define('WP_CACHE', true); Crossed Paths – Logs – Page 9 – The Story Thus Far…

Mar 16

Chapter 12: The SteamSpring Mining Company

Chapter 12: The SteamSpring Mining Company

In Which Soquan Encounters An Old Friend.

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Yazeth: Jozra stands tall next to Soquan. Again, her paw strays to the hilt of her knife as the first of the mice begin to come into view.

Arrin Woodgreen: He readies his staff, turning towards her. “I wonder how scruffy we look to them. We might look frightful, damp, dusty, and travel worn…”

Yazeth: The ferret sizes up her companion in the growing light. “You’re right. That cold bath we had did little to remove the road dust. Not only that, we’re pretty muddy.”

Arrin Woodgreen: His ears flick this way and that as he listens to the approaching beasts. “Not to mention skinny from watching our rations while we were snowed in.”

Yazeth: “Aye… We’re a pretty raggedy pair.” She peers down the tunnel. “They seem pretty heavily armed.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Okay.” He frowns. “I wonder what they intend to do to us.”

Yazeth: The ferret flattens her ears slightly. “Hopefully they won’t do much.” She trails off as the first of the mice get within hearing range.

Arrin Woodgreen: He readies himself, picking up on the mice’s closeness.

Yazeth: The first of the mice shouts a challenge. “You’ll leave if you know what’s good for you, vermin.” Apparently he isn’t close enough to tell that one is an otter.

Arrin Woodgreen: He shouts back. “Vermin yourself, what are you doing ganging up on two honest travelers?”

Yazeth: The mouse returns the shout. “Trespassers, more like it!”

Arrin Woodgreen: “Trespassers? As far as I can remember this tunnel has been open to anybeast. What gives you the right to say otherwise?”

Yazeth: The spokes-mouse puffs his chest out.  Behind him, Jozra can see the first mouse. “The SteamSpring Mining Company, that’s what!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins suddenly. “The SSMC? Let me see your supervisor.”

Yazeth: The spokes-mouse falters for a second, startled by Soquan’s reaction. “Erm, hold on a second.” He whispers into the ear of a nearby mouse who passes the message back.  Jozra maintains her silence.

Arrin Woodgreen: His grin remains and he places a paw on Jozra’s weapon paw.

Yazeth: The ferret glances at Soquan before relaxing her stance.

Arrin says: He lowers his own weapon, waiting for word to get back to them.

Catamount says: Again the ferret glances at Soquan. She’s not so sure about this but the otter appears to know what he’s doing. Soon, the press of mice begins to part as an older mouse approaches the travelers.

Arrin says: His ears perk up and her grins widely. “Trey mate! How are you?”

Catamount says: Jozra smiles at the older mouse in a friendly manner.

Arrin says: He embraces the mouse in a friendly manner. “What have you been up to?  I thought you guys weren’t coming this far to the surface.”

Catamount says:The ferret stares in obvious confusion. The mouse chuckles at his friend’s companion’s reaction.

Arrin says: He frowns at the mouse. “Can you tell me why this tunnel is so strict entry now? After all, we both found it.”

Catamount says: Trey chuckles. “New discoveries, my friend.  Of course, if I had known you would be visiting, you’re welcome certainly would have been warmer.”

Arrin says: He chuckles. “Your front guard was a bit too sketchy.” He puts an arm around his shoulder and the two head down the tunnel, Soquan motions for Jozra to follow.

Catamount says: The ferret shrugs in helplessness at the first mouse, who scowls in return. She follows the pair as they make their way down the tunnel.

Arrin says: Slowly yet surely, gold begins to line the walls.  Not as much as first, then quite heavily.

Catamount says: Jozra stares in amazement, but notices the other mice closing in tightly behind her, blocking any exit.

Arrin says: The otter and mouse chatter away friendly, laughing loudly.

Catamount says: The ferret maintains her silence. She’s convinced Trey means to have no harm come to his friend’s friend, but the other mice don’t look so happy about her species.

Arrin says: He removes his arm from around the mouse. “Where are my manners? Trey, this is Jozra, a very dear friend of mine.  Jozra, this is Trey, we’ve known each other since childhood.”

Catamount says: Jozra smiles at Trey and shakes his paw. “Pleased to meet you, sir.”

Arrin says: He grins and stays quiet, letting the two talk.

Catamount says: Trey grins at the ferret. “Any friend of Soquan is a friend of mine!”

Arrin says: He smiles. “We just found the gem chamber, and the pool inside.”

Catamount says: The ferret laughs self-consciously. “Hence our, ah, rather bedraggled appearance…”

Arrin says: He nods. “Aye, plus we were snowed in at the low cave by the springs for a while.”

Catamount says: Trey’s eyes widen at the pair’s tales. “Sounds like you two have had a heck of a journey!”

Arrin says: He nods. “It was originally just supposed to be a day trip to see this place.”

Catamount says: The ferret chuckles. “Turned out to be quite an adventure all its own.”

Arrin says: He nods, yawning loudly.

Catamount says: Trey smiles at Soquan. “You two look rather tired. Fear not, our field office is just ahead. We can get some food into you guys there.”

Arrin says: He grins lopsidedly, throwing an arm around Jozra. “ Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

Catamount says: The ferret smiles. “Aye, that it does.”

Arrin says: He yawns sleepily and continues to follow Trey’s lead.

 

Mar 16

Chapter 11: Unwelcome

Chapter 11: Unwelcome

In Which A Mouse Tries To Block The Pair’s Path.

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Arrin says: He leads her through the cave. “So back to the house? Or to the gold?”

Catamount says: The ferret shrugs. “I wouldn’t know which way to go for either anyway.  Though I suppose, since we’re here…”

Arrin says: He nods. “Alright, just tell me when we get to the fork in the path again.”

Catamount says: Jozra nods. “Okay.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He continues leading the way through the tunnel, giving a slight shiver once and a while.

