define('WP_CACHE', true); Crossed Paths – Logs – Page 8 – The Story Thus Far…

Jan 31

Chapter 22: Back to Arrin’s

Chapter 22: Back To Arrin’s

In Which There Is A Picnic At The Hot Springs.

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Yazeth: Soon Jozra is blinking in the sunlight. The snow from the storm that had trapped them in the burrow has since melted mostly away with remnants clinging to the shade and higher elevations.

Arrin Woodgreen: He turns to her. “Back to the village then my friend?”

Yazeth: “Yes.” She pauses for a moment as her stomach grumbles. “Perhaps we could take a lunch near the hot spring?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Of course!”

Yazeth: The ferret grins as she sets off towards the hot pools. “I’ve been smelling that food Trey’s cooks packed up for us all morning.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “So have I. How does a swim sound?  Followed by some lunch.”

Yazeth: “Sounds good! And I think we’re nearly there, I see steam over the trees.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles. “Great!” He speeds up a bit.

Yazeth: Soon the two round a bend and find the hot springs before them. Jozra gives a whoop. “There they are!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He whoops also and increases his pace some more.

Yazeth: A few minutes later and the two are there. Jozra has already deposited her pack on the rocks where it will stay dry but where the two can still keep an eye on it.

Arrin Woodgreen: He tests the water with a footpaw. “Ahh, perfect!”

Yazeth: The ferret grins as she strips out of her tunic, folding it and laying it beside the packs.

Arrin Woodgreen: He too strips from his tunic and dives in with barely a splash.

Yazeth: Jozra hops in after the otter and takes a couple of strokes before relaxing against the rocky side of the pool. “Aaah… a beast could get used to this.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles and swims around in slow circles.

Yazeth: After a bit, the ferret attempts a couple of laps across the pool, working out the tightness in her shoulders and back.

Arrin Woodgreen: He stays near her, remembering what she said about not being a strong swimmer.

Yazeth: Jozra settles herself near the edge again as she tires. She grins at Soquan. “Ready for that lunch now?”

Arrin Woodgreen:  He swims around a bit more. “Not quite yet.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods and continues to soak contentedly.

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles and sends a splash towards her.

Yazeth: Jozra grins and kicks at the water, ineffectively splashing in Soquan’s direction.

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins and dives underwater. It takes a moment for him to find her, but once he does, he grabs her by the ankles and pulls her underwater.

Yazeth: Startled, Jozra takes a mouthful of water. She splutters back to the surface. “Hoo! I think I’ve had enough.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He surfaces and grins. “What was that?”

Yazeth: She paddles back towards the ledge. “I said I think I’ve had enough for today. Besides, my stomach is really complaining now. It’s definitely time for lunch.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and heaves himself out of the water. “Okay.” He walks over to where they left the packs.

Yazeth: The ferret follows suit, alternately slicking and shaking water out of her fur as she follows Soquan.

Arrin Woodgreen: Suddenly, he turns around and grabs her, slinging her over his shoulder. He turns back for the water.

Yazeth: “ACK!” The ferret scrabbles for balance. “Don’t you dare!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins and goes to toss her in laughing as she scrambles about.

Yazeth: Jozra lands in a giant splash in the middle of the pool. She surfaces after a bit, pawing water from her eyes. “You… you…” She laughs. “Okay, that was fun. But still! It’s the principle of the matter, otter! You can’t just pick up poor land beasts and chuck them in the water!”

Arrin Woodgreen: With a grin, he leaps in beside her, purposely making a large splash.

Yazeth: She grins at the otter as he surfaces before placing her paw on his head and dunking him. She swims as quick as she can and clambers up on the shore before he can catch her again. “Okay, okay, really, I’ve had enough for today.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins and climbs out also. “You can’t blame a guy for playing around can you?”

Yazeth: She chuckles. “No, but can you blame a ferret for not being a strong swimmer?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He wraps an arm around her shoulders, giving her a friendly hug. “If something happened, I woulda come after you.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods. “I know, but it’s not just that. If you’re not a strong swimmer, it tires you quicker and then you would have had to carry me back to your village!” She grins cheekily and then blows a raspberry at Soquan.

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins playfully. “I wouldn’t mind.”

Yazeth: The ferret merely chuckles in reply as she pulls open the packs, digging for the food. “So shall we eat it all or conserve some, just in case?”

Arrin Woodgreen: “Hmm.” He goes alert a second while he listens to things. “Save just a little bit, we should get back to the village soon.”

Yazeth: The ferret pulls out a few left over baked potatoes. They may be cold, but they’re still good. There’s a few more of the honey scones as well as some blackberry jam. She spreads the food out between them, using a cloak as a picnic blanket.

Arrin Woodgreen: He sits across from her with his legs crossed. He takes a scone and smears it with jam, munching on it contently as water continues to drip off of him.

Yazeth: The ferret takes a bite out of one of the potatoes, and then experiments with putting some of the jam on the potato. She chews thoughtfully for a moment. “Not bad. Unusual combination but still.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He chuckles a little bit taking another bite.

Yazeth: She finishes up her potato and then takes a scone. “Now these are good,” she says, chewing, “but I think I liked them even better when they were still warm.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter suddenly gets an idea and takes the package of scones, wrapping them up. He flips over a large, heated rock and digs a small hole, placing the scones inside. He puts the rock back in its original position and grins at her. “Now we wait for a little bit and enjoy the potatoes while those heat.”

Yazeth: The fettet grins. “You are just chock full of good ideas, aren’t you otter?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “I try.”

Yazeth: Jozra grabs another potato and this time is quite generous with adding the blackberry jam to it. After a moment she says, “I suppose people would think me quite strange if I advertised that cold baked potatoes and blackberry jam are good together.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He returns to his earlier position and picks up a potato, adding some jam as well. “What about my potato-soup method? Or you remember that cheese-bread stuff I made the night before we got to my village?”

Yazeth: The ferret laughs. “How could I forget? I’m still not entirely sure if it was pure genius or just plain weird.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “But you liked it though!”

Yazeth: The ferret laughs as well. “True.”

Arrin Woodgreen: With an air of feigned hurt at the comment, he crosses his arms. “Alright that’s it, if you don’t apologize I’m not cooking for you ever again.”

Yazeth: Jozra gapes in mock incredulity at the otter. “In that case, I most humbly apologize! If you never cook for me again, I just might starve!”

