Life by the River

[Hermie]

Sitting on the riverbank with rod in hand, a woodmouse waited patiently for his supper. He wrapped himself tightly in his cloak, trying to keep the cold away. Soon, he felt a nibble, and gave the line a sharp tug, and felt a rewarding pull. Standing up, the mouse pulled back on the line. He walked backwards and gave it a hard pull, which made the fish fly out of the water and on to the bank. Picking up the line just above the fish, he scurried off into the woods, and came to a brushpile. He moved a few branches to the side, and walked into a hidden hole beneath a large oak tree. Immediately apon entering his simple abode, he took the fish into his small but functional kitchen, and prepared the fish for eating. He used his dirk to cut off the head and gut the fish, working with experienced efficiency. He then rinsed it with a little water from a pail, and began to season the fish with some herbs and spices he gathered over time. Setting flint to tinder, he got a small fire going in his oven, and placed the fish on a pan inside the oven to bake. He then stood in front of the oven and warmed himself.
"Aah.. Much better," the mouse said aloud as he began to thaw from his excursion into the wintry air. Soon, the delightful aromas of his fish filled his home, as he breathed it in deeply. He decided to sit down and take a quick nap as his meal cooked.

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

Michael Woodshroud wasn't alone.

A ferret had been watching the woodmouse even as he caught the fish and prepared it for eating. As he fell asleep. And that ferret was none other than Zakura Salixa Rath, daughter of the famed warlord Sawney Rath. The lithe, sinewy ferret leaned on the bottom of her spear and flicked a stick at the sleeping mouse, just hard enough to wake it up. She smiled.

'Ach, d'ye min' gettin' up, mousey?'

(I forgot to mention that Zakura had a northland accent.)

[ferretface]

Kegro was, in the meantime, busy acquainting himself with this part of the river...as a scout, it was vital to know the area, and Kegro, well....didn't. Back in the days he didn't need to worry about this part of the river much, but he was Log-a-Log then, and now he was back down to the ranks.

He didn't particularly mind, though. Actually, since the Guosim had taken him in, he'd felt better than ever before. He was useful, too, as a scout, a warrior and a leader if needs must, too.
As he was pondering this, he tripped over a rock. Losing his balance, he smashed his head into the ground. Or rather, squelched, for it was into mud that he planted his face. Squeaking in dismay, he pulled his face out and rubbed his face. Then froze.

There was a ferret on the other side of the reeds!

Swearing under his breath, the old shrew reached for his club and sword.

There was a helpless-looking mouse right next to her!

He found his weapons, and with a slight clatter became ready to spring out at a moments notice if the mouse was in danger. For now, though, he would wait.

And watch.

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

Sharp triangle ears twitched slightly backward as the ferret neatly hopped in and nipped a burning piece of stick out of the embers of the cooking fire. With only a slight twitch of the lethal pointed claws, the stick shot through the reeds, and the ferret caught a glimpse of the older shrew. Her teeth clipped the handle of her hooked knife as she tossed it into the air. Pressing her body to the ground, the ferret crept up on Kegro, popping up right next to him.

Zakura Salixa Rath laughed, even though there was a major possibility that this shrew was with the Guosim, she tossed her hooked knife up agin and caught it, ripping out her spear and taking up a fighting stance as she eyed the seemingly frozen shrew.

'Ah'll thank ye' tae start fightin'. Ah got some business tae take care o', if'n ye' know what ah mean.'

[Mako]

"I wouldn't be tryin' it, matey." A voice said from behind the ferret. A fox wearing fur walked up and cracked his knuckles, "How's it goin'? I think I'd like to do the honor o' takin' out that there shrew." Winking at the shrew, the fox moved up to the ferret so he was standing between them, "I don't think I like you threatening other beasties, mate." Touching the tip of the hooked knife, the fox smirked, "You think that knife would do any harm? You know what works perfect for killin'?" Holding his hands up, he opened his palms, "These do the job just fine." Rubbing his fur boots, the fox introduced himself, "My name be Springheel, or Springheel Jakk. I would prefer just Springheel if you would be so kind and acknowledge me." Then he walked closer to the ferret and whispered in her ear, "Or I'd have ta kill you, and I already have too much blood on my hands." Smirking lightly, Springheel cracked his neck, then his knuckles then did a back flip and landed neatly with his legs crossed and he bowed to the shrew, "Springheel Jakk, atcha service, mate." Turning back to the ferret, he figured he'd like to taunt her. A smirk creased across the young fox's features as he began his taunting, "Can ye do this?" He did another back flip, "Or this?" He did a front flip. "Can you wear fur without getting grossed out at the ida of wearing another beastie's fur? Heck, maybe this was your father's! Quite comfortable if ya ask me." Winking at the ferret he turned back to the shrew and held out his paw, "You, sir, may call me Springheel Jakk whereas this ferret or stoat thing whatever you are may only call me Springheel. Savvy?"

