Did I make it? (open)

[Tulian Solum]

(A very large, strong, violent overgrown kid . No wait....thats bad D: .)

Still with his eyes skyward Seig only blinked as they talked back and fourth. Insults now aswell? As if throwing away all his work wasn't enough now the badger was resorting to insults. And skipping...so this was it, he was going to die.

It was just like the stories said, creatures would surrender, lay down their arms, and the badger would just laugh and say that made it easy. The commander of a peaceful vermin fort would offer to lay down his life to protect the women and children, but the badger would just carve his way through them all regardless. It was this deep seated hatred that Seig would never understand, he didn't harbor near this amount of hate even when creatures had tried to kill him, he would always do his best to spare their lives so they could learn not to be so judgmental.

But now it seemed like he wouldn't get the chance to try and examine this hatred as he finally moved his head up to look at the badger and the mouse, turning to the mouse he gulped a little before taking a deep breath and standing upright in the air and throwing a salute.

"Goodbye Mam." He said simply, before returning to his lip posture and closing his eyes, expecting the badger to laugh gleefully before sending him flying...

[Cross]

"Interrupting something? Nahhh. I was just getting ready to throw this lousy, lying, flea-covered ferret into the ocean -- wanna see how far I can make him skip before he sinks?"

"N-no!" Victiore replied hastily, eyes wide. "I-I mean, no, sir." Her ears dropped back as she returned her gaze to the hapless ferret. Biting her lip, she wondered why he'd even come here in the first place. Didn't vermin know about the Badgerlords? The Long Patrol, surely, at the very least?

"Um, sir, was he . . . threatening the fortress?" she asked Braythe, her gaze still on the ferret. If he was hostile, then Braythe could do as he pleased with the vermin. But if not, she saw no reason for the ferret to be punished. However, her opinion might not matter much against Braythe's. Him being . . . him, and all.

[.:Fawn:.]

"Um, sir, was he . . . threatening the fortress?" she asked Braythe, her gaze still on the ferret. If he was hostile, then Braythe could do as he pleased with the vermin. But if not, she saw no reason for the ferret to be punished. However, her opinion might not matter much against Braythe's. Him being . . . him, and all.

Huh? Why would she want to know that? OHHHH. Poor Vicky, she must be scared of vermin. With a knowing smile, Braythe set the ferret down (but didn't let go of him), crouching as he gave Vicktiore an affectionate pat on the head. "Oh don't worry Vicky, I won't let the nasty ferret hurt yew or anyone else here. So I'm going to toss him out to see before he starts any trouble!" Poor thing. He could certainly sympathize with her. If he'd ever been that small and defenseless he'd probably be frightened of armor-clad ferrets too.

Braythe, putting on his best scary voice, growled down at Seig ferociously. "NOW THEN, Vermin. Have you any last words before I send your sorry carcass to go sit on the bottom of the ocean?"

[Tulian Solum]

Still with eyes shut as they talked back and fourth a tiny glimmer of hope came into Seigs armor clad chest as she stammered out her reply. She at least wasn't chanting for him to toss, toss, toss the ferret. But then again she wasn't exactly asking the badger not to go through with his plan, well not fully.

Raising an eyebrow as he was placed back on the ground Seig opened one eye to see the badgers massive mitt still around his chest and stayed quiet. There wasn't much he could do now, it was almost like being in the clutch of death himself. A grip he wouldn't be able be able to break that was owned by a creature that wanted to use him for his own amusement. Kicking off his armored boots and letting his gauntlets fall to the sand near his bag he tried to lighten the load on him so he could at least have a chance. But the badger was still holding onto his chest, so he wouldn't be able to get the heaviest part off before he was flung.

Finally opening both his eyes and looking up at the badgers face he kept his expression neutral as he answered the growling behemoth. "Only that you lived up to the legends White Death, through and through." Taking a few deep breaths he tried to ready himself for what was about to happen. Shutting his eyes as he got ready to hold his breath and desperately try to get his curaiss off.

