A interesting event...

[unknownsoldier]

It is a bright, crisp day on the River Moss. The sun shone clearly with not a cloud in sight. The river shined from the sunlight, while trees cast shadows on the riverbanks. Yet strangely....it was silent, no buzzing of insects, no chirping of birds. Only the the sounds of the river were heard on this lazy afternoon day. The silence is broken when a pair of travelers come through the area.

Jellal was nervous as he walked along the River moss. It was no secret he was afraid of large bodies of water, just the mere sight of it gives him nausea. But today, his fear of water was not what was causing him to be so nervous. The silence, is what is causing him to be nervous. He looked to his companion.

"Inktail...is it strange that its so quiet here? Its...kinda scaring me a little." Jellal says with nervousness in his voice.

[delerix]

Inktail was calm, and made sure to keep himself between his friend and the river. Knowing Jellal and water he figured he should stay between the two. He was nervous also, Jellal had made a good point, it was far too quiet for his liking.

"Jellal, I won't lie this is bugging me as much as it is you, if not more. I've lived around this river my whole life, this kind of silence is not normal." He frowns and takes a tighter grip on his ash stave. "We can use this to our advantage, pay attention and we'll be sure to hear anything less than careful."

[Onyxwing]

Field Marshal Rewhane Rommel Pier was having a relatively good day. He had scanned most of the paths in the area and found little evidence of vermin moving or massing anywhere. As he heard voices from up the path, however, he immediately crouched low in a stand of bushes, some fifteen feet away from the road.

He observed them as they walked down the path in front of him, they were rather noisy, especially in the silent woods today. They were both vermin, however, and though it was surely wrong to accuse based on species, Rewhane tamped a dart into his blowgun and emerged from his hiding spot as soon as the two had passed by.

“Halt, by order of the Mossguard!” Rewhane barked to the travelers. “Where are you two headed?”

It was his old standby. More often than not, vermin would fumble their stories if they were going to be doing something bad. Rewhane, however, had not told them to drop their weapons. He doubted they had any weapons that they could draw before he could skewer them with a dart. They appeared to be nothing more than travelers, yet, he could detect something in the way they walked, and their eyes. There also seemed to be a rather pungent smell in the air around them.

“You two have some trouble up the road?” Rewhane hooked a thumb back down the way they had come.

Just what I need, horde deserters…

[unknownsoldier]

Jellal froze stock still as soon as the badger said to halt. Jellal of course heard many stories about badgers, and could see it was true. He would rather not find out about how the blood-wrath works. In his mind though, he was just plain scared now. A badger, part of the MossGuard hes heard about, and he had a ranged weapon on him. He hated situations like this...he could do what others would do, try to reason with him.

"Yes trouble, we just escaped from a wildcat named Deathfang, and some pine marten. Please don't hurt us sir, were just trying to find safety." Jellal says with only a little fear in his voice. Part of it due to being in a situation where he could die, which is right now if things go bad.

[delerix]

Inktail's reaction is almost the polar opposite to Jellal, the weasel heard 'MossGuard' and upon turning to see the badger, could not help but smile a little. Halting at the shouted command, he lets Jellal finish his statement.

"We are heading towards Camp Willow. I've been a friend to the otters nearby the river for a number of seasons now, as for why we are heading that way." Inktail even relaxed his grip on the stout ash staff he was walking with

"You are right about trouble, a Wildcat, DeathFang by name if he's not lying. First he saved Jellal, but when Jellal and myself decided not to hang about with one declaring himself out for vengeance he followed us to my den, Jellal threw something at the wall, it burst into a cloud of thick smoke, absolutely reeked but it saved our lives. I am Inktail, Inktail Furtif, by the way, and I can't tell you how happy I am to see a goodbeast."

[Onyxwing]

Rewhane listened to their explanations and nodded, slinging his blowgun over his back.

“You speak true?” Rewhane asked. “There’s a Wildcat in these parts?”

This ‘Deathfang’ complicates things. Rewhane thought. And violently, to boot.

“Camp Willow?” Rewhane asked. “Allow me to escort you. Should this ‘Deathfang’ show up, a few darts should soften him up.”

Rewhane looked again over his shoulder, making sure that nobeast was sneaking up on them. He was glad that these two were nothing more that (slightly shaken) travelers. He was almost completely sure that the Wildcat would come, vermin always seemed to.

“...That is, if you will have me along?” He asked the two, hoping for multiple reasons, that the answer would be yes.

[unknownsoldier]

"Wait...you want to escort us?" Jellal says confused. A beast of the Mossguard, is asking to escort them? This is to weird for him. The Mossguard beast is also a badger of all things. But, having a member of the Mossguard as a friend could help with the trip to Camp Willow. This could be a sign his luck is changing.