Yazeth: Now and again, Jozra rearranges the damp clothes in her hands, trying to keep the wet parts exposed to the air and the dryer parts near her paws.

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins towards her. “I don’t know about you, but after all this I could go for a dip in that hot spring…”

Yazeth: The ferret laughs. “Aye, that would be wonderful.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “And a nap on those rocks…”

Yazeth: Jozra nods exuberantly. “And a hot lunch to go with it…”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “And a nice warm drink…”

Yazeth: She squeezes her eyes shut for a second. “Yeah… This conversation is making me hungry but I feel warmer anyway.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “It’s all in your head, think warm thoughts.”

Yazeth: Jozra sighs and then pricks her ears. “What’s that up ahead? Something seems to be glowing a bit…”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns and thinks. “I don’t remember anything glowing… Hello?”

Yazeth: The ferret peers ahead, trying to bring it into focus. Her paws stray instinctively to her tiny, concealed throwing knives.

Arrin Woodgreen: He grips his staff and calls forward towards the glow. “Hello?”

Yazeth: Jozra’s eyes widen as the glow moves, yet makes no noise.  She puts a slightly restraining paw on Soquan’s shoulder. “Who’s there?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He stops as Jozra’s paw grips his shoulder and perks his ears up, listening.

Yazeth: The ferret listens hard but hears nothing. The light, on the other hand, wavers a little.

Arrin Woodgreen: He steps forward a bit. “Is anyone there?”

Yazeth: Jozra stoops and fumbles around in the darkness for a pebble.  She finds one, stands and throws it in the general direction of the light.

Arrin Woodgreen: He stops as he hears the pebble whoosh by, waiting.

Yazeth: The pair are rewarded by the clink of the pebble against a wall, the echo of said pebble striking wall, and a startled gasp from a third beast.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns and waits.

Yazeth: The ferret moves her paw to the hilt of her long dagger. “Oy! We know you’re there, who are you?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He crouches, ready to spring.

Yazeth: The sound of someone shuffling greets their ears as the light fades slightly.

Arrin Woodgreen: He turns towards her. “Should we follow?”

Yazeth: The ferret sets her jaw. “Yep. Too curious not to.” She walks towards the light cautiously.

Arrin Woodgreen: He does also.

Yazeth: The two soon approach a bend.  The ferret slows a bit and peeks around the corner. “Gah!” She jumps back, temporarily blinded by the brightness of the light.

Arrin Woodgreen: He steps ahead of her, staff ready.

Yazeth: The mouse in the side tunnel squeaks frantically. “Please don’t hurt me!!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “We mean no harm…”

Yazeth: Jozra paws at her eyes trying to clear the floaties away. “Who is it?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He tests the air. “By the smell if it, it’s a mouse.”

Yazeth: The mouse shivers and looks at the otter imploringly. “Keep her away from me!”

Arrin Wodgreen: He chuckles. “Who? Jozra? Don’t worry, her bark is much worse than her bite.” He nudges her a bit. “Ain’t that right?”

Yazeth: The ferret tries to grin as genuinely as possible.  She has more success in saying in a chipper voice. “Yep!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins and throws an arm around Jozra’s shoulders, waiting for the mouse’s response.

Yazeth: The mouse glances fearfully between the two mustilids. “What… what do you want?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shrugs. “We were traveling through the tunnels when she saw your light. We got curious.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods. “We were rather surprised to see a light and decided it was best to investigate. Just in case, you know…”

Arrin Woodgreen: The otter nods as well. “Yeah.”

Yazeth: The rodent seems to grow a little bolder now. “Well… well okay then.” He narrows his eyes. “What are you doing here, though?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “What do you mean by here?”

Yazeth: The mouse gestures around impatiently. “Here! In the cave!”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shrugs. “We’re exploring, I used to come in here when I was younger, and I’m just showing my friend around.”

Yazeth: Jozra nods eagerly. The mouse continues to frown. “Well, I would thank you not to come down this tunnel.” He turns and walks away in a huff.

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “And why not? This isn’t private property.”

Yazeth: The mouse stops and walks back towards the pair. He takes care not to approach to within reach, though. “THIS tunnel is.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “I don’t remember it being private, and I’m pretty sure of what you’re hiding.”

Yazeth: Further down the tunnel, a slight clanking sound can be heard. The mouse’s ears flatten against his skull for a second before replying, “It is now.” Jozra cocks her head and tries to peer past the blinding lantern light.

Arrin Woodgreen: He gives a low growl. “Look, we’ll be in and out, there’s a passage off of that tunnel that leads somewhere I’m looking for.”

Yazeth: The ferret glances at Soquan, slightly surprised at the growl. “We won’t be long.” The mouse, on the other hand, seems to stand more firmly in the middle of the path.

Arrin Woodgreen: He stands up to his full height. “Let… us… pass…”

Yazeth: The mouse begins to quiver again. “No…”

Arrin Woodgreen: He takes a step forward. “What are you going to do if we pass?”

Yazeth: Unexpectedly, the mouse breaks into a run and sprints down the corridor yelling his head off. “Intruders! Intruders!” Jozra stares after the mouse. “Err… I wasn’t expecting that.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He seems startled and his ears perk up, staff ready. “We’re about to have more company…”

Yazeth: “It would seem so.” The ferret replies as the sound of many running feet begins to become apparent.

Arrin Woodgreen: He stands beside her, waiting for the inevitable group of beasts coming.

 

Mar 16

Bonus 1: Background Raws

 Be warned! Within this post lie potential spoilers to future chapters!

This set of bonus content contains raw plotting regarding character development, the world at large, and upcoming chapters.  Some of the things discussed within have since come true, others are ideas that were dropped, and still others have been warped into their current forms.

As raws, these logs have not been edited for spelling, grammar, or readability.  In this particular case, the logs have been rapidly hand-typed from a conversation in the now long dead StalinChat of the RFF. You have been warned.

