Alone in the Woods (Open) (I hope this is fine!)

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

Haaken took a step or two back from the encounter as Aloyoshenka burst out in anger again. It looked there would certainly be a fight now. If there was going to be a battle, Haaken would be ready. He knew that Oriana if it came to blows, and Aloyoshenka most likely was as well. He pressed the saphire of the top of his cane and drew out the blade. He pushed the cover of the blade into his sash so it would not hamper him in the fight.

"Now," he said, still as calm as ice, "if this is to be a fight, I would warn you not to attack be. I didn't learn live 61 years and not learn anything."

[tacticalotter2]

"And what plan might that be?" "The plan where you make me so ticked off I carve you into pieces? Or the plan where I grab that bow out of your paws and snap it in half? Or-"


Oh yatz, was this the month of overconfidence in the woodlands? Rogg decided that he would drop some the act. The young otter was getting annoyed at the group in front of him. Trying not so look at the soft looking brown fur of the female otter he spoke.
"No, that would be the plan where I neutralize all threats by any means necessary. In other words; plan three. Do not be foolish, there is no need for you to try and kill me, that would only bring you grief and pain. I have no need to kill you. Why should I be the one to break up such a jolly little gathering? Just put your weapons down and calm your angry hearts."
As he spoke he slowly began moving back, toward the cover of the pine tree, sword paw at the ready to draw. The other otter had some sort of weird sword that looked, well like nothing Rogg had seen before in all of his short life...

[Elicia]

Oriana's eyes darkened to an even more sinister black. "Me mate, don' ye dare try nothin'. Ye'll be dead b'fore ye can get tha' little blade out in yore paws!" At his simple refusal to salute, Oriana smiled softly. "Mah friend, Ah know wot ye are. Yew an' me, we're th'same. We work fer earthly pleasures, eh?" She blinked at him, remembering gold bracelets and jeweled rings, shimmering cloths and things of wonder that had been promised and given to her over the years.

They were so gorgeous. "Yew an'me, we fight fer money, sirrah. Don' try t'deny it." The hare shook her head. "Ye won' be able t'kill me. Yore not tha' kind of beast. If'n there's somethin' pretty tha' yore lookin' forward to gettin' yore paws on after this job, Ah might listen t'me, if'n Ah were ye. It's not all h'about the pretty things, mate." The hare smiled ruefully for a second, then it twisted into a pained grimace.

"Ye don' know yet wot treasure'll bring ye to, mate. No' yet. But ye will, Ah promise ye. No' yet. But mebbe ye'll realize only when th'time comes, eh? Th'time when yore faced wit a big group o'yore friends on one side an' a pretty liddle fortune on another. Mebbe then ye'll realize that some things're more important than treasure. Gold an' jewels're mighty nice, sah, Ah agree. But when th'time comes..." Oriana shook her head, and one of her ears drooped over sadly. Her draw on the bow increased, though, and she tensed her muscles a little bit more. "Ye don' know wot it's like t'kill a friend. No' yet. But ye will. Then ye'll never sleep again a'night, b'cause o'wot ye've done. Or, ye'll stand there wit the blood o'your mates on yore paws an' ye'll laugh and then ye'll be no better than the miserable blighter tha' gave ye yore orders in th'first place."

Suddenly, the hare perked her ears up, and she smiled brightly. "But, bein' in the business tha' yew're, Ah have a question fer ye. 'Ave ye ever heard o' Oriana Greenleaf, an' wot do ye think o'her? Ah'm lookin' for her meself, ye see. Everyone says tha' Ah look like her, an' so Ah am plannin' t'see fer meself wot she looks like. Also, Ah'm supposed t'be her "h'identical twin" h'according t'me friends." She flashed a signal to the others that was hidden from Rogg, telling them not to reveal her true identity to the otter. She wanted to hear what other mercenaries thought of her before revealing herself.

[tacticalotter2]

"Me mate, don' ye dare try nothin'. Ye'll be dead b'fore ye can get tha' little blade out in yore paws!" "Mah friend, Ah know wot ye are. Yew an' me, we're th'same. We work fer earthly pleasures, eh?"

