--------------------------------------------------------------------------- <----> Camp Willow - Sword Training Grounds <----> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Melody says, "i can go faster then that but it just gets me hurt if i do..."

Slain asks "So, have we concluded our match then?"

Alrendo pats the blanket besides him, "Slain, Melody come join me, i brought some food."

Melody smiles and says "it seems so" then walks over to alrendo sitting by him putting her arm around his shoulders and squeezing lightly

Alrendo smiles at melody and buries his nose into her muzzle fur and breathing in her scent as he wraps his paws around her."

Slain returns the dulled cutlass and short sword to the weapons rack and retrieves his sword, he then proceeds to join the other two on the blanket.

Alrendo smiles at Slain "That was very good,"

Melody ohs and realizes she was trying to put the practice sword in her scabbard and puts it back on it's rack

Slain bows his head a bit "Yes, it was most enjoyable."

Typher seems to not be doing much, sheathing the sword back onto his back. He is just moving about the grounds, maybe seeing if everything is going good within the camp. The otter is thinking and his gaze is on the ground.

Melody sits down by alrendo again putting her arm back where it was

Alrendo moves to the dishes as melod walks to the rack and starts to uncover them revealing fish, hot scones, vegetables and cool refrsshing mint tea

Slain doesn't notice Typher at the moment, his gaze is mostly on the fish.

Alrendo says, "Help yourself, i was going to ask melody to have lunch with me, but i made mroe then enough for us all." his eyes linger on melody then turn back to the food"

Melody grins and takes some food nibbling it daintily

Slain bows his head low with a wide smile "Many thanks Alrendo." And with that he scoops up a fish.

Typher stops as he hears the other otters, looking up from the ground. The riverdog clears his throat. "Good day.." He murmurs.

Alrendo looks over his shoulder and smiles "Typher, come join us for a late lunch." he waves his fish at him before scooting closer to melody and leaning his head on her shoulder.

Slain looks up at Typher and bows his head a bit "Greetings."

Melody waves to typher saying "hello sah"

Typher half bows in return to Slain, then moves over to Alrendo with a smile. "Ah..good. Hope I'm not intruding." He sits down beside the others.

Alrendo smiles and grins "Not at all." he looks at his companions thye must make a site, Melody with sweat dampaned fur, the dust clinging to her and making her seem to sparkle, Slain his usual shimmering scaled self and himself sat on a picnic blanket in the middle of the training ground.

Slain takes the fish he scooped up and drops it into his mouth, he then proceeds to swallow it down whole with a wide smile "Yum."

Melody gives slain an odd look then goes back to eating her fish daintily

Alrendo watches slain "Careful Slain, there is more hotroot in the sauce on those fish then in Hallow's special otroot soup." he swigs from his beaker of tea.

Typher looks about at the others, as if thinking about something, then he takes some of the fish, beginning to eat it.

Slain grins wiping a bit of sauce from his chin "Just like my master Zao's cooking."

Alrendo smiles and has so far not touched the fish, only eating some scones and vegetables "How was your day Melody?"

Melody says, "interesting to say the least"

Typher has slipped back into that silent state that he often finds himself in.

Alrendo smiles and shifts so he can lie on his back with his head in melody's lap as he eats another scone. "Oh how so?" he asks as he looks up at her then over at Typher. "are you ok?"

Slain picks up a scone and examines it a bit before tossing it into his maw and swallowing it.

Typher seems to snap out of it, ears perking up a little. "Oh..yes..Just thinking.." His tail waves from side to side across the ground.

The scones are quite nice, pastry mixed with chooped fired fish and otroot.

Melody says, "well i saw ember give birth doesn't look like much fun but she seemed happy after they were out..."

Alrendo smiles happily "Well that is good news, is the little ones seem ok?"

Slain nods "It was very interesting to be a part of it."

Alrendo says, "I remember when Hallow gave birth to Gah, that was something magical.""

Melody nods saying "she had 3 girls and one boy"

Alrendo says, "Well she will have her hands full, and dragoon too.""

Typher smirks lightly, just listening.

Slain scoops up another scone, happily giving it the same fate as the last one.

Alrendo says, "Four pups in one litter, she must be exhausted,""

Typher had only caught the last part of the birth..

Alrendo says, "It is a shame i missed it..."

Typher flicks one ear and looks off behind him, half scowling and his tail halting in it's motions, then the otter returns his attention to the group, the smile coming back.

Alrendo caught that scowl. "Something wrong Typher?" he then looks up at melody and grins "Should we let them know?"

Slain caught the sudden change in the otter's attention but acts like he didn't, instead he just finishes off another scone "These are good."