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter’s stern expression evaporates and he bursts out laughing, nearly choking on a bit of his potato in the process.

Yazeth: The ferret chuckles. “Careful there, matey. You think the scones are warm now?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Yeah, I think so.” He lifts the rock again and removes the scones. He juggles the scones from one paw to another. “Oooh! Hot!” He puts them on the cloak.

Yazeth: Looking back and forth between scones and rock, the ferret comments, “I didn’t think they would get that hot! Wow!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He blows on his paws to cool them. “I didn’t either.”

Yazeth: After a moment, Jozra carefully picks up one of the scones with her fingertips. She breaks of a bit and blows on it before popping it into her mouth. “Oof, still a bit too warm, but very good.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “I think I’ll just wait a bit.”

Yazeth: She nods as she breaks off another bit and tosses it between her paws before eating it.

Arrin Woodgreen: He leans back against another warm rock and closes his eyes, basking in the slight warmth.

Yazeth: After another minute or so, the scones are cool enough to eat comfortably. Jozra picks one up and tosses it on top of Soquan’s chest before grabbing another one for herself.

Arrin Woodgreen: He’s jerked out of his slight doze. “Wha?”

Yazeth: She grins. “Scones are eat-able.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He merfs slightly and gropes around the cloak for one, not noticing the other now in his lap.

Yazeth: The ferret talks around a mouthful of scone. “It’s on your lap. Tossed it onto your chest.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and picks up the scone, chewing on it slowly. The otter was obviously not very alert when sleepy.

Yazeth: After dusting the last of the scone crumbs off of her whiskers, Jozra takes note of the sun’s position. “As I recall,” she ventures, “at this point it’ll be nearly sundown by the time we make it back to your village. Ready to go?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Yep!” He gathers his things, changing out of his wet pants and putting on his shirt in the process.

Yazeth: The ferret packs the rest of their belongings away and gets her things together, changing back into her dry tunic. She gives a last check of the area before hefting her own pack.

Arrin Woodgreen: He pick up his pack and grins. “You ready?”

Yazeth: She nods her assent. “Yep. Lets get going then.” She sets off down the path.

Jan 29

Chapter 21: Tunnel Encounter

Chapter 21: Tunnel Encounter

In Which The Two Meet A Less Then Friendly Mouse.

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Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan walks beside Jozra as they move through the tunnels. “That was a rather relaxing visit doncha think?”

Yazeth: The ferret nods. “Trey and his mice were very hospitable.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Yeah.”

Yazeth: The two continue on in companionable silence, and darkness, for a bit.

Arrin Woodgreen: He takes the lead for a bit as it gets darker, navigating her down the halls.

Yazeth: Eventually the two reach a split in the tunnels that Jozra doesn’t remember. “Which way did we come before?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “I don’t know, do you see a light at the end of one? Maybe there’s a guard out already.”

Yazeth: The ferret squints down first one tunnel then the other. “I think there’s a light down this one. It’s hard to tell if it’s really there or if my eyes are just playing tricks on me though.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shrugs. “Why don’t we check?”

Yazeth: Jozra nods. “This way then.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and heads down the path. “Okay, tell me if the light starts to get brighter.”

Yazeth: “Alright. Oop…” She reaches out with both paws and grabs the wall with one and Soquan’s shoulder with the other as she trips over an unevenness in the tunnel floor. “Sorry.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles at her through the gloom. “It’s okay.  Are you hurt?”

Yazeth: Jozra shakes her head. “I’m fine, just lost my balance there.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles and lets go of her. “Alright then.”

Yazeth: A few moments later, as the two continue walking, the ferret peers ahead intently. “It’s definitely a light up there.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “We’re going the right way then.”

Yazeth: Soon now, the silhouette of the guard can be seen and Jozra nudges Soquan before hailing the guard. “This the way to the surface?”

Arrin Woodgreen: The guard glowers at them. “Why?  Do you want to get away with the things you probably stole, vermin?”

Yazeth: The ferret blinks in surprise. Seems the mouse wants to be trouble and Jozra wasn’t exactly top of her class in diplomacy. Still, she could try. “We’ve just finished paying a friendly visit to Soquan’s old friend, Trey. We’ve stolen nothing.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives a harsh laugh. “You vermin are all the same.” Soquan sets forward, ready to defend his friend. “Hey, take it easy mate, everybeast is different, Jozra’s not like that.”

Yazeth: Jozra tries again as the mouse sneers. “You can ask Trey yourself. He and the otter have been friends a long time and Trey welcomed me as a friend as well.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The mouse’s sneer remains. “Trey is an old, blind fool.” He looks suddenly at Soquan. “You! You’re no better than the vermin standing right behind you.  I know what you’re hiding, half-breed.” Soquan growls.

Yazeth: The ferret blinks in surprise then mentally berates herself for not putting it together sooner. Of course. The slips that Arrin and the shop keepers had made. But this mouse… The nerve! Jozra scowls. “Look, we just wish to pass by. Please stand aside.”

Arrin Woodgreen: The mouse sneers and bows mockingly. “As you wish.” Soquan’s scowl remains as he goes to pass the mouse.

Yazeth: Jozra subtly guides Soquan around the mouse and his possessions as she walks past as well, keeping her eyes on the unpleasant beast at all times.

Arrin Woodgreen: The mouse glares back at her and walks down the tunnel from which they came with his torch, leaving the two in the dark.

Yazeth: The ferret shakes her head. “Now there’s the one part of this little adventure that I really wish didn’t happen. Hope I never have the misfortune to meet him again.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He speaks through gritted teeth. “Same here.”

Yazeth: Jozra glances sideways at the otter. “You okay?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns, looking forward. “I’m fine. Just peachy.”

Yazeth: The ferret grins sardonically. “Oh what a lovely day we both are having, eh?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs slightly. “Yeah.” He continues down the tunnel. “We should reach daylight soon.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods, suspecting that the otter will know that she has despite his blindness. Eventually the tunnel begins to lighten. “Looks like we’re getting close to the entrance.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “Great!”

Jan 24

Chapter 20: Leaving the SSMC

Chapter 20: Leaving The SSMC

In Which It’s Time To Go.

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Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan finishes making the bed after a few moments and picks up his pack.  He steps outside to meet Jozra. “Okay, how about we go grab those clothes we left to dry before we go to breakfast?”