(Oh no, his footpaws are unprotected, I sure hope nothing happens to them .)

[Cross]

"Oh don't worry Vicky, I won't let the nasty ferret hurt yew or anyone else here. So I'm going to toss him out to see before he starts any trouble!"

Vicky nearly feel flat on her tail after the 'gentle' pat Braythe had given her. Winter's Ice, he was strong! Even when trying to be affectionate. She rubbed her head, half-expecting to find a knot forming between her ears. Thankfully, there was nothing. But there was still the matter of the ferret.

"W-wait, sir, that's not what I meant!" Vicky cried, waving her paws frantically. "I-I meant that if-if he hasn't harmed anybeast, then he's . . . innocent?" Hmm, that had sounded more convincing in her head. "I mean you shouldn't toss him out to sea since he hasn't done anything . . . bad."

Oh, dear, this was probably not going to end well at all. . .

[Stryker]

"Only that you lived up to the legends White Death, through and through."

"Hahaha, you can betcher Granny's apron I did! Why I--"

"W-wait, sir, that's not what I meant!" Vicky cried, waving her paws frantically. "I-I meant that if-if he hasn't harmed anybeast, then he's . . . innocent?" Hmm, that had sounded more convincing in her head. "I mean you shouldn't toss him out to sea since he hasn't done anything . . . bad."

Darn it.
Braythe let go of Seig just then, turning to look down at Vicky with a bit of a scowl on his fearsome face. "....Vicky...I don't know what happy little world yew've lived in, but in the real one, the only good vermin is a dead'un. See Vicky, if I toss this ferret into the ocean now, it's preventin' 'im from harmin' some poorbeast later."
The Badger Lord, who was completely prepared to give Victiore an entire explanation on why he should toss Seig into the sea, backed up as though he planned on sitting down on a nearby dune. Unfortunately, just behind him was the very ferret he'd been intending to toss, and right beneath Braythe's paw, even more unfortunately, was the ferret's foot.

CRUNCH.

Braythe blinked and looked down, the giant of a badger lifting his footpaw when he noticed he'd stepped on something. Oops. Hopefully it wasn't some bug or a small lizard...or a crab -- oh, it was just the ferret.
Never mind then. Now where was he? Oh yes. "The vermin's clearly wearin' armor, so obviously he's a soldier and he even told me so, he served some...wolf...warrior...whatever... Which means he's armed'n'dangerous, see Vicky, I'm doing my civic duty as a Badger Lord by tossing him like a skipping stone."

[Tulian Solum]

Holding his breath as the badger acknowledged his pseudo compliment Seig was ready for the lean back, movement, and toss that would herald his end. But then the mouse spoke up quickly and the badger seemed to stop. Letting out a 'off' as he was simply dropped down onto the sand. So...he wasn't dead, yet at least, that was something to celebrate.

Letting out his held breath he closed his eyes and took several calming breaths, trying to get his hammering heart under control. Finally it began to slow down as he opened his eyes again, turning his head to look at the mouse to thank her for his quick actions, but the badger was backing up, right toward his...

CRUNCH

Needless to say that wasn't a loving punch as his left foot was crushed under the massive bulk of the badger as he continued to step back. Eyes going wide in shock Seig just managed to jam his paw in his mouth to prevent from screaming in pain. Falling onto his back Seig dragged his broken foot back toward him and held it in his free paw, eyes now screwed shut as tears slowly rolled down his face, muffled screams and groans escaping around his makeshift gag.

(Owwwwwwie.)

[Cross]

"....Vicky...I don't know what happy little world yew've lived in, but in the real one, the only good vermin is a dead'un. See Vicky, if I toss this ferret into the ocean now, it's preventin' 'im from harmin' some poorbeast later."