Typher shakes his head. "Shouldn't think so..Thought I heard something.." He goes back to the scone he has in his paw.

Alrendo says, "Ahh ok then, and i am glad your enjoying them Slain, they took hours to bake.""

Melody smiles a little and says "maybe we should but you two may want to brace yourselves"

Alrendo chuckles and nods "Aye could be a good idea."

Slain looks at them with a raised brow ridge.

Typher looks rather confused as well, brows furrowing.

Alrendo grins. "Do you want to melody or should i?"

Melody just gives a smile and says "how about you do it"

Typher tucks his tail close to his leg. "Maybe I don't want to hear this..." A concerned expression.

Slain says "Well I'd like to know, go on."

Alrendo sits up and arranges his tunic, he then places his paws around Melody's shoulder and pulls her close to him, "I asked Melody to walk out with me today...."

Typher listens quietly, waiting expectantly now.

Slain nods to show he's following along.

Melody smiles at alrendo

Alrendo leans forwards and presses his nose agaisnt hers, "She said yes." he blushes, "I never thought anybeast would like a mad, freaky white otter like me, but this here Hare....she seems to love me for some reason."

Melody looks to see the others reactions

Alrendo watches them too

Typher looks surprise and still a little confused. "So...Um...Does that mean?"

Slain also looks confused "Yes, I too am a bit lost." Slain asks "What is so important about walking?"

Alrendo says, "Walking out is a quaint term my mother used, it means we are seeing each other...."

Melody smiles almost bursting out laughing but manages to keep it in "we managed to fall for each other sahs"

Slain nods with a wide smile on his face "Well, congratulations to you both."

Typher has started smiling as well, half laughing. "I'm very happy for you then." The otter seems completely different suddenly, then when he first arrived.

Alrendo smiles happily and kisses Melody's nose "We have indeed." he looks at

Typher and Slain then back at melody. "She is the most enchanting and beautiful beast i've ever met."

Melody blushes a little at the compliments

Typher nods and his tail has started up it's swaying again.

Slain says "I wish you both many seasons of happiness."

Alrendo says, "Thank you both, very much." he smiles at melody's blush "It is all true," he brushes her cheek with his paw, knocking away some dust. "Even when you've been battling and getting coated in dust." he grins"

Melody smiles and says "thank you sah slain and sah typher i must say that i thought the answer would be a bit different..." then hugs alrendo giving him a slightly dusty kiss

Typher keeps the light smile on his face though he looks back again curiously, even if it is a quick glance. He then grins at Melody. "You're welcome."

Slain chimes in "Well since we're on the subject, if you haven't noticed I've been at Redwall abbey more lately..."

Alrendo nods at Slain "I did notice" he whispers to melody "You almost look like a normal brown hare with all this dust." he turns back to slain. "Is there a reason?"

Typher turns his gaze on Slain now, listening quietly.

Melody giggles a little then brushes herself off getting most of the dust off

Slain rubs the back of his neck looking a bit embarrassed "Well, I've grown very fond of a girl I met at the abbey, her name is Ana."

Alrendo smiles at Slain "Ana, that is a nice name, does she like you back?" he aids Melody with the dusts she missed

Melody smiles to alrendo saying "thanks"

Slain smiles wide "Yes she does."

Alrendo smiles wider "Well that is great news Slain, i hope you both have many happy seasons together." he looks up at melody and grins, "and Mel doesn't even mind i have a daughter."

Typher grins and nods. "Ana? Is she a monitor?" He questions lightly.

Slain shakes his head "No, she's an otter." He tosses another scone into his maw.

Alrendo smiles "oooh that Ana, i met here when i was at the Abbey, before

Hallow left, that is good to know, she is a nice lady, loves to swim."

Melody whoas then shrugs it's not any more odd then her and alrendo

Alrendo smiles at melody "Seems to be the summer for inter-species relationships."

Slain chuckles a bit at Alrendo's first comment "Yes, she does love to swim."

Typher laughs at this comment, then nods to Slain. "I hope you will be very happy.." He leans back on his his arms, sighing lightly.

Melody nods saying "may you live happy together"

Alrendo smiles at melody and starts packing the lunch things into his basket.

Melody finishes her fish and helps alrendo pack

Alrendo smiles at Melody and thanks her

Melody kisses alrendo on the cheek

Slain steals one last scone before their all packed away.

Alrendo smiles and squeezes the hare maid's paw

Slain tosses the scone in the air and catches it in his open mouth.

Rockfire walks in, looking for Melody.