 

Continue reading

Mar 10

Chapter 10: The Gem Room

Chapter 10: The Gem Room

In Which the Pair Find A Beautiful But Dangerous Cavern.

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Arrin says: They continue down the tunnel and soon come into a chamber.  Light shines in from the top and the walls are coated with jewels and gemstones.

Catamount says: The ferret gasps. “ It’s amazing!”

Arrin says: He perks up his ears. “What do you see?”

Catamount says: “Dozens and dozens of gems!”

Arrin says: He grins. “We took the wrong tunnel then, but oh well. I remember this chamber…”

Catamount says: The ferret gazes about in wonder. “What is this room?”

Arrin says: His brow furrows while he thinks. “This was just dubbed “The Gem Room.”  There’s a deep pond in the middle of it…” The ground beneath Jozra crackles dangerously beneath her.

Catamount says: The ferret looks sharply at the ground she’s standing on and eases herself back towards Soquan.

Arrin says: The ground crackles underneath them both and he curses just grabbing hold of her as they are both immersed in the cold water.

Catamount says: Jozra yelps at the unexpected cold before being submerged.  She kicks and claws her way to the surface, close behind the otter.

Arrin says: He grasps her paw and pulls her up, holding her by the wrist.  Once they surface, he tries to grasp the edge of the pool, only to have it break under his weight.  He shivers. “This isn’t good…”

Catamount says: The ferret shakes her head furiously, more to get the water out of her eyes and ears than to agree with Soquan.  “No, it isn’t.”

Arrin says: They reach the edge of the pool and he helps her out of the water first before climbing out himself.  He shivers some more and crouches beside her. “Are you okay? “ If he was cold, she must be way worse.

Catamount says: The ferret gasps and strips off her soaked clothes, before shaking as much water out of her fur as possible. “I’ll be in a bit…” She shivers.

Arrin says: He does the same and rummages through the packs they left at the entrance at the cavern for their blankets. He opens his arms towards her. “C’mere, come get warm…”

Catamount says: Jozra rubs her fur as dry as possible before ducking under one of the blankets and wrapping it about herself. “Why… Is the ground likely to crack again?”

Arrin says: He blows water from his whiskers. “Dirt must of blown on top of the ice, you can’t see it as well probably. I know it’s safe here.”

Catamount says: The ferret shivers a little. “Well, that’s something else to watch out for then.”

Arrin says: He nods and moves beside her. “It is.” He shivers a little under his blanket but begins to warm up a bit.

Catamount says: Jozra chuckles a little as the shivering begins to ease. “Well, now I’m very glad I took that shopkeeper up on TWO sets of clothes.”

Arrin says: He nods. “Aye.” He looks towards her. “Are you warm enough?”

Catamount says: The ferret nods. “I’m warming up pretty good.  It would probably be best to walk around a bit, actually.”

Arrin says: He nods and stands, his blanket still wrapped around himself. “You’re right.”

Catamount says: Jozra soon stands and pulls her dry, extra set of clothes from the pack and puts them on. “Much better.”

Arrin says: He dresses in an extra set of clothes also and nudges his wet ones with a paw. “What do we do with these?”

Catamount says: She looks at the pile of soaking clothes for a moment. “Well, there’s nothing wrong with them really. They’re just wet. We could need them but carrying around wet clothes would be heavy and they’re not likely to dry in our packs.”

Arrin says: He frowns. “How bout we just carry them in our paws?”

Catamount says: The ferret grins. “Yeah, that would solve it.  Might be a good idea to wring them out first, though.”

Arrin says: He nods and begins to wring the water out of his clothes.

Catamount says: Soon the clothes are merely damp, as opposed to soaked.  With numb paws, the ferret gathers up her set and folds them into a loose bundle that will be easy to carry.

Arrin says: He bundles his clothes and waits at the entrance of the cave for her.

Catamount says: Jozra walks to the cave entrance and pauses. “Ready.”

Arrin says: He nods. “Alright let’s go…”

Catamount says: The two leave the beautiful but treacherous cavern and soon the illumination is faint enough that Jozra is once again following Soquan.

 

Mar 10

Chapter 9: The Mine

Chapter 9: The Mine

In Which The Companions Reach The Entrance to Their Destination.

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Arrin says: Days later Soquan pushes at the sheet of ice that has formed at the entrance of the cave. He laughs as he breaks through. “I got through! We’re outta here!”

Catamount says: Jozra gives a whoop. “Wonderful!” She hastily packs together their supplies and pushes them up to Soquan, squirming up the tunnel behind them.

Arrin says: He takes the supplies and puts them outside of the cave before crawling out.

Catamount says: Jozra soon reaches the exit and pops her head out of the hole.  She shuts her eyes quickly and backs down a bit. “Ouch. I need a second for my eyes to adjust…”

Arrin says: He nods and sits, waiting. “Take your time.”

Catamount says: After a bit, Jozra ventures back out into the open, blinking against the brightness of reflected snow. “Ah… the fresh air is good!”

Arrin says: He nods, taking a lungful of air. “Aye, it is.”

Catamount says: Now Jozra takes her time repacking the supplies, checking on the food situation at the same time. “Looks like we have another four or five day’s worth of food, if we conserve a bit.”

Arrin says: He nods. “So which way do you want to go?”

Catamount says: The ferret closes the packs and hefts one onto her shoulder. “I suppose that depends on how much farther we have to go.”

Arrin says: He raises his head, thinking. “Not much longer, maybe an hour, then half a day back home…”

Catamount says: The ferret blinks in surprise. “I hadn’t realized it was that close! All right, to the gold I suppose.”

Arrin says: He grins and hefts his pack. “All right!” He heads off along the mountainside.

Catamount says: Jozra follows closely, ready to lend a hand if needed.

Arrin says: An hour later or so, he looks towards Jozra. “Do you see a cave mouth anywhere?”

Catamount says: The ferret peers at the rock carefully. “Not really…  Am I looking for something big or small?”

