A Old Favor (WeaselDelerix)

[unknownsoldier]

It was a warm, summer day on the dirt road leading to the famed Redwall Abbey, which was still quite a distance away. This same road also lead by old St. Ninians, the abandoned church which once housed beasts, but no more in its present condition. That, and its history of once being used by many infamous vermin as a base. Though now no beast has used it in a while....till now that is, as a cloaked, slumped figure stumbled along the road and headed inside in a slight hurry. Sometime afterwards, a magpie landed and disappeared inside the old church. A few seconds later, it flew off in the direction of the forest, with what looked like something was tied around its foot...

Some distance away...a couple of travelers were resting under the shade of trees in a grove. To any good woodlander, this was a strange group to witness together, a otter, weasel, and rat, travelling together! The before mentioned magpie soon spotted this group and landed a short distance away on a overhanging tree branch. It cawed, trying to get the slumbering rats attention, which surprisingly worked as the bewildered rat looked around to find the cause of his awakening. He slowly got up, and sneaked over to where the magpie was resting to see why this magpie wanted him. A few minutes later, he sneaked back to his spot to grab his pack and silently went back to where the magpie was. The magpie then launched itself into the air with a few wingbeats and flew off in a general direction, with the black rat, who was named Jellal, followed after it silently as he could into the distance.

[delerix]

The weasel, Inktail to those he knew, dozed happily in the shade. Smiling to himself and occasionally murmuring something about hotroot. His mild stirring ceased at the cawing of some noisy bird, he did not open his eyes, hoping to fall back asleep quickly. Inktail was not as sneaky as Jellal, nor as quick to notice some things, but he could tell when Jellal was getting up and heading off. Looking through a barely cracked eyelid at his friend's retreating back, Inktail bit his lip, hesitating only an instant before he reached into his pack, grabbed his sling and stones. He then left his knife, blade pointed in the direction he was headed, with a small cloth on it. An agreed upon sign that he had gone that way, but things should be okay.

His sign left for his Otter friend, Inktail quickly, and carefully tried to keep up, and maybe even catch up to Jellal. Knowing he had to tread a fine line or else he risked alertign to Jellal to someone following them, and with the urency his friend was showing, he was not sure they'd check who was following before laying a trap or two.

[unknownsoldier]

Jellal couldn't believe this was happening, what horrible timing, and from someone he knew to. It was either training, or paranoia, that alerted him that he was being followed by somebeast. Now he was being followed as well, adding to what he had received from that stupid magpie, all more bad luck. The Mistress was definitely not with him this day, but he no choice, he had to deal with this pursuer one way, or another. He quickly hid to get a surprise over the tracker, and most likely have to kill him quickly, no other option. He quietly unsheathed his thin dagger and waited as he heard light footfalls. Whoever it is...there good, but not that good. He took a quick peek around the trunk of the tree he was hiding behind to get a glimpse of his pursuer. He sighed when he got his glimpse, You have got to be kidding me...Inktail? He sheathed his dagger and waited until he would go past him. Once he did, "I was this close," he pinched his paw tips, "to stabbing you in the back you cheeky weasel." He said, clearly annoyed.

[delerix]

Inktail frowned as Jellal continued to keep so far ahead. Sometimes he wondered if he himself was crazy, trying to sneakily catch up to a trained thief. The weasel shook his head, no he had to try, if there was one thing he had a knack for it was knowing his friends, and he knew Jellal wouldn't head off without warning unless something BIG was happening. Inktail stopped for a moment, he thought he heard somebeast nearby. The weasel gave a start as Jellal spoke, whirling to face his friend Inktail smiled sheepishly as Jellal pointed out how close he'd came, "Eheh, well I suppose tha' mean I've improved a bit at sneaking about eh?" He coughs lightly before continuing "Look, I saw ya hurryin' off, without leaving sign or message for me 'n Rex, what was I supposed ta do, let ya go an do whatever it may be alone, without back up?"

[unknownsoldier]

Jellal knew he left without a word, but this was business only he could do, and he would rather not have Inktail caught up in it. "Look, this is business alright, I have to do it. I can't tell you why, but its.....important to me, alright?" He said with light reluctance in his voice. He really did not want his friend muddled in his job, because it caused....complications, like betrayal, or worse death. Almost as if on cue, the magpie landed on a branch just above the two beasts, "Jellal, you have little time to-" he finally noticed inktail,"Who is this?" He said with a demanding tone. Jellal sighed at his luck, "Hes a....friend Toro, alright? Hes just-" before jellal could finish his sentence, "A friend, good, another is good for task at hand. Resume travelling in direction I showed and May the Mistress watch over you." The magpie did a slight bow and flew off into the distance. "Wait....toro." Jellal said slightly flustered, and then with great surprise, he punched the tree angrily.