Melody looks at rockfire saying "hello

Alrendo nods a greeting to Rockfire as he packs away the last of the picnic

Rockfire says, "Ah, Melody, you're a songstress, correct? I need you to sing at Nachte's funeral. It's this saturday at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. What songs can you sing, and what will the costs be?" he returns Alrendo's greeting.

Alrendo places a paw on Melody's shoulder and looks at rockfire. "A funeral? who died and why wasn't i informed?"

Melody says, "i can sing any song you need sir but i play for the pleasure of of those who listen"

Rockfire says, "Nachte died several months ago, at a place that burned down. he was the guard and my good friend. I understand he was also the guard here once. So I'm hosting the funeral here. And Melody, sing any funeral-type songs you can think of."

Typher listens quietly, looking up at Rockfire as he speaks to the hare, though he seems to not be paying /too/ much attention right now. The otter looks off for a second, in the direction he keeps glancing.

Alrendo nods "Very well Rockfire, i'll make sure some space is avaliable int he graveyard, and if Melody needs any help, as Camp bard i'd be happy to help her out."

Slain says lowly for Typher to hear him "We should go check that out."

Melody hmms and says "i think i can arrange that"

Typher looks towards Slain and half nods, giving a glance to the others. The otter stands up, casually, seeming to listen to the conversation still.

Slain stands as well, returning his weapon to it's place across his back.

Rockfire says, "Very Good, In fact, the graveyard was actually my next stop. Come with me." he starts to walk away, motioning for anyone who wants to to follow.

Alrendo is about to follow then stops looking at Typher and Slain, "Something wrong?"

Typher looks towards Alrendo with a questioning glance and half shakes his head, though his eyes say the opposite. He heads away from the group, as if going on a walk.

Slain bows his head lightly "We're just going to go look into something." He turns and follows after Typher.

Alrendo frowns at them "Anything we should worry about?"

Typher doesn't look back at the other otter, just kind of talks over his shoulder. "Maybe..maybe not.." Suddenly he stops dead in his tracks. An arrow thunks into the ground in front of him, where he would have been if he had not stopped.

Slain quickly draws his weapon calling out "Show your selves!"

Alrendo emits a soft squeek and grips the basket in his paws. "WHat is it? Whats going on?" he presses close to melody shivering as the arrow hits the ground

Melody's sword flicks to her hand as fast as lightning

There is no answer. Typher has already drawn his sword and backed up. Another arrow thuds into the earth, closer to Slain this time. Suddenly a group of rats swarm out of nowhere, it seems.

Melody narrows her eyes and you can see the rage building in her as she sees the rats

Slain takes a stance where he stands, it doesn't seem like he's willing to back up and grant these rodents any ground.

Alrendo screams when he sees the rats, back peddling away from melody and falling over a bench, emitting terrified squeeks. "its them...its them....they come for me...." he screams again and tries to untangle his legs from around the bench

Melody frowns and says "alrendo calm down they are /not/ going to get you if i have anything to say about it"

Typher stands his ground too, even as another arrow flies at them, scraping past the otter's cheek. He grins, then the rats are upon them. The riverdog barrels into the front ranks, sweeping his heavy sword in a cleaving diagonal motion.

Melody darts around as fast as the arrows the rats shoot weakening rats left and right so the others have an easyer time of it

Alrendo manages to untangle his legs and curls up shivering "Rats...no not rats....rats bad...rats hurt me....please not rats."

Slain side steps a rat and slashes down at his back, he quickly reverses the blade going into an upwards slash at another, the blood on the sword seems to make the folds of it's metal work stand out even more.

Typher stabs through one as they surround him, then elbows another, knocking him off his footpaws. The otter jumps backward away from them for a second, then slams the sword into the fallen vermin's midsection, yanking it out quickly. There are a few archers at the back and they all let out arrows at the little group.

Melody starts killing them at the same speed she was weakening them

Slain stabs into one in front of him and slashes his blade out of it's stomach and into another one, he catches sight of one behind him in the eyes of the one he's facing and quickly spins around bringing his blade down through the rat.

Alrendo carries on rocking back and forth, tears streaming down his muzzle as he hears the sound of battle, "No no.....please no, Melody no.....please....da......please....not rats."

Yells out in pain as one of the arrows pins his tail. Hate flames up in Typher's eyes as some of the few remaining come at him from the front again. He yanks the shaft out quickly, gritting his teeth and it is soon in the eye of one of the rodents.

Melody darts around a slash to the neck here a jab to the heart there and creating random chaos among the remaining rats

Slain dashes past the backs of the rodents headed at Typher, a few of them drop from a slash across the back severing their spines

Typher flips one up over his back, speared to his sword, then he is going for the archers.