Yazeth: The ferret is pulled out of her reverie. “Clothes? Oh! Good idea. I’d nearly forgotten about them.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “Oh come on, we’re both wearing robes, how can you forget?” He grins at her as they head down the hallway.

Yazeth: Jozra smiles weakly and mutters some lame excuse. “Well, they are rather comfortable robes.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs and shoves her playfully.

Yazeth: She glances at the otter, mildly startled. Knowing he’ll expect some sort of response to keep from thinking something’s wrong, she shoves him back lightly.

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins some more and he pushes open the door of the bathhouse as they arrive.

Yazeth: A few mice washing up in the bathhouse look over at the two mustelids mildly curiously but don’t seem to be very put out by their presence. Someone, perhaps last night or this morning, had unearthed a clothes line and had hung the pair’s clothing to dry. The ferret points this out to the otter. “Now why didn’t we think of that?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs and shrugs. “I have no clue.”

Yazeth: The ferret pulls down each of the articles of clothing and hands Soquan those that belong to him.

Arrin Woodgreen: He thanks the ferret and proceeds to put away his clothes in his pack.

Yazeth: Jozra folds her extra set and stuffs those in her pack. She almost absentmindedly starts to do the same with the set she planned on wearing before catching herself. She dresses quickly, simply out of habit.

Arrin Woodgreen: He dresses in his other set of clothes also and folds up the now discarded robe and places it in the laundry hamper.

Yazeth: She hefts her pack and quickly checks the area, making sure nothing’s been left behind. “Ready for breakfast then?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Yep! I wonder what they’re serving.” He heads back down the hall, thanking the two mice as they leave.

Yazeth: The ferret sticks her thumbs under the straps of her pack and follows Soquan as his nose leads him to the mess hall. Now that she’s awake, the previous night’s ‘excitement’ disturbs her.

Arrin Woodgreen: They reach the busy hall moments later and he turns towards her. “Want me to find us a table again?”

Yazeth: Jozra looks around the hall before nodding. “Yeah. I’ll get us some food.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Want me to take your pack with me?”

Yazeth: The ferret pauses in her tracks and spins pack around to face the otter. “Good idea.” She shoulders out of her pack and hands the straps to Soquan.

Arrin Woodgreen: He takes them and grins. “See you in a bit.” He turns away and sets off to find a table.

Yazeth: Jozra makes her way to the line, still absorbed in her own thoughts. Once again as she reaches the first of the long tables she grabs a pair of plates and utensils. This time, none of the other mice seem to mind. Soon the plates are holding a short stack of pancakes slathered with maple syrup. The young mouse at the end giggles again as she balances napkin’s on Jozra’s arm and puts a handful of fresh blackberries on each plate.

Arrin Woodgreen: He has a bit more trouble finding a seat for the two of them this time, but after a few minutes, he finds a table in the back for them.

Yazeth: The ferret pauses for a minute, trying to find where the otter is sitting. After a moment she makes her way over to the table and sets one of the plates down in front of him, the other in front of her place. “The pancakes look delicious.”

Arrin Woodgreen: His nostrils flare slightly. “They smell good too.”

Yazeth: Jozra digs in while the pancakes are still hot but she doesn’t really taste them as her mind is still far up north.

Arrin Woodgreen: He nudges her leg underneath the table. “Well? How are they?”

Yazeth: “Hrm?” She chews and swallows before answering. “They are delicious. The blackberries go good with them too.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Okay.” He digs into the meal.

Yazeth: The ferret resumes eating as well. Soon her plate is clean except for the residual stickiness of the syrup and a dark blotch of berry juice.

Arrin Woodgreen: Having finished just a bit before the ferret, he’s sitting back, his ears rotating slightly as he listens to brief sections of various conversations.

Yazeth: Jozra watches Soquan for a moment before shaking herself and grinning at him. “Hear anything interesting?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shakes his head. “Not really.”

Yazeth: The ferret smiles. “Suppose I should clear out plates, eh?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Want help?”

Yazeth: “Sure.” She picks up her own plate and utensils before leading Soquan to the place to deposit the dishes.

Arrin Woodgreen: He grabs his own and follows.

Yazeth: The two put their dishes in the stack and utensils in the buckets. Jozra turns to the otter. “Back to Trey’s office now?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Yeah.” He hands her her pack before hefting his own. “Here.”

Yazeth: She takes it and shoulders into a strap. Jozra takes the lead as they leave the mess hall, helping to navigate around groupings of lingering mice conversing before starting their new work day. The hall is just slightly less crowded as mice head to various destinations, some carrying mining equipment.

Arrin Woodgreen: He follows, walking beside her. “So did you sleep alright after you came in?”

Yazeth: Jozra stiffens slightly before nodding. “Yeah. Thanks.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles in her direction. “Anytime.”

Yazeth: The ferret relaxes and grins slowly at his response. “I think we’re nearly here. Looks like Trey’s busy. There’s several mice waiting outside his office.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “We’ll wait then.”

Yazeth: Apparently most of the mice were there on the same business as after one of their companions came out of Trey’s office and spoke to them, they nodded and filed off down the corridor. A moment later, Trey hurries out of his office to call something after the group.

Arrin Woodgreen: He remains beside Jozra, leaning against the wall slightly as he waits for their turn.

Yazeth: As Trey turns around he catches sight of the two mustelids. “Ah, there you two are! Come in, come in!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and heads for the office, sitting in one of the chairs. “So how are you today Trey?”

Yazeth: Trey and Jozra sit in their own chairs at about the same time. He looks over at Soquan. “Pretty good, though somewhat busier than usual. One of my prospectors thinks she’s found a vein of silver!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “That’s wonderful, if she has. That’s almost doubling our profits.”

Yazeth: The mouse nods happily, pleased with himself. “So I suppose you two will want to be heading out now?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Yeah, Arrin’s probably having kits, we were supposed to be back practically three days ago.”

Yazeth: Trey chuckles. “Well give my regards to Arrin.” He pushes the 5-1 pieces across the desk. “And here’s your gold. I hope we don’t have to wait another many seasons before we see you again, Soquan.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “I’ll try to visit again soon.” He retrieves the bag from the desk and passes it towards Jozra. “Enough of a ‘treasure’ for ya?”

Yazeth: The ferret grins at the otter. “Plenty!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “Good.”

