&Chance By

[//Ah-Dol]

((ooc: Join in at any time. Open to all. The likes. >D))


Ah-Dol had escaped from Redwall Abbey.

The weasel wasn't so used to many beasts in one place. It was crowded from wall to wall. So many beings, too much for a loner to stand. Plus... Laughing Dibbuns in play, cheerful wives in gossip, happy friends...he shared none of that. So it wasn't right for him to be in that life at all. His life was on the road. It had been a mistake to go to the Abbey again; he vowed to only go if they needed a Healer. But they had that Squirrel...err...Drecas was it? Yes, he was their healer.

The snowy weasel's thoughts broke as his brown head followed a stray sparrow, taking flight. They didn't go to a warmer climate for winter. They stayed at Redwall. He smiled idly. It seemed all life in Mossflower was dependant on the Abbey...except him. Ah-Dol lay back further, sliding down from the oak tree and into the frosty ground so to see the sparrow better. The young weasel soon was humming a poem outloud.

"A brief candle; both ends burning
An endless mile; a wheel turning
A friend to share the lonesome times
A handshake and a sip of wine
So say it loud and let it ring
We are all a part of everything
The future, present and the past
Fly on proud bird
You're free at last."

He usually didn't sing, hence the humming part of it all, but his gentle voice echoed 'round the trees of Mossflower.

[Cressida.]

cressida deluna || goodbeast || squirrel
^{_{-- Maiden of the Bow}}

[/sub][/b][/color]

Unfortunately for the weasel, she was also wandering around the proximity. However, she was concealed in the treetops and was taking quite a peaceful nap, undisturbed by the snowy weasel traveling towards the giant oak. Leaning against the rough trunk with her left leg crossed over her right, the golden squirrel seemed to be the perfect picture of tranquility. Her afternoon nap, however, was about to be broken by the song that escaped Ah-Dol's muzzle.

Immediately her coralline eyes snapped open and, moving as inconspicuously as she could, glanced down at the dusty, firm road below. She could make out a slim figure traveling towards the tree (it was rather close to her) and he seemed to be humming to himself. After sniffing the air, Cressie immediately discovered that it was a weasel, not just a woodlander. Vermin! a voice cried in her head, and her fluffy tail stood up like a banner as she reached for the whitewood bow that had been hanging off of a short, broken limb just above her head. Now standing up, she had a clear shot of the weasel. Yet there was something odd about him ...

He uses perfect speech, and as far as I can tell, he isn't carrying a single weapon, she thought. However, her eyes caught sight of a pouch hanging around his waist, and she knew from past experiences that it was one of those bags that held herbs and spices. A healer at that. Bemused and perplexed, she hung kept her bow tucked firmly (but not roughly) in her jaw as she swung down lower at a rapid rate. By the time she reached the ground, she was close enough to the weasel to see that he was wearing a dark brown vest, slightly open at the front. It wasn't exactly typical vermin-wear, but anything was suspicious to one as prejudiced as she was.

Why did it have to be a vermin? When someone was so addicted to hunting for ratty-faced prats running around Mossflower, one had a tendency to try to find any form of vermin guilty of crime, whether any had been comitted or not. Just the other day she had swung in on a particularly peculiar fox who seemed to be no harm at all, considering that he only had one arm. Thus, Cressida was an extremely biased creature who absolutely despised weasels, stoats, and all other forms of evil creature (excluding her best friend, Argyros Silverfur, who was an arctic fox).

Deciding not to take chances this time like she had almost done last time with Balraun, the aurate squirrelmaid nocked her bow swiftly and aimed it directly at the moving Ah-Dol's head. "'Scuse me there, sir. What business do you have wandering about Mossflower?" she called out in a commanding, haughty tone. There was something in her voice that obviously showed she was used to being obeyed, especially by someone as menial as a weasel. However, despite the arrogance and vanity that Cressie displayed, she was a loyal friend and a warrior at heart.[/size][/blockquote][/font]

[//Ah-Dol]

((ooc: -waves to May- Ello, Ello!))


