Out Hunting

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

Jorthos the great horned owl was out hunting. His friends and caretakers, Hythrus and Swiftwing the two barn owls, were back at home preparing some food and drink they had saved in their home.

The great horned owl saw a glittering movement in a stream below, perhaps a fish. Jorthos swooped down, closer to the stream and watched as the fish swiftly swam. Jorthos snatched it in his talons, killing it instantly. He began flying back to his home when he heard a noise.

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

Canyon had clumbed into the owl's home and had immediately seen the other owls. They were attacking him and he whirled his broadsword around, dealing sharp raps to the bird's skulls. They were knocked out cold. In the excitement of defeating the birds he yelled out a battlecry. 'Juskaaaaaa!' Then placed a paw over his mouth. He was not of the Juska clan anymore and if another owl heard him he was dead meat. He picked up his sword and began to climb down the tree.

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

Jul 26, 2008 13:00:03 GMT -5 Varjak Juskarak Taggerung said:

Canyon had clumbed into the owl's home and had immediately seen the other owls. They were attacking him and he whirled his broadsword around, dealing sharp raps to the bird's skulls. They were knocked out cold. In the excitement of defeating the birds he yelled out a battlecry. 'Juskaaaaaa!' Then placed a paw over his mouth. He was not of the Juska clan anymore and if another owl heard him he was dead meat. He picked up his sword and began to climb down the tree.

Whoa! Dude, you can't control what happens to other peeps' character like that. It is against LoRA's rules.

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

(Sorry I didn't know that they were your characters...pretend he's trying to escape from them!)

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

Jul 26, 2008 13:04:53 GMT -5 Varjak Juskarak Taggerung said:

(Sorry I didn't know that they were your characters...pretend he's trying to escape from them!)

(Okay, I'll try...)

Hythruk saw a ferret enter his hollow and immediately warned Swiftwing, then spoke to the ferret in an imperious, no-nonsense tone as the two barn owls readied themselves for fighting.

"Who are you, ferret, and why are you hear in our dwelling, trespassing?"

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

(Sorry about that...)

Canyon bared his teeth. 'I'm lookin' for a meal, happy?' He put his broadsword back into his belt and took out a dagger. 'Look, owlbird, I ain't here to harm you. But I'll fight if I have to.' He readied the dagger to be thrown and pointed at Swiftwing. 'Are there anymore of you owlybirds about, eh?' He looked at the dagger and put it back.

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

Hythrus laughed. "Hoohahoohoohahahoo! Well, aren't you a brave little warrior, talking to an owl like that. You're hungry, eh? So are we. We eat ferret, you know, weasels and rats also, and occasionally the bad vole or bird. We have some scones and flans, cordial and wine, too, but why should we share with you? Nearly all vermin we've met have been evil so what makes you different from most of the vermin?"

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

Canyon's eyes blazed red for a brief moment. 'Nobeast calls me a vermin!' He withdrew his broadsword. 'Come any closer and I'll kill you!' He shook his head and his eyes returned to their normal blue. He pawed at his Juska tattoos. 'Sorry about that. What makes me different from most ferrets? You're just going to have to believe me, owlybird.' He gnawed on a filthy clawnail and spat dirt onto the ground. 'If I was a vermin I would have attacked ye' be now. I'm looking for Redwall Abbey.'

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

"Don't you ever call us 'owlyburds'!" Swiftwing lunged forward, towering over the ferret. The barn owl bent over to stare eye to eye with the ferret, eyes blazing. "If you call us that one more time, you'll become our dinner! You say you would've killed us by now if you were vermin? No, ferrets don't kill owls."

Before Swiftwing could finish speaking to the ferret, the fierce, huge great horned owl Jorthos swooped in. "What's this? A ferret in our home? I couldn't find anything when I went out, but no worries, we have ourselves a nice little ferret! Ferret, what is your name and what are you doing in our home?"

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

Canyon turned to face the huge bird and looked it in the eye. 'My name's Canyon. If ye' don't believe that I'm not a vermin...' He laid down his broadsword and crossbelt of daggers, 'Now do ye' believe me, owl?'

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

Jorthos looked the ferret up and down. "Hmm...perhaps you're not vermin, you still haven't told me your name and why you are here, ferret."

Hythrus and Swiftwing edged closer to the ferret, wondering what would happen next.

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

'My name's Canyon.' He shrugged. 'I've been looking around this place, find somewheres to stay and get summat to eat.' Looking around, he spotted the two owls. 'And you haven't told me your names.'

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

Jorthos responded to the Canyon rather abruptly and fiercely. "My name is none of your business. So, you're looking for somewhere to stay and get something to eat and you say you are looking for Redwall Abbey, why?"