[delerix]

Inktail looked up towards the magpie as it spoke. He frowns at the assumption they make about him. The weasel sighs as he seems to have been drafted into the mission, as he goes to look to Jellal noticing the unusual reaction. "Jellal, matey, I 'ope I'm not causing ya trouble." He winces at his own words, stupid, he knows he's caused trouble already "Look mate, we're gonna get through this, ya may be better suited ta the task, but, well, I ain't exactly incapable eh?" He reaches to put a friendly paw on the rat's shoulder. "Lead on mate, I don't know where we're headed."

[unknownsoldier]

Jellal sighed as he calmed down slightly from the weasels words of encouragement. "I never wanted you, or Rex to get caught up in my life, the one side I never liked." He said with great depression in his voice.That of a cutthroat... He shook his head quickly, shaking off that thought instantly. Never think of it again, that was mistake, a mistake he'll never make again. He looked back at inktail with a straight face, "How do I explain this....."He seemed almost reluctant,"I know I never talked much about what I do, I'm a thief, part of a small group that live on a small island. Locrensia, my birthplace, my home, our home you could say, but back to the subject, we take favors seriously, weird I know. If we owe someone a favor, we will do whatever to repay it.....even if it meant killing. The magpie, Toro, is one of many messengers we employ, he just gave me a letter from another member, hes calling in on a favor that I owe. Problem is he wants to meet me face to face before he'll give me his request.....cheeky old rat." He said with slight annoyance in his tone, almost as if he knew him more then he let on.

[delerix]

Inktail chuckles and chakes his head. "Yer sayin' thief like its something I'd judge ye by?" He smirks and nods at the info about his friend's homeplace. "Not a bad way ta look at favors. I ay not take it as seriously, but I can respect ya fer it." He grins and looks at the sky, "Jellal, I know yer not happy with what yer tellin' me about, I may seem 'alf-clueless, but I'm not quite tha' bad. I ain't to 'appy with my start either, not at first." He sighs lightly, and claps his little friend on their shoulder "Well, then let's go 'n meet him eh, an' if 'e wonders who I am, I'm jus' a friend, a friend who' a good shot with 'is sling, and can almost keep up with ya."

[unknownsoldier]

"Theirs really not much to worry about him...much." Jellal said, his tone a bit ominous as he headed off in the direction Toro indicated before flying off. "Try to keep up, hes a bit of a impatient old beast." He said as he set a pace for himself. The pace was just enough for inktail to keep up with him, and in case anymore unexpected surprises appear before them. Though...he felt a slight chill for whatever reason....almost as if....being watched. Its probably nothing, just stupid paranoia, but he kept note of it though.

[delerix]

Inktail nodded and picked up his pace a good bit also. Frowning as he took note of the ominous tone Jellal was barely falling into there. "I'll be able ta keep up with ya mate, just try not ta fall behind hey?" Inktail smirks at his own bluffing. He does try to keep an eye on the area around, he remembers having heard something about a church out in the area here. "Hey, did ya know in this part o' mossflower there's supposed ta be an old church, it's said ta be where Cluny the scourge himself lay seige ta Redwall Abbey from." He shivered a little as he mentioned that, he wasn't scared, just...nervous.

[unknownsoldier]

"Heard the name before once...who was he exactly?" Jellal said, he literally did not know much of the history of Mossflower. He had heard very little, yet certain names still held some weight to them, like Cluny the Scourge. "Old church...leave it to him to pick just the most fantastic places." Jellal said with sarcasm in his voice. Not the first time he met his old teacher in a old, rundown place like a abandoned church, especially one with history. Again, still he felt that chill and....something else, but he just couldn't place it. Almost as if....it couldn't be, but push the thought aside, I have a task at hand to finish.

[delerix]

Inktail gaped at Jellal, not knowing o' Cluny. Inktail's voice drops lower than strictly needed, as if afraid the scourge could hear him still. "Aye, I don't doubt ya heard it, maybe from th' one who tucked ya in at night, if'n you don't do as yer told Cluny'll get ya." He looks around "Cluny th' Scourge, let me put it like this, those rats that made tha' reputation ye gotta live with, they look at Cluny an say, 'that'n there's a bad beast, ya don't wanna cross him." The weasel continues, "He was one o' the few Vermin Horde leaders ta crack the abbey and get in." He shivers, "St. Ninian's that's the name o' the church, I ain't one ta be superstitious mate, but if any place in mossflower were ta be 'aunted...it'd be ninian's." He blinks "But pay no attention ta th' ramblin' o' a fisherweasel who listend ta too many stories an' didn' travel enough." He smiles encouragingly and continues on.

