To Escape a Slaver or Two [Rocky/Open]

[Rocky]

The black otter couldn't help but let a small laugh escape his lips as Tampa seemed on the brink of cracking into a fit of laughter.

Whoohahahooo!

There she goes, he thought, fighting off his own hysterics. "For you, we have anything." He said softly, handing her some bread and cheese. "Would you like something to drink?" He asked, his face creasing into a smile as her fit of laughter sped up. "Meko, take the otters and scout ahead. Make sure the are is safe." Meko nodded, "Yes sir." The otters walked off, leaving Rocky, Tampa, and one other otter. "Jeron. Why do you stay?" The otter he said that too said nothing, but stood there, wavering slightly. "Excuse me, Miss Tampa." He said softly then walked over to Jeron. "Jeron. Answer."

The otter turned to look at him, then collapsed in a heap in the water. Rocky's eyes went wide. He turned the otter over and there was a neat gash on his side. He put his paw on the gash then lifted it to his nose. "Poison. Someone must've blended with the crew" He said quietly. "Its not safe. Lets get to the cr--" He would've continued, but something slammed into him, knocking his breath out. The skipper landed by the water, and rolled out of the way of a stomp, then gained his footing and stood up. Now there was this beast in front of him. The only thing that stood between Skip and Tampa. "I was having a good day..." He spat out, looking up at the beast with hardened eyes. "Leave, now." He said in a cold tone.

OOC: Thought I'd spice things up a bit. XD Ill let you determin the species, and you can control him, too.

[Grath]

"For you, we have anything." He said softly, handing her some bread and cheese. "Would you like something to drink?"

Tampa took the food, forcing herself to eat slowly, shaking her head when he asked if she was thirsty. “No, I drank enough.” She giggled again, she’d fallen into the river. Forcing her face into sternness, she started on the cheese.

"Excuse me, Miss Tampa."

Tampa nodded, eating her last bite of cheese. She wondered why the otter had not obeyed his Skipper, she was completely sober now, with no hint of hysterics. Her eyes went wide when she saw him fall over.

"Poison. Someone must've blended with the crew" He said quietly. "Its not safe. Lets get to the cr--"

Tampa wanted nothing better. She had a good idea who was at fault. Her suspicions proved true when the creature barreled into Skipper.

“Ren.” she snarled, with both fear and fury. The fox slaver. He coated his weapons with poisons, it was how they had ambushed many characters. “Where’s your sniveley-nosed friend?”

"I was having a good day..." He spat out, looking up at the beast with hardened eyes. "Leave, now." He said in a cold tone.

Ren the fox chuckled, standing easily in a stance ready for fighting. “Not wi’out me property.” He drew a second poisoned dagger, balancing the two.


[[he's all yours]]

[Rocky]

"You know this guy?" Rocky shouted. I guess now's not the time for explanations, Rocky thought. The young warrior stared at Ren with anger in his eyes. Alright... Tampa was angry with him, but also looked scared. She knew Ren had another partner, and Tampa wasn't in the best of conditions when Rocky found her. Hm. His eyes widened as he dawned on a conclusion. Tampa was scared. She knew of a partner to this fox, and she was beaten. Rocky mouthed the word "Slaver" He wasn't completely sure if he was correct with his conclusion, but either way, this fox did something to Tampa. Something bad.

Rocky cupped both paws about his mouth, then let out a piercing whistle. He trilled the whistle three times to sound like a bird call, then dropped his paws and stared at Ren. "I have no compassion for slavers.

Rocky moved closer to Ren so he was within touching distance. Ren stared at him, then said, "I'm gonna count t' five, then I'm goin' t' kill youse. Then, I'll take my property." Rocky stared blankly at him. "Your property?" Rocky scoffed, "No one is allowed to call a friend of mine property."

A slight growl passed the otters lips, and he nodded ever so slightly over Ren's shoulder, and Meko came running up behind Ren, and Ren turned, and at that point, Rocky grabbed Ren by the neck from behind and said in a low tone, "Leave now. And never come back."

Rocky looked at Tampa, "What do you suggest we do, Miss?"

[Grath]

"You know this guy?"

“No, it was a guess!” Tampa snapped. She looked between Rocky and Ren, eyes flicking quickly from one combatant to the other. “Watch those daggers, they’re poisoned!” She almost missed it, but not quite. She watched as realization dawned on Skipper’s face. He mouthed “Slaver.” And she turned her face away, ashamed for some reason.

