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Post by aurethius on Feb 26, 2011 15:03:49 GMT -5
Egger the stoat plops down heavily on a flat rock near the opening of the cave, gripping his 'whetstone' between his legs. Really, it was no more than a glorified river-stone, but it seemed to be making him happy. He holds a truly deplorable axe in his paws and draws the blade across the stone, making a dull scraping noise. From the obvious wear of the axe, it looked like it would make a better hammer than a chopping weapon!
His eyes are up as his paws move, looking around the tents that comprised the camp of the Savage Shadows. Egger had joined up in the middle of winter, and had been glad to do so. For the wandering hunters of Mossflower, weathering winter was a dance with death. All the prey were locking their doors and hiding in their holes, relying on food stores to stay alive and keep warm. For creatures like Egger though, there was no hole, no stores, and no doors. The best he had was a group of like-minded beasts, all just as hungry as he. Thankfully, it was spring now, and soon the other creatures of the land would come out again.
"Thank the stones it's bloody Spring." he grumbles aloud.
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Post by Lucan on Feb 27, 2011 11:52:07 GMT -5
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
~ Terry Pratchett
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Sluagh had decided to take the opportunity to replenish his supply of arrows. He cast a brief and disdainful look at the shoddy and splintered staffs he had salvaged from their last raid, and set them aside, turning his attention instead to the bundle of fresh, sturdy birch branches he had collected that morning. The ferret worked quickly and efficiently in the shadow of the cave, aided by his sharp eyesight, whittling the wood down into long, smooth shafts that would fly true when he loosed them from his bow.
Now he must fletch the shafts, not to mention secure the heads. He had just set to work on the scraps of sharpened stone and metal that would turn the whittled wood into weapons, when a stoat lumbered out of the tunnel, carrying what looked like a despicably dented axe and a whetstone. The stoat settled on a rock near the mouth of the cave, in plain view of Sluagh, who was working with his back propped against the rock wall, shrouded in shadows. Surely that was why the lumbering oaf had not noticed him. A dull, scraping noise began to emanate from the stoat's direction, and Sluagh assumed the vermin was trying to sharpen that abominable weapon of his. He heard the stoat mutter something about spring, and let out a calculated laugh, low and cold.
"Aye, so ye'd best get that lump o' metal into shape sharpish. Raidin' season's upon us", the ferret said laconically.
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Post by aurethius on Feb 27, 2011 12:06:53 GMT -5
The Stoat looks up and around, momentarily unable to spot the Ferret. The other creature's dark fur made him difficult to see in the darker parts of the cave, and Egger briefly wondered if the laugh had come from his own axe! He looks down at the weapon, tapping at it, his eyes wide.
"Holy mosses! Talkin axe!"
He leaps up and away from the possessed item, standing atop the rock and pointing at it in horror.
"Who are you that's jumped into me axe?! Git outta there! Don't be tellin me how to sharpen you, that ain't how it works!"
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Post by Lucan on Feb 27, 2011 12:44:29 GMT -5
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
~ Terry Pratchett
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Sluagh could only stare in disbelief as the stoat leapt to his feet and began to scream at the axe, which he appeared to believe had just addressed him. Surely there was no shortage of idiots in Ryfar's band, but this was just ridiculous. Even though it was against the ferret's nature to laugh, or indeed display any emotion apart from detached disdain or professional satisfaction, he had to work very hard to hold back an amused chuckle.
He let the stoat continue in his tirade for a few moments, before deciding that enough was enough. "Quit screamin' at that axe, ye great galoot," Sluagh said sternly, his words only loud enough for the stoat to hear them over his confused mumblings. "Was I that spoke. Yer mammy no' teach yer 'tis bad manners to embarrass yerself in front of a superior officer?"
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Post by aurethius on Feb 27, 2011 12:51:05 GMT -5
So it wasn't the axe that had spoken? Egger's minimal military training kicks in, and he stands at attention to salute... the whetstone. Clearly, the stone had been the one to tell him about sharpening his axe, and it was an officer too!
"Sorry Sir!" he says, addressing the unmoving rock on the ground. "Congratulations on yer promotion by the by, I've had ye for years and din't know ye was officer material!"
The stoat drops the salute and puts his hand down at this sides, ready for further orders from the river-rock.