"What--?!" the weasel's huge black eyes snapped open, staring around in search of the voice to soon find an arrow-tip being pointed at him. He quickly backed up firmly against the oak tree that he had been lying against, gaze never leaving the loaded bow. It was quite clear Ah-Dol wasn't used to weapons or weapons being pointed at him or just being around them in general. He looked utterly terrified; breath coming in ragged gasps, eyes widening...and he felt rather faint too. Why'd he get into such things?

"I...I...I'm a traveling Healer! J-Just came from Redwall Abbey!" the weasel pointed wildly in the direction of the building with one paw. "stopped...to take a break! I don't have any valuables on me or food, nor a weapon for that matter...just to tell you..." he trailed off, thinking this was some kind of robber. What kind of beast would randomly put a weapon to another's head after all? This one must be after something. Sadly, he didn't have anything of value.

Female, by the sound of the voice Ah-Dol thought, trying to figure out his situation. bow...err...can shoot me if I run. Not...very good. Urhh... he swayed alittle on the spot, catching his balance by grasping the oak behind him. Chancing a glance to look behind the bow, he saw a squirrel holding it. It would have made a difference in another's eyes, but not to the Healer's. He knew that any beast can be either good or bad. It mattered not what species.

[Cressida.]

cressida deluna || goodbeast || squirrel
^{_{-- Maiden of the Bow}}

[/sub][/b][/color]

Her bowstring tightened with a noticeable groan - it didn't seem as if she culd pull it back any farther. Keeping the arrowhead trained on weasel's head, she found herself quite taken aback by his flustered and genuinely worried voice. Was he really that surprise by her sudden intrusion? Besides, most vermin would be used to weapons ... Unless he spoke truly. Unfortunately, Cressie was one of the last creatures alive to ever admit that she had made a major mistake, and so the aurate squirrel kept her bow pointed directly at Ah-Dol's head, directly in between his two eyes. She wasn't about to let him go.

"Ah, a Healer are you?" she asked doubtfully into the air, chattering in a squirrel-like way. It was quite obvious by the tone of her voice that she didn't trust him. No weapon or food? What does this dimwit think he's doing? Something deflated inside of her. Maybe - just maybe - this weasel was completely innocent. Maybe he hadn't done anything wrong, and once again, Cressie found herself pointing her arrow at a harmless creature. Ashamed of herself, she lowered her arrowhead towards the ground and relaxed the string. In one swift, smooth motion, she had stuck the unused arrow back in the quiver and had her bow anging off of the quiver around her waist. True, she looked almost like a lumberjack, but there was still some sort of flair to her.

The squirrel fumbled for words for a few seconds. "So you're really ... really from the h'Abbey, aren't you.[/b]" A frown appeared over her face as she stepped out of her hiding spot in the woods. On open ground, it made her feel extremely wary and uneasy, but she easily reached the weasel in just a few bounds. "In that case, 'pologies. I'm a vermin-hunter, and so I'm not very likely to believe any form of creature like you would be innocent.[/b]" She shrugged in an exasperated way. "Quite ironic, seeing as my best mate is an arctic fox himself[/b]."

ooc;; 'lo there.[/size][/blockquote][/font]

[//Ah-Dol]

Ah-Dol had closed his eyes at this point, keeping them firmly shut. If he was going to die...he truly didn't want to see the coming arrow. Still shivering on the spot, he nodded several times, even after the squirrelmaid asked outloud in disbelief if he was really a Healer. He wasn't used to having weapons turned on him...nobody would lift a paw against a healer; they were good to all creatures. The thought that this squirrel could do it willingly...it sent further shivers up his spine.

Creaking of a bow.