Rogg relaxed, another mercenary? What luck, another blood-thirsty killer. Mercenaries would kill each other at the drop of a hat though, so the otter was still ready. But the hare was right, at that range there was no way she could miss. Why was it never easy? Rogg was becoming tired of all the jaw-jacking, he was a creature of action, not of words. But he could talk quite a lot in a pinch. He answered her slightly apprehensively
"Yes, you are right there matey, the gold, the silver, the jewels, those things that we love, there is nothing like the feeling when you kill for profit, is there?"
He remembered how easy it was to take a life. He looked at the ground for a moment, then raised his head and there was such a look of sadness in it as he recalled all of the pain he had caused in the last five years.

"But, bein' in the business tha' yew're, Ah have a question fer ye. 'Ave ye ever heard o' Oriana Greenleaf, an' wot do ye think o'her? Ah'm lookin' for her meself, ye see. Everyone says tha' Ah look like her, an' so Ah am plannin' t'see fer meself wot she looks like. Also, Ah'm supposed t'be her "h'identical twin"

The otter scratched his whiskers contemplatively, seeking the clouds for inspiration. Where had he heard that name before? Maybe from some victim of the mercenary before he was sent to his cruel fate by the otter? A tavern somewhere? Yes that was it. He had heard of how ruthless the black hare was from another mercenary but he did not remember the details about her, just the name: Oriana Greenleaf. Funny name, the otter thought. He looked at the hare then, and spoke in a world-weary voice.
"Orina Greenleaf? I've heard of her, a cruel and ruthless beast, loves to wear black. I also heard that shes from the Northlands. But thats about all I know about her. I have never met her but if I ever came across her I'm sure we would just be great friends."....

[Elizabeth]

Aloyoshenka sensed tension between the two otters. Then Rogg begin two talk to Oriana. Aloyoshenka listened intently and caught Oriana's signal. He summed up the situation... He came to the conclusion that the female otter was the biggest threat... to him at least. The female otter was safe herself unless he decided to go after her. Rogg still seemed captivated and distracted by her. The vole looked ready for about anything and now it seemed as if Oriana, Haaken, and himself were all on the same side.

He stuck his blade in the ground and leaned on it knowing the the fight was delayed. He could be ready at a moments notice if they were to come to blows.

[Glavon]

Orina Greenleaf? I've heard of her, a cruel and ruthless beast, loves to wear black. I also heard that shes from the Northlands. But thats about all I know about her. I have never met her but if I ever came across her I'm sure we would just be great friends.

Arawolf smirked, but didn't give anything away; it would not be good if the other otter already knew that the black hare actually was Oriana Greenleaf. She let the flamberge hang limply at her side before remembering that there was a pine marten that she was going to have to destroy.

She whirled around and slashed at Aloyoshenka with her blade.

(Sucky post, sorry. I've got to go.)

[Elizabeth]

Aloyoshenka quick as ever whipped his sword up to pary her attack. His breathing was steady as he stared hard at her. "Well... You asked for this." He said. His voice contained so much emotion that it was impossible to tell exactly what tone he was using. All any one could see at the present moment was that he was dead serious... he was not playing games. He never underestimated he opponents for fear of later regretting it. He prepared himself for the worst. (shortie)

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

(Short but silly. ;D)

Haaken emotionless, acting as if he was ignoring the fight that broke out between Arawolf and Aloyoshenka. If the two wanted to fight, he wouldn't try to stop them. Still he was whaching like a hawk. Instead, he sat down in the newly fallen snow and took his book from its pouch. He opened to where he left off with hardly any trouble. With his photographic memory he had remembered the page number easily. Then he adjusted his crystal spectacles and began reading about winter cloud patterns again. While he read he kept half an eye on the fight. He would try to stop it if some-beast got to hurt.