Yazeth: Jozra stands and extends her paw towards Trey. “I suppose we’ll be off then.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Aye, thank you very much for your welcome.”

Yazeth: Trey nods and follows the two to the door. “You’re both welcome back anytime! Next time you come, though, ask for me first.” He chuckles.

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “I will, but keep in mind, I didn’t find out it was you guys up this close until the guards came. Your front guard only said it was private property and I wasn’t allowed to pass.”

Yazeth: The mouse grins. “Point taken. From now on, my front guards will be instructed to say that its property belonging to the SteamSpring Mining Company.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and rises from his seat, readying to go. “Good, much better.”

Yazeth: After a round of handshakes, Jozra and Soquan depart Trey’s company and head away from the mining complex.

Jan 22

Chapter 19: Wakeup Call

Chapter 19: Wakeup Call

In Which Jozra Is Not In Her Room.

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Yazeth: The difference between sleeping in her own room and sleeping in Soquan’s is evident as Jozra sleeps soundly and dreamlessly. As day approaches, Trey sends a wakeup call for his friends.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan sleeps just as soundly, his arm wrapped protectively around her sometime during the night.

Yazeth: The mouse reaches the ferret’s room first and gives a knock before opening the door. “Wake up c… what?” The ferret is nowhere to be seen and poor Ren doesn’t know what to do.

Arrin Woodgreen: He continues to sleep, unaware of the growing commotion outside.

Yazeth: Ren alerts several other mice in the corridor and one of them runs back to tell Trey the ferret is missing. It the meantime the sounds slowly wake Jozra up.

Arrin Woodgreen: He merfs at the sounds but remains asleep.

Yazeth: Jozra doesn’t think much of the commotion, figuring it’s just busy mice starting their day. At least, she doesn’t think much of it until she hears her name. Immediately she’s alert and listening intently to what’s going on outside.

Arrin Woodgreen: He curls a bit closer to her yawning softly.

Yazeth: The ferret hazards a glance at the otter.  It wouldn’t do to be seen in his bed.  She grabs Soquan’s pack and as she slips out from under the covers, she gradually adds the weight to the bed, trying not to wake the otter again.

Arrin Woodgreen: He mumbles something and merely rolls over.

Yazeth: The ferret lands softly on the floor and creeps to the door.  She places an ear against it, listening to the comings and goings of the mining mice. After a moment, the corridor sounds quieter. Jozra risks a peek around the door. Though temporarily blinded by the sudden light, she perceives that the hall is currently empty and she quickly slips next door and into her room, closing both doors softly behind her. Just in time too, for as soon as the door shut, Trey, Ren and several other mice turned a corner and entered the tunnel.

Arrin Woodgreen: He snuffs, slightly scratching behind his ear.

Yazeth: Trey pounds on Soquan’s door. “Soquan!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He wakes with a start. “Wha?”

Yazeth: Trey pries the door open. “Soquan, we can’t find your companion, my friend. Ren went to give her a wakeup call and she wasn’t in her room.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grunts. “But she’s right he-” He breaks off as the paw that had been reaching for her finds nothing.

Yazeth: Ren jumps as the door next door flings open. Jozra pokes her head out. “What’s going on?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He blinks. “But-she was…” He groans tiredly, rubbing at his tired eyes.

Yazeth: Ren stares at the ferret. “But…” He pauses a moment to collect his thoughts. “I came to gave you a wakeup call and you weren’t here.”  Jozra blinks at the mouse. “Sorry about that. I went looking for the washroom. I just got back. Probably just missed you.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He yawns and crawls out of bed, heading for the doorway.

Yazeth: Ren and Trey look at each other. After a moment Ren speaks up. “I should have checked there first before alerting you, Trey. Sorry for causing such commotion.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He listens intently, his ears flicking this way and that.

Yazeth: Trey nods. “Alright. Well, at least that’s all explained.” He turns to address the otter and ferret. “Breakfast will be served in about fifteen minutes. Bruno has fixed up some provisions for you two to take with you.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Alright.”

Yazeth: Trey and the other mice turn to go. Ren risks a backwards glance at the pair before leaving as well.

Arrin Woodgreen: He steps in front of Jozra, lowering his voice. “You didn’t tell them you were in my room last night.”

Yazeth: The ferret shakes her head. “Ah, I wasn’t sure how they would react if they knew that we shared a bed.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Alright, I understand.”

Yazeth: “Well.” The ferret looks around her room. She had had time to make the bed and gather her things together before defusing the situation. “Ready to go down to breakfast?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “Almost, I just need to tidy my room.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods. “I’ll wait.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He steps back into his room and makes his bed, taking out his pack as he does so.

Yazeth: The ferret hefts her own pack and makes a last minute check of her small room.

Jan 20

Chapter 18: Nightmare

Chapter 18: Nightmare

In Which Jozra Doesn’t Get Sweet Dreams.

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Yazeth: “Goodnight.” She enters the room and sets down the light pack, empty of spare clothes, on a chair in the corner. She looks around the room intently for a moment before closing the door and climbing into bed. No candles needed if you know where everything is.

Arrin Woodgreen: He places his own pack down and readies for bed, climbing beneath the covers.

Yazeth: Jozra snuggles down, enjoying the warm blankets and comfortable bed before drifting off to sleep.

Arrin Woodgreen: He yawns and stretches out in his bed, letting his tired muscles relax. He falls asleep quickly, sprawled out across the bed.

Yazeth: Time passes as the pair sleep in their respective rooms. Somewhere, deep in the recesses of Jozra’s mind, something sparks. Flames flare into their horrible glory, never really quenched, just buried beneath locks and the immediacy of the present. Free again to roam as the subconscious awakes that which was never really forgotten, just put away.

Arrin Woodgreen: He sleeps a bit more peacefully, his mind roaming over old, pleasant memories.

Yazeth: She was there again, back in the north. Eight of her companions from her home were there as well. Each as disgusted with the task at hand, but helpless to what needed to be done. The plague couldn’t, COULDN’T spread beyond this town but did that really justify the utter containment? A dark knife sped from her fingertips, lodging itself in the throat of a villager, no doubt infected, who had tried to escape the burning village. And she hated herself for what she had to do.

Arrin Woodgreen: He murfs softly, rolling over.

