Of Lettas and Vendettas... OR Of Letters and Vendetters
Chars involved: Darklett, Duncan, Furnier
Logged 9/14/04.



Ah, the fresh sea air... Darklett inhales it deeply, lets it fill his lungs, and then breathes out. The hare leans against the niche in the mountain, eyes half-lidded in restfulness. A slight breeze comes from the sea, the sun peeking out through small clouds here and there... It's a heck of a day.

An off key tune is carried up through the sea breeze as the older hare travels along the side of the mountain. Duncan has a large pack slung on his back with a familiar metal-studded staff in his paw. His eyes roam over the mountain as the hare tries to find the opening. "Bloody 'ell..I know the damn thing is round 'ere somewhere. Where's a 'are when ye need one hmm?" Course Dark goes unnoticed.

Darklett's ears perk as he picks up some... pretty terrible singing. Walking around the niche to the outside of the mountain, he spots the older hare, and gives a wide, sweeping wave. "Hey, Duncan!" He shouts out, trying to get the hare's attention.

Duncan is busily grumbling to himself about bloody mountains and hidden doors when his ears twitch. Duncan hmms as he glances over towards the voice. A large grin spreads across his face as he spots the younger buck. Since his paws are occupied with a staff and a waterskin Duncan waggles his ears in a greeting. XD "Ah laddie. Just the 'are I wanted ta see. 'ow ye been? Look right smart in that there uniform. Seems ye are turnin' into a fine Long Patroller."

Darklett laughs, grinning like a goof. "I've been okay, I guess, it's been boring, mostly." He walks to meet Duncan halfway, extending a paw. "What are you doing all the way over this way from Redwall?" As he walks, the slight limp may be noticeable, but it is very slight.

"Oh doin' a favor for Snow and yer brother. Asked me ta bring ye some stuff. Course Ah snitched one o' yer pies Snow made ye but don't tell the lass. Might tan me 'ide." Duncan chuckles while shaking Dark's paw noting the limp but saying nothing. The hare leans against the staff as he sets the pack down rummaging through it. "Now Ah know its in 'ere somewhere..."

Darklett smiles, beginning to lead Duncan to the entrance of the mountain. "Let's get inside, first. I'm not -really- supposed to be out here, but..." He looks up to the sky. "How could I resist, you know?"

Duncan glances up as he brings out a folded piece of parchment. "'mm...oh right right. Lets get on inside. Need ta give me knee a rest. Long journey down 'ere. Shame ta be stuck inside though." Duncan places the parchment in his vest pocket before moving after Dark slowly.

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As Darklett leads the older buck into the main hall of Salamandastron, it seems a little vast in its emptiness. It's obviously not one of the area's peak hours, a quick glance around the room would show that the only two creatures occupying it at the time are himself and Duncan. Nonetheless, Darklett travels across the open area towards a circular table by the fire, placing himself in an armchair, and sinking into it. "So, what is it you came to do?"

Duncan stops as they enter letting his eyes look around the once familiar mountain. Letting out a sigh, Duncan goes over to sit just across from the young buck. Duncan sets his pack on the ground along with the staff before propping up his footpaws on a nearby stool. "Tis good ta rest this knee o' mine. Right killer makin' this trek. Ah well back to business." Leaning over the hare takes out another bag within his pack handing it to Dark along with the folded parchment. "The bag has yer pies save for one and a bottle of brew yer brother made. And that there parchment is a note from Snow. Best read it first fore ye eat."

"A note from Snow?" Darklett tosses it aside. "Don't care. Food and drink? Ah, there's where it is!" He smiles as he feasts his eyes upon the pie and the brew. Though he looks up at Duncan. "Tell me... She didn't take the time to poison these pies, did she? Ah well, at least I can count upon my good brother Keiran for a drink. Wonder when he learned to brew, though?" He opens up the bottle and sniffs it, closing his eyes. "Mmm. Smells great... Wait, what are you doing with his staff?" Darklett's eyes catch upon it as they reopen.