Alrendo screams as several arrows thud down neck to him and starts to run, towards the other side of the training ground, and un known to him right at some more rats hiding in the trees.

Melody darts in front of alrendo gabbing him and pulling him back saying "nope need you where we can see ya"

Slain lops the head off one more rat that's near him "I trust you two can handle the rest of this rabble." with that he flicks the blood from his weapon and sheaths it over his shoulder, walking off.

Typher dispatches the archers on this side quick enough, even if he paid a price for running straight at them, yanking those shafts that connected with his front out. The otter pants and looks about, blood streaming from the holes. He sees Melody and Alrendo and hurries for them, not sheathing his blade yet.

Alrendo falls to the floor as Melody holds him, struggling and screaming still,. "no rats....they'll get me...please...no...."

Melody hold him saying "shh be quiet it'll be okay alrendo they are gone"

Typher soon comes over to the two. "Al?" Then the arrows come from this side. The rats still haven't revealed themselves on this side, so it is a complete surprise.

Alrendo screams as he sees the arrows and yanks out of Melody's paw and runs the other way, the rats pour our, about five of them and two of them head for Alrendo as the other three engage you two.

Melody quickly removes the three rats heads then running after alrendo yell "no i don't want to lose you come back here!"

Alrendo carries on runing but trips and the rats are on him, one of them pulls him over backwards and presses a dagger to his throat.

Melody releases a growl and rage burns in her eyes as she runs faster kicking the rat off of alrendo when she gets there the stabs the rat a look of pure rage "/noone/ will do that to alrendo and live unless they are sparring with him"

Typher had jumped in the way of the arrows though, to protect Alrendo and Melody from getting injured by them. All five pierce through his back and his eyes look glassed over, as he moves towards the other two and chops the other rat's head off before he can get at Melody.

Alrendo has fallen to the floor, curled up and catatonic as he cries and screams loudly, clinging to melody's leg, he's not noticed that Tyher has just been shot down."

Typher watches the other otter cling on to Melody as blood begins to run out of the corner of his mouth. The large riverdog suddenly falls over, landing hard on his side/back. He stares blankly up at the sky.

Melody looks around rage still in her veins looking if there is anyone else wanting to harm alrendo

Alrendo is clung to Melody's legs crying and shaking like a leaf in a storm, he's regressed intot he terrible state he was in when he arrived in camp

Typher half blinks lightly, fighting against the on come of darkness, eyes glazing over even more as the blood continues to fall from the corner of his mouth, soaking into his fur somewhat. The otter definitely looks dazed.

Melody after seeing that the rats are all gone sees typher laying and the ground and alrendo attached to her leg in a pitiful state... removing her leg from alrendos grasp she lifts him up and sets him on a bench then walks over to typher and says "sah are you alright?"

Alrendo curls into a tighter ball and whimpers not wanting to be left alone but not daring to move

Typher glances sideways at her and manages to smile softly. "..I don't feel so good, dear..." He's slipping away quickly and his voice is rasped.

Melody watches him silently and says "you don't look very good either..."

Alrendo falls off the bench and crawls hesitantly over to Typher's side. "No no...the rats can't take you...no..."

Melody says, "they didn't take him physically but... it looks like i may have two people to sing for at the funeral..."

Typher's eyes begin closing more. "..nice to hear.." Then the otter looks towards Alrendo sympathetically, a light smile twitching at his muzzle. "..don't worry Al.." Then his head lulls to the side, eyes not fully closed, but he is silent and doesn't breathe anymore.

Melody closes the otters eyes for him sadly

Alrendo sags to the floor in the dust crying his eyes out and beating the ground with a paw "No...no...not again...."

Typher has been taken forever..

Melody walks over to alrendo and just hold him tears sliding down her cheeks

Alrendo buries his face into Melody's tunic and cries shuddering under her and mumbling now and then. "No....rats...no"

Melody hugs alrendo to her saying "it's okay alrendo even though he is dead he lives on in our hearts and memories..."

Alrendo whimpers and is still cryuing, clinging to his melody

Redtail walks over from the main grounds and seeing the scene says "whoa what happened here..."

Melody looks up at redtail "nothing fun i assure you..."

Typher still has the five arrows deep in his back, plus the holes in his front where he'd ripped the others out. The otter is most definitely dead.

Alrendo is clung to Melody, tears streaming down his cheeks as he cries his heart out, sobbing away.

Redtail looks at typher and says "what happened here?"