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Post by Lucan on Feb 27, 2011 13:07:09 GMT -5
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
~ Terry Pratchett
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Sluagh had to struggle not to roll his eyes in exasperation. This went beyond a joke. The beast was clearly a drooling imbecile. Well, it was high time to put an end to this circus act. The ferret stood up, and stepped into the sunlight, revealing himself as a tall, lean beast, clothed in a simple brown jerkin under a dark green cloak. He raised the hood as he came to stand behind the stoat, who was currently standing stiffly to attention, and his black eyes flashed with cold menace from its shadow. The fur of his snout, which by nature was white, had been dyed to a brown that was uniform with the rest of his pelt, as had his paws and underbelly, to improve the ferret's ability to conceal himself.
"I daresays that stone's got more officer material than you, at any rate, slush-fer-brains," the ferret hissed coldly into the stoat's ear. "Turn round!"
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Post by aurethius on Feb 27, 2011 13:15:05 GMT -5
The Stoat executes a careful about face, now staring at the wall. He had seen the ferret, finally, and was impressed with his superiors' ability to remain hidden in the confines of the Savage Shadows caves.
"Ah, sorry sir! Cave walls got yer voice bouncin all over, figgered me head had gone funny, what with the rocks an axes tellin me what to do!"
He throws up a salute in the direction he was facing, and then drops it.
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Post by Lucan on Feb 27, 2011 13:48:01 GMT -5
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
~ Terry Pratchett
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"Yer head, cully, was mos' definitely funny to begin with," Sluagh snapped, but with little rancor in his voice; if nothing else the fool know how to salute and stand to attention, even if he was doing so to the wall instead of his superior officer. And ridiculous or no, his display of idiocy had been somewhat amusing. "Now even as it wouldn't surprise me t' find such as ye takin' orders from lumps of rock, let me assure ye them axes 'n' stones be silent as deadbeasts. 'Twas me that spoke. And ye will look at me when ye salute me, not the wall five feet from me, is that clear?"
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Post by aurethius on Feb 27, 2011 16:38:27 GMT -5
Hoo boy! Get up, salute, turn round, face him... The officers of Savage Shadows were great at getting the recruits to drill! Egger whips around and renders the salute once more, finally to the original speaker.
"Clear as mud sir! Recruit Stiffwind, Egger!" He announces, offering his rank and name as was customary... he hoped.
He got a good look at the other vermin then, brown fur, much of it painted, bow and arrow at his back... This was Officer Keensight, Egger realized, recognizing him from the few hushed descriptions he had overheard. The ferret was known for having a sharp eye with a bow, and a sharp mind with tactics and leadership. Egger was already straight, but tries to straighten more, putting a bit of pressure on the powerful muscles in his back.
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Post by Lucan on Feb 28, 2011 11:27:20 GMT -5
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
~ Terry Pratchett
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"As good a name as any fer such," the ferret replied shortly, casting an appraising eye over the stoat. Sluagh cocked an eyebrow when he noticed that Egger seemed to be doing the same for him. "Got an eyeful?" he remarked severely, though not without a touch of approval. If the stoat went on to be as observant of his surroundings as of his superior's appearance, he might not be such a hindrance if the day came when Sluagh was tasked with commanding him.
"Stand down, recruit," he snapped. "Some use ye'll be t' me if ye break yer own rigbone. Now tell me..." The ferret pointed at the grotesquely blunt axe. "I ask purely in th' spirit o' enquiry. How in Hell's teeth does an axe get in that sorry state?"
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Post by aurethius on Feb 28, 2011 13:25:40 GMT -5
Egger relaxes and takes up the axe, holding the dulled edge up into the light.
"From bein used, Sir. 's got character. Usin it fer cuttin branches, choppin roots, diggin holes. 's about as old as I am. I don't know bout no spirits of 'in-queer-ee', but for a second there I was thinkin there were a spirit 'ere, talkin to me."
He shrugs, rolling his powerful shoulders experimentally.
"Lil elbow-grease an she'll be 'alf-sharp agin."
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Post by Lucan on Feb 28, 2011 13:50:36 GMT -5
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
~ Terry Pratchett
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"Character, aye?" Sluagh examined the axe with thinly veiled disgust. "Here is some free advice, recruit, what you should know. Yer wanter chop branches 'n' roots, yer use a hatchet. Yer wanter dig a hole, ye use yer claws or a pick. Ye don't use yer weapon fer diggin' holes!" Now the ferret made no attempt to keep the impatience from showing in his voice. He was privately angry with himself for allowing this dolt to get to him in such a way; wasn't he known, respected, even feared for his ability to conceal emotion?
But this thought only served to annoy him even more. "Cluny's tooth! What if ye had t' face an enemy wi' that thing a' blunt 'n' dented?" Sluagh halted himself at this point, taking a deep, steadying breath through his nostrils, and continued in a much calmer tone. " 'Alf-sharp nothin'. Yew git scrapin', Stiffwind, an' if that axe ain't sharp enough t' chop through leather by nightfall, I'll want t' know why." The ferret pointed a completely steady finger at Egger. "Understood?"