Duncan ears fold as the note is tossed aside. Hmph. The old buck pushes himself up and walks over retrieving said note. As he comes back, Duncan quickly takes the bottle and the pie away from Dark before bobbing him lightly on the head. "Look 'ere laddie, I don't know what kind o' fallin' out ye two 'ad but the note is from both yer brother and the lass. So read the bloody thing and then Ah'll give ye back the food and brew. If ye don't read it I'll be on me way with yer food." Duncan places the note back in Dark's lap before resuming his seat.

"Hey!" Darklett nearly whines out as the flagon's snatched from his paw. "What are you doing? Fine, fine, I'll read the blasted letter." He picks the note up from his lap, giving Duncan dirty looks as he unfolds it, placing it flat on the table, and finally looking down to inspect its words. "...Dearest Dark? Who does she think she is?" He scoffs, and looks up from the letter. "Listen, if this is just a big apology, I really don't feel like reading this now."

Duncan's patience is wearing thin. "Read the bloody damn letter will ye. Didn't trek all the way down 'ere so ye could just toss it aside. And it ain't just an apologie laddie. Tis some more stuff in it than that. And if ye keep up this stallin' Ah'll 'it ye with yer brother's staff." Grumbling, he props up his footpaws once more waiting for the buck to read the note.

Darklett still doesn't read the letter, though. "You didn't answer me, you never said why you had my brother's staff." The hare eyes him questioningly, placing his paws over the letter, concealing it. "What are you doing with it? Was he miraculously cured, or something? He'd never go anywhere without his staff, it was almost like a third arm for him."

"Miraculous cures...I could use one o'those." Squeak squeak squeak. A squeaky wheelchair rolls in, and the manyscarred squirrel sat in it. "Three arms? Trade one for a leg..." Furni doesn't seem to be talking to the hares though, more to himself.

Thwok. Duncan does as he threatened and bops Dark on the head with the staff. "Maybe if ye read that damn letter Ah brought ye, ye might find out. But to answer yer question, Keiran has a new staff. Let me borrow this 'un. Now will ye read the letter. Ah'd like to try some of this brew o' 'is." A glance is given over to Furnier with a quick nod before the old buck turns back to Dark.

Darklett turns his head as the mountain's resident crazy mumbling squirrel in a wheelchair enters. "Hello, Furni. Care to join us? We're having a nice little dis..." Thwok. "Ow!" Rubbing at his head, he glares at the older buck. "What was that all about? Why does he have a new staff?" He picks up the letter and holds it in the direction of the fire. "This letter means nothing to me, and I guess I can learn to live without the pie and the drink. Why does he have a new staff?"

Duncan sighs. Well if he wants to do it the hard way fine. "Right since ye won't read the bloody thing I'll tell ye myself what was in it. First off yer brother joined the Order o' Redwall so needed a new staff. This one is a bit to much like a weapon. Second, the reason yer family was ambushed by those vermin has to deal with yer past. The town ye fled when ye found out some group was after ye decided to kill off yer family instead. Snow just found out about it and thought ye should know. Third, Keiran says 'ello and ta be bloody careful. Fourth, Snow's sorry and knows ye 'ate 'er and 'opes ye like the pie she made. Fifth, Korit and Bink both say 'ello. There that's what was in yer damn letter." Duncan then places the food and drink back infront of Dark before leaning back. "And eat the pie. Tis quite tasty. Yer brother loves 'em."

Furnier turns his wheelchair around, as if just noticing the two. His odd eye starts predictably swimming off in another direction. "Oh...Didn' see y'there. Whatcha doin'?" he asks, squeaking over. "Need more oil," he mumbles.