Arrin says: He grunts. “Big if I recall, it was a mine entrance…”

Catamount says: Jozra nods thoughtfully. “I don’t see anything here but the rock seems to bend around a little further ahead.  Perhaps it’s over there?”

Arrin says: He nods. “Alright let’s go.” He continues walking.

Catamount says: Soon they walk around the bend and Jozra grins. “Yep, there’s big hole just up ahead.  That must be it.”

Arrin says: He grins as well. “Good.”

Catamount says: Jozra pauses at the entrance and sniffs the damp, cold air breezing up out of the mine.

Arrin says: He looks towards her. “What do you see?”

Catamount says: She squints in the gloom. “Pretty dark; though not quite as much as our little cave. So, where do we go from here?  It looks like the tunnel branches just ahead…”

Arrin says: He thinks. “We go into the right branch.”

Catamount says: The ferret nods. “All right.” She walks in and takes the right fork.  “Seems pretty straight forward for right now. It’s getting dimmer though. I won’t be able to navigate soon.”

Arrin says: He chuckles. “I guess then it’s my turn to lead, eh?”

Catamount says: Jozra grins. “Yep!”

 

Mar 10

Chapter 8: Snowed In

Chapter 8: Snowed In

In Which Jozra and Soquan Find Themselves Snowed Into Their Burrow.

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Catamount says: Hours later the ferret wakes up into darkness. She furrows her brow and murmurs. “That’s odd…”

Arrin says: The otter grumbles in his sleep and rolls over, taking with him his body heat and a lot of the blanket.

Catamount says: The ferret gasps in the suddenly very chill air. She hadn’t realized how cold it had gotten outside their little nest.

Arrin says: Soquan sleeps on, obviously unaffected by the cold.

Catamount says: Jozra grabs the cloak she was laying on and wraps it around herself. She stands slowly and feels her way towards where the fire was.  Shivering, she’s finally able to light a small torch and with this little illumination, she looks around the cave, trying to remember what woke her up.

Arrin says: He wakes up moments later, yawning widely.  Not feeling her nearby, he sits up. “Jozra?”

Catamount says: She murmurs from across the cavern. “I’m here.  Something woke me up and I’m not sure what… It feels kind of like I slept in.”

Arrin says: He stands and frowns, his ears twitching this way and that. “There’s no breeze coming through.”

Catamount says: The ferret sniffs the air. “You’re right. Think the hole is plugged up?”

Arrin says: He heads towards the entrance. “I’ll check.” He heads up the passage and comes back down a moment later. “We’re stuck in here. Snowed in to be precise.  The snow’s turned almost solid, I can’t move it, there’s only enough room at the top of the hole to let air in.”

Catamount says: The ferret huddles deeper into her cloak. “That would explain why it’s so cold, but it should warm up soon, right?  I wonder if we should light any fires, though.”

Arrin says: He shakes his head. “Don’t light any fires, the smoke wouldn’t get out and we’d suffocate. And I don’t know about it getting warmer, the air that is coming in cold air.”

Catamount says: The ferret puts out her torch and feels her way along the wall to where Soquan is. “Well, sometimes snow acts as an insulator.  I’ve known of those trapped in blizzards sometimes digging a snow cave to keep warm.”

Arrin says: He shrugs. “Maybe it will then.” He takes her paw in his to let her know where he is.

Catamount says: Jozra blinks owlishly to no avail. “So I suppose we’ll have to put up with cold food for breakfast. Think it will thaw soon?”

Arrin says: He grins lopsidedly. “I think we might have to wrap it in a blanket to keep it from freezing.” He pauses for a moment. “Goodness, you’re shivering. C’mere.” He leads her back to their nest and pulls the ferret against him, and folds his arms around her. “Any better?”

Catamount says: Jozra tucks the cloak tightly about her and nods. “Much, thank you.”

Arrin says: “Anytime.” He leans back and pulls the blankets around them. He settles down, still holding her close. “So what do you want to talk about?”

Catamount says: She thinks quietly for a bit while she warms up again. “Well, I’m kind of concerned about getting out of here. I’m willing to wait a couple of days but our food won’t last much longer than a week.”

Arrin says: He nods. “I know, I should’ve warned you about the flash snowstorms. I doubt that the storm will last for more than a week.”

Catamount says: The ferret thinks about this for a bit. “So I suppose if the snow melts sooner we can get on with our trip, but if it melts later, we should just head back to the village…”

Arrin says: He nods. “Yeah, there’s no need to starve ourselves over just a little bit of gold.”

Catamount says: The ferret nods. “I agree.  I had more or less given up on finding gold before I met you anyway.  This just seemed convenient and a nice trip to take.”

Arrin says: He nods sleepily, yawning loudly. “Yeah…”

Catamount says: The ferret chuckles. “Doesn’t seem like there’s much to do other than sleep then.”

Arrin says: “Yeah.” He grins and continues in an obviously playful, seductive tone, “That is, unless you can think of something else to do…” His grip around her waist tightens in a suggestive manner.

Catamount says: The ferret chuckles. “Now… That would use up our air even faster I think.”

Arrin says: He laughs. “You’re right.” He gives her a somewhat affectionate nuzzle. “We sleep then…” He closes his eyes.

Catamount says: Jozra pulls the cloaks tight around herself and soon falls back to sleep.

 

Mar 10

Chapter 7: The Burrow

Chapter 7: The Burrow

In Which the Companions Seek Shelter From the Weather In A Small Cave.

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Arrin Woodgreen: He thinks. “There should be a cave somewhere nearby…” He thinks while pulling on his shirt.

Yazeth: Jozra nods. “I’m looking for one. There’s a ledge over there that we might be able to use, just in case we don’t find anything better.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He perks up slightly. “The ledge, is there a tree on top of it?”

Yazeth: The ferret peers. “Err… yes, actually. Kind of stunted.” She chuckles. “It blended right in with the shadows.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “It should be to the right of that and down on ground level, you got to crawl in though.”