One black eye vengered a look, just a sliver open. The squirrel had lowered her weapon, but the weasel didn't feel safe. Again, the word vermin-hunter came up...like that fox in the Abbey. It was such a cruel word and world. Any beast had the power to be evil or good. Couldn't they see it?

"Err...uhh...no, miss. I-I am a traveling Healer. I go where...I please" Ah-Dol corrected her gently, both eyes open now. He wanted to be alert...especially since he had his say. "but...p-pardon this; you made a mistake with me...You could have made a mistake with many others you call 'vermin'. All creatures can be good or evil, regardless of their species. I've seen squirrels that are evil...plus...one might also think you are slightly evil to draw your weapon against a beast that obviously carries no weapons." his voice grew a bit stronger as he carried on his preeching. It mattered not that he was attacked; defending his fellow animals was a better cause. Racism had no place in this world.

"Errr...truthfully...I don't feel safe with you near me now, miss" the weasel shivered at the thought of the bow pointed at him again.

[Cressida.]

cressida deluna || goodbeast || squirrel
-- Maiden of the Bow

A frown creased over her delicate features at his words. Absolutely wonderful, she thought sarcastically, repressing a sigh. Now he thinks I'm a bloodthirsty maniac out to eat any living vermin alive. Waiting until his short preeching was over, she watched him quizzically. Was he honestly convinced that she was some sort of psychotic racist? Still thoroughly exasperated, she tapped her head with an aurate paw before droning on into her own explanation of her hatred for vermin.

"Sir

[/b]," she began with utmost respect, closing her eyes sagely, "Argy and I don't make mistakes with enemies. Trust me, if you've seen the vermin we've had to deal with in the past, you would understand why we ... highly dislike them so much.[/b]" A vision of her mother flashed across her mind, and Cressie pushed it away. She didn't want Maybell coming across her at a time like this. This weasel's gone mad, she thought to herself, hearing his footpaws tapping against the ground as he shifted uneasily in her presence. He must be some peace-lover. Now I couldn't live that way. I need some sort of excitement in my life, instead of preeching like some holy monk.

"I never kill on first sight, and that's something you must understand. I give the other a chance to explain what they're doing if we see them comitting no crime[/b]," she continued, now watching him closely with her coralline eyes. "Which is exactly why I aked you your business here in Mossflower. Argy and I don't take chances when our lives, and others, are at stake. We want to finish our job as quickly and cleanly as possible without involving others.[/b]" It was their job to protect the forest from stray bands of blackhearted vermin.

Upon hearing his last remark about how some squirrels were considered mad for drawing their bows, Cressida flared up like an ignited fire. "Just because I'm trying to protect the woodlanders doesn't mean I'm evil,[/b]" she snapped, now glaring at him and abandoning all pretense of politeness. "Honestly, you have no idea of the kind of evil out there. I've seen creatures that make a living by poisoning others. Do you honestly think that they would need a weapon when they have all the toxins one could physically carry?[/b]" Her breath was becoming faster now that she was speaking so fast. "Get over yourself, old man[/b]," she murmured darkly under her breath.

ooc;; a bit of me coming out in that post. xD
I have a tendency to flare up myself when people accuse me of doing something wrong.[/size][/blockquote][/font]

[The…[Bunnehs]]

"Ah...but I assure you...if you saw a rat, carrying no weapons at all, walking through these very woods, and a vole armed to the top of his head...I think you would turn your back to the vole and go for the rat, am I right?" Ah-Dol replied calmly despite her increasing rage. He held up a shaken paw. "there is nothing wrong with protecting others. But when one labels others without just cause...or just because of what species they happen to be...that is wrong. There can be evil in the heart of any beast." his huge black eyes turned in the direction of Redwall Abbey, then back to the squirrelmaid. He refrained from sighed, but rolled his shoulders lightly none the less.