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Post by aurethius on Feb 28, 2011 14:18:26 GMT -5
Egger didn't understand, and rises to his full height, stretching 2 inches over a whole foot in length. His muscular bulk blocks the light of the cave entrance, suddenly filling it with darkness so that only his powerful outline and the dark shine of his eyes was visible. He gives a thoughtful chomp as the ferret points a claw at him, the snapping sound echoing just as Sluagh's voice had done before. It sounded rather like a hammer striking an anvil in the relative silence of the camp. He was suddenly very close to Sluagh, too close for a bow to get off a shot, or even for a swift ferret to dodge and duck away. Stoats were the brutal killers of the vermin world, and though stupid, they were darn good at their job. At the moment, Egger is unconsciously revealing all the attributes that made them that good.
"If'n its blunt an dented, I hit em with a big hammer. If'n it's sharp, I hit em with an axe. Either way, I'm fer hittin em with somethin." he replies.
Holding the axe in his paws, Egger bites down violently on the flat of the blade, and then holds it out. It was hard to tell which was more surprising; the lack of a chip on the blade, or the lack of a chip on Egger's teeth!
"This old thing's been wif me fer quite a long time, so I'll be maintainin' it as I'm seein fit." he replies honestly. There wasn't any intent of insubordination, just a plain fact as he saw it. "If ye like though Sir, I can go getcha a sharp one 'fore nightfall. There's a squirrel-house bein built out there, an me bet says there'll be a choppa there."
He remains in his position, waiting for further orders from the Officer.
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Post by Lucan on Feb 28, 2011 14:51:54 GMT -5
Sluagh met the stoat's gaze evenly as the recruit towered above him, blocking the sunlight and submerging the cave in darkness. Sluagh's fingers almost twitched towards his quiver as Egger made a great chomping sound that reverberated along the walls of the cavern, but he restrained himself. The ferret felt some satisfaction returning; he might have been nettled before, but at least he was still cool-headed enough to be able to look the hulking stoat in the eye. However, Egger didn't seem to want to pick a fight, but even if he did, Sluagh was reasonably certain he could take the big lunk. If stoats were the muscle of verminkind, ferrets where their match in nimbleness, and the space of the cave behind him was wide enough to execute a swift maneuver should the occasion demand it.
Even so, Sluagh listened silently as Egger explained why he intended to disobey his superior's order. He paid particularly close attention to the stoat's tone and inflection, but could detect no resentment or challenge there. The stoat might turn out to be a valuable ally yet; as simple as his thinking was, it made some sense. His actions so far, biting down hard on an axe blade and standing up to a superior officer, could be considered as either the products of idiocy or bravery. Whichever was true, in Egger's case it seemed to have much the same effect, and it could come in useful in a band that seemed to consist mostly of sniveling cowards.
"I think I'll stick with th' bow," Sluagh replied coolly. "Continue wi' what ye were doin', if ye will."
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Post by aurethius on Feb 28, 2011 14:55:17 GMT -5
"Yessir!" he says happily.
Egger grins widely as he receives the order, and condenses his body back down so he could fit more easily in the cave. With a heavy plop, he turns to his seat, takes up the 'whetstone', and being sharpening.
"Yer ahh... Yer Officer Keensight, aintcha Sir?" he ventures respectfully.
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Post by Lucan on Feb 28, 2011 15:12:01 GMT -5
Sluagh's assumption had been right; once the tension was dealt with, the stoat resumed his sitting position at the mouth of the cave, apparently happy at his work. This was a rare enough trait in a vermin to rouse a feeble sense of companionship in Sluagh, which he determined to examine with care later. Retrieving his bow and half-finished shafts, he sat down next to the ferret, and proceeded with the fletching, using feathers from a sparrow he had shot down a week ago.
"Just sir 'll do me fine," the ferret replied, when Egger enquired about his name. "Keensight's just a title, though I like to think it's justified." He raised a completed shaft and examined it critically in the sunlight, nodded in satisfaction and placed it in his quiver.
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Post by aurethius on Feb 28, 2011 15:17:47 GMT -5
The stoat schooches over to make room on the rock, continuing to slide the rock across the blade.
"Aye, some of the other beasties were talkin bout yer shootin back when we hit thems meece and fluffertails out in the woods. Said ye were a right zipper what that bowenarrer there."