Yazeth: Jozra nods. “Okay…  There. I see it now. This way.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods yet again and follows the ferret.

Yazeth: The entrance of the cave is slightly overgrown and very gravelly. “You sure there’s no snakes in there? I’d rather not meet a viper.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He crouches at the entrance and picks up a pebble tossing it inside. He waits for a few seconds. “It’s safe…”

Yazeth: The ferret glances dubiously at the dark hole but shrugs. “Do you want to go first, or should I?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shrugs. “I will.” He stoops and crawls inside.

Yazeth: Jozra waits a bit before following, thankful that she is a ferret and thus, slim enough to handle holes such as this, though she never really had much experience with burrows before.

Arrin Woodgreen: The cave gets wider and taller as you go in, and it evens out.  Soquan is already setting up.

Yazeth: The ferret finally emerges at the end and looks around, allowing her eyes to adjust.  The light in the cave is only through the hole they came to and what light there is very dim and getting dimmer by the minute.

Arrin Woodgreen: He looks towards her. “I think you might be able to start a bit of a fire… The smoke will leave through the entrance.”

Yazeth: Jozra nods and begins building a small fire. “It would be good to have a warm dinner too.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Aye, it would… Should I start digging out a place for us to sleep?”

Yazeth: The ferret lights the small fire before responding. “Yeah, that would probably be a good idea.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He begins to dig a shallow hole for two beasts to sleep in. “Shall I make it a bit bigger this time? Last time we were a bit squished…”

Yazeth: Jozra grins. “Yeah, that would probably be a good idea also.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He chuckles. “I slept with your elbow in my ribs that night…” He widens the hole.

Yazeth: She slices some of the fish into small pieces and adds some water from the canteens along with this and that. “I figured a sort of fish stew for tonight with the bread.  Think I should add some cheese to it?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He wrinkles his nose. “No.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods. “Thought not.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He finishes digging. “There, that should be enough room.”

Yazeth: Jozra looks at the hole, squinting in the firelight. “Yeah, that should do it. The stew should be ready in a few minutes too.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “Okay.” He rummages though the bags and pulls out all the blankets, placing them inside the hole.

Yazeth: Soon the stew is done. Jozra pulls out the few utensils and pulls out the bread.  “Food’s ready.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He comes towards the fire. “Great.” He settles down and waits.

Yazeth: Jozra ladles some stew into a bowl and puts the bowl and a spoon into Soquan’s paws. “Got a chunk of bread here for you if you want it.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods. “I’ll have it when I’m done.” He samples the stew. “It’s good.”

Yazeth: The ferret grins as she prepares a bowl for herself. “Thank you.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “Anytime.” He eats another spoonful.

Yazeth: Jozra eats her stew. “Seems as though a wind has picked up…” Her ears prick towards the cave entrance.

Arrin Woodgreen: His ears perk up. “It has… It’ll be cold tonight.”

Yazeth: The ferret nods and finishes her bowl of stew.

Arrin Woodgreen: He finishes not long afterward. “Can you pass my piece of bread?”

Yazeth: Jozra places the piece of bread into the otter’s paws. “There’s a little of the stew left. Did you want it?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He munches on his bread. “Save it, we can eat it in the morning…”

Yazeth: The ferret nods and sticks her piece of bread between her teeth before cleaning up and saving the leftover stew. “Moof ihea.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He chuckles and takes another bite. “Anything I can do to help?”

Yazeth: She stops to chew and replies before putting the bread in her mouth again. “Nope, I’m nearly done cleaning up anyway. Think we should keep the fire going? We don’t have much to burn.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He shakes his head. “Put it out, save the fuel. We can just lie down and talk.”

Yazeth: The ferret carefully smothers the fire, attempting to conserve fuel. “Hrm, seems it got very dark while we were eating.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He reaches towards her. “C’mon, I’ll help you around…”

Yazeth: The ferret grins in spite of herself. “In this situation it seems as though our roles are reversed.” She hesitantly feels around until she finds the otter’s paw.

Arrin Woodgreen: He laughs slightly. “C’mon.” He guides her gently to the hole. “Watch your step.”

Yazeth: Jozra feels around with her footpaws, navigating the slight slope.

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “There ya go.” He lets go of her paws and begins to bed down in the cloak-blankets.

Yazeth: She feels around to her place and curls up in the blanket cloaks. “Goodnight.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He nods and curls up in the covers, his back resting against hers. “Goodnight Jozra.”

 

Mar 10

Chapter 6: The Hot Spring

Chapter 6: The Hot Spring

In Which the Companions Find a Hot Spring In Their Travels.

———————————————————————————————

Arrin says: He walks beside her, hefting his pack slightly.  “The air’s getting wetter, it’s going to snow…”

Catamount says: The ferret nods. “Looks like clouds building up near the summit, too.”

Arrin says: He shrugs. “It’ll probably just be a foot or so. How’re those clothes holding up for you? Are you warm enough? I doubt that your fur is as thick as ours up here.”

Catamount says: Jozra grins. “Holding up great! And don’t worry; it’s plenty warm right now.”

Arrin says: He nods. “Okay… How close are we?”

Catamount says: “Well, the ridge you told me about is not too far now.  Maybe another half an hour of walking and we’ll be there.”

Arrin says: He nods yet again. “Okay. If I recall, there’s a hot spring somewhere near, we can camp out on the heated flat rocks, if you want.”

Catamount says: The ferret gazes ahead, looking for telltale steam. “I’ll keep my eye out for it.”

Arrin says: He grins. “Alright then.” He stumbles a bit over a rock, grabbing his companion briefly for support.

Catamount says: The ferret grabs the otter’s arm and steadies him before continuing.

Arrin says: He flashes her a broad smile. “Thanks.”

Catamount says: She grins. “No problem.”

Arrin says: They walk for a bit longer before he turns to her. “See anything yet? I think I feel the heat of it in the air.”

Catamount says: The ferret nods. “Yep. We’re almost there. I was just about to mention it.”