She turned back, staring in surprise at Rocky as he imitated a bird. Calling in reinforcements, she could only guess. Tampa picked up a rock, then a couple more. She didn’t have a sling, but she still could throw. It was not too far, as opposed to a battle, when a sling might come in handy.

"Leave now. And never come back."

Tampa tuned back into the conversation, seeing something overlooked by the two male otters. “Watch out!” She wound and threw a rock, more to distract the fox than hit him. She started moving in the same moment, taking two strides and then launching her long body sideways into Meko, knocking him away from the dagger Ren had lifted to nick him with.

It all happened very fast, and Rocky was talking as she landed on the ground.
"What do you suggest we do, Miss?"

[Rocky]

"You don't have to get angry." Rocky muttered to himself. He looked up from where he was, and Ren broke free and lunged for Meko with the poison knife. "Not good." Rocky muttered and ran after, but Tampa was there, and tackled Meko out of the way. Ren's missed lunge caused him to stumble forward, and then was knocked down, as the skipper crashed into him, and in the same movement, knocked both knives away. Rocky grabed Ren's arm behind his back, and pushed it up far until he heard the bone's crack. "Maybe with a broken arm, your business will be slowed, seeing as how it may prove hard to whip a creature with a broken arm. Rocky walked over to the knives and kicked them both into the running river, and turned around to see Ren running at him, and punching him in his face with his good arm. Rocky cracked his jaw, then smiled, "I'm going to enjoy this." HE advanced on the fox and lashed out at his stomach, then his face, and grabbed him by his throat and threw him in the water. The young but seasoned warrior dived in after him, and started beating the fox with his right hand, while he held him with his left.

While Rocky was giving his pounding to the slaver, Meko stood up slowly, and offered a paw to Tampa, "Up you come missy." He said, smiling as he did it.

Blood poured into the river, tinting it red and pink-ish, and Ren couldn't fight to well with a broken arm, and was at the hands of a merciless beast. Rocky's eyes went black, a familiar sign, usually meaning a rage, and he grabbed Ren by the neck, and held him underwater, then brought him up for five seconds, and dunked him again, and again. The process continued for about 3 more dunks, then Rocky pulled out his shortsword, took the flat of it, and started smacking it into Ren's side, not caring to listen to Ren's cries and pleas of mercy. "Mercy?! Did you show mercy to Tampa? Or any other victims?"

Rocky lifted the fox by the throat as if he was picking up a ragdoll, then growled and ran the fox through. The fox's eyes went closed, but then they opened for one more second, pulled out a dagger, and stabbed Rocky in the stomach, then died. Rocky dropped the now dead fox, sheathed his blade and looked up at Tampa and Meko, smiled, then fell in the water, unconscious. Meko silently cursed and dove in after his Skipper, and after a few seconds, he came out of the water with Rocky draped over his shoulder. He climbed out and slowly and carefully placed his friend on the ground, and tilted his head up, then pounded Rocky's chest once, and water shot out of Rocky's mouth. The otter started to splutter up more water and his eyes slowly opened, but he quickly closed them as he felt a pain in his abdomen where he was stabbed.

"I'm in pain, I know it, but it's numb." Rocky said slowly. Meko started talking to him about fun times, and as he did it, he was slowly pulling the blade out, and when he got it out, clear liquid poured out. "Poison!" Meko said sharply. "Quick! Tampa! Apply pressure above the wound."

Without waiting for his new friend, Meko started squeezing the area around the wound, and more and more poison came up, exiting Skip's body. When all of the poison Meko could get out was out, he still told Tampa to apply more pressure to the wound. "Keep him talking. Don't let him shut his eyes. Im going to get a bandage and the rest of the crew." With that, Meko tore away from his friend, regret filling his mind about leaving his life-long friend behind.

[Grath]

Oof. Tampa had landed hard enough the drive the wind from her body, and she sucked in a gulp of air as she took Meko’s paw and stood up. “Thank you.” She turned towards Rocky and Ren, watching with an impassive face as the fox received a beating. Her mother had taught her that violence was wrong, but the part of her that had slaved and been beaten kept her watching, and even felt a little bit of justice.

Rocky then ran Ren through, and but the fox clung to life long enough to stab Rocky. “Rocky!” Tampa cried as the Skipper fell into the river. Meko dived in after him, and Tam ran to the water’s edge after him. She was worried, and sure the dagger had been poisoned as well.