[unknownsoldier]

"You sure know how to set the mood inktail...thanks buddy." Jellal said sarcastically, though....he did feel a certain chill with that name. He could not believe that old fool chose a location like this! He was certainly eccentric but.....really, St. Ninians, a place with dark history, and apparently haunted as well? Lovely, just freaking lovely, perfect score on the scare factor with passing colors, he may have lost it. Jellal did feel honestly worried now, Why did you pick this place Silvis? Do you know something about it? He thought quietly to himself.

[delerix]

Inktail smiled sheepishly, "Ermm, yeah sorry 'bout tha', if it's any consolation, Cluny's been dead an' gone ages, slain in combat by Matthias o' Redwall." The Weasel moved a pace closer to his friend, just in case they were as nervous as they seemed. Inktail tried to stay encouraging, "Yer friend must be either some kind a 'istory nut, or maybe just a bit odd ta go picking St. Ninian's fer a meeting spot." Seemingly without thinking, Inktail loaded a stone to his sling, just in case.

[unknownsoldier]

"Its....fine I guess. As you said, Cluny's dead and gone ages ago, just history, a bedtime story to scare dibbuns." Jellal said, trying to hide his nervousness. "Hes probably a bit both....and then some. Thats not what worries me though." He said as he stopped a bit from the forest edge, looking at open grassland and could clearly see why St. Ninians was creepy. In the distance he could see the dilapidated, abandoned church just a bit away across the open field. He could few rusted iron spikes still standing here and there, also a few gravestones as well. "I really, Really, hate this now. This better be something worth all of this." He said before grabbing a branch from a tree, and tossing it into the field as far as he could. A few seconds went by, then a whoosh sounded as a iron spike flew and hit a tree not that far from them. "Yeah...just what I thought, hes set up shop."

[delerix]

Inktail smiled to his friend, doing what he could to be reassuring. "Aye, just a story, an' a record on some pages in th' Abbey's gate'ouse." He stopped and took a moment to look over the church's exterior. He had to admit he could see why it was a choice spot to lead from, even dilapidated and abandoned, it was imposing to be before. "I know whatcha mean matey, this place is givin' me chills." Inktail was about to lob a stone into the field when Jellal arced the branch across. He whirled on the spot as the iron spike thudded into the tree so near them. Inktail, normally full of at least false confidence, whimpered. "'Course he 'as traps, they always gotta 'ave traps" He's saying it with a surprisingly nervous edge to his voice, something must be bothering him about the fact of their being traps.

[unknownsoldier]

Jellal heard the confidence drain instantly from his friend as a worried tone crept in. "Inktail, you alright?" He put a comforting paw on the weasels shoulder. "Calm down, it was only a simple trap, nothing more." He said, lying to him, trying to calm him. Just like his title, dangerous....even though the oldest of us all. "Just tell me inktail, why are you so scared of traps? Did something happen before...to make you like this?" He asked, worried for his friend, and worried for himself as well. This isn't good, if he gets like this and worse...No! Hes better then this, he has to be. He thought to himself quietly.

[delerix]

Inktail, blinks for a moment, turning to look to Jellal. "Oh errm, eheh, not really a fear o' traps." Inktail looks to his paws a moment. "More afraid o' things like pain 'n death really." He bites his lip. "I jus' know 'ow easy it is ta fall into a good trap. See, I may 'ave been shorter than all the otter young'ns after I was saved, but I made up for it by bein' twice as much trouble according ta some o' the caretakers." He smirks "I jus' I worry about friends a lot, and with traps set so well, an us 'avin' ta walk through 'em. It scares me."

[unknownsoldier]

Jellal let out a breath that felt like he was holding it in. He gave his friend a pat on the shoulder, "Just....don't scare me like that again okay?" he said with concern. Its not that big of a fear...thats good, I guess. Still.....better to keep a eye on him, just in case. "This probably would've been relevant a few minutes ago," he starts to say while twiddling his paws, "The beast that I owe a favor to...hes a bit infamous from where I'm from. How he got the infamy...well, lets just say..." He trails off as he picks up another branch and tosses it into the field. As soon as it hit the ground, iron spikes flew from both sides of the field and impaled the spot where the branch landed. A few seconds later, two planks flipped from hidden spots on either side and again impaled the spot.

[delerix]

Inktail will smile at the reassuring pat on his shoulder. "Sorry mate, I-I try not ta let it get ta me much sometimes the worries get past me." The weasel listens intently to what Jellal is explaining to him, chuckling at the paw twiddling, now he takes his turn to pat his friend on the shoulder. Rather, he was about to, but then the second branch is arced into the field. The resulting assault is enough to make Inktail's eyes widen and his jaw go slack briefly. "Dark Forest's gates, this beast ye be owein' a favor ta, he ain't kiddin' aroun' is 'ee." Inktail tries to ponder a way past the traps, "Say Jellal matey, is yer guild the only one makin' those fancy bomb whatchamacallits? If it is, maybe if ya pass me one, I can sling it far in enough for 'im ta see eh?"