You leave the bright tavern behind you, and head out into the street.

Ruingate: Via Ariadne

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This street, named for the Lord Regent's mother, is lined on both sides with neatly kept houses. At the corner of the main square is a large, two-story building with a large black sign over the door that reads "The Skull and Candle" in gold painted letters. Golden light pours out from the windows of what must be the town's inn.

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Residential (List)ing

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Exits: Description:

[T]he [S]kull and [C]andle The Inn/Tavern of Ruingate.

[M]ain [S]quare To the main square of town.

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With:

[IC] Thomas

[DYN] Ki

[IC] Selen

[DYN] Under the pseudonym Patch, it's >> Odin <<

[DYN] Dane

[IC] Looks like a Marten! (Pip)

[IC] (Brac) looks just like a weasel.

THIS ROOM IS BROADCASTING

The streets seem slightly more crowded than usual on this fine summer day in Ruingate. There also seems to be a few more martens, stoats, ferrets, and weasels, as well. Even more strangely, perhaps, nearly all of them are in thick black cloaks, wandering about slowly as if they have no where in particular to go or be at the moment...

Thomas stretches and cracks his neck as he steps out of the inn. His eyes taking in the scene on the street. He can't place anything in particular wrong with the situation, it just seems that, something feels slightly amiss. However, for the moment, he pays it no mind.

Dane is wandering the streets with Ki, his cousin, showing her the sights. "See, from here, you can juuuust about see... Okay, you cant see anything. Well, you can probably see much more then I can considering you got a foot on me..." Ki rolls her eyes. "Couziin, please just show me zee weaponss ssmith. My thingz need repair." The monitor is dressed heavily in her warm leathers, keeping out the breeze, and preserving what body heat she has. She'll need to go for a bask later.

Dane room-pages, "Just to note, Ki is my Alt.".

Brac is dressed as a ferret, and has stopped at the side of the street to lean against a building. A glance is giving toward the main square..

Pip is dressed as a marten, black fur as he looks around, he yawns slightly as if tried.

Slickstream shouts "I'M -NEVER- GAMBLIN' AGAIN!" from Ruingate: Main Square

Demphy exits the tavern a few minutes after the polecat. She steps to the side of the doorway and yawns widely, stretching her arms above her head. Her ears twitch - silvern earrings tinking softly as she carefully surveys the street. Odd - plenty of really really weird-looking, unfamiliar weasels and stoats and ferrets acting too nonchalantly for her liking. She straightens up.

Quite suddenly the black cloaked creatures start vanishing between the buildings.

Pip tilts his head, when no one is looking he ducks behind a nearby building close to a home.

Dane dosn't seem to notice, or care. He stops outside the skull and candle. "Yeah, we'll get over to Iron's in a minute. Lemmie just grab some of my stuff. I need to measure shaft-weights against the arrowhead's he's smithed for me..." He wanders up and off into the Skull, muttering bowyer terms to himself. Ki sighs, and stands outside in the sun, taking off her top leathers, taking the moment to bask for a bit in the afternoon sun. Knowing Dane, he'll take more then a few moments.

Brac doesn't immediately go behind the buildings like his fellow cloaked ones. Instead, the true vermin gathered are given a grin. He then slowly turns to head off.

Thomas sighs slightly as he watches Brac, give that grin, noticing that the black cloaks seem to be clearing off the streets, not that he saw the sneaking ones leave, but that well, there seem to be many fewer ones on the street. "This... is odd..."

Just a short time later, thin wisps of black smoke start lazily curling up toward the sky from the buildings.

Pip from behind a building, he lits a small fire where it is unseen, he also slowly walks to another home and lits a fire behind it..staying behind the buildings and homes.

Demphy blinks as all those black cloaked beasties that smell like Otters but don't look like them dissappear. This is getting way too suspicious for her tastes. The Huntress crouches and leaps a railing, bounding acrobatically into the street. She storms along the streetside, ears swiveling frantically. Smells of smoke reach her nostrils, and she quickly unslings her bow, deftly stringing it and nocking an arrowshaft as she slips into the shadows of a nearby alley.

Ki is lazily basking against the wall, when she chances to flick her tounge out in a periodic check of the air.. Here eyes open when she tastes something she doesn't particularly like... Tar woodsmoke. Not of a cookfire, but of... She grabs her jacket, and throws it over herself quickly, then grabbing her pack. Dane comes clattering out with his bow and quiver, as well as a package of shafts and nocks he intended to bring to Ironpaw.. "I saw smoke. What the hell is going on?" Ki shakes her head. "I do not know, couzin." She narrows her eyes. "Thiz place iss bad for firez. If it spreadss.." She angles a look towards Dane. "Letz go." Dane nods. "Righto."

Brac returns from behind the building, now carrying a flaming torch. Farther down the line, flames have suddenly started flickering into visible existence and the thin plumes of smoke begin growing much thicker. The torch is tossed into a window, shattering the glass. Brac then shouts at the top of his lungs, "Hoy, mates! Back to the streets!"

Kestrel walks out from the house of Seraph Qamar Durin.

Kestrel has arrived.

Pip has one of the hidden torchs and lights one more house ablaze, he walks up and tosses it threw a window as it breaks, he blinks as the flames shoot out of the home, he backs up and his ears perk when he hears Brac.

The broken glass and thrown torch are met with a rather sudden, and extremely high pitched squeak of fear.

Atma walks out from the house of Seraph Qamar Durin.

Atma has arrived.

A small, obviously dibbun marten comes scrambling out from around the back of the same house Brac through the torch through. Her eyes are wide, and her fur is frizzed out in all directions. She stops midrun and looks behind her.

