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oz

Member

Registered: 2016-11-20

Posts: 1,658

This is The Thanks I get for saving not one,but two beasts- Zoltar TP

The past week has been a nightmare of sorts.  The sudden attack.  The conquering of Halyard.  Felicity had only barely escaped with her life.  She had been in the back of the crowd of escapers, doing her duty as a leader and making sure everyone got away before she did.  She had just jumped into the water and grabbed a floating piece of driftwood when a burning timber from the fort had fallen on her leg.  The Sergeant had almost fainted from the salt water getting in her burn, although that had ended up being a blessing since it kept it from becoming more than just a large 1sr-degree burn.  As she had been swimming away on the driftwood, a lucky arrow from one of the attacking vermin had cut through her leg right in the middle of her burn.
The maiden had managed to get away and hide in a small cave nearby, snagging an herbal sack from a dead Healer hare who was floating in the sea.  After tending to her wounds with the supplies in the bag, the Sergeant had drifted off to sleep.  The past week had been spent foraging, hiding, and healing as she tried to come up with a plan to get back to Salamandastron.  She knew she was probably assumed to be dead.
Felicity has managed to get to the dunes, and is sitting in a shallow cave, rebandaging her wounds.  She actually feels quite proud of herself.  There's no infection, and she thinks it won't impede her running or walking once it's all healed.  The Runner had had the Healer who was assigned to her while she was recovering from her mental illness teach her some things, and it appears that those lessons are paying off nicely.

Brutus was out with a couple others, 2 foxes as the stoat chuckled.'' Come on, the boss wants us ta scout around and try and find any of them that escaped. " Lucky the other ones, or most, were still out on the sea for now, likely planning or maybe they are back, it's hard to know yet.

Felicity freezes right where she is in the little cave, listening.  She then silently puts all her things away and crouches, grimacing at the pain of her wound.  She's ready to bolt if they get too close.

Brutus is close, as are the foxes..he looks around." Be on alert."

Zolomon is out as well, cloaked.He has his longbow and 3 arrows, he will make more soon,also he has Errapel staff he found so he is looking for the otter and fearing the worst.

Too close.  Felicity bolts out of the cave and darts up the side of a dune, zig-zagging to make herself a more difficult target.  She's not running at her top speed, and she's obviously limping, trying to protect her injured leg.  But she's still pretty fast.  And running away from the hunters.

Brutus jumps and then narrows his eyes." After Her!" He also gives chase, the foxes are pretty fast, also Brutus has a crossbow he can fire!

Zolomon hears the voices and frowns as he goes to try and see who they are after.

The crossbow bolt only barely misses Felicity as she continues her zig-zaggy flight.  The scab on her arrow wound has cracked, and blood is seeping through her bandages.  The Runner pushes through the pain, barely able to focus.  She's slowed down a little, but she's still trying to get away.

One fox manages to get closer and tries to tackle her.Brutus snorts and watches her." Gotta tire out sometime. "

Zolomon catches sight of just who it is and frowns.He gripes his longbow and gets an arrow out.He can run fast and will to stay in range of these horde

Felicity darts to one side, letting the fox crash into the sand as he tries to tackle her.  She continues running as she unwinds her sling from around her waist and fits a rock into the tongue.  She whirls it, then turns and shoots the rock at Brutus, then turns to run...but falls as her injured leg spasms.  The Sergeant rolls over and draws her sword, her vision swimming from the pain.

The fox cusses and goes to try to grab the hare when she falls.The rock hits Brutus and...suddenly an arrow is in the fox that's nearer Brutus, Brutus looks around for the source but decides to go for the injured hare maid

Felicity goes to slash the fox that's trying to grab her, trying to injure him.  She then goes to stab him.  She has no idea that the other fox has been taken out.

The fox screams in pain and falls over.  Brutus grins as he goes to try and knock out the hare maid 

Felicity scoots back, then collapses from the pain in her leg.  Her vision flickers, and she finds herself staring up at the stoat, unable to defend herself.  She wishes she could have seen her sister one last time…

Brutus grins." Goodbye hare." The blade is raised,  it comes down..then before the killing blow can come the stoat makes a gurgling sound as an arrow is deep in his neck, he falls over dead.

Zolomon quickly rushes over to check on Felicity, still in his hood up cloak.