"And who asked you to patrol Mossflower Wood with a iron claw? You don't have a right to stop others in their business, pointing an arrow to their skull and demanding to know what they're doing. That Abbey wouldn't approve of such things happening right outside their doors. They would see you as the tyrant you're trying to protect others from." the weasel frowned, leaning further against the oak. Didn't know evil? Travelers often knew more of the world than those locked in one particular place. But there was no use explaining that to a close-minded squirrelmaid. ...Yet he had to get some words in.

"...I'm a Healer. 'Course I know of poisons, don't talk to me like I'm naive. Plus...I'm only a few seasons older than you. Old man that." Ah-Dol felt like he was a bandit once more, telling off his comrades in 'good nature'. That was along time ago...he shouldn't let some stupid squirrel get on his only nerve. The snowy white weasel slid to the ground, closing his eyes once more. "I don't think you have anything else to say...if you aren't going to murder a Healer, then I'll have to ask you to leave. A vermin needs his sleep."

[Cressida.]

ooc;; just for organization, I'll be inserting Ah-Dol's quotes into my post as I go. Since he's talking so much, it'd be easier to show what she's responding to.. and it'll make my post look longer. xDD
ic;;
cressida deluna || goodbeast || squirrel
^{_{--Maiden of the Bow}}

[/sub][/b][/color]

The golden squirrel, now indignant that the weasel had just insulted her outlook on vermin, wasted no time in chattering back a retort at the male. She was an extremely argumentative person - especially when it came to who was right or wrong. Normally, Cressie was always right - not because she was literally correct, but simply because others gave up on quarreling with her in pointless bickers. Besides, they thought, it would be her problem in the end when Cressa found out that she was wrong. Well, the her friends were wrong. She never gave up on proving her case right, and when the argument was forgotten, life simply resumed as it had been before it had started.

"Ah...but I assure you...if you saw a rat, carrying no weapons at all, walking through these very woods, and a vole armed to the top of his head...I think you would turn your back to the vole and go for the rat, am I right?"

Her coralline eyes glared beadily at him, as if threatening to ask if he really had the nerve to question her judgement. What an insolent little ... She cut her thoughts off in order to keep her temper down. After all, Ah-Dol was becoming quite a nuisance to her, and Cressida Orchid DeLuna was the last person one would ever want to annoy. "Sadly, you're correct. Typically rats are much more likely to attack an innocent bystander than voles[/b]," she chattered back rapidly, crossing her arms almost childishly.

"There is nothing wrong with protecting others. But when one labels others without just cause...or just because of what species they happen to be...that is wrong. There can be evil in the heart of any beast."

Gosh this guy's persistant, she thought darkly to herself, tapping her foot paw against the gravelly ground as she waited for him to finish. Rolling her eyes, she opened her mouth again to speak and found that her voice was much louder than she had wanted it to be. "Even if I label said rathead, it wouldn't do any harm. I don't kill creatures on first sight without asking about their intentions first," Cressida snapped, becoming more and more indignant.

"And who asked you to patrol Mossflower Wood with a iron claw? You don't have a right to stop others in their business, pointing an arrow to their skull and demanding to know what they're doing. That Abbey wouldn't approve of such things happening right outside their doors. They would see you as the tyrant you're trying to protect others from."

This was the final straw for the golden squirrel. She had just inferred that Ah-Dol has just said that she was just as bad as the vermin that had tortured her woodland friends, and Cressida's aurate paw balled into a fist, although she kept her arms crossed at her chest. Her ear was twitching rapidly, and she prepared to give the weasel a proper chastising. "Look here, Mister Bonehead!" Her voice was already trembling with outrage. "I-try-to-protect-the-Abbey-from-idiots-like-you-and-keep-innocent-woodlanders-safe-from-evil-murdering-nobrainers[/b]," she hissed through gritted teeth so that the words seemed to blend into each other, making it seem almost unintelligable.

Cressida had been right in the first place. She should've killed Ah-Dol before he had a chance to give her this huge preaching that she would never give a second thought about.[/size][/blockquote][/font]