Arrin says: He grins. “Good, I can’t wait to take a dip.”

Catamount says: Jozra smiles. “Here we are. Careful, it looks a bit slippery.”

Arrin says: He nods and strips off his backpack and tunic, leaping into the water. “Woo-hoo!”

Catamount says: The ferret laughs and follows suit, though a little more slowly.

Arrin says: He chuckles and swims towards her. “Can you swim alright?”

Catamount says: She nods. “Yep. Just don’t want to get my new clothes all wet.”

Arrin says: He grins devilishly. “Oh sure, make up excuses, strip down if you feel like it, it’s not like I’ll see anything right?” He laughs.

Catamount says: Jozra laughs. “It’s all fur anyway, right?  I just don’t want to worry about my new clothes that fit so perfectly shrinking.”

Arrin says: He chuckles. “All right then, what are you waiting for? The water’s fine.”

Catamount says: The ferret grins and sloshes into the pool. “Ah, feels good on the old walking legs!”

Arrin says: He grins. “Of course.” He floats on his back.

Catamount says: Jozra splashes some water in the otter’s general direction.

Arrin says: He splutters. “Hey!”

Catamount says: The ferret grins broadly before completely submerging and then popping back up.

Arrin says: He launches himself out of the water towards where her heard her come up. He dunks her with a laugh.

Catamount says: “Ack!” She splutters and then swims to the other side of the pool, splashing the otter again.

Arrin says: He submerges himself, swimming towards her again. He grabs her legs and pulls her under.

Catamount says: The ferret splashes to the top and laughs. “Whoo! You otters tire us poor non-otters out when you’re in the water!”

Arrin says: He grins broadly. “What else would you expect?”

Yazeth: The ferret splashes the water about her a little and grins at the otter. “Perhaps you cutting us non-water beasts a little slack?”

Arrin Woodgreen: He thinks for a moment. “Hmmm… nah!” He splashes at her.

Yazeth: Jozra chuckles.

Arrin Woodgreen: He goes to dunk her again. “This’ll teach you…”

Yazeth: Erp. She hastily dives and retreats to the other end of the pool. Wiping the water out of her eyes, she settles herself mostly submerged in the warm water. “I think you’ve tired me out for swimming, Soq.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “C’mon, I promise I’ll play nice…”

Yazeth: The ferret chuckles. “Mind, I can swim, but I’m not exactly a strong swimmer.  It tires me easily.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He grins. “If you get too tired, I can always swim you to shore.”

Yazeth: She chuckles and leans back against the rocks. Casually she views the scenery. “Hrm. Those clouds around the summit are bigger than they were before.”

Arrin Woodgreen: He frowns. “We should look for shelter then.” He slips out of the water and drops onto all fours, shaking the water from his fur.

Yazeth: The ferret follows suit, sleeking the water from her fur now and then with her paws.

Mar 10

Chapter 5: Preparations

Chapter 5: Preparations

In Which the Companions Head In to Town to Gather Supplies.

———————————————————————————————

Catamount says: Eventually the sky outside begins to lighten and the ferret slowly begins to wake.

Arrin says: The otter remains asleep at her side, one arm flopped lightly around her middle.

Catamount says: Jozra silently examines her surroundings for a moment. She smiles a little at the otter before slipping out from under his arm and off of the bed. Standing now, she stretches a bit.

Arrin says: The otter gives a sudden snort and rolls over in his sleep, mumbling something as he settles back down into a new position.

Catamount says: The ferret chuckles softly and then turns to inspecting her possessions.  It would be a good idea to find out what she has and what she’ll need for the trip into the mountain.

Arrin says: Soquan wakes up not long after, stretching out his muscles with a large yawn.  After taking a quick note of his surroundings, he smiles. “Mornin’ Jozra.”

Catamount says: “Good morning, Soquan. How’d you sleep?”

Arrin says: He stretches. “S’the best sleep I had in a while, what about you?”

Catamount says: She grins and bobs her head. “Pretty good, actually. I suppose the beds in those inns were just too soft.”

Arrin says: He laughs. “Well I’m glad…”

Catamount says: The ferret glances over her stuff. “So what do we do first today?”

Arrin says: He slumps out of bed and yawns. “First we grab some breakfast, then we hit the town.”

Catamount says: Jozra nods. “Right-o. Lead on then.”

Arrin says: He nods. “Okay.” He shuffles his way out of the room and towards the kitchen where a breakfast is already laid out for them.  Arrin greets them with a smile.”  “Mornin’ you two.”

Catamount says: Jozra nods and grins at Arrin. “Good morning.  Breakfast smells delicious!”

Arrin says: She grins. “It tastes even better.  I trust you two slept well?” Soquan nods. “Aye, we did.”

Catamount says: The ferret nods in agreement, eyeing the food set on the table.

Arrin says: Arrin chuckles as she watches the ferret. “Go ahead, dig in, I’ve already eaten.”

Catamount says: Jozra grins and sits herself at the table, digging into the breakfast heartily.

Arrin says: Soquan sits at his place next to her and eats the meal just as eagerly.

Catamount says: The ferret pauses long enough to comment to Arrin. “It’s delicious!”

Arrin says: She blushes faintly. “It’s nothing really, I learned it all from mum, she was a wonderful cook, she said most ferr-” Soquan cut her off, a serious tone in his voice. “Arrin…” She clears her throat. “Right… Can I get you anything else?”

Catamount says: Jozra flicks her ear but doesn’t outwardly acknowledge the slip up, though she does file it away for future reference.  She smiles again at Arrin. “Everything’s wonderful; I can’t imagine what else I would need.”

Arrin says: She grins. “Something to drink perhaps?”

Catamount says: The ferret shakes her head slightly. “Nope, I’m fine.  Thank you anyway.”

Arrin says: She nods. “Okay.” Soquan pushes over a plate of what looks like very thin pancakes and some jam. “Try some of these, they’re great.”