Felicity sees the arrow kill her enemy with a strange calm, almost as if she's not actually seeing it happen.  She slips into a faint before her rescuer arrives, her sword slipping from her grasp.  He better grab it, too, or she might go a little crazy when she wakes up…

Zolomon picks up Felicity very carefully and quickly goes to where he has hid out and yes, he grabbed the blade. He will re bandage the wound and then sit at the entry of the cave, back to the haremaid.  To pass time he uses a carving knife he has to make some arrows.

With her wound taken care of and the coolness of the cave, Felicity ends up resting enough to wake up again.  At first she feels very confused about how dark it is.  Is it nighttime already?  Then the memories of what happened rush back in, and she slowly and silently looks around.  She sits up...and sees a cloaked figure in the entrance of the cave, framed by the sunlight.  She silently stands and grabs her sword (thankful it's still with her).  From her position of being able to defend herself, she takes a deep breath and tries to demand in her most commanding voice (but it comes out pretty hoarse since she's so thirsty), "Who are you?  Whot d'y'want?  Where am I?"

Zolomon slowly turns around and tilts his head seeing her awake, at first he is unsure whether to speak and just hands her a canteen that has water in it." Safe" He mutters, not really clear enough to know just who it is yet.

Felicity hesitates, then accepts the canteen.  Sheathing her sword, she opens the canteen and starts sipping water, forcing herself to not just start gulping it all down.  She limps a little closer, then grimaces and sits down, careful with her injured leg.  "Alright, I trust tha' I'm safe 'ere.  If y'wanted me dead, I would be.  But tha' doesn't answer m'question o' who y'are."

Zolomon frowns, he kneels down as he speaks." Careful Felicity, you...you need to rest the leg a couple days."

Felicity freezes, dropping the canteen in shock.  "...Zolomon?"  She just can't believe it.  She goes to shove the hood back so she can clearly see his face.  Her own face breaks into a huge grin, and she suddenly goes to tackle him in a huge hug!  "Oh, Zolomon, thank th'seasons an' all tha' is 'oly tha' you're alive!!  I've been so worried since little Oz said 'e'd seen Zoltah kill you, an' we'd 'ad no wohd 'bout y' or anythin'!!  I was /so worried/, but you're alive!!  Oh my goodness, I'm so 'appy t'see you!!"

Zolomon tenses at the hug and a weak smile, he returns the hug though." Yeah, I am alive, thanks to a couple friends meet, one might be in..trouble though. " He smiles a little better.

Felicity doesn't let go of her friend, even though a few tears are trickling down her cheeks.  "Well, we c'n try t'find y'friends.  May'ap they've ended up in Salamandastron.  I..." She hesitates, then sighs.  "I don't think they'll let y'back in, even though 'tis an emergency -- th'Patrol is built on rules, an' I doubt they'd bend 'em foh any reason.  But I c'n see if they're thah, an' maybe Rufus would be alright wi' bein' a messengah between th'2 o' us.  Then I wouldn't 'ave t'worry 'bout y'anymoh, an' y'd know if y'friends were safe."

Zolomon nods." Maybe...but I been ok, also that.." He controls anger.." Is getting more dangerous, he set an ambush and almost killed.." He shakes his head but a chuckle" ZOltar has a wrist problem now, but that doesn't mean he is that less dangerous."

Zolomon room-pages, "wonder what Terrence and varus are roleplaying or maybe just chatting".

Felicity senses his anger and chooses to not push him with questions.  "That cat won't stop bein' dangerous 'til 'e's dead."  She finally lets him go and starts sipping water again.  "I need t'get back t'th'Mountain, but 'tis too dangerous t'travel by day.  I think if I'm careful an' lean on y'arm, I c'n make it back if we go slowly."  She glances around the cave.  "An' d'y' 'ave anythin' t'eat out 'ere?  I haven't 'ad a meal since last night."

Zolomon hmmms.He has fish and some seaweed." We...can figure it out."

Felicity eats like.....well, like a hare.  They can discuss their plans afterwards.

Zolomon has waited till night and made his way to..just outside the entry and sighs.And he likely is for sure noticed.

Felicity is obviously limping, and looks like she's been through fire, battle, water, sand, and mud -- because she has.  She goes to lean on her friend's arm.  "Y'very brave, an' a good friend.  Thanks foh bringin' me 'ome, Zolomon.  I'll leave y' 'ere.  I 'ope t' 'ear from y'soon."  The Sergeant leans on the rocks and starts slowly making her way towards the entrance, fully expecting him to hide and leave before he gets in trouble.  "Oi, sentry!  Sergeant Felicity Rosinbloom out 'ere!  'Elp me, please!"