And following that high pitched squeak, is an outraged roar. Atma comes running out of one of the buildings, with the marten Farren on his shoulder. "WHAT is the MEANING of this?!" Dane room-pages, "Is there anyone in the house, or is it just the dibbun screaming?".

( Farren is still half asleep, groggily tottering along with Atma, but not really aware of what's going on. )

Brac gives Atma a quick salute, and doesn't even glance toward Kes, "A friendly greetin' from your neighbors, mate." A few black cloaked creatures start moving out from behind the buildings, to make a break for it toward the main square.

Pip starts making his way out of the alley quickly.

Kestrel is fairly hopping by this point, as she sees that the house she just left isn't the only thing on fire. "Father!" She shouts, pointing toward the other plumes of smoke. Then she looks toward Brac as he speaks, and stares.

Demphy, hidden by shadow and smoke, has re-slung her bow and re-quivered her arrow. One paw now holds a throwing-knife. The other holds a kerchief to her muzzle. Her eyes settle upon Pip. They're in the same alley between two houses. She sees him throw the torch. He's walking towards and past her. She hasn't been seen. The knife is flung with rather good aim from a not-so-long distance at the marten's back.

Atma growls. "You FOOLS! Is this Merdez' Treachery?! I'll not have any of this." He looks down at Kestrel. "We are going to find your mother. And we are going to leave. Don't worry, everything will be okay. We'll get back to Redwall, and I might put a knife or two in my betrayers' skulls while I'm at it.."

Kestrel doesn't look like she's quite convinced that everything will be alright. "Evver'thing's on fire!" she squeaks.

Dane runs down the street at full tilt, sliding to a stop to see the flames licking out of one building, and to hear the scream. "Ki!" He shouts. Ki slides up next to him. "Yez?" "There's a well half a.. What the hell?" He notices the black cloaks coming out from behind the buildings. Snarling, he pulls out his bow, a short and powerful recurve, and in the same motion, leaning down on it to string it. A few moments lost, he pulls out one plain hunting tipped, black fletched arrow, and, with carefull aim, lets the arrow fly into one of the closer black cloaks. By now, Ki is also on the run, having pulled her mace from it's coverings, and charging down at the cloaked ones. "SSSTOP!" She roars, pounding down on the otters.

Atma narrows his eyes. "I'm aware... Lets go! Can you keep up, Kestrel? You're going to have to run very fast.." He clutches Farren close to his chest, and starts to run for the main square.

Kestrel dashes after Atma. She's breathing heavily, but that's mainly from fear at the fire. She's a fairly fast runner at that.

Pip still runs towards the squre, he didnt see the hidden vixen as the dagger goes towards him and hits him in his shoulder blade deeply, he about falls as the sharp pain shoots threw his body and grabs a hold of his short sword out of reaction of being hit.

Brac turns to face the charging monitor, pulling a sling from his belt and a stone from his pouch, "I wish I 'ad my spear..." he mutters, but then starts twirling the sling, eyeing the monitor.

Atma heads for the center of town.

Atma leaves with: Kestrel

Ki hisses a nasty word, and sidesteps, slowing her pace a step, not coming directly at the otter, but actually as if she intends to pass him. Dane grins, and lets fly another shaft, right at the large otterkin. Old tricks never die, he thought as he watched the shaft speed towards it's target in that one moment.

Demphy runs for Pip and sets herself upon the creature almost immediately. Her kerchief dropped a ways back, she has unsheathed both her dirks now. A dagger buried between a beast's shoulderblades is fatal, she knows. But this may not be enough to kill the offending beast. She dives low, slashing near the backs of the "marten"'s ankles as he stumbles.

Brac sees the bow...too late. He starts too move, but there's no hope to fully dodge it, and it thuds right into his shoulder just as the rock is released toward the monitor's skull. The sling is then dropped as the otter shouts, then turns on his heel to retreat.

Pip manages to stand, his shoulder blade bleeding badly and he is getting weak from blood loss, he sees the vixen and slices at her sword paw with his sword as she goes for his ankles, she manages to slice into his lower leg just below the knee as he stumbles backwards, he watches Brac but is in no position to run to fast now..blood loss, dizzyness coming on and his leg is injured now.

Ki screams in pain, a sharp contusion force applied to her skull. Several more black-fletched shafts whiz by her, and she is dazed for a moment. When she does recover, the otters have run past her reach, and she's on one knee, mace leaning on the ground. She would tumble over if not for her tail. She grumbles, knowing that her quarry is out of reach, and sits on the ground, nursing her head for a moment. Ow.

Demphy, having /two/ dirks out, one in each paw, had hoped to manage slashing both Pip's legs. Ah well. Her left arm recieves a nice gash before she removes it from the short-sword's range. Her right arm, however, aims a swift thrust upwards and at a slant towards the side of the beast's torso opposite his sword-arm.

Brac heads for the center of town.

Brac has left.

Thomas has left.

Dane curses as the otters flee out of bowrange, and then slings his bow over his shoulder, running over to Ki, who is still sitting on the ground, head in her claws. "Ki! Ki! You okay?" He calls out, sliding to a stop, and kneeling down in front of her. "Ki, talk to me.." Ki curses, and dosn't bother to open her eyes. "Couzin, I hit in head.." She mumbles, still out of sorts from the stone. Dane hugs her quickly. "It's okay, Ki." He looks over his shoulder at the burning buildings, cursing. "Ki, sit here. I'm gonna help with the fire." Ki mumbles something, something about Dane being a jackass and her knowing how to take care of herself, but Dane dosn't hear it, he's already running to help some of the gathered beasts with a bucket chain.

