one was taking back it's words........

The white weasel had swiped with it's two blades, one at his chest another at his knees. Out of rage Travi jumped, leaping onto the sword aimed at his knees, catching it under his paws. Sure it cut deep groves in them, but he didn't feel the pain right now, and neither did he care.

He brought his knife down on the dirk with both paws and all of his mighty strength. The force of the blow shattered the drik at the hilt right across the blade.

"Ye t'oug' dat tric' would work again' scum?" Travi said in a sinister voice that bit right to the bone. He then kicked the sword trapped under his feet up to his paws and launched himself at the weasel trying to stab at the weasel's white neck from both sides.

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

(Well Prank, I think breaking my weapon and taking the other is power play. You would try to break it. Still, I'll go with it. ;D)

Merce jumped back in surprise when he was disarmed. He knew otters were strong, but he hadn't thought they were that strong. Merce got into a crouch, on paw forward towards Travi, one placed back near Merce's chest. As Travi charged Merce gracefully leaped forward, right over Travi's head. Then Merce whirled around and kicked out at Travi's back like chain lightning. Then he brought his left fore-paw down in a graceful over-head arc at Travi's sword-paw, trying to break it.

(Merce is going kung-fu! Yes, one of his strengths in paw-to-paw combat!)

[Prankster101]

((SORRRYYY!!!!!! I forgot for a moment there....I'll remember to do better next time.... You kung-fu Merce and Travi will use the method of the SPAZ!))

Travi charged at the weasel, until it jumped over his head. He tried to spin around with the speed of the jump, but he was forcefully kicked in the chest, instead of his back. Travi winced as the blow shattered pain across his torso. A few ribs were probably broken, but he didn't care as all of a sudden a fist came toward his sword paw as if to break it.

This time he had a chance to react. With a quick flick of the wrist he whipped the sword blade around so it would protect his wrist from the blow and hopefully send pain through the other beast's arm form hitting the steel blade.

He then leaped around, chastising the white weasel. "T'oug' ye cauld take mea out buy me back? Face me like a warrior jet-scum! 'ere! Fig't wit' a weapon! If ye can catch it? "

Travi then tried to launch the sword at the weasel's face. He had thrown away the bigger weapon so he could fight up close to his enemy and make a long bladed sword a hazard more then a help. Plus, he fought better with his faithful knife that killed his forever enemy.

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

Merce's fore-paw hit the sword jarringly. He didn't think his paw was broken, but it hurt. Merce thought back to his martial arts training many years ago. He remembered what his instructor had said about energy. When some-beast struck you, you must spread the energy of the blow. Like a arched bridge holds more weight, spread out energy does less damage. When attacking, do the opposite. Focus all your energy on the blow. He would have to remember this next time.

"T'oug' ye cauld take mea out buy me back? Face me like a warrior jet-scum! 'ere! Fig't wit' a weapon! If ye can catch it?"

Merce ducked as the blade spun through the air at his head. He reached up and caught it, then sprang into a standing position. He didn't respond to Travi except with a high pitched, pure evil laugh. Then he jumped at Travi's head, swinging the snow white sword blade downwards.

[Prankster101]

The weasel ducked the sword as it whizzed by and caught it. Travi was expecting the weasel to duck, any beast would unless he was an expert or was just plain dumb. What he didn't expect was the fact that the weasel caught it.

Ignoring the fact, Travi watched as the weasel emitted a high pitched laugh, it squeaked in his ears and made him wince.
He flinched at the sound, but was still able to respond as the weasel lept over him trying to smash the white blade down on Travi's head.

Travi leaned backward, spreading out his weight. He then trust his knife blade upward, holding the handle flat and grasping the tip in his other paw. This motion would catch the opposing blade and with a mighty uncoiling of his arm mussels, Travi would use the momentum to then launch the attack off into the air. Travi would be soon back in his fighting stance once again to face any retaliation.

[shade]

SHadowsleek ,gettign bored of watching, decided that it was time to take some actio nand get rid of the otter quickly; more abbey beasts would be coming soon. She lifted her saber forward and charged, her midnightpelt flashing as the moon light bounced against it, she halted her paws but stabbed her sword forward; right at the otters side as he made a dashing move and a....admitablly great stunt fo dodging Merce.

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

Merce sprang back when his blade bounced off of Travi's knife. He landed flat on his foot-paws a few feet away. Merce saw Shadowsleek dart in to attack the otter so he rested a little while Travi was distracted. Suddenly, he heard a scared voice from right behind him. "Who is that?" it asked. Merce turned to see a young squirrel in only a night-robe, shivering in the cold. "Your death," said Merce with an evil grin. He ran the Abbey-beast through without a thought. The blood pooled red on the fresh layer of white snow. Merce turned back to Travi, laughing his twisted laugh. "How do you like that otter?" he asked, "I hope he wasn't a friend of yours!" He burst out laughing again as if that was the funniest thing he had ever said.

[Prankster101]

Travi spun around as he bounced the white weasel of off his blade. The black one was trying to stab him in the side. He wouldn't allow that. He let go of his blade with his left paw,and swung it down with his right. The blade would hit the weasel's blade with a resounding crash, and the back wards motion of Travi's arm to wrench it sideways, not ever touching his side.

Travi shouted at the dark weasel, "Fightin' two ta un? Ye dan't like ta play fair da ye matey?" Travi was about to retaliate to the black weasel when he heard a voice.

"Who is that?"

Travi jerked around and saw a terrified little squirrel. He was about to shout at it to run off, when the white weasel ran it through with two words.