The light had failed enough where the two hares could not be fully made out, though a lanturn is uncovered, bathing the two in light.
"Sergeant!" There's some discussion from the sentry room, and a few minutes pass before the gate creaks open.
Terrence stands there, with several others - all with weapons drawn as they move quickly around the pair, seemingly to guard against some unseen foe. The master-sergeant's face, however relieved he is to see Felicity alive and well (for the most part) can't hide the sneer at seeing Zolomon, nor does Terrence wish to hide it.
"Glad to see you safe, sergeant." It's formal, his attention shifted rather pointedly to the doe.

Zolomon starts to get ready to bolt and surrounded. He raises his paws,lets one hare push the hood back and clears his throat. " Hello...Terrence. " yeah so thrilled to see the ...Master Sergeant,oh well." And no worries not going inside."

"Y'should be glad t'see Zolomon, too, since if it weren't foh 'im, I'd be dead.  'E saved me from an ambush."  Felicity's blue eyes are hard.  She stares back into the eyes of her fellow Sergeant, then looks around and shakes her head.  "'E isn't tryin' t'get in.  'E only brought me back 'ome an' made sure I was safe.  Let 'im go in peace, please."  She leans heavily against the stone wall, completely exhausted but determined to stick up for her friend...even against her beau.

Raising a paw as the former patrol member speaks, Terrence nods curtly to Felicity. "I'm certain I would, perhaps, but I shan't be quick to forget one that has proven faithless and craven- not now. And I'm glad to heah it Sergeant Felicity, we certainly don't want a beast who harms his fellows stuck inside the mountain with us. I wouldn't let him step a foot inside - not even if the Badger Lord himself told me to." He turns to Zolomon. "As fo'h you,"
Terrence draws his saber, tossing it at Zolomon's feet. "Take that - and go die well, fight the horde, o'h run away again as you're known to. And if we eveh meet again in these lands protected by the Long Patrol, I'll have you tossed into the sea."

Zolomon gets into a defense as it appears Terrence is gonna attack him. he backs off and hmmphs. " Keep your stupid saber...oh by the way,de only reason Lord C is even breathing still is that .." His eyes flash." Wildcat...got an arrow to the paw..yeah...gee thanks Zolomon for saving hid Lordship…...wot ever…" He snorts at Terrence. ".Jerk." He then glared at a couple Privates.

Slaw lets him pass, before Zolomon speeds off Slaw says " The cat has Cole please don't let them kill my brother. "

Felicity begins to shake, her face a mask of pure rage.  Pushing herself upright, she goes to slap Terrence across the face as hard as she can, cursing him as she does so.  "'E SAVED MY LIFE AN' Y'CAN'T EVEN THANK 'IM FOH THAT?!"  She explodes.  "IS THA' WHOT I MEAN T'YOU??  IS THA' TH'KIND O' BEAST Y'ARE?!  Y'CAN'T LOOK PAST A CREATAH'S MISTAKES T'SEE TH' GOOD THEY'RE DOIN'?!"  She looks ready to draw her sword.  "y'EVEN JUST ADMITTED Y'WOULD OPENLY DISOBEY LORD CIOCAN!"  She curses him again.  She doesn't even register poor Slaw's comment, or that Zolomon just made good his escape.

Terrence receives the slap, turning his head slightly as he does so.
"Sergeant-" He hisses, his voice steely, "/Stand down./ I shall remind you I am superioh officeh, and the one currently in charge of the defense of the gates. And I shouldn't need to tell you that was a turn of phrase."
He steps away from her. "Take her inside, let the healahs see to he'h - as fo'h the coward, send a couple arrows aftah him, in warning. But don't hit him."
The saber is left where it lies.

Felicity struggles against the Privates who grab her and try to help her inside.  They obviously aren't sure what to do.  "'E IS NO COWAHD!!  'E RISKED 'IS LIFE T' 'ELP ME AN' T'GET ME 'ERE, KNOWIN' TH'RECEPTION 'E'D RECEIVE!!  Y'TH'COWAHD FOH SHOOTIN' AT 'IM WHEN 'E ISN'T TH'ENEMY!!"  Tears are pouring down her cheeks, but her face is still contorted with rage.  "I can't believe y'would do somethin' so dastardly!  An' disobeyin' th'Badgah Lord isn't somethin' t'say lightly or jokingly!!"