Darklett stares at Duncan, blinking through the huge monologue after a quick eyebrow raise at the beginning of the recitation. "...Not hungry." He remains staring at the buck, looking like he's in a mixture of deep thought and disbelief. "...Keiran joined the order of Redwall Abbey? They didn't happen to fill you in on what accident took him from intelligent to idiotic, did they? Or is that in the letter, and you just forgot to tell me?" The hare says all of this with a complete lack of expression, or mention of any other of the parts of the letter. "So now he's an abbeybeast... Ha! To hellsgates with him, then, for all I care, and the same goes to whatever death-causing liquid he's managed to brew." He then lets out a small smirk, pushing the letter off to one side, and staring back at the buck. "Anything else?"

Furnier mumbles quietly, "Redwallers're bad news y'know, 'urt y'feelin's..." but he doesn't seem very affected by them, looking around. At Darklett's announcement that he isn't hungry, the squirrel promptly helps himself to the pie. :D

Duncan shakes his head as he pushes himself up once more. "No that's all. Yer brother joined because 'e was compelled to 'elp. 'e might be the next cellarbeast I think. But seein' as 'ow ye hate abbeybeast Ah'll be on me way. Don't want to overstay me welcome. Twas good seein' ye laddie. Shame ye changed so much though. Real shame." Duncan leans over picking up the staff and pack once more while looking around the hall before starting towards the entrance with a bad limp.

Darklett rolls his eyes and lightly snickers as Duncan starts to leave. "Just like an abbeybeast to think like that, Duncan! Any of your kind would think it's a shame for me to be happy!" He looks to the squirrel, and pushes the pie in his direction for easier access, taking a bit of it for himself and placing it in his mouth. "Mmm. That Snowflower's not very good at apologizing, but wow, she can make a pie!"

Furnier munches on the pie. "Shame t'be happy, abbey kind think. Always make better food though, sometimes."

Duncan stops and turns around staring at Dark. The older buck as a bit of fierceness in his eyes as he limps back over to the him. "Ah ain't thinkin' like an abbeybeast. Ah'm thinkin' like someone ye use to call friend. If yer happy fine. If ye want nothin' ta do with those who still care about ye fine. Ah always thought o' ye as a son Dark. Ever since Ah made sure ye didn't murder yerself in yer sleep. Ah came down cause Ah was helpin' yer brother. And the reason yer in this patrol is ta 'elp beasts like 'im. Ta protect 'im. Or did ye forget that?"

Darklett stares back into Duncan, looking not too amused. "The last time I checked, the abbey didn't want my help, or my protection... In fact, the last time I tried that whole deal, they insisted upon making my life miserable. So, there's not a very big chance I'm ever falling for their lies again... Weren't you leaving?" He gives a quick grin up to the older hare.

Cheeky youth. "Aye Ah was leavin'. But one last thing." WHOOSH. Duncan lands a nice right hook to Dark's face. "Don't ye ever insult yer brother like that. 'e almost lost 'is life tryin' to save yer mum and find ye. 'e's a good beast. Better than ye are now." Now the old hare leaves without another word as he disappears outside.

The violence gets Furni's attention. He reaches to try and strike or grab Duncan, but his chair starts to tip over.

Darklett's head snaps rapidly to the side as a result of the punch, and he cringes, bringing a paw up to his cheek, watching Duncan go. Turning to Furnier and checking his paw, noting it has no blood on it, he notices the tipping chair, and catches it, righting its balance before it falls over. By the time his sight comes back to Duncan, the hare's gone. "Hmph. And to think, he used to be an honorable fighter of the Long Patrol..." He presses back on his cheek, the bruise already forming and showing through his fur.

Furnier looks rather fuming, but distressed at the same time. He lashes at the air for a few seconds, as though fighting an unseen enemy.

Darklett stands from the table, leaving the pie and drink to Furnier. "What was I thinking, trying to be friends with those abbeybeasts...?" He looks to the exit, sneaking the letter into his pocket when Furni isn't looking. "Enjoy the meal, Furni." At that, he walks out of the hall, for the stairs.