"Your death,"

The white weasel then turned to him, laughing evilly. Travi saw the blood pool from the poor little squirrel. Travi had liked that little mate. He had the good makings of treewiffler.Travi trembled in rage as the murder spoke.

"How do you like that otter?" he asked, "I hope he wasn't a friend of yours!"

Travi let out a wild yell. Like that of a wounded beast. It ripped from his mouth like a sword being pulled from it's scabbard. The cry pierced the soul. The anger unleashed in it was too great to contain in words. It was a cry of pain.....a cry of death......

Travi was now no longer in any control of himself. This weasel had gone too far! No longer able to shout at it. Travi ran toward the white weasel, his knife aimed for a skull crushing blow. The cry still issuing from his lips.

[Glavon]

((I think Griffin left the thread...so Solitude's coming in!))

How do you like that, otter? I hope he wasn't a friend of yours!

Finally. All those days and nights of searching had paid off.

Solitude Fleetclaw the mercenary stoat listened to every single word, saw the otter charge at the weasel, knife raised, howling like a madbeast, bringing the knife down in the beginnings of a devistating blow.

With a growl of defiance, the stoat dug his claws into the sandstone wall and tugged himself up until he made it to the top of the ramparts. The two guards were asleep on duty, and Solitude was never one to pass up an opprotunity to slay.

He whipped out his kilij; with a quick thrust, he stabbed the first of the two, a young mouse, in the back. He wasn't aiming to kill, just to cause pain, and it worked; the mouse's eyes immediately opened and it let out an extremely audible howl of pain. The stoat's eyes glinted madly with bloodlust before he pushed the mouse off the wall. A sickening snap and thud arose from the earth as the mouse hit the earth. He listened to the dying groans for a while before he copied the treatment to the other sentry, who was a squirrel.

Satisfied with the double kill, and knowing his prey would die soon from lack of blood and possibly broken bones, the stoat leapt nimbly off the ramparts, sheathing his kilij, and landed easily on the earth.

It was Merce, Solitude's forever enemy. With a swift snarl he walked forward.

"Hey, Merce. Miss me?" he hissed sharply, drawing his blade.

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

Travi's reaction to the squirrels death topped even Merce's wildest ideas. For a moment, the white weasel felt a surge of fear as the otter bore down on him. But his instinct to survive kicked in. As the knife came down at his head Merce leaned to the side and held up his sword to parry. However, Travi was a lot stronger than Merce. The pushed down Merce's sword into his own left shoulder. Merce bit his lip in pain. For one silent moment, the blades remained locked. Then, Merce dropped to the ground and rolled to his right side. He jumped up again, a nasty smile on his face. "That hurt, didn't it otter," Merce sneered, "you cared about him didn't you?"

"Hey, Merce. Miss me?"

Without turning to face Solitude, Merce answered. "No, not particularly," he said, "and by your name I guess you haven't been feeling a need for my company either." "Wait a for moment," Merce said to Travi and Shadowsleek. Then he turned to Fleet and began walking slowly towards the stoat. "Look, Solitude," he said, "we don't have to fight! We could be the two best mercenaries! Think of what we could do if we worked together!" Merce stopped only about three feet away from Solitude. Then, as quick as lighting, he drew a knife from his coat and threw it at Solitude with a flick of his wrist. "There can only be one!" Merce said with a laugh and slashed at Fleet with his sword.

[Prankster101]

Travi roared as he tried to slam his blade into the murder's skull, but the weasel brought his blade up to par the blow. However, Travi's strength was to much for the weasel and it dug his own blade into it's shoulder. It jumped away from Travi cajoling him.

"That hurt, didn't it otter, you cared about him didn't you?"

Travi didn't respond he only let out another roar when all of a sudden he heard a scream upon the ramparts. A mouse fell in pain off of the stone walk-way along with a squirrel. Travi stared at the dead bodies has he heard the weasel and this new intruder talk.
_________________________________________________
"Hey, Merce. Miss me?"

"No, not particularly, and by your name I guess you haven't been feeling a need for my company either.

Wait a for moment.

Look, Solitude, we don't have to fight! We could be the two best mercenaries! Think of what we could do if we worked together There can only be one!"
___________________________________________________

Travi watch the blood ebb from the two dead bodies. His own head began to swirl. He took deep breaths before he let out that scream again. The scream of death...of loss...of pain.... If his anger could get any worse, it just did.

Travi launched his knife at the white weasel with the arm of a rocket hoping to pierce it through the heart. Then he charged the new stoat, his teeth bared. He pounded across the little stretch of lawn like a wild beast. He the lept at the intruder, his jaws snapping together, trying to bite it in the neck, a lust for blood blazing in his eyes.

[Glavon]

No, not particularly, and by your name I guess you haven't been feeling a need for my company either. Wait a for moment. Look, Solitude, we don't have to fight! We could be the two best mercenaries! Think of what we could do if we worked together...

Solitude snarled. "Don't...call...me...SOLITUDE." he growled, his ice-blue eyes dangerous. The kilij whipped forward, pointing accusingly at its target. The stoat chuckled. "Of all places...I found you here. How fitting that I will end your life now." The glistening, black point of the blade sparkled in the dull light from the stars as Solitude tensed as Merce's knife came flying at him, accompanied by a rough shout.

There can only be one!

"Aye." Solitude growled, moving swiftly to the side so that the knife flew past him. "And it'll be me."

Suddenly, the otter charged at him, jaws bared to snap onto his neck. He leapt to the side, but the otter's paw inflicted a scratch mark upon his body. With a growl, the stoat leapt at Merce, kilij raised.