Red Like Fire ((Open))

[Cross]

A red and black fox clambered nimbly down the sides of the canyon, balancing on the rocky cliffs with acrobatic precision. Fifteen feet above the canyon floor, he leaped forward, using a boulder to perform a backhand spring and landed perfectly upon the ground, smiling in satisfaction.

"Tanto es rojo! Me alegra el corazón! (So much red! It warms my heart!)" he cackled, picking up a rose-colored stone and hefting it in his paw. Looking up at the sky, he was pleased to see the sun had begun to set. All the world was cast into a gorgeous red-gold glow. It was as if everything was consumed in a glorious inferno. The fox sighed happily, admiring the view for a moment.

Joaquin "Blaze" Ignacio de la Cruz tossed the red rock between his paws as he casually strolled through the quarry. A cool evening breeze ruffled his fur, and he briefly considered donning his big trench coat. Pulling the big coat out of his bag, he decided to simply drape it over his shoulder just in case.

At a soft scraping sound, he unsheathed his prized silver cutlass, casting about for the source of the noise. A small garter snake slithered by a few yards away, and Joaquin relaxed. But only for a second, for another sound caught his attention. He whirled around, cutlass held out before him in a ready position. In the dimming evening light, he could just barely make out a figure near the edge of the quarry.

"¿Quién está ahí?" he called. Letting out a curse, he reminded himself he wasn't in the south anymore. He tried again, "Who is dhere?"

[Promatera]

With the sun setting and the night swiftly arriving, Dandelion had not the slightest clue where she was. She had been searching for Mossflower for some time, but had she finally arrived? Just ahead of her looked like some sort of pit.

As she stepped closer Dandelion noticed the beautiful red hue of the surrounding stone. Clutching her precious doll, Dandelion continued to the rim of the pit. As she approached she accidentally disturbed some rocks, but realized it was no pit she was standing over. It looked like some sort of abandoned mine.

"¿Quién está ahí?" he called. He tried again, "Who is dhere?"

Now on alert, Dandelion placed her doll inside her satchel and searched about the area below her. Just below she could make out what looked like a fox. Vermin. Just what she needed. What was it he had said? The stupid beast could not even speak right.

"Who is there?" she called back.

Although she despised vermin, from a distance it was not as bad. Besides, Dandelion had to find Redwall, even if it meant asking a disgusting fox. Paws clenched tight on her halberd, Dandelion awaited a reaction. If the fox made any move towards her, Dandelion had plenty of stones to dissuade it. Hopefully it would not come to that, but when one deals with vermin one should always expect the worst.

"Is this Mossflower country?" she added.

[Cross]

"Who is there?" she called back.

Joaquin cursed again. So some beast was really here. He hadn't just been seeing things. So much for a peaceful night alone in the pretty red quarry. He lowered his cutlass slightly. The voice had been female, and from what he could tell, young. Probably younger than himself.

"Un solo zorro," he answered. Catching himself, he reverted to the Mossflower dialect. "Only a fox. What d' you seek at thees late hour?"

"Is this Mossflower country?" she added.

"Sí, señorita," he replied, moving slowly towards the figure. "Joo are een Mossflower country." Though he spoke in the northern tongue, his accent was thick. The handsome fox wished someday to find another who spoke his tongue. Going north had been a mistake.

[Promatera]

"Sí, señorita," he replied, moving slowly towards the figure. "Joo are een Mossflower country."

There was an odd accent tied with the fox's speech, but Dandelion could still understand what he had said. She had finally made it into Mossflower. How much further was she from Redwall Abbey? She couldn't believe it. Dandelion felt the need to confirm the abbey's existence just to prove it was real.

"Have you heard of Redwall Abbey?" she called. Dandelion doubted a fox would know, but it was worth a shot. If her father was right, then surely vermin would have heard of its dangers and stayed away.

[Cross]

"Have you heard of Redwall Abbey?" she called.

Joaquin jumped onto a high boulder, still far below the figure as she stood on the rim of the quarry. She looked small. Maybe a hedgehog? Or perhaps a mouse? The fox fought to keep a wicked grin from crossing his face at the thought of a mouse.

"Sí, I yav heard of Redwall," he called back with a grin, placing a foot on a higher boulder. "Por el precio--Eh, if price is right." No sense in giving directions if he didn't get anything from it. Narrowing his eyes, he was finally able to make out the figure.