Vicky rubbed her neck, letting out a small noise of protest, but otherwise keeping silent as the badger continued to rant. She didn't like vermin, either, but she was pretty sure that even a vermin was capable of being decent. She had once met a weasel who'd proven that . . . sort of.

Preoccupied with Braythe's lecture, she didn't notice him step back a little. And then a little more, and then . . . "Sir, wait!" she cried. But it was too late, and she visibly cringed as Braythe's massive footpaw crushed the ferret's much smaller one. Her paws flew to her mouth, and her eyes went wide as she gasped in shock.

"The vermin's clearly wearin' armor, so obviously he's a soldier and he even told me so, he served some...wolf...warrior...whatever... Which means he's armed'n'dangerous, see Vicky, I'm doing my civic duty as a Badger Lord by tossing him like a skipping stone."

The mouse barely heard the Badgerlord over her own frantic thoughts. Oh, Autumn's ghost, why had she left her healing supplies in the mountain? She hurried up and knelt by the ferret, her ears flattened against her skull. "Okay, just calm down," she told him, her voice even despite her rising panic. "I'll fix you up, I promise. But you have to let me see the damage. You'll be just fine, I promise."

((Braythe had better prepare himself for the scolding of his life.))

[Stryker]

"Okay, just calm down," she told him, her voice even despite her rising panic. "I'll fix you up, I promise. But you have to let me see the damage. You'll be just fine, I promise."

WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. She was going to HEAL him?!

((XD please excuse the shortness of the post and the savagery of the Badger Lord.))
"........Vicky..." Said Braythe, blinking as he watched her tend to the badly injured ferret. "Did you miss all the talkin' I just did? About not thinkin' too kindly of vermin? Vicky?" Damn it. Why he have the feeling she was going to be upset with him? Trying to make amends, Braythe crouched down next to them, examining the ferret's foot. Yep. Looked broken to him. Or...you know...no longer usable..."I could always put him out of his misery," offered Braythe kindly (or what he imagined was kindness), "I could snap his neck or find a rock or somethin'....or toss him in the ocean."
Jeez, all this fuss over an injured ferret! The only thing he was upset about, was that his game was now completely ruined.

[Tulian Solum]

The pain....THE PAIN. Seig had been injured in battle before sure, but keen observes would note a few differences between a battle, and this scene. For one; Seig had no time to syc himself up before hand, so he didn't have the benefit of adrenaline to ease the pain, initially at least. Two; he had intentionally calmed himself down before the foot squishing began so he felt the full force of that straight off. Three; this was not a battle and as such had no consequences for stopping and falling over, this allowed his mind to open the floodgates to the pain bits. And finally; HE HAD NEVER BEEN STEPPED ON BY A CREATURE THAT HUGE!

Managing to force one eye open he looked up through his watery vision at the mouse crouched next to him and managed to hear her through his body screaming. Letting his footpaw go he moved his free hand up to his eyes to try and clear them out so he could see easier. But the badger lord had to speak up again and offer his insightful view on all things medical and vermin related.

No, NO! Seig forced himself to hold his tongue and any gestures he would love to show the badger for his words. Biting down on the paw in his mouth a little more to make sure he said nothing, his teeth drawing a little blood as he lay there. The badger was fully able to push the mouse aside and snap his neck if he wanted too. He needed to stay quiet and let the mouse do what she could......

THAT MASSIVE BADGER!

[Cross]

"........Vicky..." Said Braythe, blinking as he watched her tend to the badly injured ferret. "Did you miss all the talkin' I just did? About not thinkin' too kindly of vermin? Vicky?"

"Winter's Ice, Lord Braythe," the mouse exclaimed, turning briefly to the badger. "He hasn't done anything to you! I'm sorry, but he just looks like an injured creature to me, not a horrid vermin." She felt her face flush in embarrassment then, surprised at herself that she had just . . . yelled at the Badgerlord! She quickly turned back to the ferret.