Catamount says: Jozra samples a bit of the dish. “Mmm, you’re right, Soquan.”

Arrin says: He laughs. “Have I ever not been?”

Catamount says: The ferret grins. “You’ve got me there.”

Arrin says: He laughs and finishes off his breakfast before standing. “Almost ready to go?”

Catamount says: She polishes off the rest of her breakfast and nods. “Yep.  Thanks again for the meal, Arrin.”

Arrin says: She nods. “No problem.” Soquan waits by the door, his staff now held in one paw.

Catamount says: Jozra stands and then joins Soquan at the door. “So, where to now?”

Arrin says: He grins. “To Tor’s shop to get you fitted for some new clothes.”

Catamount says: The ferret nods. “All right then, on to Tor’s.”

Arrin says: He opens the door and steps outside, offering his arm in a mocking manner.  “My arm, madam?”

Catamount says: The ferret chuckles and places her paw on the otter’s arm. “Lead on.”

Arrin says: He leads her through the village, pausing only to greet some other beasts, or to point out a certain location.  When they reach the shop, the squirrel behind the booth grins broadly. “Soquan! I see you’ve come back to us.” The otter laughs. “Aye, I have, but not for long.”

Catamount says: Jozra stands quietly beside the otter.

Arrin says: Tor grins, nodding at Jozra. “G’mornin’ miss.” He turns back to Soquan. “Just like your father, ain’t you? Reminds me so much of when he came home with your mother, so many beasts were opposed to him marryin’ a ferre-” Soquan coughs politely, cutting the shopkeeper off. “We’re heading up to the mountains.  My friend here needs some clothing fit for the trip…”

Catamount says: This time Jozra can’t keep her face still and she raises an eyebrow before pretending to ignore the comment. “Aye, all of my good northlands clothes are well used and wouldn’t keep me warm enough if we were to be caught in a storm…”

Arrin says: The shopkeeper nods. “Yes, yes, right this way ma’am, we’ll take some measurements…”

Catamount says: The ferret follows the squirrel to be fitted.

Arrin says: The squirrel takes out a measuring tape and begins to take measurements around certain places. After he records them all, he smiles. “I think I have just the right thing…” He disappears into the very back and emerges holding a couple tunics and leggings. “Try them on and tell me which ones fit better.”

Catamount says: Jozra takes the tunics and leggings and goes into a fitting room.  After a bit she emerges wearing the pair that fits best. “These fit pretty good. What do you think?”

Arrin says: He nods. “Aye, they look good, I can do a bit better if you want…” He disappears again and emerges with another set of clothing. “Try this.”

Catamount says: The ferret shrugs, examining the outfit in a mirror while twitching the cuffs here and there. “Actually, this is pretty good.  I like it. Though there’s no hurt in trying on some more…” She takes the new set and goes back into the fitting room.

Arrin says: He waits for her, leaning against the wall.

Catamount says: Jozra emerges again wearing the new set. “It does fit a bit closer, though the other set wasn’t too bad in the fitting either.  Sort of comfortably, slightly baggy.”

Arrin says: He looks her over. “So what do you think?”

Catamount says: The ferret nods. “Pretty good, though I can’t quite decide between the two of them…”

Arrin says: He grins. “Take both of them then.  Now come on, you can grab the other things and your old clothes from the change room.”

Catamount says: The ferret grins back. “Okay.” She retrieves her older set of clothing and follows the squirrel back to the front.

Arrin says: Soquan grins as he hears them approaching. “How did it go?”

Catamount says: Jozra folds her old clothes. “Well, I ended up with a good fit and a spare set of clothing.”

Arrin says: His grin remains. “Great, how much do I owe you Tor?” The squirrel smiles.  “Never mind about that, it’s on the house.”

Catamount says: The ferret raises her eyebrows. “That’s… that’s most kind of you, Mr. Tor.”

Arrin says: Soquan smiles. “Aye, thank you Tor.” He turns to Jozra. “Shall we continue on then?”

Catamount says: Jozra nods. “Seems we got everything we need here. Where to now?”

Arrin says: He shrugs. “We should get some food for the trip.”

Catamount says: The ferret nods again. “Good idea. Where would be the best place to get that?”

Arrin says: He offers his arm again. “The market.”

Catamount says: “All right then. Lead on.”

Arrin says: He leads her further down the road. “So what should we bring with us?  Bread?  Cheese?”

Catamount says: The ferret looks about the town curiously. “I’ve found in my travels that cheese doesn’t keep very long, though it’s good to have at first.  Bread keeps longer but gets too hard after a while… I don’t suppose they have any dried fruit?”

Arrin says: He nods. “Aye, and we’ll only be there for a day or so.”

Catamount says: Jozra nods as well. “Bread and cheese it is, then.”

Arrin says: He looks at her hopefully. “Maybe a bit of fish?”

Catamount says: The ferret grins. “Fish? Sure!”

Arrin says: He grins. “What kind then salmon? Tuna? Trout?”

Catamount says: Jozra smiles. “We’ll you’re the otter and hence the expert. What would you choose?”

Arrin says: He licks his lips. “I dunno, it all sounds so good…”

Catamount says: The ferret chuckles. “Let’s go with the salmon then.”

Arrin says: He gives a happy couple of bounds and a joyful whoop. “Good choice!”

Catamount says: Jozra laughs.

Arrin says: He sniffs the air and guides her in a different direction. “The bakery’s this way.”

Catamount says: The ferret follows, an amused expression on her face.

Arrin says: Once they reach they reach the shop, he opens the door for her, following her inside. He gropes at his belt, finding the pouch almost immediately. “Two loaves of bread please.”

Catamount says: The shopkeeper pulls down two loaves and hands them to Jozra, turning to Soquan for payment.

Arrin says: He pulls out the correct amount of money and pays the beast. “Thank you.”  He turns for the door.

Catamount says: Jozra tucks the loaves under her arm and exits the building. “So where do we get the cheese?”