"Ah, mira (look)," he said with a grin. "La joven es un ratón. (The young lady is a mouse.)" He didn't bother translating for her. She would run away if she knew what he would do to her, now that he knew she was a mouse. Her fur was a glorious golden color. It almost mad him sad to think he'd have to burn it.

Clearing his throat, he pretended to translate his former words. "Eh, you have food fore a starveen zorro," he began modestly. "And I will tell joo where Redwall lies, yes?" He loathed this northern tongue. It didn't have any flow. He felt as though his tongue was chopping blocks of wood with each word. He might have to get some paper out soon to give his mouth and brain a rest.

[Promatera]

"Sí, I yav heard of Redwall," he called back with a grin, placing a foot on a higher boulder. "Por el precio--Eh, if price is right."

Already Dandelion was on alert. The fox seemed to have trouble communicating, but what he said was undercut with a sinister undertone. She did not like where this conversation was going.

"Ah, mira (look)," he said with a grin. "La joven es un ratón."

What did the fox say? This had to be some other language because it was making little sense to her. Her grasp on her halberd tightened.

"Eh, you have food fore a starveen zorro," he began modestly. "And I will tell joo where Redwall lies, yes?"

Sweeping her weapon into her paws she pointed it at the fox. She had had enough.

"Stay right where you are fox," she commanded, "I'm sure you can tell me where the abbey is without food."

She had learned early on in her life never to deal with vermin; she should have heeded her intuition. The fox seemed agile and it would be no problem for him to reach her, but with all the rocks scattered around the rim she would have plenty of ammunition to keep the fox at bay. However, there was a look in the fox's eyes that disturbed Dandelion. This vermin was different from other vermin yet Dandelion would kill him just the same as all the others if need be. It was only a fox.

[Cross]

"Stay right where you are fox," she commanded, "I'm sure you can tell me where the abbey is without food."

Joaquin's ears perked up as he sheathed his cutlass. He leaned a paw on his knee, still grinning. "La joven está loco? (The young lady is mad?)" he chuckled. Holding up his paws, he pretended to acquiesce. "Sí, sí, te diré--I will tell joo." With the ease of the acrobat he was, the fox nimbly climbed to a higher rock, still well out of reach of the mouse on the rim.

"Mejor, yo te--I can show you. I yav been to des Redwall place before," he said. "No puedo decir que las--I canno say direction in your tongue, señorita." He had to get the mouse down here, somehow. "Voy a escribir--eh, I write down direction, an' joo come get it, yes? No give me food, only get direction."

Joaquin dug in his bag for a clean sheet of paper and a charcoal stick. In reality, he had never even seen Redwall before, but he'd heard of it plenty of times. He knew it lay to the west, and that was pretty much it. With a show of effort, the fox scribbled a less-than-adequate depiction of the quarry, and then on the opposite end of the page drew, what he thought to be, a satisfactory likeness of some kind of abbey. He added a river, some trees, and maybe a rock or two for good measure.

Finished, he rolled it up and was about to offer it to the mouse when a soft hissing caught his attention. His sensitive ears picked up the telltale noise of a large, scaled beast slithering closer. Looking up, he saw a massive adder arriving at the rim of the quarry, rearing up behind the mouse with deadly stealth.

"Detrás de ti!" he shouted. His makeshift map forgotten, the fox drew his cutlass and flicked his right wrist. A throwing knife dropped from his loose sleeve and into his paw. Without a second thought, the fox hurled the knife at the snake. The razor-sharp blade grazed the mouse's shoulder and the snake's flank. "Behind you, señorita!! Snake!"

[Promatera]

"Mejor, yo te--I can show you. I yav been to des Redwall place before," he said. "No puedo decir que las--I canno say direction in your tongue, señorita." He had to get the mouse down here, somehow. "Voy a escribir--eh, I write down direction, an' joo come get it, yes? No give me food, only get direction."

Reluctant to take the fox's word she stood silent as she watched the fox scribble down a map. Dandelion knew she could not trust the vermin, but she had made it her goal to reach Redwall and this was about the only clue she had to go from.

The fox had just about finished with his map when Dandelion notice his ears perk and he looked up just beyond her. He looked quite shocked.