Pip goes to get up and at least try and stand when the blade is thrust into his side, he jerks in pain whcich doesnt help the matter as the blde pnchers a lung and he is down, blood foams at the wound, not counting the blood from his bleeding leg and shoulder blade, he lays on his back, barely alive now as blood pools around him.

Ki sits on the cobbled street for a minute, ignoring all that is going on around her, knowing that the imediate danger has passed. She opens her eyes, and, still infront of her, is an otter sling.. She gropes out for it, and snarls once she gets it in her claws, curling it into her fist. She awkwardly gets up, and looking around, sees the bucket chain. She stumbles over to help.

You page, "I don't want to twink or anything, so I'm going to ask permission through page to you for any killing blows Demphy makes. I had in mind twisting the dirk in his side to open the wound up wider and then stab her second dirk into his heart to make a swift kill. :\" to Pip.

Pip pages, "you can kill him..he would mosyt likely bleed to death fairly soon anyways..he is alive, just barely" to you.

Brac shouts "Hoy, mates! /Get to the Square/!" from Ruingate: Main Square

Odin heads for the center of town.

Odin has left.

Demphy hisses, coughing as smoke thickens about them. She shifts and violently twists the dirk in Pip's side, causing the wound to open up more. Then, she kneels down beside the beast and buries her second dirk into his heart. A swift kill is always the most appropriate.

Pip hears Brac shout just a few secounds before the dagger enters his heart, the dagger in the side opens the wounds more but it wasnt the move that kills him...the dagger entering his heart does as he lays there on his back, eyes glazed over in death.

Demphy heaves a long sigh and lowers her head, closing her eyes a moment. She then removes both dirks from the dead beast and stands, stepping back to where she dropped her kerchief. The cloth is used to wipe off both blades, which are then replaced in their sheathes. She then rolls the beast on his side so that she can remove her dagger from his back and wipe it as well. It is replaced in her bandoleer. She stands, coughing, and begins running down the street.

Demphy hms and stops a dozen paces away, doubling back for a moment. She stops by the dead beast again and stoops over him. Her paws tear away any disguise from his face. A Sea Otter! She smirks and rolls him about to remove his cloak and the rest of his disguises.

Demphy tucks everything beneath her arm and glances around before running back over towards the square.

You head for the center of town.

Ruingate: Main Square

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A simple well attracts the attention of the entire square, standing in the exact center of this main area. A few beasts hang around the well, one drunkenly calling out a wish as he tosses a coin into the depths, but they are quickly chased off towards the tavern by a uniformed guard. The main square of Ruingate is wide, leading in four distinct directions. First, up ahead, you can see a gallows tree standing black against the sky. Second, the residentials lead off in one direction, past the inn. Third, opposite the residentials, shops cluster about, signs swinging in the breeze. Lastly, the road leads back towards the gates of Ruingate.

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Exits: Description:

[G]allows On towards the gallows.

[V]ia [A]riadne The Residential section of town.

[V]ia [C]aspius The Commercial District.

[R]oad to the [G]ates Head for the gates.

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With:

[OOC] alIES HERE DEAD..STAB WOUND TO CHEST,SIDE, WOUNDS A COUPLE OTHER PLACES AS WELL. (Pip)

[OOC] Dane

[OOC] Compared to most beasts, (Strongbeak) is a giant.

[DYN] Under the pseudonym Patch, it's >> Odin <<

[IC] (Brac) looks just like a weasel.

[DYN] Gladiators Wanted! (Labarion)

[IC] Slickstream

THIS ROOM IS BROADCASTING

Labarion smiles as his dagger tastes a large quantity of fresh blood, and wastes no time in lunging back at Brac, dagger aimed at the other otter's side, this time.

Brac now has his dagger out, but again dances to the side as he tries to give one last shout.

In a room-page pose, Denni OOCly arrives to spoof guards, since Trace sent lots of guards out.

Brac shouts "Retreat! To the gates, mates!"

Labarion growls and lunges again, using his short form to stay low and move quickly, feinting a jab for the stomach, but doing a spin move to circle around and stab at the otter's back.

Here come teh_guards! .. A big group of them in fact, with their arrows and swords.. and all that other good stuff. It's not hard to find the culprit in this situation, since Brac happens to be the one screaming, and.. most of the guards go after him.

Brac starts to step away for the gates, but the stab gets him. It isn't as deep as it would have been if he hadn't moved, but still isn't pretty. The otter grunts, but his dash isn't halted.

( One down, a few more to go. Demphy unslings her still-strung bow and makes a quick job of nocking and firing arrows at retreating cloaked forms holding torches. Two, three, four. The fifth is set sailing for Brac's back. )

Labarion chases after Brac, and, seeing as he's short, stubby, and can't catch up, he hurls the dagger at Brac's back, along with that convenient arrow, in a last-ditch effort.

Strongbeak glides off of his perch and circles the square once, beating his wings and gliding slightly higher, looking for a meal. When the guards appear, the eagle circles around behind them, and comes in low, and flies right over the group of guards, then circles back up higher for a moment.

Brac stumbles as the arrow and dagger, fortunately, zip over his head...and rips an ear in half, as well as giving him a new rather too close haircut, "Geh! Why don't ye go tend to the bloody fires!" And then he's stumbling for the gate again, along with the rest of the otters in the square still healthy enough to do it.

The guards make their way to the gate, keeping a wary eye on the soaring eagle. They wield their weapons mightily, taking down as many cloaked figures as possible. As the eagle swoops low, threatening attack, some stick spears and swords in the air, but are still out of range. Labarion pulls out one more dagger, and this time chucks it, with more determination, at Brac's legs, hoping to incapacitate. He's still running as fast as his short legs can carry him. Heh.