Yazeth: Flames flickered and twisted as the ferret’s body squirmed and twisted the blankets. Abruptly she awoke, glad to be conscious so that she could bury the memories again. “Wha…” Jozra blinked in the safe darkness of the room as she tried to calm her racing heart. She hadn’t had one of those nightmares for quite a while now. What brought it on?

Arrin Woodgreen: An arm flops over the side of the bed and he murmurs something in his sleep.

Yazeth: Eventually, the ferret’s eyelids grow heavy again and she begins to drift off to sleep. The flames are waiting for her, though, and she jerks back awake. She hasn’t had those dreams since… since… It dawns on her then. “Since I met Soquan…” She sits up, mulling over this revelation. She whispers to herself. “This is silly. Our rooms are right next to each other. Why should a wall make such a difference?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He merfs again, rolling onto his back.

Yazeth: After a bit of thought, Jozra convinces herself to do what she must if she wishes to get any restful sleep this night. Quietly she slips off of her bed and cracks open the door. The hallway outside is lit dimly, with only every third torch burning. She crouches and slips over to Soquan’s door and pulls it open a crack. After a peek every which way, she slips inside, pulls the door shut and slides into the bed next to the otter.

Arrin Woodgreen: He grunts, waking up as the ferret’s weight shifts the bed. “Wha?”

Yazeth: The ferret mutters, muffled slightly as she snuggles under the blankets. “Nothin. Go back to sleep.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He blinks a few times. “Jozra? What’re you doin’ here?”

Yazeth: The ferret sighs. She does owe him an explanation, after all. She pulls the blankets away from her mouth and turns to speak in Soquan’s general direction. “I used to have these nightmares. They went away when I was traveling with you but they decided to come back tonight.” She mutters angrily. “Walls shouldn’t make that much of a difference…”

Arrin Woodgreen: He reaches over, patting her shoulder. “You alright then?”

Yazeth: The ferret nods. “I just wanted to actually get some sleep tonight, that’s all.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives her a one armed hug, settling back down. “Alright then…”

Yazeth: Jozra pulls her covers back up to her chin. “Thanks for understanding. Goodnight.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles and moves to give her a bit of room. “’night.”

Jan 17

Chapter 17: SSMC Lodgings

Chapter 17: SSMC Lodgings

In Which There Are Beds.

———————————————————————————————

Yazeth: Parts of the tunnels look familiar while other parts do not. The ferret mentally kicks herself for not being alert enough to create a mental map. Granted, she was tired, hungry and cold at the time and they are in friendly territory, but her tracking teachers would have been quite disappointed all the same.

Arrin Woodgreen: He turns down another hallway. “I think we’re almost there…”

Yazeth: Jozra nods. “Yeah. This looks quite a bit like where we were just after we left his office.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Sure enough, a few moments later, they come to a door with Trey’s name on it.

Yazeth: “Here it is!” The door is only slightly ajar, so the ferret knocks lightly before pushing the door open a little further.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan follows.

Yazeth: Trey is sitting at his desk, hunched over a parchment, furiously scribbling figures with a quill. He doesn’t look up as he murmurs, “Come in. Come in.”

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan’s ears swivel a bit. “If you’re busy, we can come back later…”

Yazeth: The ferret hangs back slightly as Soquan approaches the desk. Trey scribbles some more and speaks slowly. “Nooope… Almooost done here…   There. Just as I thought.” He underlines something and scratches a quick note before pushing aside the parchment to dry, setting down his quill, folding his hands on top of his desk, and looking up at the pair.

Arrin Woodgreen: He sits down in one of the seats. “Were you able to get the gold?”

Yazeth: Trey nods. “They’re bringing it up as we speak. Have you eaten?” Jozra nods as well as she takes the other seat. “Quite delicious.” The mouse smiles.

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Aye, it was wonderful after what we’ve been eating for a while.”

Yazeth: Trey grins again. “Glad you enjoyed it! Maybe I can convince my cooks to rustle up some grub for you two to take along with you when you decide to leave.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “That would be nice.” He turns to Jozra. “What do you think?”

Yazeth: The ferret can’t help but grin. “I think we would be foolish to decline your offer, Trey.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs, leaning back in his chair. “Aye, so true.”

Yazeth: Trey appraises the two mustelids for a moment. “They should be here with your gold soon, Soquan. In the meantime, is there anything else I can do for you? I must insist that you two stay the night as it is so late already.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods, grinning toothily. “A place to sleep for the night would be nice. What do you say Jozra?”

Yazeth: The ferret agrees with the otter. “Aye, a fresh start in the morning would be better than trying to find someplace to camp in the dark.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods again and perks up suddenly as he hears some beast approaching.

Yazeth: Trey smiles. “Ah, that must be them.” There is a knock on the door. “Come in!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He turns his head towards the door.

Yazeth: Several mice enter the room, bearing the requested gold. They deposit it on Trey’s desk and then leave. Their last task of the day.

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “That’s it I take it?”

Yazeth: The mouse nods. “That’s it. If you like, you can leave it here and pick it up in the morning.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “That sounds good.”

Yazeth: Trey nods and stands. “In that case, I’ll see if I can get someone to lead you to spare quarters.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods yet again. “Great!”

Yazeth: Trey sticks his head out of the door and calls to a mouse walking down the corridor. “Ren? Can you set these two up with rooms for the night?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Sure I will.”

Yazeth: Trey clasps Soquan’s then Jozra’s paws. “I’ll see you two in the morning then. Goodnight.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Goodnight Trey.” He follows Ren as he begins to head down the hall.

Yazeth: The ferret follows, this time making a point of creating a mental map.

Arrin Woodgreen: He leads them to two rooms. “There you two go…  One for the each of yeh.”

Yazeth: Jozra nods at Ren. “Thank you.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Aye, thank you.”

Yazeth: After the mouse leaves, the ferret opens the door of her own room and peeks in. “Looks comfy, if maybe a little small. See you in the morning, then?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods, groping for the other door handle. “Aye. G’night Jozra.”

Jan 15

Chapter 16: Supper With the SSMC

Chapter 16: Supper With the SSMC

In Which The Two Find The Mess To Be A Fine Feast.

———————————————————————————————

Arrin says: They soon arrive in the mess hall. There are already other beasts there, getting their share of food and eating. The hall buzzes with chatter.

Catamount says: The ferret quickly spots a table set up buffet style and leads Soquan over to the end of the line. “Mmmm… Smells good!”

Arrin says: Soquan grins. “Tell me what there is to eat.”