"Detrás de ti!" he shouted.

What had he said? To Dandelion's surprise the fox drew his cutlass and pulled out a throwing knife. Had the fox gone insane? Clutching her halberd she suddenly heard a small hissing noise not far behind her. Just as she started to turn the fox's throwing knife grazed her right shoulder. It stung, but she instantly forgot the pain at the sight of a giant snake just before her. It looked very deadly, but it was distracted by the throwing knife which had grazed it on the flank. In pure reaction Dandelion swung her halberd before the snake could return its attention to her. The snake noticed her movement and tried to avoid her attack, but she had swung too fast. With a powerful slash, Dandelion tore into her victim's raised body leaving a large gash.

Writhing in pain the creature swung about everywhere. One coiled blow swept Dandelion off her foot paws. Blood flowed freely from the snake's wound, but having caught Dandelion it moved in once more for the kill. It's cold, dark eyes reflected her own enraged visage. Very briefly she was reminded of the eyes of her doll, but in these eyes there was no friendliness. Pulling her halberd to her side, she prepared herself for the snake's strike. If she wanted to live, she would have to move faster than lightning.

[Cross]

Joaquin cursed as the snake swept the mouse up in its coils. She didn't seem too perplexed about her situation, but the fox was not letting the snake get his prey. With the speed of a professional acrobat, Joaquin scaled the wall of the quarry, flipping up to the rim with his second throwing knife at the ready.

Using the momentum from his flip, the fox launched his knife at the snake. It flew straight into the serpent's eye, and the beast thrashed about wildly, releasing its hold on the mouse. Joaquin cartwheeled past her and came to a halt, his cutlass at the ready.

"Que el ratón es el mío, serpiente! (That mouse is mine, snake!)" he shouted. The snake shook its head violently, dislodging the knife from its now bleeding eye. It hissed threateningly, and Joaquin answered with an equally menacing feral snarl. "Encuentra tu cena en otro lugar! (Find your dinner elsewhere!)"

The snake reared back, its single eye regarding the two beasts with pure hate. Joaquin braced himself for the strike. "Manténgase--Stay behind me, señorita," he murmured to the mouse. He almost couldn't believe he was doing this, fending off a snake to save the girl, but he hadn't burned a mouse in months. Carnage by fire, especially done to a mouse, was his drug, and he needed it tonight, especially when the opportunity had practically handed itself to him on a silver platter.

[Promatera]

"Que el ratón es el mío, serpiente! (That mouse is mine, snake!)" he shouted.

The fox's throwing knife lodged itself firmly within the snake's eye, sending the creature into a frenzy. Dandelion could feel the snake's coils slack and eventually release her as it writhed in pain.

"Encuentra tu cena en otro lugar! (Find your dinner elsewhere!)"

The snake recoiled from the pair and began to move away from the rim, working on a retreat.

"Manténgase--Stay behind me, señorita," he murmured to the mouse.

Having worked herself back onto her footpaws Dandelion completely disregarded what the fox instructed and charged at the snake.

"DIE VILLAINOUS SCOURGE!" she screamed as she rushed in with halberd point held straight at the snake. In a last ditch effort to kill Dandelion the snake shot towards her, jaws agape, ready to inject its venom.

In a flash the whole dilemma was over in an instant. With blinding speed Dandelion thrust her weapon straight into the jaws of the snake-the jaws of death- and had come out victorious. Skull pierced through by Dandelion's weapon, the snake was vanquished. Panting, Dandelion removed her blood soaked weapon and gazed at the creature she had slain.

A gentle breeze blew over the scene and as it blew, Dandelion regained her senses and turned to face the fox. "Show me the way to Redwall," she spoke eyes ablaze.

[Cross]

Joaquin watched in slack-jawed awe as the mouse dispatched of the snake effortlessly. Her approach was amazing, and her skill with her weapon was awesome. She had conquered a snake single-pawed with a halberd! If she had been a vixen, Joaquin would probably have been completely smitten with her.

"Dios mío . . ." he breathed, a smile returning to his face. It almost saddened him that he would have to burn the brave, golden-furred mouse. "Que fue fenomenal! ¡Espectacular! ¡Increíble!" His exclamations were lost on the mouse as she stormed up to him, her robe half-drenched in snake blood.