Assessing the damage, the mouse gently laid her paws on the injured footpaw, barely touching it. The ferret was in obvious agony as he lay on the sands, silently screaming in pain. "Okay, just relax," she said soothingly. "I can help you." She reached into her belt--glad that she had at least had the foresight to bring her knife out with her--and, rolling up the overlong sleeves of her uniform, began cutting strips from the big tunic.

"I could always put him out of his misery," offered Braythe kindly (or what he imagined was kindness), "I could snap his neck or find a rock or somethin'....or toss him in the ocean."

"Mm-hmm," Vicky murmured distractedly. "But you know what else you could do for me, Lord Braythe?" She turned to him with a sudden twinkle in her eye and an adorable smile on her face. "I need you to find something for me. Something special. Actually, it's more than one thing." She leaned towards him conspiratorially. "If you find two planks of dry wood about this long," She held her paws apart about ten inches or so, "I will make you a whole tray of your favorite blueberry muffins for breakfast tomorrow. And I promise Darby won't bother you with those whole-wheat ones you don't like."

Vicky was slightly desperate at this point, since the ferret's foot was not in a good condition at all. But she needed to splint the bones at least until they got him up to the infirmary, where she and Roseleaf could really do him some good.

[Stryker]

"Winter's Ice, Lord Braythe," the mouse exclaimed, turning briefly to the badger. "He hasn't done anything to you! I'm sorry, but he just looks like an injured creature to me, not a horrid vermin."

Braythe looked slightly put out by this, his big brow furrowing as if he couldn't quite grasp why she was upset with him. "But...But...it's a FERRET." He insisted, as if by the law of the animal kingdom, that meant the ferret was always wrong and he, himself, a badger (a wise and noble creature) was always, always right. Even in cases like this, in which he had accidentally crushed the poor ferret's foot.
Ouch, that looked like it hurt.
Trying very VERY hard to resist poking Seig's foot with a stick, Braythe's attention was immediately drawn to Victiore as she began instructing him on finding some driftwood -- and honestly, hadn't really been listening until she mentioned the muffins. He would've gotten her the driftwood anyway, but at least now he could be enthusiastic about it.
Like a faithful dog chasing after a tennis ball, Braythe took off for the beach, churning up sand as he went, the wind whipping through his dense brown and black fur.
"I'll be right back!" He shouted, digging his claws into the soft sand once he finally reached the shore. Driftwood...driftwood... Scanning the horizon, Braythe's dark bronze eyes narrowed in on what looked like a few planks floating not too far out to sea.
Alright, so he didn't get to toss the ferret in the water... But at least he got to go for a bit of a swim?

[Tulian Solum]

The mouse was definitely on his side. Which was good, as she was the one trying to work with his foot. She also seemed to know this badger to even dare talking to him like that, which was also good, as it would help the badger hopefully go along with her and not murder him on the sands.

The pain was soon making Seig nearly pass out but he fought gamely on to try and stay awake, but with the long day of marching through the dunes, the stress of meeting the badger and now the pain in his foot it was clear he was losing. At least the sleepy feeling made the pain slightly less, which allowed him to slowly begin to move his paw from his mouth as he turned to the mouse and the badger.

He had to hand it to the mouse aswell, for being so small she did know how to deal with the badger and make him just go off with just the promise of...muffins? Whatever those were. They were probably some kind of treasure or rare bit of metal that the badger needed...But since when did you bake that? He quickly pushed that from his full mind and concentrated on the mouse, trying for a few seconds to ask a question before he finally was able to speak.

"H...How ba...d is...it?" He managed to spit out through clenched teeth once he was finally able to remove his paw from his mouth. But soon after he said that his head plopped back against the sand and he was out, but would have stayed conscious just long enough to hear her reply before he collapsed.

[Cross]

Vicky watched as Braythe bounded across the sands in his search. Was it really that easy to ask a favor of him? A simple batch of muffins? That badger was a character, to say the least. He almost acted like an overgrown child at times. Well, okay, most of the time.