Terrence regards her for a long moment. "Sergeant, need I remind you that Zolomon abandoned his post when we - /I/- needed his help? Need I remind you he repeatedly attacked the privates undeh his command, and my own? Need I remind you he attacked several superio'h officehs? He stabbed the majah, and knocked the lieutenant- and nearly did the same to me when I tried to calm him down, before everything happened? I gave him chance aftah chance, as I do think he was my friend, but apparently - the death of a fa'h off badgeh was more important than the safety of his hares. Indeed, there's a special place in Hellsgates fo'h betrayers, and a season is fa'h too short a time fo'h us to forget what he did. We do not need creatures like him, the faithless and accursed."   
"He was also actively antagonizing the VERY innocent villagers of Haylard, despite repeated orders to stop." The master sergeant adds, his voice raising for the first time.

Velm walks into.....oh boy what is he walking into as he frowns.Oh look Felicity isn't missing in action now.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT 'TIS LIKE!!"  Felicity has to support herself against the wall -- the Privates have released her since she's in uniform and they don't want to get in trouble for restraining a superiour officer without instruction.  The doe dashes away the tears running down her cheeks.  "Y'don't know what 'tis /like/ t'be lost inside y'own 'ead!  Zolomon was jus' as lost as Dominik was when we brought 'im back from th'swamps, an' as I was when we came back from Terramort!  Zolomon's being lost just looked different!  Y' 'AVE NO IDEA WHAT THA'S LIKE!!!!  But /I/ do, an' so /I/ c'n 'ave compassion foh m'friend an' be thankful tha' 'e SAVED MY LIFE!!"  She isn't aware of the Healer entering the area.

"BUT THAT'S NO EXCUSE FELICITY ROSINBLOOM TO FAIL THE HARES THAT DEPENDED ON HIM," Terrence shouts back, his eyes blazing as he steps forward. "The deference between you and Dom-  and Zolomon," He spits the last word, "Is that you and Dom would nevah harm one of ou'h hares. Zolomon /did/. The privates - they were /scared of him/. Not like how they are of Dom- Dom doesn't have any authority oveh them, like Zolomon did, and Dom knows his boundaries."

Velm frowns as he walked in and clears his throat." Issues?" He says as he looks between them." We should not be trying ta fight one another . We work together...we have a large horde and an insane wildcat about at our door."

"'OW D'Y'EVEN KNOW 'E 'AD CONTROL O'ER 'IMSELF WHEN 'E WASN'T EVEN IN 'IS RIGHT MIND, TERRENCE CADWALLADAH?!"  Felicity feels like she's banging her head against a brick wall.  Are either of them even listening to each other?  "I wasn't even aware o' where I was, much less th' 'ares undah m'command!"  She's interrupted by the Lieutenant making his presence known.  She takes a deep breath.  "Aye.  Zolomon saved m'life an' risked 'is own t'bring me back 'ere, an' all Terrence c'n do is threaten 'im an' call 'im names."  She turns her back on Terrence.  "I think we should be through, Terrence.  Gimme some space....an' don't speak t'm'sistah durin' tha' time, or I'll wait 'til we're both off-duty an' break y'arms.  Take me t'th'Infirm," She orders the Privates, who hasten to do as she says.

Terrence raises a brow. "Sergeant, that doesn't change the fact he endangered the hares he was in charge of, and treated them terribly. I can forgive many things, but my loyalty and my /job/ - and what Zolomon was supposed to do - is protect the hares undah us. He did not, repeatedly, and I will not eve'h forget that. Not that it matters much, because nearly all my hares were killed o'h wounded in Halyard..." He sighs.
"We cannot have a hare who's refused to listen to any ordah inside the mountain - especially during a siege. He's a dangeh to us, regardless of how you feel about him, and I'm sorry fo'h you'h loss, Sergeant, but that does not change what he did - no'h does rescuing you, as much as I do care fo'h you - this is an inappropriate time to bring that up." Taking a breath, he nods to the Lt and heads back inside.

Velm blinks and frowns." Females are...hard to ..understand sometimes." He then makes sure there is sentry and goes inside as well.

---

I play:
Brother Gorvenalus-Redwall Abbey Recorder,  Private Cole,a runner, of the Long Patrol
Oz( Yes named after Papa Oz) young adult and Novice in Redwall.