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Post by Lucan on Mar 1, 2011 12:32:30 GMT -5
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
~ Terry Pratchett
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"Was all in a day's work," Sluagh replied absently, now testing the sharp point of an arrowhead with his paw. "All I did with that bow an' arrer was light the chief's hut on fire, then I shot the dumb treemouse in th' leg when he tried ter be a hero an'charged us." The ferret picked up the next shaft, and began to fletch it. "Naw, th' real work was keepin' th' bloodthirsty idiots from killin' the captives."
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Post by aurethius on Mar 1, 2011 22:34:29 GMT -5
Egger seems to think about that for a moment.
"Well, me mammy always told me about 'nickatime'. She says 'Always stay outta the nickatime'. Said that it was the worst place to be."
He pauses to give the axe a long drag against the stone.
"She says whenever you've got somebeast, they can be tied up or knock'd out clean or stuck in a hole, they always get out in the 'nickatime'. If yer hittin a little village ah squirrelhomes, an you're about to round up erry last one of em, the hares with sticks and the badgers with clubs always show up right in the nickatime."
Another long, grinding scrape.
"She never told me where nickatime was, but I'm fer guessin it's wherever chances were given. Ever since I were a kit, I told meself I'd never find nickatime, an I'd never give chances. There's nothin worse than losin somethin to nickatime when you had the chance to kill it right then an there."
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Post by Lucan on Mar 2, 2011 11:34:01 GMT -5
Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
~ Terry Pratchett
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Sluagh listened with faint interest to Egger's treatise on what he called "nickatime", which pretty much seemed to sum up the attitude that taking captives was a waste of time, as they were bound to be rescued. When Egger had finished, the ferret shrugged neutrally. "Ye want ter take that up with Ryfar? Wasn't my idea ter try an' take 'em alive, I'll tell ye that much. Figger the boss ain't too worried about nickatime out here in th' woods, miles 'n' miles from where the badgers 'n' hares live."
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Post by aurethius on Mar 2, 2011 13:20:21 GMT -5
Egger shrugs, a little nervous at the mention of their terrifying boss Ryfar.
"No-no-no... I ain't tellin Ryfar nothin 'cept Yessir. I'm just sayin that 'nickatime' don't care 'bout miles an miles. We could be halfway to the dagnab far northern shore, and you'd end up with a pack of em on your tail anyway. Not questionin orders or nothin, just tellin a story." he admits apologetically.
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Post by Lucan on Mar 2, 2011 13:38:32 GMT -5
Sluagh nodded in agreement, a rare gesture for him. "Good. Sensible. Yer want ter stay on the boss' good side." The bowbeast eyed the mouth of the cave behind them darkly. "See him? If it came ter a choice 'tween cheekin' Ryfar an' walkin' right inter Hellgates, I'd take Hellgates any day. Though I see what yer sayin', best ter be cautious. Tellyer what, yew keep an eye peeled fer them hares 'n' badgers. Run 'n' holler, an' I'll see if I can peg a few in the eye." Sluagh's forehead creased in a frown even as these words left his lips; had he just made a joke?
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Post by aurethius on Mar 2, 2011 13:46:31 GMT -5
Egger freezes. Had he just made a joke? Possibilities flooded Egger's mind, or at least many as possible; 2. He could laugh, and get shot, or not laugh, and get shot.
He decides NOT to laugh, and instead keeps scraping away at the axe.
"Err, speakin ah peggin', how'd ye learn to shoot? Yer ferret pappy teach ye?"
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Post by Lucan on Mar 2, 2011 14:02:03 GMT -5
At the mention of his father, Sluagh went very still, pausing in the act of sharpening an arrowhead. When he spoke, it was in a silky hiss that was much more similar to his usual, cold manner, but it carried a deadly edge to it. "I taught myself. An' I got good at it by practicin' on dumbbeasts who didn't know when ter stop runnin' their mouths." The feeling of companionship, which had been faint but sneakily growing, had faded almost completely. Whether it returned or not depended on whether or not the stoat would take the hint.
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Post by aurethius on Mar 2, 2011 14:07:20 GMT -5
Egger nods knowingly, not getting the clear and present hint.
"Aye, it's easier to shoot noisy beasts rather'n quiet beasts. If somecritter's spittin foul at ye, it just gives ye somethin to aim at. Me pappy din't teach me nothin neither, he run off right quick. Mammy weren't a purty she-beast, so I can't be blamin him. I run off too once I was growed."
He rocks back and forth on the rock, giving the volatile ferret a friendly bump on the shoulder.
"But them dumbbeasts get shot easy! Folks don't call ye Keensight cuz ye got an eye fer what colors what, aye!?" he chuckles.
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