"Show me the way to Redwall," she spoke eyes ablaze.

"Sí, sí, yo te--I will show joo Redwall," he replied, choking down a laugh of glee. Not only had his mouse been spared an untimely death by snake, she had actually saved herself! She may as well tie her own paws to a stake right now. Joaquin had to resist the urge to get out his matches.

"But, eh, I drop map, y cada vez es más--and it is getting dark out," he went on. "Joo want make camp for night and go to Redwall place mañana--tomorrow?" He knew it aggravated the Mossflower folk when he repeatedly slipped into his native tongue, but it couldn't be helped.

[Promatera]

"Sí, sí, yo te--I will show joo Redwall,"

This fox was plotting something. Red flags were popping up everywhere to Dandelion, but she had little clue where to find Redwall. However, the fox could not be the only creature in Mossflower, there were definitely more. Hopefully more goodbeasts than bad.

"But, eh, I drop map, y cada vez es más--and it is getting dark out," "Joo want make camp for night and go to Redwall place mañana--tomorrow?"

There was silence for a moment as Dandelion wiped the snake's blood off of her fur. Then in a rude gesture she flicked some of the blood onto the fox. "I'm sorry for bothering you then," she replied, "I'll just find my own way."

There was no way she would be waiting with that vermin trash a moment longer. She didn't care if she was practically travelling blind, but it was better than having to trust that fox. Taking up her weapon, without another word Dandelion turned to leave.

[Cross]

"I'm sorry for bothering you then," she replied, "I'll just find my own way."

It took a moment for Joaquin to process what had happened as he stared blankly at the snake blood flicked onto his shirt. The mouse strutted past him haughtily, but he managed to spin around to face her before she was out of earshot.

"¡Espera!" the fox called after her. "Wait, señorita! It is long and winding road to Redwall. Joo need guide, yes? I can help joo. I am wanting to visit Redwall place again. We go together, yes?"

This mouse was not getting away from him! He just had to stay with her, find a moment when she did not have her weapon close at paw. Then she would burn like the rest. It would be glorious, but he couldn't let her get away. He thought of a last-ditch effort to get her back.

"Joo do not know dis Mossflower place," he shouted, moving to keep up. "Es peligroso--ees dangerous, y difícil de navegar--and hard to find way! I know Mossflower. Joo will get lost by jourself, señorita. . . And never find Redwall place!"

[Promatera]

"¡Espera!"

"Wait, señorita! It is long and winding road to Redwall. Joo need guide, yes? I can help joo. I am wanting to visit Redwall place again. We go together, yes?"

Dandelion didn't respond. Instead she kept her pace up and hoped the fox would just leave her alone.

"Joo do not know dis Mossflower place," "Es peligroso--ees dangerous, y difícil de navegar--and hard to find way! I know Mossflower. Joo will get lost by jourself, señorita. . . And never find Redwall place!"

As the fox followed her, it was became obvious to Dandelion that this fox wanted something. Was it her weapon? Her bag? Either way this persistent beast would probably not leave her alone.

With a quick 180 degree turn, Dandelion was facing the fox. Her weapon was nearly touching his right ear.

"Fine...fox," she spat, "take me to Redwall. Show me your best route to that red abbey! When we arrive I may offer you something in return. However, if this is a ruse then I will rip every limb from your body and leave you to starve."

With blazing brown eyes, Dandelion stared straight into the fox's. For a moment she thought she saw the same flame in his, but only for a moment.

Grudgingly Dandelion lowered her weapon. The only reason she accepted against her better reason was because she trusted the fox knew some quick route to the abbey. However, the fox was no threat to her either so even if he was tricking her the fox would not dare touch her with 'Blitz.'

[Cross]

Joaquin stopped abruptly as the mouse spun around and nearly took his ear off with her blade.

"Fine...fox," she spat, "take me to Redwall. Show me your best route to that red abbey! When we arrive I may offer you something in return. However, if this is a ruse then I will rip every limb from your body and leave you to starve."

Joaquin saw fury and hardness in her eyes. Gently placing a paw on her weapon, he pushed it down. Fortunately, she was lowering it, anyway. "Sí, sí, I take joo," he replied. I take joo to big red place."