"I'm in pain, I know it, but it's numb." Rocky said slowly. Meko started talking to him about fun times, and as he did it, he was slowly pulling the blade out, and when he got it out, clear liquid poured out. "Poison!" Meko said sharply. "Quick! Tampa! Apply pressure above the wound."

Tampa knelt next to the two friends, worry on her face. She placed her paws, one over another, just over the wound, leaning her weight on it.

"Keep him talking. Don't let him shut his eyes. I'm going to get a bandage and the rest of the crew."

Tampa nodded quietly, then looked at Rocky. “Hey. Thanks. How does it feel?”

[Rocky]

Rocky's eyelids became heavy from weakness. The littl poison in him moed through his system, making him weak, and tired. His eyelids closed for a minute or two, but then he re-opened them, not wanting to fall asleep. He wanted to fight back, he didn't want Tampa to think he was weak. He didn't want his crew to think he was weak either.

“Hey. Thanks."

"Don't thank me. For you, it was worth it." He let a weak smile escape his lips, then he coughed slightly. He looked down at his chest. Good. No blood, he thought. Then, he voiced his thoughts, "At least there' no blood."

“How does it feel?”

"Numb." His response came slowly, and his voice seemed raspy. His eyes closed slowly, but then he re-opened them as quick as he could, still not wanting to appear weak.

Meko came back on the scene, surveying everything. He lifted Rocky slightly off the ground, then tied a cord around his skipper, then tightened it. He gently moved Tampa's paw away, grinning, "We don't want your hand to get caught, miss Tampa."

He looked at Rocky's face, and sighed, "He'll live, but he needs real medical attention."

Meko whistled sharply, and two otters came over with a stretcher, and layed it next to Rocky. Meko walked over to Skip, lifted him up, and gently put him on the stretcher. The otters lifted up the stretcher, and Rocky was grateful to be off the ground.

"C'mon miss. Don't want to be left behind." Rocky said softly.

[Grath]

"Don't thank me. For you, it was worth it. At least there' no blood."

Tampa turned a little red under her fur. But I’m not worth it. “In your lungs, maybe.” She looked at the wound. “If only it wasn’t your stomach.”

"Numb." His response came slowly, and his voice seemed raspy. His eyes closed slowly, but then he re-opened them as quick as he could, still not wanting to appear weak.

“Don’t sleep.” Tampa said. “You might not wake up.” Then Meko returned, with a cord to tie around Skipper’s stomach, and she moved her paw, nodding as he said they didn’t want her paw to get caught.

"He'll live, but he needs real medical attention."

“I’ve never seen anyone live after Ren poisoned them.” Tam said softly, following the otter crew.

"C'mon miss. Don't want to be left behind."

[Rocky]

“Don’t sleep.”....“You might not wake up.”

"I'll keep that in mind." Rocky said slowly and quietly. His eyes became heavier than before, but Rocky had a fire burning in him that would'nt go out. He wouldn't give up, even if Meko said he'd live, for sometimes, Meko's "diagnoses" have proved to be wrong.

“I’ve never seen anyone live after Ren poisoned them.”

Meko shuddered mentally, not being able to think of life without his friend and his Skipper. "Well, then. That just gives us another reason to get to Redwall faster, now, eh?" He grinned, then issued the order, "C'mon otters, double time. Move!" The otters nodded to no one in particular, and started ot at a jog. "Luckily for us, miss, we're not very far from Redwall."

"So. Tampa. Where are your parents?" Meko asked, wanting to start a conversation, both to get his mind off Rocky, and Tampa's, for he had enough otters worrying that he didn't need another.

[Grath]

"Well, then. That just gives us another reason to get to Redwall faster, now, eh?" He grinned, then issued the order, "C'mon otters, double time. Move!" The otters nodded to no one in particular, and started out at a jog. "Luckily for us, miss, we're not very far from Redwall."

Tampa nodded, her breath coming in gasps. “Does Redwall have very good medical care?”

"So. Tampa. Where are your parents?" Meko asked, wanting to start a conversation, both to get his mind off Rocky, and Tampa's, for he had enough otters worrying that he didn't need another.

“My parents live on the south-western seashore, south of Salamandastron.” Tampa gasped, trotting along with the other otters. Her paws were sore and felt raw, but she wasn’t going to complain now. Speed was essential.

[Should we continue in Redwall?]

[Rocky]

OOC:Sure. IF you want. Shall I skip my post and start a thread in the infirmary? OR should I post here... Its up to you.

[Grath]

[Post in the infirmary, I should think.]