[tacticalotter2]

All hezmada broke loose then. The young otter dove behind a tree and drew his sword, ready to fight. If Orina fires then the shaft would bounce off his chest armor. He sat there for a moment contemplating the situation. He could not kill the otter, her deep blue eyes the color of the sea, her fur gleaming in the sun. Rogg could not concentrate on the task at hand. The female otter was to beautiful for him to start killing. The mercenary would try to stall until he could come back to his senses. He shouted from behind the pine.
"Don't do this! There's no need for me to kill you! Stop fighting that marten!" Rogg was slightly flustered, and he never got flustered. What was this strange feeling that he had for the female that was not letting him concentrate?....


(Love these quickies)

[Vikenti Whitedeath]

"Don't do this! There's no need for me to kill you! Stop fighting that marten!"

Haaken looked up from his book to where Rogg hid behind the tree. "Why don't you want to kill her?" he asked, "I've already guessed." Indeed, Haaken had guessed the reason and he was grinning wide about it. "Take control of your emotions son," he said, "or they will take control of you." Then he calmly returned to his reading.

[Elizabeth]

Aloyoshenka glanced quickly at the vole and then rolled his eyes. What on earth did the silly old creature think he was doing?

"Why don't you want to kill her? I've already guessed. Take control of your emotions son, or they will take control of you."

Aloyoshenka nodded. So this beast wasn't particularly stupid after all. He knew what the vole was talking about. It had happened in so many ways to so many different people. His friends, him. Aloyoshenka sighed. He wished he could forget the past, there was so many things he wanted to let go of but couldn't...
Aloyoshenka was lost in thought. Memories of days long long past. Overhead was the monotones, peaceful, quiet silence of a winter day. He moved a foot slightly and a branch snapped underneath him. He jumped at the sound and was awakened from his contemplation. They were still standing there? Ugh! Get on with the killing already, he thought.

[Glavon]

Well... You asked for this.

"Asked for what?" Arawolf snapped as the marten deflected the blade. "You to bore me to death by talking?"

The flamberge shot back to its owner's side. Completely ignorant of the other beasts around her-the vole, the hare, and the other otter-the blue-gray eyes narrowed, shooting hatred at the pine marten before the otter went on the attack again.

Fluidly, the blade shot out, aimed at the marten's chest, then whirled around at the beast's neck before slashing at the torso of the vermin creature. Three possible death moves all contained in one movement.

She smirked.

[Elizabeth]

Aloyoshenka paired all the attacks quickly and expertly. This was the kind of combat you would find in duels between beasts that had trained swordplay all their lives. From a distance this looked spectacular. A glimmer of light and the flash of the sun glinting on the metal coupled with the clash of cold steel was a spectacle not experienced every day. "I can beat you in a fight as easily as I can walk or breath. That is what I mean by 'you asked for this.' Do you understand?" With this comment he made a quick chop at her head. (Shortie! Shortie! Shortie!)

[Elicia]

Oriana smiled cheerfully, and plopped down in the snow. Leaning back, with her paws behind her head, the hare pressed an image of herself into the snow. "Well, me mates, this's 'bout as much fun as Ah've gotten in a long time, eh? Keep it'up, this'n fight is jolly h'amusing, wot!" Still smiling, the black hare closed her eyes, thinking back to what the other mercenary had said.

Oraina Greenleaf? I've heard of her, a cruel and ruthless beast, loves to wear black. I also heard that she's from the Northlands. But thats about all I know about her. I have never met her, but if I ever came across her I'm sure we would just be great friends.

Ah wonder....should Ah tell 'em who Ah am? Ah'd love t'see the look on his face! But...mebbe Ah should wait abit. But...nae, Ah've got t'progress, and Ah doubt that Ah'll get anywhere just by pretendin' that Ah'm somebeast else, ya know? The hare opened one eye to stare at the other mercenary coldly. She didn't want to spoil the fun by telling who she was, but she also really wanted to give that Rogg a fright. So, maybe the pros outweighed the cons....

She spoke up loudly, making sure that Rogg could hear her. "Mah repu'ation seems t'be procedin' me. Wot a wonderful way t'be descibed, eh? 'Cruel an' ruthless'? Ah think Ah'm ha-fennded. Ah'm no that bad, y'ken? Ah've got a heart 'side mah chest, now don' Ah? Ah'm hardly ruthless." She winked, and then opened her other eye and stood up quickly, with a salute.