Strongbeak circles around again, and finally dives down, right at the last guard in the group, grabbing him by the shoulders with his talons and carrying him skyward. The poor creature lets out a terrible scream as he is carried off by the eagle.

Six, seven. The Vixen's really hoping now that each of her arrows has met their marks. Aw dratted, that big ol' Brac creature is still up. She dashes after him. Demphy slows to a stop. Her eighth arrow is carefully aimed and let fly at Brac's lower back as he continues running.

( One guard Capitan, a dogfox, snarls, hands tough on his spear. "Spearsmen! To me! Blockade the gates!" Several of the guards rush to the gates, setting up a defensive position at the gates. "Archers! Flank the gate! Pick yer targets and fire at will!" The guards, not being of the stupid variety, rush to orders, with the five archers moving, putting their backs to the gate, and shooting at will when a target presents it's self. The several guards left go into melee mode, guarding from the big eagle. )

Asher walks over from the commercial district.

Asher has arrived.

Selen walks over from the commercial district.

Selen has arrived.

Strongbeak has left.

And the arrow does, indeed, hit Brac, right in the middle of his back, followed by a dagger in the shin, "GEHBLOODY...!" and he falls. Worlessly, the two otters nearest to him scramble to help him up, and the otters in front start hurtling sling stones toward the guards in the way.

The archers, backs still to the walls, fire in practiced unison, picking out sea otter targets from the fray. The dogfox capitan, with his spearsmen at the gates, calls out, "Cease fire! Archers! Away bows and to general arms!" The archers sling back their bows, and pull out their utilitarian short swords. "Left side, down the wall, look for stragglers! Right side, same! Clear the wallbanks! Go down two blocks and serge back in!" The now general arms archers, and the melee rabble, split into two groups to flank the battle.

Asher darts into the square from the other area, where he had successfully set fire to Ironfist's shop...much to the otter's delight. Upon seeing the situation unfolding before him, he frowns...guards seemed to be everywhere. He draws his shortsword, running at the nearest guard he sees, with a yell. Though he does possess bravery, his fighting skills aren't too great being that he hasn't had much training yet...and the training he did have was in archery.

Labarion ...is unarmed, now, and minus one dagger. He scrambles forward, finding the dagger he threw and missed with from before, and picks out another otter, unguarded... Asher. He slings his dagger at this one, aiming for the otter's lower back... That is, the left kidney, to be exact.

The front line of otters crashes with the guards, weapons drawn and fighting like wild to break through.

The otter in question for Asher, a low ranked weasel guard, was scouting ahead for his squad, when attacked by the otter. He parries off the attack, and calls out, "T'me, mates!" He steps to box in the otter, parrying the blows, but not opening up to attack. "C'mon, otterboy, dontcha know how to sling a blade?" He mocks.

Denni has disconnected.

Nine, ten. Demphy's quickly running out of arrows. She glances about quickly, confirming that seven of ten bone-fletched arrows have reached either their intended target or an appropriate one. She runs about in a frenzy, gleefully ripping off the disguises of injured or dying Otters as she streaks by.

Selen arrives shortly after Asher and runs to keep up with him so she won't be caught alone between all these guards. As she nearly reaches him she sees Labarion ready for the sling, she can's stop him from slinging but now that his guard is dropped she attacks from behind and trows the chain that hang around her paws around his neck so she can strangle him a bit and use him as a living shield.

The Dogfox Capitan's defense is mobbed. The gate is wide, and his defense is thin, but the guards fight like mad back. Several fall in the first minutes, but the capitan holds his ground. "Hold the line, boys! Hold the line!" Then, from the right flank, the right wall squad comes streaking in from behind, charging the otter's backs.

Otters start escaping through the gates in a hurry, including the pair carrying Brac, headed toward the overflowing river.

The Left flank squad catches up with Asher, and mob the small sceen, swords out to kill. They spy Selen trying to grapple Labarion, and move in to attack.

Asher, in his fight with said weasel guard, doesn't seem to notice that a dagger has been flung at him. It just happens to be a big dose of luck that he takes a step to the side, and the dagger, inside of hitting him fatally in the back, strikes him in the back of the leg. "Yeooowch!" he yells in pain, having never been injured in that way before. It hurts. He holds his sword up, still parrying blows from the guard he is fighting, and attempting to weakly swing back at him as he is taunted...

Denni has left.

Demphy gathers all of her disguises under an arm and stops on the edge of the Square furthest away from the Gates. She tucks them beneath her arm and sniffs, scanning the streets for any more blazes.

Labarion is choked from behind, and his paws move up to his neck, the short little weasel struggling to pull the chain away. He attempts to gasp for air, and finally moves his paws from his neck to jab his two elbows backwards at his assailant, aiming for her ribs.

Ironfist walks over from the commercial district.

Ironfist has arrived.

>> A tall lean ferret with a smashed foot-paw limps in...

The gate defense is overwhelmed, but not before the rear attack takes a few more otters out. "Mass to me, spearsmen!" The three other spearsmen left standing cluster to the Captain, forming a circle guard, but letting the last of the otters through.

The weasel guard moves in on the now disabled Asher, striking down hard for the torso, intending to kill. The other two rush to assist Labarion in his own struggle.

Dane room-pages, "Guard overview. The gate defense is penetrated, seven other guards are milling the square, attackign straggles, and three are with Asher, Labarion, and the otter that's strangling him.".

Selen seeing that a decent number of guard are coming running in her direction and hearing that Asher has been hit. She quickly looks in the direction of the sound and she starts pulling Labarion closer to her so the strike at her ribs instead grazes her sides and increases the pressure of the chain on the neck. As she arrives with the choking Labarion, she releases him from the grip of her chain and pushes him in the direction of the weasel attacking Asher. Knocking him of balance and giving them time to make a run for the gate.