Turning back to the ferret, she laid his footpaw gently on her folded knees. She again wondered why he'd come here in the first place. If she hadn't shown up, Braythe would most definitely have used the ferret for a skipping stone. Or worse. The little mouse found it quite ironic how she, a tiny creature, had stopped the furry mountain that was Braythe from killing a ferret.

"H...How ba...d is...it?"

Vicky turned a compassionate face to the ferret. "Oh, you'll be--" But the poor creature had passed out already. Breaking a bone would do that to you. Where was Braythe with those planks of wood?

[.:Fawn:.]

Like a big shaggy dog, Braythe came charging out of the water on all fours, and seemed to be doing his absolute best to appear as UN-NOBLE AND WISE as badgerly possible. For starters, he was carrying the driftwood in his mouth. Trotting back up to Victiore, he dropped the two planks down next to her; "Got the wood." He said simply, then proceeded to shake out his coat, spraying the mouse and the unfortunate, unconscious ferret with sea water.
Totally pleased with his driftwood-collecting abilities, Braythe stood up, shaking water out of his eyes.
"....so...yer only healin' his leg, and then sendin' him on his way, right?"
Whomever the Badger Lord had learned 'compassion and consideration' from, needed to be taught a lesson in it themselves!

Honestly, he just couldn't see what all the fuss was for. It was just a ferret, for Brocktree's sake, why was Vicky getting all bent out of shape over him? What was his name again -- oh yeah, Seig Averi, from a fortress called Taruli, where the warrior wolf Lord Kiteil was the beast in charge of things. Why had he left home? Surely his only purpose in leaving hadn't been to check out Salamandastron and get a good look at potential real estate?
Bahhhhh! Why did he care again?
All vermin were pretty much the same. They wandered so they could pillage, plunder and murder. Buncha thieving, murderin' filth!

Alright, so armor-ferret here was different. So what? It didn't make him good, just different.
The Badger Lord rolled his eyes, looking skyward as if the answer to all of his problems might drop out of the heavens at any moment.
Why did everything have to be so confusing? Why couldn't things just be in black and white? Like badgers! Braythe almost smiled. Well, that wasn't entirely true, after all, he was completely white in the winter and a mixture of black and reddish-brown in the other three seasons. There was nothing 'black & white' about him.
It seemed Braythe was doomed to think about complicated things for as long as he ruled at this mountain, but hey, at least now he had Victiore and all the other hares to correct him when he was wrong -- but was this one of those times?
Was he wrong about this ferret?

[Tulian Solum]

It was probably for the better that Seig was 'sleeping' on the sand. If he had seen the Badger lord trot over like that it may have reduced him to tears for more then just his foot. To see a 'Lord' acting in such a way as that when he had grown up with a strict code of discipline given out by his lord and most of the training being led by the wolf himself.

But as he slipped deeper into sleep his mind as once again playing its cruel games with him. Forcing him to watch all the happy times at his old home flit by before the slow motion bad times were played in front of him. But even these were soon pushed aside for his minds new favorite memory to show him. All the time he spent working to get to the legendary mountain then the badger laughing. Over, and over, and over again he was forced to watch it, his mind gleeful at this new game.

But the only outside reaction to the wood being dropped next to him was a few quiet grunts and twitching. His face also changed from pain to sadness slowly as the dreams continued, but he luckily stayed laying still, making it easy for Vic to work.

(By now I think Seig would be getting some white fur aswell as we head into the winter months :> . )

[Cross]

Vicky brought her arms protectively over her face as the badger shook out his thick, wet fur. He'd brought half the ocean onto the shore in his shaggy coat! She then picked up the planks of driftwood, using the least damp part of her tunic to wipe them dry as possible. As she set to work splinting the ferret's foot, Braythe spoke up.

"....so...yer only healin' his leg, and then sendin' him on his way, right?"