OOC: If you're wondering, I somewhat based him off Captain Jack Sparrow, from Pirates of the Carribean.

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

Zakura Salixa twitched her ears.

'Ah'll thankee tae haul ye're smart mouth elsewhere, foxy. O' course, if'n ye'd prefer to stay, that ken be arranged.'

She twitched the knife, aiming to leave a long red scar down the fox's side, then laughed at the fox as it attemptd a backflip.

'Why would Ah want tae do that anyway? Ah ken wear fur, and Ah'm startin' tae take kindly tae the idea o' skinnin' yew. And why would it be my father's fur foxy? Ah'll have yew know my father was Sawney Rath.'

[Mako]

"Oooh Sawney! Big fool! Got slain by an old mother! I spit on him" Jakk snapped. Wincing slightly, Springheel bent back to dodge the blow, but it left a neat scar across his cheek, "So unswise, my friend." Cracking his neck, Springheel was about to attack the ferret, but he stopped himself. "I won't killyou today. I have better ways to spend my day." He snapped again.

(Now we should wait for the others after you post or something like that)

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

Zakura snapped back at the fox irritably.

'Aye, Sawney, and d'ye know what Ah did when Ah caught up wid the creature Ah thought Ah should take my revenge on?' Ah slew him and all 'is likkle Juska 'elpers.'

I won't kill you today. I have better ways to spend my day.

Zakura smiled broadly.

'Ah dinnae believe that. Yew just a coward, yew stupid likkle foxy?'

[ferretface]

Kegro, finding himself completely ignored by both vermin, crept over to the mouse.
"Run fer it!" he whispered. "I'll watch yore back if they come for you. I'm Kegro, of the Guosim shrews. The lads ain't gonna miss a chance for a scrap, an' if these 'ere vermin end up attackin' us, I don't fancy their," he pointed derisively at the two fighters, "chances."

[Hermie]

((OOC: Wow, I guess this is what a lack of an internet connection can do. Though if my initial post was read better, you would see that I was in my home when I fell asleep, not out by the river.

... Though would the daughter of Sawney even work in this timeframe? Wouldn't it be his great-great-etc.-grandchild or something? But enough of my mini-rant... I'll just work with what's happened.))

Feeling a poke in his sleep, the mouse attributed it to something in his chair, and resumed napping. Soon after, his dreams turned to his kitchen catching fire, and this caused Michael to start with a jump and run to check his fish. Finding it just fine and nearly done, he removed it from the stove to cool.
"Ah, good... I thought I lost it for a moment."
His ears perked up to the sound of a scrape outside his abode, and he readied his dirk and crept out of his home to where the fight was. Using his cloak to blend in with the loam, he crouched as he watched a ferret, a fox, and a Guosim shrew fighting. Standing up slightly, he realized he was in view of the shrew, as he apporached the mouse and gave him a warning.
"Aye, solid advice, friend, but my home is close, and I plan on defending it if I need to. Hopefully they won't find it, though." In a moment, he got an idea. "Hmm... Would you like to join me for supper? I've just cooked a fish up, it should be enough for two."

[Mako]

"Oh... My... Goodness! You mean to tell me you actually slew some beastie? Let's all bow down to this little ferret, eh, because she slew a couple o' beasts!" Springheel laughed. His temper would soon change as she call him a coward. Turning towards her, Springheel growled, "What was that?" Clenching his fists, Springheel bore his teeth at the beast in front of him. "I'll show you what this 'coward' can do." Cracking his neck, Springheel advanced on the ferret, but was soon stopped by a strong hand. Zephyr Bladerunner had been watching all, and he didn't want the ferret or the fox to get hurt or killed, so he decided to break it up. The archer strode sprinted out and wrapped an arm around Springheel's torso, stopping the fox from advancing, "You're wasting your breath, laddie." Still keeping his hold, Zephyr introduced himself, "I am Zephyr. My last name is of no importance to you." Pulling down his hood, Zephyr revealed a heavily tattooed face of a former Juska fox. Releasing his hold on Springheel, Zephyr somewhat pushed the fox away from harm. "Don't start something you can't finish, ferret." Zephyr snapped. "Fox's are cunning, smart, agile, and quick, and I've heard of that one back there. Goes by the name o' Springheel, or Springheel Jakk. I'm one o' the few who knew him as Jakk. 'E's a master of acrobatics. I wouldn't want to fight him. He's a dangerous beastie when he's angry."

Slightly calmed down, Springheel strode over to Michael and the shrew. Bowing to Michael, Springheel introduced himself, "My name is Springheel, or Springheel Jakk. Don't be disturbed by my appearance." He smirked as he revealed his fur clothing, "I am a fox, I can't deny that, but I'm not evil. I don't go plundering for fun and killing for kicks." Smiling, Springheel held out his hand for a handshake.