Arrin says: He frowns. “We have to walk along the stalls now.   Tell me when you see a stand.” They walk.

Catamount says: After a bit the two happen upon a stand with a merchant selling cheese. “Here’s one, Soquan.”

Arrin says: He nods, turning towards the vendor. “I need a wheel of cheddar cheese please.” The vendor nods and hands Soquan the cheese once it’s paid for.

Catamount says: The ferret takes the cheese and tucks it under her other arm. “To the fish stalls now, I suppose?”

Arrin says: He nods. “Of course, do you want me to carry anything?”

Catamount says: She chuckles.  “Probably the fish, now that my arms are full.”

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

Catamount says: Jozra glances around.  “So… which way to the fish stalls?”

Arrin says: He sticks his muzzle skyward, sniffing the air, he turns right sharply. “This way.”

Catamount says: The ferret grins.  “I knew I could trust your nose.” She follows the otter.

Arrin says: He grins. “The smell’s getting stronger; can you see anything yet?”

Catamount says: The ferret gazes around at the booths.  “Not yet… Oh! There it is.”  She leads the way to the stall selling fish.

Arrin says: He follows, his paw already going for his coin pouch.

Catamount says: “Here we are.” She looks at the otter behind the stall.

Arrin says: She grins at the two. “What can I get for you, mate?” Soquan grins broadly. “G’mornin’ Ari, I need some salmon please, just enough for a day or so.” She nods. “O’course.” She cuts and wraps some fish for the two and Soquan pays. “Thank you, Ari.”

Catamount says: Jozra nods to Ari and then looks to Soquan. “Now where?”

Arrin says: He grins. “Now back home for some water and our packs, then we can head off.”

Catamount says: Jozra hefts the bread and cheese. “Alright then, back to your place.”

 

Mar 10

Chapter 4: Bedroom Arguments

Chapter 4: Bedroom Arguments

In Which Soquan and Jozra Settle Who Gets to Take the Spare Bed.

———————————————————————————————

Arrin says: After the meal is finished, Arrin clears the table. “I’m sorry to say I’m not really used to having guests, not for very long anyway. I’m afraid that there’s only one extra bed, you two will have to work something out.”

Catamount says: The ferret grins. “I’m used to sleeping on the ground, and the floor, or even that chair over there, looks plenty comfortable for me.” She chuckles. “I remember one night at an inn after a couple of seasons on the road; I actually preferred the floor to the bed!”

Arrin says: Soquan chuckles. “Oh no you don’t, you’re the guest, you get the bed.”

Catamount says: Jozra sputters a bit, but eventually she sheepishly concedes to taking the bed.

Arrin says: He chuckles, throwing an arm around her shoulder in a friendly manner.  “There, that wasn’t so bad, now was it?”

Catamount says: The ferret mutters amiably. “Well… Not too horrible I suppose.”

Arrin says: He laughs. “Oh come on, is it really that bad?”

Catamount says: She chuckles. “Well, when you’ve spent as much time on the road as I have, you get used to certain things.  Soft beds aren’t one of them.”

Arrin says: He continues laughing. “I think I’ve been on the road as long as you, and it’s always nice to rest your overstrained muscles and just flop down on a nice, soft bed, with thick blankets and…” He trails off dreamily.

Catamount says: Jozra shoves Soquan just ever so slightly. “Well if you’re looking forward to it that much, you should take the bed!”

Arrin says: He chuckles. “We’re both full grown adults, I’m sure nothing will happen if you take one side and I take the other…”

Catamount says: The ferret shrugs. “I suppose. I’m afraid I was rather automatically assuming the bed to be too narrow. Most of the beds I’ve seen lately would probably be more accurately described as cots.”

Arrin says: He chuckles. “Nope, this is a nice, double sized bed.” Arrin shuffles into the room, yawning and stretching.  “I dun know about you two, but I’m bushed…”

Catamount says: The ferret stretches. “All right then, it shouldn’t be a problem.” She surprises herself by yawning.

Arrin says: Soquan also stretches, and this time rises. “It is getting late, and you and I have things to do tomorrow before we head to the mountains, Jozra.”

Catamount says: She nods and stands as well. “Um, lead on then, to this thing you refer to as a ‘bed.’” She cracks a grin.

Arrin says: He laughs and throws an arm around her shoulders once again. “C’mon then.” He leads her down the hall.  Once they reach the room, he pushes open the door to reveal that the bed is indeed, a decent bed, he grins at her in a childish manner.  “Last one there is a piece of moldy cheese!” He runs a few steps before taking at leap at the mattress.

Catamount says: The ferret is slightly startled, forgetting for a second that the blind otter is quite familiar with his surroundings. She grins. “Well I suppose I must be moldy cheese. Be glad I’m not a part of your lunch!” She saunters up to the bed.

Arrin says: He grins and climbs in on one side, settling down into the blankets. “Remind me in the morning that we have to go get you some thicker clothes, the weather up here can get pretty harsh.”

Catamount says: Jozra mulls that over a bit. “I suppose your right.  Everything I wore in the wastes is now rather threadbare…”

Arrin says: Hearing her nearby, he scoots over to give her room. “Exactly… I know a guy, he’ll be happy to help out.”

Catamount says: The ferret settles on her side of the bed. “Oh good.”

Arrin says: He yawns and rolls over so his backs facing her. “G’night Jozra.” He closes his eyes, seemingly unaffected by the growing coldness inside the room.

Catamount says: Jozra stretches out with her paws behind her head. “Goodnight.”

Arrin says: He yawns once again staring to doze off. “See you in the morning…”

Catamount says: The ferret mumbles in return.

Arrin says: He wakes with a start in the middle of the night as a loud bang comes from outside, he sits up with a start, his ears twitching a few times before he settles back down. “Just a tree exploding…”

Catamount says: The ferret is jerked awake by the sound but soon falls back to sleep.

Arrin says: He yawns and falls back asleep, unconsciously curling close to the warmth of his bedmate.