Ironfist limps towards the battle, eyes red, fur singed, sword gripped in a white-knuckled paw. The ferret points the blade to Asher and shouts in a somewhat cracked voice "I want that (cursed) weasel or otter! He's mine!" The bladesmith shoves his way through the chaos.

Labarion is nearly passed out from air loss just as he's released, so instead of stumbling, he just collapses, gasping for air. And he's unarmed again. Play dead, Labarion.

Asher manages to just barely block each of the guard's attacks toward his torso, and he awkwardly jabs his sword at the first opening he sees in the guard's defense. A look of surprise comes over his face for a moment as he strikes a hit, the guard screaming in pain. Asher limps back a few steps, then turns and begins to make his way towards the gate with a yell...and then he hears Ironfist yelling. He stops, turning around, still wearing his mask though the rest of him is obviously an otter..."You want me? Then here I am..." He's been waiting for this ever since he had met the ferret...and perhaps it is a foolish idea, but he's young and lets pride get in the way of most other things...

Demphy winces as one of those cloaks rubs against her arm. She's still bleeding from that blasted gash. She drops everything in a pile at her feet and, stepping on the hood of one of the cloaks, rips a large strip off and uses it as a bandage for her forearm.

Labarion peeks up, sees that he's not in immediate danger, and scrambles to his feet, running as fast as he can towards a fallen cloaked otter, mugging him out of... lucky this, a greatsword, nearly as tall as the weasel himself. Moving on, he mugs another, finding... Hmm, another dagger! Score! He takes this, and stands, hurling the revenge dagger at Selen, before she can reach the gates.

Selen sees that the wounded otter is going to challenge Ironfist and decides that there isn't time for that now since they would both be killed if he did so. So she reaches out to grab Asher whilst yelling "We don't have time for this, now you nut. You can fight him another day if you run now. If you fight now you would be dead before you could lay a finger on him!". But as reaches out the dagger hits her right upper arm an buries itself in it. Her face is a mask of agony as she pulls the dagger out and throws him at the original thrower. After that she runs to Labarion to give him a good whack on the head with the heavy iron chain to knock him out cold.

Ironfist kicks the bleeding out of the way and smilies a terrible smile. Yellowed fangs, bloodshot eyes an' all-he is looking evil. "I'm gonna enjoy removin' yer internal organs, otter." The ferret spits and raises the newly sharpened sword at Asher's face (not too close, though) "I'll meet you at hellsgates, but you'll ave t wait a while fer me. 'Ope ye don't mind, fiend!" The ferret swings at the otter's neck.

Labarion shouts to some guards, pointing to Slickstream's wounded body. "Take 'im to th'arena, he's -mine!-" Then, the weasel's eyes widen as he sees the dagger coming back at him, and he hits the dirt, narrowly avoiding the dagger. Peeking up again, he sees the otter coming, and... Bonk. Before he can react, he's out cold from the hit to the head.

Beasts in the water-bucket lines begin to mass about the well. Some peer down, frowning and wailing. "There's not enough water!" one shouts. Another yells, "The rope ain't long enough to reach the rest of it!" Yet another, "Summon git a longer rope!" Demphy smirks and shouts across the square. "S'too late, mates!" She coughs. "Th'fires are long out'f controll now." Black smoke curls towards the sky.

Asher quickly raises his swordsword to guard his head and neck from the swung sword, though it comes dangerously close to him due to the strength of the strike. It pushes Asher back a few steps, and he winces due to his injury. "Is it my fault you're a complete idiot, Limpy?" he growls, "I can't believe you thought I was a weasel. You're even stupider than I thought. And what do you have now? A burned down shop...all because you let the enemy slip under your nose. What do you think Merdez is gonna think of that, eh? You had a chance to take me down and you didn't." Asher grins, "S'too bad, matey...it really is," he taunts...then steps forward and swings his sword at Ironfist's uninjured footpaw...

Dane snarls, black with soot. Since nearly the beginning, after shooting that otter, he's been with Ki, on the bucket crews. "NO! Use dirt, anything!" He turns back to the fires, still trying in vain to stop them. "Damnit! There's a whole raging river outside, and we dont have any water HERE?"

Dane room-pages, "Spoof me out being dreadfully heroic. I'm gonna have a nap.".

Dane has disconnected.

Selen turns to run back to Asher and tries to pull him back by the back of his clothes towards the gate where the others are escapeing, and yells "Come on you nut, you have have torched half the city, including his shop, isn't that enough?!" And in order to speed things up she picks up a fallen sling stone and throws it art Ironfist's face.

Brac heads for the gates of town.

Brac has left.

Ironfist pulls the paw back and slashes at the otter's sword arm. There is a grim smile on his face. "Yer ah fool fer crossin' blades wid ah bladesmith. Maimed I may be, but ah've practiced th' art all m' life." He leans away from the stone, letting it hit his ear without even noticing.

Many beasts about the well groan, frown, and generally wail their dismay. What fires that haven't been put out are beginning to smolder out now. Moments pass, and two healers amongst those gathered begin wandering through the square, checking for guards still alive. Dane and Ki, finally giving up on the shortage-of-water issue, go about helping the healers to carry injured guards to the Parade Grounds.

Dane has left.

Asher is dragged backwards by Selen, and he struggles, "Lemme go, I'm not finished with him yet!" As he is momentarily distracted, he gets slashed across his sword arm, causing him to drop his blade. "Gah!" he blinks, watching his blood flow down his arm. Coupled with the sharp pain, he blinks, his breath catching in his throat. "Mmmf..." He claps his other paw over the injury, letting himself be dragged backwards by Selen. He stares at Ironfist, as if saying, 'you just cut me...!", not really seeming to realize how angry he had gotten the ferret, due to how young he is.