"Oriana Greenleaf, at yore service, mercenary hare an' 'ardly th'ruthless beast ye make me seem, sirrah! Yore right on one matter, though. Ah was born in th'Northlands, but Ah don' sound like it b'cause o'mah travels, ye ken? Ah've got a bit o'it all, wot! Bit o'mountain hare, bit o'otter, bit o'squirrel, bit o'vole, but mostly Northlander, eh wot? Quite a fine mix, if'n ye ask me! But anyways, matey, wot got it into yore 'ead tha' we'd be mates, eh? Jus' curious, no saying we can't, ye ken. Jus' wanted t'know. Ah'm quite th'curious beast!"

[tacticalotter2]

Rogg was beginning to come back to his senses, though he was confused why the female otter had attacked the marten. Was this normal behavior for her? The mercenary otter knew the wonderful feeling of silently slaying creatures, or a chaotic battle, but he never attacked random creatures he met. Maybe the other otter was a little bit mental, but that was offset by her skill with the weapon that she used and her perfectly shaped face and her.... Rogg snapped himself out of his trance and nearly screamed at the pair of creatures that were fighting.
"Stop frelling fighting!! It's getting frelling annoying. Just stop your frelling pie-holes from speaking so I can tell you what I want!!"
He was becoming very frustrated with the way that the events were unfolding. This was not normal for the otter. He was used to straight forward battles and underpaw dealings, not diplomacy with fools. This was going to be interesting.


"Mah repu'ation seems t'be procedin' me. Wot a wonderful way t'be descibed, eh? 'Cruel an' ruthless'? Ah think Ah'm ha-fennded. Ah'm no that bad, y'ken? Ah've got a heart 'side mah chest, now don' Ah? Ah'm hardly ruthless." "Oriana Greenleaf, at yore service, mercenary hare an' 'ardly th'ruthless beast ye make me seem, sirrah! Yore right on one matter, though. Ah was born in th'Northlands, but Ah don' sound like it b'cause o'mah travels, ye ken? Ah've got a bit o'it all, wot! Bit o'mountain hare, bit o'otter, bit o'squirrel, bit o'vole, but mostly Northlander, eh wot? Quite a fine mix, if'n ye ask me! But anyways, matey, wot got it into yore 'ead tha' we'd be mates, eh? Jus' curious, no saying we can't, ye ken. Jus' wanted t'know. Ah'm quite th'curious beast!"


Rogg was still hiding behind the tree when he heard the hare's voice. Orina Greenleaf? The otter had never actually heard of her, but she seemed quite obsessed with being known far and wide, but he had nothing to lose so he played along with her. But 'Ah bit o'otter', that was just plain lunacy. Rogg had never really liked hares, there inability to concentrate, the way they spoke, he realized that he had never met a hare he actually liked. He shook his head and scratched his whiskers, that was quite strange. He had met vermin that he liked, but never a hare... strange.


Now, how to deal with them, especially the hare. She looked like a capable beast, and well, capable was a threat. But there was still no need to make the meeting violent, so he peeped around the tree half expecting to see an arrow flying toward him, but lucially there was not. He then spoke in a slightly world-weary voice.
"Well, um... I'm glad to meet you Orion, I'm Rogg Streambattle. Can you get those two to stop fighting 'cause I really need a friend not a half of a friend."
He eyed the female otter and a shiver went down his spine. She was just so beautiful...

[Elizabeth]

Aloyoshenka groaned and wiped sweat off his forehead. Would these beasts ever stop. "Listen. Streambattle. We'd just love to stop the fighting, but did you see this girl? A born killer. I doubt this is stopping here." He lowered his blade and looked at the female otter. "Miss, he'd rather not have me chop your head off. What do you say? Please this gentleman by lowering your weapon, or continue to attack? It's completely up to you." He paused and looked around a bit. "Yes Oriana..." He grinned. "Both of these otters make you seem like the nicest beast that ever was born."