"Umm, sure, I guess. The more the merrier right, as the saying goes?" Jellal says. He was kinda skeptical of this badger, but more protection wouldn't be too bad.
"As Inktail has said before, my names Jellal Uorios. Full name mind you." Jellal says politely. Learning manners goes a long away, like Garrus always says.

[delerix]

Inktail frowns and nods at the badger "As much as I wish I weren't speaking true, Last I saw he was outside my den, which is a fair stretch back the way we came."

The infectious smile of his returns when he hears the Badger offer to travel with them, escorting them to Camp Willow! Inktail laughs a little

"You need not even ask, as Jellal said the more the merrier, here's hoping you don't need to take aim at anyone for a while yet. I'm afraid I don't know much about the Mossguard myself, mind filling in a weary weasel Mr...erm what did you say your name was?"

Inktail's grin rarely falters once he's got it set, as it is now it's in place and staying there, thankful that leaping out of the frying pan did not land him in the fire. Even wary as he may normally be, after the Wildcat barged into his den like that, anyone not being outwardly hostile is a good thing.

[Onyxwing]

Rewhane nodded at their introductions, carefully filing away the information.
“I am Field Marshal Rewhane Rommel Pier, commanding officer of the Mossguard,” Rewhane introduced with a slight bow. “That’s full name and title, mind you.” He added with some humor.
Rewhane was hoping that introductions could soon be done, however, as the thought of a Wildcat in Mossflower was causing him to look over his shoulder more often that should be necessary.
“The Mossguard? I formed it some years ago.” Rewhane explained to Inktail. “We patrol Mossflower on a daily basis, and, should the need arise, can call together the goodbeasts of Mossflower to defend it. We’ve give help to those who need it, and then teach them how to help themselves.”

Though Rewhane was usually good at speeches and the like, he decided to remember that one in particular next time he went recruiting. He looked up at the sun and then back to the two travelers.
“Well then, assuming the worst, the Wildcat is coming to catch us at this very moment.” Rewhane said. “However, if we keep moving, we should be able to make it near Camp Willow by nightfall.”

[unknownsoldier]

After hearing the badger Rewhane finish his speech, he quickly stored the information in a part of his head. Always note the small details of everything, quote from his mentor and father Garrus. Now, finding out that this badger was the one who formed the Mossguard led to new opportunities now. Which also brought in extra trouble as well, considering he should hold back his comments about the Mossguard being a group of fanatics.

"Well, thats good to hear. So Rewhane....how exactly strong is the Mossguard? Why I ask is because I hear everyone speak so highly of you, mostly from what I heard from Inktail." Jellal asks Rewhane. Almost as if on habit, he pulled out his oracrina. He played a slow tune on it. The tune was peaceful, and sounded beautiful.

[delerix]

Inktail nodded in response to the badger's suggestions, glad for the willing escort, the last thing he wanted was another run-in with that particular wildcat. Getting his pack to sit a bit more comfortably on his shoulders he thumps his ash stave on the ground.

"Well then, I can't see what we're waiting for, the sun overhead, river at our side," he chuckles as he adds "and even a relaxing little ditty to see us on our way." Inktail sets off along the path at a decent pace

"I'm no stranger to these parts but I figure you may know them better Field Marshall, so I'll let you take the lead from here on." The ever optimistic smile of his becoming a bit smaller, more of a normal sized grin now.

"It's been a while since I last ended up near the camp, I hope times haven't been to rough on the area 'round it." His brow creases a little as he remembers DeathFang's story, sighing at his need to stay clear of his own den.

[Onyxwing]

Rewhane laughed considerably at the question of the Mossguard’s size.

“Well now, I can’t exactly tell you EVERYTHING now!” Rewhane said, still laughing. “Let’s just say we have enough to work with! I’m glad we’ve developed a decent reputation, it should help our recruiting.”

Rewhane nodded at the offer to be on with their journey. Though he was indeed a badger, he had no desire to encounter this wildcat without a large amount of reinforcements.

“You’re friends with the otters?” Rewhane asked at the familiarity with which Inktail talked of them. “The Mossguard had them for allies when the Black Blade came around. Since then, however, we’ve been hard-pressed for any hordes coming through. Not that I’m complaining about that.”

Rewhane continued making his way down the path, looking over his shoulder, every now and then, just to be sure.

[unknownsoldier]

Jellal smiles a bit while still playing his ocarina. He switched the tune to a fast, intense song. The tone the song had was intense and very fast. It would pause, then pick up again, and repeat its fast tune. His paws were almost a blur when he played. After a few minutes, he switched to a different song now.

Now the tune of the song was...sadder now. It was slow, flowing melody, almost like a river. Jellal actually shed a tear while playing the sad song. The song drew a close with a final sustained note. He wiped the tear from his eye. "Sorry about that, I...never usaully cry while playing a song." Jellal sniffs a little after saying his statement.