Ironfist lunges foward towards Asher, thrusting his blade at the otter's gut. "Now die, blasted otter!" cries the bladesmith, the blade glinting in the sun. The ferret doesn't manage to stab as far as he should, as his manged paw lands poorly and rolls.

Selen pulls Asher out of reach of the sword of Ironfist as she keeps moving towards the gate and turns her face toward it. Then she reaches out for the unharmed arm and tries to get him to run with her to the gate as fast as possible whilst saying "Come on, can't you see you're no match for him skill wise yet. He might limp but that has not affected his brain, you on the other hand will get dizzy by blood loss and pain soon, and you will die soon after. Better to run now and come back later when you're better, and are more skillful yourself. Now run! You will thank me for this one day...if we ever get out of this mess."

A good dozen otters lay strewn about the square. Finally done cleaning up and bandaging her arm, Demphy goes about checking any cloaked beasts for life. One.. three.. six downed by her arrows. That makes seven killed and two injured.

Slickstream is laying unconscious and bleeding on the ground.

Asher is jabbed by the sword as he is dragged away, though luckily he is pulled back before it can do any major damage. He seems too stunned at the moment that he had gotten injured a few times, and he is easily manipulated by Selen, so she could pretty much drag him around wherever she wanted. He does manage to stumble-run beside her, however, just following after her dazedly...

The last of the injured guards are helped to the Parade Grounds, most bearing light to moderate sword or stone injuries. Any uninjured guards now help the crazed townspeople to settle down. Those left homeless are led off to temporarily stay in the Guard Barracks.

Demphy wanders about the square, checking pulses of Otters. One, Slickstream, is found bloodied and unconscious. The Vixen's paw delves into a pocket within the folds of her skirt and withdraws a coil of thick twine. She rolls the otter over and goes about dragging him towards the well, where she ties him at the ankles and wrists.

Slickstream is dragged, and tied. His eyes flicker, and he makes a soft groan.

Jaha heads over from the area around the gallows.

Jaha has arrived.

Selen drags/pulls the dazed and wounded sea otter alongside her in the direction of the gate, closing the gap between them and the gate as quickly as she can, slowly leaving the limping Ironfist behind them. Her longs burn from running and dragging the extra weight to the gate but thankfully the gate is almost within reach only a short stone throw away.

Ironfist lets out a deep breath. He shoulders his bloody weapon as he watches the wounded otter run. He mutters something to himself and turns to return to the ruin of his shop to figure out if there is anything salvagable. The ferret limps from view, looking tired and beaten.

Jaha slinks through the chaos, her golden hair sooty from the black smoke that is being tugged from building to building. The feline rubs her forearm across her face, revealing the true color beneath across her eyes. She snorts, the smell of burning far too strong for her sensitive nose.

Asher runs with Selen, being half-dragged along the way, and they seem to make it to the gate without much trouble, being that everyone else is presently occupied...

A last resistance of Guards set upon Asher and Selen, shouting and screaming wildly. They dash from all the way across the Square for the Otters, waving spears and short swords that gleam in the late-afternoon sunlight.

Bane walks in from the residential section.

Bane has arrived.

Jaha's fingers work through her sooty headfur, and after a few irritating -must adjust eyes- blinks, she scans the scene.

Demphy's head lifts at the shouting. She gazes about, first at the guards dashing across the square. They won't make it to the Sea Otters in time. Her eyes wander, and settle upon Ironfist. She watches the Ferret a moment before looking about some more. A glance towards Via Caspius affords her a glance of Jaha.

Selen runs towards the gate, stumbling over some unlucky beast's arm, but she doesn't really notice whether it is vermin or sea otter, and she doesn't really care as the only thing on her mind is getting them out. Then she sees, just before the gate that some guards are coming towards them, she keeps on hanging tight to Asher since she's afraid that if she lets go of him he will never get up again due to a spear in his gut, not to mention her own. So she charges at them head on, then quickly turns sideways and bulls into the outer guard who in his tuns stumbles onto his comrades, then she runs out with all the speed she has left into her.

Shango walks over from the commercial district.

Shango has arrived.

Slickstream remains tied up and bleeding at the well. After a minute, his eyes flicker open again, "Brac..?"

Bane comes running from the Gallows, glancing around him at the fires as the smoke clouds billow up towards the sky, blocking it out and giving him a sense of confinment. He looks ahead of him at all the beasts of the square.

The Guards, having run at Selen and Asher from behind, were too far away from the Gate to deal with the two at all. So, the Sea Otters are free to go. :P

Demphy watches Jaha a moment before she turns towards the Gallows. Looking there, she is met with a fairly familiar sight. "Slaughterthane!" she shouts.

Jaha flicks a rounded ear, settling her gaze on Demphy as well - as she moves to part her mouth, Slaughterthane reaches her ears She bristles.

Selen has left.

Asher has left.

"Nice work, pasta-head. Your bloody town burnt down." Jaha drawls, sliding her fingertips into her pockets.

Bane completely ignores the feline as she speaks, or he truely didn't hear her as he moves about, giving orders to the men. He then moves to stand next to one of his higher ranking men as he echos the Thane.

Shango enters the Square from the direction of Via Caspius. He soberly surveys the scene, stepping over downed beasts as he slowly approaches the Slaughterthane.

Well. There's a downed Otter at the well. The feline approaches it, sits upon the edge of the opposite side and heaves a soft sigh.