Catamount says: The ferret cranes her neck to see to the serving tables. “Let’s see, there’s plenty of scones with honey to put on them. A pretty hearty looking stew, I think I see some carrots and… Dumplings! And there’s this big platter of baked potatoes.”

Arrin says: The otter smacks his lips hungrily and his stomach gurgles. “The stew and dumplings smell wonderful.”

Catamount: The ferret nods enthusiastically. “Nearly to the start of the table now.”

Arrin says: He nods. “Okay.” He grins at her. “How about I get us a table and you can get the food?”

Catamount says:  “Sounds good!”

Arrin says: He nods and steps out from their place in line, going off in search of a table.

Catamount says:  Presently the ferret reaches the head of the serving table. She picks up a pair of plates and deftly tucks two sets of utensils into her fingers under one of the plates.  A mouse in line frowns before being told by her companion that the mustilids are guests and that the ferret was getting dinner for her friend.

Arrin says: He finds one after a few moments and sits down, waiting.

Catamount says:  Jozra smiles at one of the serving mice. “Glad you guys are serving up the grub. Don’t think I could have managed with my hands so full.” She reaches the end of the line where a scrawny young mouse balances a pair of napkins on the ferret’s forearms, giggling the whole time.

After carefully navigating the maze of tables, Jozra makes her way over to the pair of seats saved by Soquan. “Phew! These plates were starting to get heavy!”

Arrin says: His ears swivel on his head as he listens to the various conversations. He grins at Jozra as she approaches. “Need help?”

Catamount says: Jozra sets one of the plates down in front of the otter with a slight clunk. “Nope. Here ya go.” She sets her own plate down and distributes the utensils.

Arrin says: He smiles. “Thank you.” He places the napkin on his lap, picks up the utensils and tries the stew. Once he swallows, he looks towards her. “Wait ’till you try this…”

Catamount says:  The ferret grins as she settles herself in her own chair.  The first bite of the stew is absolutely delicious and she smiles broadly. “Sure beats anything I could ever cook up!” She then proceeds to dig in quite heartily. Hey, she’s hungry.

Arrin says: He digs in as well, half a week on low rations was not good for an otter’s appetite.

Catamount says: She pauses a moment as she takes too hasty a bite of her baked potato. “Hoo! Hot!”

Arrin says: He takes his baked potato in his paw and dips it in the stew, taking a bite. He chews quickly, trying to cool the potato with his breath.

Catamount says: Jozra watches Soquan intently. “Hey, now there’s a way to do it.” She tries the stew-potato process herself and ends up with part of the potato in the stew and not much stew on the potato.

Arrin says: He laughs around a mouthful of stew-potato.

Catamount says: The ferret grins at herself. “Okay, so that didn’t work quite as planned…” She returns to using her spoon for the soup and her fork for the potato.

Arrin says: He dips a bit of his potato and offers her a bite. “Here, try it.”

Catamount says: The ferret takes the bit of potato and tries it. “Mmm. Quite good.  My potato just doesn’t want to cooperate.” She smirks for a second before glancing at her plate. “The bread, on the other hand, should work quite well…”

Arrin says: He laughs. “Of course the bread will.”

Catamount says: The ferret grins and dips her bread in the stew.

Arrin says: He finishes the potato and fumbles for the bread.

Catamount says:  Jozra tastes the carrots. “These are good too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them cooked like this before, though.”

Arrin says: He pauses. “What?”

Catamount says: She takes a moment to sample the carrots more thoroughly. “I think they’re cooked in some sort of butter… with a little pepper added.”

Arrin says: He grins. “Sounds good.” He continues eating.

Catamount says: Soon the ferret’s plate looks decidedly empty and she leans back in her chair, satisfied. She alternates between watching Soquan eat and some of the mice getting up for seconds.

Arrin says: He finishes everything up and leans back contentedly as well. “That was good.”

Catamount says: Jozra grins and nods. “Yeeeep.” She stretches and pats her stomach. “So. What should we do now?”

Arrin says: He stretches. “I’m pretty much done for the day, I say we wait for the gold pieces Trey’s bringing us then we turn in.”

Catamount says: The ferret nods again as she gathers the dishes together. “So back to his office then?”

Arrin says: He nods and rises. “Yes, back to his office.”

Catamount says: “Alrighty.” The ferret picks up the dirty plates. “Just give me a second to take these up to the counter.”

Arrin says: He nods yet again. “Okay.”

Yazeth: Jozra again threads her way between tables and chairs up to another counter set up to accommodate dirty dishes. Plates stacked in neat piles on one side, utensils dumped in a pile in a bucket or two. After a bit she’s back at Soquan’s side.

Arrin says: He grins at her. “Back to the office now?”

Yazeth: The ferret dusts a lingering crumb of bread off of her whisker. “Yep. I hope you remember the way.”

Arrin says: He nods. “I think so.” He begins leading her down the hallways.

Sep 20

Chapter 15: Laundry

Chapter 15: Laundry

In Which the Companions Finally Have Clean Clothing.

———————————————————————————————

Yazeth: Jozra dries off as well. “I wonder if they’ll let us wash our clothes?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He finishes drying and slips one of the robes on instead of his clothes. “I’m sure they’ll let us.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods as she puts on the other robe. She glances over the side of the tub and wrinkles her nose. “I don’t suppose…” She wanders around the tub before finding a little lever that drains the water in the tub. “Hey! That’s pretty neat!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “Aye, one of my better ideas I say.” He does the same.

Yazeth: Jozra is startled. “Your idea? Wow.” She looks around. “Is there a way to fill it too?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs. “It’s nothing really. And I think there is.” He feels around the tub before fining a lever near the top of the tub. There’s a gurgling sound and hot spring water emerges from a spout.

Yazeth: The ferret grins. “That’s really neat.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “I know. Took me forever to figure out the design.”

Yazeth: The ferret gathers the dirty towels and mops slightly where the floor got splashed before dumping them into the dirty towel basket.

Arrin Woodgreen: Once his tub is filled, he rolls up the sleeves of his robe and begins to soak their dirty clothes.

Yazeth: Jozra again grabs some soap but this time uses it on their soiled clothes.

Arrin Woodgreen:  He scrubs the material as well, absent-mindedly humming a song he learned from somewhere.

Yazeth: The ferret smiles as she scrubs at the muddy tunics.