[delerix]

Inktail smirks and chuckles at Rewhane's response, glad to hear the mossguard is of formidable force. When Rewhane asks about the otters Inktail beams and nods

"I know some of them, owe them my life as it is really. Not that I was at risk to die, but a trick of fate when I was rather young lead to me getting a wound treated by an otter. I'd been taught to fear them up to that point in time, I never tried to seek out my family again after, went from learning to raid to learning to fish and swim, and here I am now, Inktail Furtif fisherweasel. I'll not offer to join the Mossguard, but any friend of the more peaceful sorts on the river, is a friend of mine."

During his long winded explanation he pauses each time the song changes, listening carefully, appreciating each in turn. Turning to face Jellal as he speaks. Finding an answer nearly instantly.

"You don't usually find yourself playing this far from home though, do you?" Inktail smiles and gently pats his friend on the shoulder.

[Onyxwing]

“It’s good, that you got away from that.” Rewhane said. Gesturing at the imaginary idea of escaping vermin-hood.

Rewhane listened to the ocarina for a moment, taking in the shadowy light of Mossflower woods with the steady gaze of a professional woods-beast. There was nothing wrong, so far, but Rewhane was not a beast of such simple hopes. Rewhane knelt for a moments and examined the dusty trail.

“Two mice, one otter, and a rat passed though within the week. The rat’s the oldest.” Rewhane commented before adding. “Lucky us.”

Rewhane looked back to the ocarina player, who had suddenly stopped.

“Good song. Sad, but good.” Rewhane commented. He also used this as an opportunity to look down the path. “Camp Willow is close, we ought to keep moving.”

The badger turned around and continued on the journey. Rewhane would feel better once they were closer to Camp Willow. There, they would at least have back up if something happened.

[unknownsoldier]

"Its not that really, though I do miss home. Its...its kinda tough to explain." Jellal answers Inktails question. "Its..its because it reminds me of the....flood."Jellal, shivered from the mention of the name. It brought back a rush of bad memories.

The first part of the memories were when he was climbing a tree when it struck. It came fast, with only a loud crashing sound as a warning. Then came the part when he got caught up in it. He remembered the swirling darkness, not being able to breathe. This was causing him to shiver uncontrollably.

[delerix]

Inktail nods, impressed with Rewhane's assessment, of the previous travelers, fairly certain of how he could tell what passed but not sure he understood how the badger could see how long ago.

"That must be a handy talent to have Rewhane, two mice, an otter and a rat, hmm well it's not likely anything to do with us." Inktail nods and smiles at the mention of being near their destination.

"Aye, I wouldn't mind being a bit closer to them before we stop either if you were to ask me." Though he did not doubt Rewhane being a fierce fighter, but he knew he wasn't much to fear should things go that badly, he'd feel more comfortable with the chance of a bit of back-up just in case.

Looking over at Jellal he looked his friend over and placed a paw on his shoulder when the shivering started, he frowned for only a moment before smiling and speaking calmly.

"Jellal, mate, it'll be okay, there's no flood right now, and if ever you need to get into the water 'round here, just remember you've got a pal that learned to swim from an otter, I'll help ya out."

[unknownsoldier]

Jellal stopped shivering considerably after hearing Inktail. Calming down a bit from Inktail putting his paw on Jellal's shoulder, he spoke. "Thanks mate, I think I owe you one for that. Though...I hate to admit it, but playing my ocarina kinda makes me cry a little." Jellal speaks calmly.

Jellal soon had a flashback of being back at his island home. He was standing on a cliff overlooking the sea, his ocarina in his paw. He remembered that day all too clearly. That day, was the day he played the song for the memorial of the flood victims. So many were lost in that one flood...it was almost like a nightmare came true.

[Onyxwing]

Rehwane smiled slightly at the mention of his tracking.

“It’s a skill you develop,” Rewhane explained. “Especially when you do it every day.”

The badger stopped for a moment as the rat told his story, taking his blowgun off his back and checking the dart to make sure it was still put together. As he worked, he listened, finally finishing his inspection as the story came to a close.

“You have an interesting history, my friend.” He commented. “Something that should be written down.”

He looked down at the trail and noticed a higher frequency of otter tracks dotting the dusty path.

“I imagine Camp Willow is getting close. We should be running into some otters shortly.” Rewhane commented.

[delerix]

Inktail smiles softly at his friend and shakes his head, and waves his paw in the air as if shooing away a fly.

"Bah, you don't owe me anything mate, it's what friends are for ain't it." he perks his ears up at the mention of being near Camp Willow already. "Really, hmm we must've been making better progress than I thought."

He relaxes his grip on the ash stave, and chuckles happily. "Well if we catch them soon enough maybe there'll be some Hotroot soup to go around, if we're lucky that is." He twirls his stave around skillfully and tucks it under his armpit, "Well then, what are we waiting for, let's drop in on some friends, well hopefully friends, do you mind leading the way just in case they don't recognize me?"