Slickstream's eyes squeeze tightly shut again, "Uughh..."

Demphy stands post near said downed Otter, having claimed it as her hostage. She gives up on trying to call Bane over, and turns to give Jaha another good looking-over. "Hello," The vixen offers.

Jaha flexes her claws out from their sheaths, rubbing them on her pants. Thank goodness her attire doesn't show soot. As Demphy addresses her, Jaha looks up without lifting her head. "Hhn. Hello. So I'm going to guess.. Crazy otters?"

Bane turns and gives his last words to the high ranking soldier, they both salute each other and the Slaughterthane then turns to walk towards the well.

Jaha immediately moves - but she does it in a way that is not panicy. She just slides off the well into a standing position. She doesn't need the slaughterthane giving her a shove in.

Shango arrives now at the well as well, standing a few feet away from the tied Otter. He glances over Jaha, noting her movements, and then Demphy, offering the fellow fox a nod before he looks to Bane. "Slaughterthane, a word, please."

Slickstream just lays there quietly now.

Demphy's head nods. "Suicidal otters dressed as vermin," she mutters, glancing over at the pile of discarded disguises she had gathered. She remains silent as Shango addresses Bane and waits, looking back over to Jaha as she moves about.

Bane's attentions are on the beasts at the well, as Shango speaks, the Thane looks at him and gives a nod. He then turns to walk away from the well, to the other side of the square, glancing over his shoulder to keep an eye on a certain....feline. Taking note of where she is before turning back around. Assuming Shango will go with him. "Nice." She responds to Demphy, allowing her claws to slink back into her fingertips. "Hellooooo pasta head!" Jaha chirps, as the eye is turned on her. She wiggles her fingers in a wave, but her face is humorless.

Shango follows Bane to the edge of the square and dips his head as the Wildcat turns to face him. "Just come from the Guild Hall, Thane, where I took Commander Trace for care of the wounds she recieved during the battle here. A young Sea Otter who burned Ironfist's Smithy attacked her." His voice is kept lowered. "She is well and resting, and will be brought to the Regent's Residence when she is well enough to be moved without causing her too much pain."

Demphy quirks an eyebrow, watching Jaha. She smirks a bit, though a fleeting smile does reach her muzzle. Her eyes wander the square idly.

Jaha's gaze gives Demphy a quite obvious once over, and she lifts a leg to balance it up against the well. "You're not with just Ruingate, are you?

Bane just looks at Shango as he speaks. This is the first he has heard of the Commander having been injured in the line of duty. His face, however, does not change expressions. So much has happened in the past two days that nearly nothing surprises him, though, he is irritated. "Do you have the sea otter's name? Perhaps a description," looks to a guard and calls for him to come over with a quill and parchment. The recorder stops from surveying the damage and rushes over to the Thane and stands, ready to take the description. Bane turns to look back at Shango, folding his paws behind his back as he sniffs and rolls his shoulders back. "Continue," he says, tipping his chin up slightly.

Shango nods. "A male Sea Otter, aged perhaps eight or nine seasons. He was disguised as a weasel whilst he set fire to the Smithy's shop. Whilst running from Trace, he removed his disguise. His fur appeared a light brown, though I couldn't see closely through all the smoke."

Demphy blinks, then returns her gaze to the cat. For a long moment, she says nothing. Finally, in a tone too quite for anyone but Jaha and, perhaps, Slickstream to hear, she speaks. "No, I'm not." She pauses, then smiles slightly. "I am of a tribe far south of here, for whom I work as a Huntress."

Bane's eyes narrow at the mention of a weasel and the burning of the Smithery. He remembers back at how the ferret and weasel both had words with one another and never got along. But he can't make the connection, its only a passing thought. "Where was Ironfist? Was he in the shop and is he still alive?"

"I thought. You look like one of the few females here left with pride." her voice trails off, "It's not hard to pick out the irritating northern ladies." From there, she extends a muscled arm, fingers in a position to shake. "M'Jaha, n' if you don't wanna give me your name, don't worry."

"He was indeed in his shop. I witnessed the wea-err.. Sea Otter set fire to it, and ran across the street, bashing the door to the Smithy down. Ironfist came out just in time, and made to attack the arson. I'm sure he's still alive.. the arson took off running soon after setting the fire, and found Trace in his way," Shango answers.

Bane growls as his ears fold back, the right side of his upper lip twitching back with irritation. His arms cross over his broadchest and then he looks about the square before returning his eyes to Shango. "Is there any known reason as to..../why/ they set fire to Ruingate? And what group did this. Their sins shall not go unpunished. Speak their name, so that it shall be burned into my mind as will the vision of their destruction. The burning of Ruingate."

Demphy chuckles softly, and extends her paw to grasp the feline's, shaking it rather vigorously before she releases. "Demphy." She glances to Bane, and then back to Jaha. "What's the deal with you an' the Wildcat?" she inquires, voice rather quiet.

Shango's head shakes. "I do not know their motive nor their affiliations." His head dips. "I should return to the Guild and see that everything is in order."

Jaha's lip curls. "He collared a vixen for entertainment." She says quietly, taking her paw back after the shake.

Bane gives Shango a nod. "Thank you for your aid. I shall tell Lord Merdez of it when he returns from his trip South." The wildcat then turns to the recorder and says something to him before saluting then dashing off. Bane remains and walks back over towards the well with his paws on his hips.

Jaha's eyes settle on Bane, and a twisted smile works across the end of her muzzle. "But I fixed that."

Demphy's facial features take on a rather disgusted expression. It fades within seconds, though, and she ponders this a moment before turning to face the Thane. She stands straighter. "Waiting to report, if I may, on what happened here, Sir." Her head lowers a bit.