Arrin Woodgreen: He scrubs at some caked on dirt, his humming turns to singing as he gets into the song. “…oh I’ll roam o’er hill and mountain, and through the frosty glades, why do I do this all, is to come back to you my mate…”

Yazeth: Jozra listens intently as she rinses the shirts and scrubs them again. She hasn’t heard this song before.

Arrin Woodgreen: Unfortunately, the otter begins to hum again, his paws sill scrubbing at the pair of pants he’s holding.

Yazeth: The ferret frowns slightly and rises the soap out before continuing to scrub at the clothes. “What song is that?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “It’s a song I picked up while I was in the south with a bunch of other travelers. They said it was from even further south, said something about deserts and continuous dry and hot heat.”

Yazeth: The ferret mulls this over. “How far south did you say you went again?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shrugs. “I think as far as I went down was a town called Erith, met a nice squirrel down there named Raver…”

Yazeth: The ferret pauses a moment. “Erith? Sounds slightly familiar.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He looks towards her. “Really?”

Yazeth: Jozra scrubs at a particularly muddy spot on a cuff. “Yep. Can’t quite place it but I’m certain I’ve heard of it before, though.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods, “Alright.” He continues scrubbing and humming.

Yazeth: The ferret pulls the tunic she’s been scrubbing out of the water and looks at it. “Nearly there…”

Arrin Woodgreen: He pulls his out. “What about this?”

Yazeth: She looks at it. “Pretty clean. I think these are ready to be dried.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Alright, I’ll take a shirt this time okay?”

Yazeth: “Okay.” Jozra wrings out the shirt and sets it out to try before grabbing a dirty shirt and handing it to Soquan.

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods his thanks and puts aside the pair of pants he was working on to dry.

Yazeth: The ferret grabs a pair of pants for herself and begins washing them.

Arrin Woodgreen: He begins scrubbing the tunic and begins to hum his song again.

Yazeth: Jozra scrubs hard at the muddy pant legs as she listens to the tune Soquan is humming.

Arrin Woodgreen: He starts to sing softly again, working at an arm of the tunic.

Yazeth: Jozra continues scrubbing at the trousers, listening intently to Soquan’s tune.  She pauses for a second, checking her reflection as the water stills and glancing at her paws. The recent and frequent dips in warm, then cold, then warm water has done much to compromise her disguise.  Fortunately, the mice only saw her incredibly muddy…

Arrin Woodgreen:  Soquan hears the pause in her scrubbing and stops his song. “You alright Jozra?”

Yazeth: The ferret resumes washing the pants. “Yep. Seemed thing weren’t getting any cleaner there for a second, though.”

Arrin Woodgreen:  He nods. “Alright.” He returns to cleaning, finishing a few seconds later. He runs his paws over the material, searching for any more caked on mud.

Yazeth: Jozra dunks the pants vigorously before pulling them up for inspection. “Ah. They’re clean. It’s the water that’s dirty.” She grins before setting them aside. Fortunately they had the presence of mind to bring everything with them. She rummages quickly in her pack, removing a smaller pouch.
Jozra glances at Soquan, trying to think up a reasonable excuse for the somewhat unusual behavior.“Seems I can’t get my fur to all go the right way.” She chuckles as she dusts a light powder over some of her darker areas.  A few minutes and it would set.

Arrin Woodgreen: Soquan laughs. “Lucky for me I don’t have to worry about that.” He briefly attempts to flatten down his perpetually scruffy fur.

Yazeth: Jozra grins as she finishes reapplying her disguise. “Looks like we’re about done here.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Okay.” He holds up his shirt he had been cleaning. “How’d I do?”

Yazeth: The ferret nods approvingly. “Pretty good. I’d almost call it looking new if it wasn’t for that tear in the sleeve.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Good then.” He stands and puts the shirt on the table with the rest.

Yazeth: She looks at the stack of dripping clothes. “Do you think they’d mind if we left these here to dry?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shakes his head. “They won’t mind.” His stomach rumbles audibly and he laughs. “I guess it’s almost dinner time.”

Yazeth: The ferret grins. “Then I suppose we should find the mess hall.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Alright.” He heads towards the door and opens it. He raises his head and sniffs the air, turning right. “This way.”

Yazeth: Jozra smiles and follows the otter.

 

Mar 16

Chapter 14: A Bath

Chapter 14: A Bath

In Which the Companions Enjoy the Hospitality Of the SSMC.

———————————————————————————————

Catamount says: The pair follow Borah down the tunnels in silence, the young mouse seems to be quite shy. After a bit she ventures, “I guess you know my name… What’s yours?”

Arrin says: He grins. “T’name’s Soquan.”

Catamount says: The ferret smiles as well. “I’m Jozra.  Pleased to meet you, Borah.”

Arrin says: He nods. “Aye, same here.”

Catamount says: Presently, the trio reach another curtained doorway, this one with wisps of steam escaping the edges now and then. Borah stops and explains. “You can get cleaned up here.  It’s pretty easy to keep the water hot.  We just ask that you clean up after yourselves.”

Arrin says: He nods. “Of course, thank you Borah.”

Catamount says: The mouse bows slightly. “Will you two be able to find your way back?”

Arrin says: He nods. “I think so.”

Catamount says: Borah nods. “I’ll head back down this way in about a half an hour, just in case. If you get lost, you can ask anyone how to get back to Trey’s office.” Jozra nods. “Thanks, Borah.”

Arrin says: “He nods. “Aye, thank you.” He steps through the curtain.

Catamount says: The ferret follows Soquan and gazes around at the room.  Here and there are a few stone basins with recesses carved under them for heating.  Each tub is full of comfortably steaming water.  On a shelf are several large towels and a basket nearby half full of used towels.  Bathing paraphernalia is lined up on other shelves.

Arrin says: He nudges Jozra. “What do you see?”

Catamount says: Jozra relates everything that she sees while guiding Soquan towards one of the large tubs. “There seems to be a few tables over there too, I’ll go grab a couple and some towels and be right back.”

Arrin says: He nods. “Get some soap too.”

Catamount says: The ferret checks her trajectory and heads towards the shelf holding the soap. “Right.”

Arrin says: He nods and strips off his shirt. “Thank you.”

Catamount says: The ferret slips some soap into her pocket and then heads for the towel rack where she props a couple of towels on her shoulder while gathering up a couple of small tables.  She clunkly returns to the initial washtub. “Here we are…” She sets down the tables, places the towels on top of one of them and fishes the soap out of her pocket and sticks that on top of the towels.