This was almost too good to be true. Sure, the mouse still had her weapon, but he would get her to set it down sometime. She had to sleep an some point, didn't she? Walking past the mouse, he set out in the direction of the sinking sun, letting out a sigh. "Joo want walk during night, señorita? Es, eh, not hot like during day, yes? We rest during day?"

Maybe he could tire her out with a constant pace. Then, when she called for a rest, he would take her weapon and use her for kindling. "I yam Joaquin, eef joo want call me something beside zorro--eh, fox," he said casually.

[Promatera]

"Sí, sí, I take joo," he replied. I take joo to big red place."

Weapon in paw, Dandelion backed off from the fox to show she would not harm him. At least not at the moment. The fox would not move his eyes off her, even as he strolled past.

"Joo want walk during night, señorita? Es, eh, not hot like during day, yes? We rest during day?"

"Fine," she replied coldly, "so long as we get to Redwall before long."

As they walked along, Dandelion kept her distance behind the fox. He could not try anything without her noticing first. That was all she needed to slay the fox.

"I yam Joaquin, eef joo want call me something beside zorro--eh, fox," he said casually.

"I'll call you what I will fox," she replied, "when we get to Redwall then we may share names."

[Cross]

"I'll call you what I will fox," she replied, "when we get to Redwall then we may share names."

Joaquin glanced back at her, raising an eyebrow. He had retrieved his knives from the fight with the snake and was working on slipping them back into the straps on his wrists. Smirking, he turned back around, murmuring something in his native tongue.

"Den joo want me call joo ratón--mouse?" he asked. "Joo seem very, eh, cómo se dice, mad, yes? Joo not like zorros?" He chuckled lightly. He had met creatures who hated vermin, an apparent category foxes were placed in this far north. Why were foxes thought of as bad? Not all of them were evil. And not all weasels, stoats, rats, and other vermin were necessarily deserving of that title.

It was prejudice, really. But it couldn't be helped. Joaquin didn't exactly change the fact, either. He burned random passersby on a whim. That probably deserved the title vermin. Or even another choice word or two.

((Short-ish))

[Promatera]

"Den joo want me call joo ratón--mouse?" he asked. "Joo seem very, eh, cómo se dice, mad, yes? Joo not like zorros?"

As the fox chuckled, Dandelion glared at him. The way the fox laughed; it reminded her of a fox she had killed before. Years before her as she recalled the specific moment in time she had faced this laughing fox. It was a harsh winter, just after her mother died. Her father was sprawled on the floor; nearly dead. A fox archer had managed to shoot her father. Dandelion had been busy keeping the other vermin at bay, she had not noticed the fox aiming at her father.

Dumbfounded and with tears in her eyes, she watched as the fox approached her. Running to her father's side she checked to see if he was still alive. He was, but barely. The fox drew closer and began let lose a chilling laugh, which seared itself in her mind forever. With tears still in her eyes she grasped her father's weapon in her paws, "Blitz," and ran the fox through.

Now here she was several years later; taking directions from a fox. She remained silent as she followed behind the fox. Her eyes burned with resentment.

[Cross]

When the mouse didn't reply, Joaquin glanced back at her again. She was glaring at him as if she believed her eyes could slice holes in him. Turning back around, Joaquin furrowed his brow. This girl really had a thing against vermin, didn't she? He guessed she had had a bad experience with vermin in the past. Probably one of them killed a family member or friend.

Uncomfortable with the silence, Joaquin began quietly humming an old tune the young women used to sing in his hometown. It was a lively melody, and soon the fox had the urge to sing the words, too. But he sang in his native tongue, so there was no chance of the mouse understanding him.

When he was finished, his mood had improved. Not that he had been in a particularly bad mood. "Ah, joo like sing, señorita?" he asked. "Joo can sing? Muy jovencitas sí pueden cantar? Pretty girls can sing, yes?"

((Not the best post ever.))

[Promatera]

As they walked on in silence, the fox began to whistle a tune before breaking into song. Dandelion could not understand a word, but the melody was nice. She felt soothed, but when the tune ended, her bitterness returned.

"Ah, joo like sing, señorita?" he asked. "Joo can sing? Muy jovencitas sí pueden cantar? Pretty girls can sing, yes?"

Was this fox trying to flatter her? Disgusting. She could recall a song or two her mother had taught her, but a fox was not worth a soothing lullaby.

"No fox I cannot," she replied.