Shango returns the Thane's nod before the Wildcat turns. The tod moves back towards Via Caspius.

Shango has left.

Slickstream still lays silently by the well.

Bane nods to Demphy and extends a paw for her to head over towards the opposite side of the square again. Giving Jaha another look until he is out of hearing distance to her, unless she yells again.

Jaha wiggles her eyebrows at Bane.

Demphy follows the Thane to the edge of the Square, glancing back to Jaha before she sidles up to the Wildcat's front. She starts speaking rather quickly, hoping Bane can keep up. "I got a count of about two-score Sea Otters disguised as vermin and wearing black cloaks as they were retreating. Led by a beast disguised as a ferret, perhaps aged a few seasons less than twenty. I myself counted six dead by my arrows and a seventh killed in an alley by my dirks. Eight others were killed by the Guards, and I beleive perhaps a dozen and a half managed to escape."

Thomas walks in from the residential section.

Thomas has arrived.

Thomas comes hustling down the street, he couldn't find his Mistress back at the inn and he heard about the comotion down at the square and he comes to a skidding halt to take in what's happening.

Jaha makes no bones about watching Demphy walk over, but once her and the Thane begin speaking, she turns her attention down to the bound otter. "Well, I'm going to have to admit - I bet this place is having otter stew t'night. Good thing you brought the fire."

Slickstream mumbles something inaudible.

Thomas hurries up closer and moves over towards his Mistress side. "M'lady, forgive my tardiness, I couldn't find you back at the inn, what seems to be the situation?"

Jaha replies, as if she understood Slickstream. "You're right, pepper would be best."

Jaha's eyes flit up to Thomas, and narrow. "Half the bloody place has been burned down. Kneel, would you?"

Thomas drops instantly down to a knee at his mistress feet, his head bowed. "Yes M'lady."

Jaha settles a paw on Thomas' head, her brows knitting in thought. She idly knits her claws between his ears. "Did they find the vixen in proper attire?"

Thomas closes his eyes and tilts his head into Jaha's paw, purr smiling. "They will M'lady, have no fear of that, when they find her she will be dressed as is appropriate."

Jaha snorts, "I'm sure they've found her."

Bane snorts as he turns to look at Demphy as she glances back at Jaha. "Watch out for that feline. She has been confessed to kidnapping a vixen here in the city," he shakes his head. "And having done.....unspeakable--," he stops, its not her matter but his. "Just watch out for her." He then nods as leans forward to hear the vixen as she speaks quickly, nodding to her as she speaks. "I understand. Thank you for your report, Miss Demphy. And you shall be rewarded by the Regent himself for your brave acts tonight. And thank you, for your service to the city." He then turns to look over his shoulder at Jaha, taking note of the polecat present, narrowing his eyes on him once the polecat kneels before her. He growls then looks back to Demphy. "Be careful," he nods to her then turns towards the commercial district.

Jaha swirls her fingertip into Thomas hair, and winks in Bane's direction.

Jaha says, "Congratulations. I don't know many people so incompetant they'd let the whole city almost burn down!"

Bane gives Jaha no notification or acknowledgement as he rushes towards the Via Caspius.

Bane heads for the commercial district.

Bane has left.

Ironfist heads for the commercial district.

>> The scarred ferret limps out...

Ironfist has left.

Jaha says, "What a pasta-head."

Thomas keeps his eyes tilted downwards as Jaha works her fingers through his hair, he hasn't received any orders from her save the one to kneel, so kneeling he stays.

Demphy wanders back from the edge of the Square to Slickstream. She stoops over the Sea Otter. "Hurt too bad to walk?" she barks.

Slickstream mumbles, "..Dyin'.."

Demphy examines the Otter carefully, then glances about. "Someone 'elp me carry this'n to the Parade Ground, hm?"

"Thomas. You're strong enough, aid her." Jaha says, folding her arms.

Thomas nods his head and then tips his muzzle up and kisses Jaha's hand. "As you wish M'lady." then rises up to his feet and helps with the burden of the Sea Otter.

Demphy leaves with: Thomas, Jaha and Slickstream. Everybody goes to the Deathforger Parade Grounds. Kinda.

Demphy nods her head to Thomas and motions that he lift the Otter. She grins as he does so, some sparkle alighting in her eyes as she directs the polecat to the Parade Ground. Whilst there, she takes a guard aside and mutters something into his ear. He nods smartly and unlocks the grate over a pit in the ground. The vixen motions for Slickstream to be placed in the pit. Demphy then speaks again to the Guard. "Have a healer brought here to attend to him /immediately/. Keep watch on him tonight - make sure he's not so much as unconscious." The guard nods, and jogs off towards the Barracks to retrieve a healer. Two more Guards place the grate back over the pit.

Thomas helps move the otter to the proper location, and once that is done he leaves it all in the capable hands of the city guards, eyeing the otter for a moment. "Burning down a city... assaulting civilians... brilliant, wonderful, utterly humane tactics."

Demphy nods to a Guard and, just as a healer arrives to attend to the Otter, wanders back to the Square, Thomas and Jaha in tow. The smoke has mostly settled now, and a misty haze mixes with the dusky twilight as the day draws to a close. Homeless citizens of Ruingate wander towards the makeshift shelter established in the Guard Barracks with what belongings they've managed to save from their burnt homes.

The trio - Cat, Polecat and Vixen, wander back into a Main Square full of dead otters and wailing, mournful citizens. Tendrils of black smoke and white steam rise from the embers amongst rubble that was once the homes and shops of the town. The sun slowly sets upon the Great Day of Burning, to rise again upon an Age of Rebuilding. Fade to black.

THE END