Zephyr had been eyeing the ferret in front of him. He had to admit, she was no push-over, and she sure looked like she could handle herself. That's when Zephy smelt it. Wildcat flesh. Ears twithcing slightly at the sound of snapping branches, Zephyr pulled out an arrow and traced his fingers along the black flethcing, before he notched it to his bow. Silently pulling his bow out, he nocked the arrow on it, but left it untaut, waiting for an appearance. Then it happened. All too fast.

A wildcat barreled out of the bushes.

Zephyr pulled his bow taut.

The wildcat unsheathed a sword.

Zephyr fired.

The arrow grazed the wildcat's arm.

The wildcat lashed out with a clenched paw.

Zephyr was knocked back by the force of the blow, his bow flying to the side, and Zephyr crashed into the river. Grunting with pain, Zephyr made it to his feet painfully, and limped out of the river. The wildcat advanced on the fox, as Zephyr ran to grab his bow. Grabbing his bow, Zephyr turned only to be confronted by a snarling wildcat in his prime. Lashing out with a paw, the wildcat grabbed Zephyr by the throat and lifted him up, snarled in his face, then threw him across the river, in the general direction of Michael. Zephyr's body crashed through the three beasts and slammed into a tree. Grunting with pain, Zephyr tried to stand up, but failed and lay there slumped. He did, however, manage a grin, "Fancy me dropping in?"

((Keep in mind, the wildcat is my character. He is no NPC, BTW. He is a character with a bio.))

[Varjak Juskarak Taggerung]

"Fox's are cunning, smart, agile, and quick."

Zakura bared her teeth at Zephyr, resisting the urge to attack, but fingering her knife handle.

'An' so are ferret. Ah'll bet, as a matter o' fact, ye're a goodbeast as well, foxy. Ah'm ready tae fight an' Ah ken take yew both, sae why dinnae yew try it 'stead o' hidin' back dere?'

Watching impassively as the fox was tossed into a tree by the wildcat, she slunk over to Michael Woodshroud.

[ferretface]

Narrowly dodging the flying fox (pun not intended) by throwing himself to the ground, Kegro got up quickly, not even pausing to look at Zephyr's flightpath. Grabbing his warclub, he spotted the ferret coming over to the mouse, and raised both his weapons.
"Don' even fink abou' it," he warned.

[Hermie]

Feeling a little too... crowded, Michael slipped down into the grass and shrubs, using his cloak to vanish from sight. He circled around the area, and climbed a tree to watch the others from a distance. The browns and greens of his cloak blended perfectly with the tree, making him nearly undetectable, save to squirrels. He decided to bide his time and watch to see how things played out, and search the bodies for anything useful, should one of them be slain.

[Rocky]

Springheel jumped on the wildcat's back and knocked him down, but the wilcat kicked the fox off of him and fled into the woods. Springheel stood up, brushed dirt off of his fur and walked over the the ferret who was supposedly daughter of Sawney Rath. Sneking up behind her, he gripped her neck from behind and held a knife at her throat, "You think you can take us both, huh? Not if I kill you." He hissed. "Stop." Zephyr groaned as he slowly stood to his feet. Cracking his neck, Zephyr did a few hops to make sure he was fine then he walked over to Zakura, "Look, ferret, you better leave, unless you want to get hurt. Go crawl back to daddy's den and leave." Zephyr snapped suddenly. Releasing the hold on Zakura, Springheel backed up to avoid any back swing from the ferret who was probably angry. He quickly climbed a tree and started some treehopping until he was next to Michael, "Hello good sir, call me Springheel Jakk!" He said in a cheery tone. Without waiting for what Michael would do next, Zrpingheel grasped Michael's paw and started to shake it vigourously, still holding a cheery smile.

Zephyr stood staring at the ferret, "What? Do you want to fight me? Go ahead, free shot." He said, holding his palms out and open. "C'mon. Punch me." He said, smirking slightly.

[Hermie]

Unsure of how to react to both the failure of his camoflague and the fox's sudden appearance, Michael nearly fell out of the tree. It was the fox's pawshake that kept him on the branch. Not used to being around a friendly fox, he was ready to jump and run at a moment's notice. "Uhh, hello there..." was all he could manage.

[ferretface]

Kegro watched the vermin duke it out between each other with vague interest. THen he turned towards MIchael. Slight problem: he wasn't actally there any more.
"Huh...?"
THen, Springheel jumped over to a random spot of shurbbery and started introducing himself, and then he noticed the slightly out-of-place figure of Michael Woodshroud. Well-named, it seemed. (Not that Kegro actually knew his name, but meh.) Sneaking silently towards them so as not to attract the attention of the others, he nodded to the two, and readied his weapons. You know, just in case.