"No, sir," she replied, her mouth on autopilot. "He can't walk on a broken footpaw, so I really can't send him on his way. At least not until he's healed." She lifted her paws away for a moment as the ferret twitched in his sleep. The mouse didn't want to accidentally cause more damage with him moving involuntarily.

She was at least glad Braythe was sitting, now. The fear he might step on her had diminished slightly. Vaguely, she wondered what Roseleaf was going to think about all this. The serious infirmary keeper probably wasn't going to like it much. And Vicky was pretty sure that, like most hares on the mountain, Roseleaf's view of vermin wouldn't differ much from Braythe's.

[Stryker]

"No, sir," she replied, her mouth on autopilot. "He can't walk on a broken footpaw, so I really can't send him on his way. At least not until he's healed."

Braythe blinked. Okay, then fine, they'd drag his sorry behind back to Mossflower Wood or something. Wasn't there an Abbey or something that took in charity cases like this? Should he write a letter to somebeast and have the ferret taken to this Abbey? Braythe certainly didn't want the ferret staying here of all places. No way in the name of the Dark Forest was he letting Seig inside Salamandastron.
Braythe would not be the one Badger Lord who lets an armor-clad vermin walk through Salamandasatron's front doors. Sure, Braythe wasn't too big on 'filling the paw prints' of his badger ancestors, but he could at least do them this favor. That ferret wasn't getting into his mountain without a fight. Too intrigued by the creature's armor to answer Victiore back, Braythe (as carefully as he could, anyway) carefully began removing the ferret's armor, undoing the small latches as well as his clumsy paws could manage.
After successfully removing it, he examined armor's handiwork. It was nice, but it had certainly seen better days. Dented, scratched, and scuffed, it had obviously been wornout by the injured, unconscious traveler nearby. Curiosity piqued, Braythe reached over and dragged the ferret's backpack to him, rifling through it with renewed interest.


((xD He has no manners. I'm sorry.))

[Tulian Solum]

Seig flopped limply around as the badger 'carefully' removed his curaiss, but luckily his legs stayed still through the ordeal so it didn't hinder Vics work, except for maybe distracting her with the badger arms all over. But luckily the ferret had finally dropped into the deepest stage of sleep, where the dreams weren't able to penetrate and he was free to sleep in peaceful blackness.

The torn backpack had also seen better days, but besides the gauntlets, boots, helm, and halberd that were near the backpack the ferrets short sword was also attached to it. And inside the just hanging together backpack was a few small pots and pans, two canteens, some flint and tinder, and a small bedroll hanging off to the side. There were also a small pocket on each side of the backpack, one containing what appear to be small screws and a few tools for armor and weapons. While the second pocket contained Seigs two campaign medals and his small locket. It had lost its chain on his journey and so now it was only a small brass orb cut in two with a small painted picture of his wife and 'daughter' inside it, one on each side.

All of the equipment seemed like it was on the verge of falling apart, the pots were blackened and thin, the tools nearly worn down to nubs, and the sword and halberd sporting more then their share of cracks and scratches. But the medals and the locket looked brand new, they had clearly been what the ferret had been taking the most care of thought the years.

[Cross]

Vicky quietly finished the makeshift splint as Braythe mulled over what she had said. The mouse was glad he seemed to be quiet for a moment. It let her get some work done. But then she had to almost jump out of his way as the badger leaned forward, rudely removing the ferret's armor and rummaging through his bags.

"Sir, what are you doing?" she asked as she set the ferret's footpaw on the sand as gently as possible and scooted to the side. "I don't think you should--Sir!" The big badger was really not being careful. "Lord Braythe . . . Badgerlord Braythe . . . Braythe!"

Third time's the charm. But it still felt strange to call him by his first name only. "Why are you rifling through his belongings?" she asked, slightly put off by the badger's behavior. Here she was trying to take care of a ferret with a broken footpaw, and the Badgerlord, the Badgerlord of Salamandastron, was not helping. At all.

((Short.))