Silenis was walking along in the woods when she heard beasts talking. She was inquisitive and sociable so, naturally, she went toward the sound. She paused when she came upon a large group of beast. Two, a pine marten and a female otter looked as if they had been fighting. There was a male otter that looked oddly familiar but she couldn't see who he was from a distance. There was an old vole and also a female hare. "Hello creatures! Hope I'm not breaking in on anything important here. Pardon me if I am, but what's going on?" She smiled and looked from face to face. She wondered if some of those beasts we're very friendly or not. She looked at the otter again. She wished he was closer. He had to be somebeast she knew...

[Elicia]

Oriana smiled sheepishly. "Wot can Ah say, mate? Even Ah'm 'umbled by th'fightin' spirits o'this here bunch! No that..." She felt for her quiver protectively, "No that Ah've gotten a chance t'take a whack at them, ye ken. But Ah doubt Ah'll get to, so Ah'll settle fer watchin' ye-it's int'restin' enough!" Then, suddenly, Oriana spun on one foot. Her black eyes searched the area keenly, then came to rest upon the newcomer. Smiling, Oriana was pleased with herself. Apparently her tracking skills had not been dulled since her last job. But, then again, she couldn't give herself much credit: the newcomer had made such a racket it was hard to see why everyone didn't see her coming. Oriana was bored, and it didn't look like she'd get a piece in the fight, so instead the Northerner notched her bow and leveled it at the newcomer.

"If'n ye please, missy, Ah'd have yore name b'fore Ah tell ye any more about us, ye ken? And, as Ah don' know ye, Ah'd thank ye t'stay over there." The hare narrowed her eyes at the maid. "Ye are one young maid t'be out here, missy. An' wot's with speakin' all fancy, eh? No that Ah have a problem with it, but Ah rarely see somebeast like ye around tha' talks like tha'."

[Elizabeth]

"Hmmph! Well... I don't see why I have to give away that much information before you do. Anyway, it's not like I'll withhold it from you. I suppose. Ah well, my name's Silenis Wildlough. Oh..." Here Silenis grinned. "Why would a hardened warrior care if a "young maid" came near her?"

She wiggled her tail a bit and reached back to draw her bow. In one quick deft movement she nocked an arrow to her bow. "Now Mam. You shoot and I shoot. And I guarantee you that if I see the arrow coming, and fire back, I'll hit my mark first." She paused a second. "It's only for my own safety. I'm not trying to be rude?" She glanced over at the male otter again. With a sigh she lowered her bow and stared at the hare. "I suppose I'll be leaving if you don't want me here?"

[Elicia]

A wry smile touched Oriana's lips, and she lowered her bow. "Nae, missy, Ah'd hit mah target first, and dodge yore arrow. B'sides," She slung her bow across her back again, and raised her paws. They were empty now except for the arrow that she had not put away, which hung loosely in the right one. The maid would understand the gesture, and probably why she had kept the arrow out, too. "Ye look so young. Anyways, thank ye for the complement, missy. Ah'm nought but a wee lass, all alone here, ye ken? Ah doubt that Ah'm much younger or older than ye at all, so bein' called a 'hardened warrior' is quite the feat, eh?" Oriana narrowed her eyes, though, when the maid said she'd leave.

"Nae, missy, stay a while. There's a wee brawl to watch here. Ah have the mind t'see it, and Ah could do with some company." The tall hare saluted sharply. "Th'name's Oriana. Ah'm a mercenary an' traveler, and a good Northerner t'boot. Th'bow's mah preferred weapon, ye must understand, and Ah only drew it out of habit-Ah'm really quite nice when ye know me. C'mon, have a seat, ye cannae hurt anythin'." Smiling, the Northerner hare beckoned to Silenis. "Ah dinnae know where ye came from, miss Silenis, but Ah recken ye're a goodbeast. Ah'll keep my history a secret, and so do ye, unless ye feel th'urge to tell me, eh? B'cause Ah am no about t'tell."