Arrin says: He grins at her. “Thank you.”

Arrin says: After stripping down completely, he slips into the water with a groan. “Wait until you feel this Jozra…”

Yazeth: Jozra grins before lifting her tunic over her head. “As nice as the hot pools?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Aye, if possible, even better.”

Yazeth: The ferret completes disrobing and grabs some of the soap before climbing into the tub. “Ooooh… So much better than that frozen pond!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and begins to clean the dirt and grime from his fur. “Aye, much better.”

Yazeth: Jozra ducks her head beneath the water and rubs at the fur on her face and between her ears before resurfacing. “So tell me about Trey.  You two seem to know each other well.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Him and I have been friends since we were toddlers. Our mothers used to be friends.”

Yazeth: The ferret scrubs at her foot paws where mud had caked on. “Oh?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He begins picking the twigs, sap, rocks and other things from his tail. “Yeah, we’d explore all the time. Came back home wet, muddy and hungry!”

Yazeth: She chuckles as she suds up her arms. “I can believe that…”

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs as well, getting a few pebbles out from in between his toes. “We’ve always been really close friends. We’ve been though heartbreak, the coming of siblings, mothers that died and injuries.  All that and much more…”

Yazeth: The ferret smiles as she lathers soap onto her shoulders. “You two sound like you were very close.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He lathers up his chest and stomach before replying with a nod. “We still are, but not as much.”

Yazeth: Jozra rinses a bit and inspects her paws before soaping up again. “How come?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He picks the dirt out from under his claws as he replies. “Our interests diverged, and we drifted apart. We’re still friends though.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods as she twists around to scrub at her back. “Kinda sad how that happens. So you’re co-founder of this mining company?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Aye, I am. We found this place completely by accident though, we were caught in the rain and we needed shelter.”

Yazeth: Jozra pauses and grins before continuing to comb mud out of her tail. “Sounds familiar.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and begins sudsing up completely. “Aye it does.” He submerges himself, washing off all the soap.

Yazeth: The ferret washes her face and suds places she missed before or were still dirty. “Do you know any of the other mice here or just Trey?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He washes his face also before replying. “Only Trey I’m afraid, or else that whole “adventure” when we got here probably wouldn’t have happened.”

Yazeth: She slicks the water back from her face and inspects her fur.  Cleans up pretty good, don’t she? “I see.  It sounded like you weren’t expecting them in this area of the caves.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “I wasn’t. They were much further back last time, and on a lower level.”

Yazeth: The ferret stands and squeezes some of the water out of her fur before stepping out and shaking. “It sounds as though the two of you have done well by this find.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Aye, we have.” He stands also and steps out of the tub, he reaches for a towel and unfolds it.  He feels the irregularity and chuckles. “Jorza, these are spare robes.”

Yazeth: The ferret lifts up the other one and looks at it. “So they are…” She grins sheepishly before going back over to the towel shelf.  She checks first this time that what she is grabbing are indeed towels before returning. “Here you go. Sorry about that.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He smiles and begins to dry off. “It’s okay.”

 

Mar 16

Chapter 13: 5-1 Pieces

Chapter 13: 5-1 Pieces

In Which Soquan and Trey Settle On the Share the Otter Will Take.

———————————————————————————————

Catamount says: Soon the crush of mice behind the travelers and Trey begins to dissipate as they return to their work in side tunnels. Jozra makes note of the few who are rather reluctant to leave, though. The three finally come to a curtain suspended across a doorway carved into the rock.

Arrin says: He murmurs to Jozra. “What do you see?”

Catamount says: She gazes about. “It’s really quite marvelous. Seems as though they carved an office right out of the rock. And it’s a large office too. Looks like there are tunnels leading off to other places too.”

Arrin says: He grins, old memories flooding in. “Wonderful.”

Catamount says: Trey indicates a pair of comfy looking armchairs. “Have a seat.”

Arrin says: He nods and he feels his way towards the chairs. He flops down with a contented sigh.

Catamount says: Jozra follows and sits in the other comfortable chair. “Ahh…”

Arrin says: He grins. “So how’ve you been?”

Catamount says: The mouse sits in the large chair behind a desk. “Quite well, actually. We’ve had quite a run of successes recently.”

Arrin says: He nods. “That’s good.”

Catamount says: Trey nods and settles back. “So! What brings the two of you down our way?”

Arrin says: He sits back, crossing one leg over the other. “I’m here for a bit of my share.”

Catamount says: Both mouse and ferret quirk their eyebrows, though for different reasons. Trey says, “Go on…”

Arrin says: “Come on, when we found this place, we agreed everything went 50/50.”

Catamount says: Jozra simply stares between the two. MOST unexpected indeed. Trey frowns slightly. “ Everything, Soquan? And right away? I’ve had to expand the effort and many of these mice now take home a share in compensation for their efforts…”

Arrin says: He frowns, thinking. “Then how much of my share is left?”

Catamount says: Trey steeples his fingers. “That depends on how much you’re planning on taking at the moment. It fluctuates, my friend. There will, of course, always be the reserve for you to take. It just depends on how much of your current share that you want.”

Arrin says: He shakes his head. “Not a lot, two or four of the class 5-1 pieces.”

Catamount says: The mouse breathes a sigh of relief. “I was afraid you were here to take it all!  That’s no problem at all, my friend.”

Arrin says: He grins. “Good, now what do you say about getting us a nice bath and some food?”

Catamount says: Trey smiles and bobs his head. “I’ll have Borah take you two to the field respite for that bath and you can join us in about an hour for dinner. I’ll take care of those 5-1 pieces in the meantime.”

Arrin says: He nods. “I hope we get a bed afterwards…”

Catamount says: The mouse laughs. “But of course!”

Arrin says: He nods again. “Alright then, it’s set.”

Catamount says: Jozra stands as a small gray mouse, obviously Borah, approaches. She touches Soquan’s shoulder and smiles gratefully at Trey.

Arrin says: He grins at Trey. “Thank you.”

Catamount says: The ferret bobs her head and echoes Soquan’s sentiment before turning to the other mouse who leads the two out of the cave and back into the tunnels.

Arrin says: He follows the mouse also, his paw gently resting on Jozra’s arm to know which way to go.