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

"I'm lookin' to live there, if its any o' your business. Not all ferrets are bad, owl.' He flicked his tail and picked up his weapons, putting on the crossbelt of daggers, he flicked one in the air and caught it as it fell in his teeth. Putting the weapon back, he waited for the owl's response.

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

Jorthos was a very wise creature and he had met many otherbeasts in his lifetime. Jorthos scoffed, then spoke. "Maybe, but most are. I assume a ferret is bad from experience. If you make it to Redwall Abbey it might be difficult for its inhabitants to let you live there; again, most ferrets are bad. This is the truth; it is probably hard for you, other creatures assuming you are evil, but why take the chance to assume you are not evil? Lives could be lost, goodbeasts' lives. Don't you see what I mean?"

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

That was it. Canyon's eyes blazed red and his muscles tensed. 'A stupid owlbird isn't going to tell me what to do. I go where I want. I've killed many a vermin in my lifetime, and I'm not giving up my dream just because a stupid owlbird says so!' He twirled his sword and caught it, eyes still glazed over with fury. 'Kill me then, you stupid owlbirds. Three against one, that's not even fair and I stilll will do it!' He opened his mouth and let out a battlecry without even thinking about it. 'Redwallll!'

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

(Rein, I don't think you're being realistic. I doubt a ferret would attack a Great Horned Owl that is about twice its size or more. But, whatever. )


Jorthos laughed upon hearing Canyon's "battlecry". "That is the battlecry of us also." Then Jorthos spoke seriously and dangerously. "You do not know how fierce I am. When you say it isn't even fair to try to attack us, you are right. I have attacked and defeated whole hordes of rats, ferrets, weasels. I've killed birds--ravens, rooks, crows, magpies, herons--and other owls, even an owl of my species. You may think you can kill me--you may even be a good fighter, of that I don not know--but you can't kill me. I need no weapons except my natural defenses."

Also, I did not insult you when I last spoke. Lives could be lost; actually they have. I once knew a young bank vole and his family; one day a fox came to his home and asked to stay inside. The bank vole assumed he was a goodbeast and let the fox in; the bank vole even let the fox stay the night. The vole woke up in the middle of the night because he felt a sharp pain. The vole saw the fox with a bloodied knife and his dead family in the background. The vole screamed and jumped up, then wrenched the knife from the fox and slew the stupid vermin scum with it."

That is not the only time something horrible like that has happened to a goodbeast. That is why I assume you are evil."

Now, about fighting you again. Well, you claim you are not vermin but you act like one; I say I don't trust you and you want to fight. Most goodbeasts at Redwall Abbey usually solve simple arguments like this by words, not fighting. But I'm different, I'm a warrior!"

Jorthos launched forward with his talons and beak ready to kill. Hythrus and Swiftwing stood watching.

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

Canyon twirled his sword-point on his paw, eyes blazing red still. He licked his sword point and let the paw holding it lay at his side. 'I may have the Bloodwrath but so do Badger Lords!' he hissed coldly at the owl, swordpoint flashing in the sunlight as he raised it in an arc above his head. 'And usually creatures don't tick me off like this.' He added, drawing a dagger from his belt in a fluid motion. He threw the blade at the owl's chest and slashed at it with his sword. The blade met unexpected resistance, and the dagger was snatched from the air. He lowered his blade and saw a young female hare, about his age, lounging against the tree, holding a trident in one paw and a dirk in the other. She wiggled her ears at both fighting creatures. 'I say, chaps, that's a bit much! Fightin' eachother fer no reason! One of ye' is bound to die and goodbeasts can't afford to kill each other, wot wot!' She placed the dirk in her belt and held the trident up next to her side. 'Ye' both are fighters born! Jolly good thing I was followin' you, owl.'

[Ltc. Hubert Greenburrow II]

(Rein, Canyon can't have the Bloodwrath; it said in Tribes of Redwall Badgers, I think. Only badgers can have the Bloodwrath.)

Jorthos nodded knowingly. "Ah, so that's what that noise was. I heard a noise when I was out hunting. I thought I might have seen a hare, and I didn't want to waste time stopping; I needed to get back home and have dinner with Hythrus and Swiftwing."

I am Jorthos," Jorthos then motioned to Hythrus and Swiftwing, "and these two are Hythrus and Swiftwing. What is your name?" Jorthos asked the hare.

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

The hare replied 'My name is Meso Skypaw, and I'm a hare formerly from Salamandastron. Nice to meet you, Jorthos, Hythrus, and Swiftwing.' She lifted the trident up in a salute, then let it go back to its original position.