Melody looks at redtail and says "we were attacked attacked by a horde of rats.... typher took some arrows i hope that he went to a good place in the dark forest

Alrendo exclaims, "RATS!" screams the albino otter, "Rats took him from us...killed him...they wanted me...." he breaks down sobbing again"

Redtail pulls out a few herbs and walks over to alrendo crushing the herbs in his palm before waving them under his nose saying "here breath this in it'll calm you down a bit.."

Melody looks at typher and says "well at least he died an honorable death protecting friends... there is nothing more honorable then that

Alrendo jerks as he smells the herbs and collapses to the floor shivering

Redtail umms and makes sure he has the right herbs in his hands... yep right herbs.."umm what's wrong with him?

Slain returns to the area, some new blood splattered on his clothes, there are a few cuts on his arms that have been patched up with mud and tied with long grass.

Melody picks up alrendo and says "he was enslaved by rats before...i think that is why he is so...distressed right now"

Alrendo clings to melody and shivers

Slain looks to Typher's body and walks over to it, when next to it he drops down to his knees staring at the still figure

Alrendo just holds onto the hare shivering and crying "sorry...so sorry....all my fault....sorry

Melody hold the shivering otter and says "no it's not your fault it's the vermin's fault"

Alrendo looks up at melody and just stares into her beautiful eyes "Sorry...i snapped....i never....wanted you....to see that....."

Slain looks over at the others "When did this happen?"

Melody hugs alrendo to her saying "it's okay it's over now" then looks at slain and says "right after you left...

Slain lowers his head "I see..."

Alrendo just holds onto melody

Redtail frowns looking around at all the corpses and says "what do we do with /them/?

Slain looks at the body for a moment "I tracked some stragglers back to a camp not too far off... I buried the bodies in a mass there... I'll take them to join their friends..."

Melody holds alrendo and says "calm down my love..."

Redtail nods saying "i think that will work though i personally believe they don't deserve it"

Alrendo nods nods and buries his muzzle into melody's fur. "I love you melody....please don't let the rats get me."

Melody says, "the rats are gone now they can't get you anymore"

Slain says staring at the body "There is less honor in showing no respect to a fallen enemy who showed no respect in life."

Alrendo sniffles and shivers in her arms. "I'm sorry..."

Redtail says, "that may be true but i think burning them would be a more appropriate burial"

Slain stands up and grabs the nearest rat body and starts to drag it off into the woods he came from "If you're not going to help, Redtail, then be quiet and let me do what must be done."

Redtail goes about removing the arrows from typher's body and cleaning him

Alrendo just hangs onto melody, averting his eyes from the mess

Melody holds alrendo in her arms saying "you are very heavy alrendo you know that?"

Alrendo sniffs and tries to stand up, still wobly on his feet and leaning on his haremaiden. "Sorry...i'll..i'll walk for ome."

Slain continues removing the bodies.

Melody says, "i think we both need a good rest...will you be okay cleaning this up you two?"

Slain looks over at Melody not saying anything and just goes back to his work.

Redtail nods then goes back to cleaning typher's body

Alrendo says, "can..can i stay with you melody?""

Melody nods and says "yes my love of course you can, lets go" Melody walks away in the direction of her home helping alrendo

Redtail says, "rest well, you two look like you need it..."

Alrendo says, "Thank you..."

Slain drags the last body off.

Redtail finishes cleaning the body

Slain returns and kneels down to pick up Typher's body.

Redtail dislikes the prospect of being in the presence of two dead beasts in the span of 3 days...

Slain picks up Typher's body and looks to the cat "Gather his weapons."

Redtail pick up typhers weapons and brings them over to slain

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- <----> Camp Willow - Graveyard <----> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Slain carries Typher's body into the graveyard.

Redtail follows slain and then when we get there decides to clean off the blades and pulls out a spare bandage and starts cleaning

Slain sets him down gently and moves to an empty plot, removing his gloves he starts to dig a grave with his claws

Redtail umms and points to a shovel off to the side saying "i think that would dig faster....

Slain finishes it with his bare claws all the same. Slain climbs out of the hole and gently lowers Tyhper's body into it, he then looks to the cat "Place the weapons in the grave with him."

Redtail walks over to the grave placing the weapons in the grave singing a hymn under his breath

Slain bows his head low and begins to say what sounds like a prayer or hymn of some kind in his native tongue from the east.

Redtail bows in respect finishing his hymn and then mews a few times

Slain finishes his prayer and begins to cover the body muttering more words in his language.

Redtail watches slain with a new respect for the lizard....

Slain finishes and bows his head to grave before turning to leave "I'm going back to the abbey, you should probably return there at some point as well Redtail."

Redtail nods saying "i will return on Saturday after another funeral..." Redtail bows once more before the grave muttering another short hymn before leaving the graveyard.