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Post by superswede on Jun 7, 2010 11:47:37 GMT -5
Mara Stormpelt wondered whether this was the oldest area of the massive wood; in any case, the foliage was extremely dense. Had the leafy canopy been any thicker, then little light would have filtered down to the forest floor below, and though it would be dark, the paths between the massive moss-coated tree trunks would be fairly clear. Unfortunately, there was just enough light even down here for the underbrush to flourish. It was exceedingly difficult to move among the trees without getting caught on brambles or tripping over roots. Mara had traveled far, through forests of varying condition, but never before had it been so gnarled as this.
It was midday, and though the shade of the trees cooled the air somewhat, the temperature was nonetheless becoming uncomfortably warm. Pausing in her trek, the badger swept aside a patch of thick ferns with her massive paw. Having cleared a spot, Mara sat down, leaning her back against an ancient tree whose diameter was twice hers; her body relaxed as she took a breather, but her eyes and ears were ever alert, and the enormous though crudely built spear rested lightly in her paw.
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Post by Silver Sweetfur on Jun 10, 2010 19:35:23 GMT -5
Tawny Brookswift was more than a little annoyed. The traveling healer had stopped along the river’s edge to treat an old toad-wife with a twisted ankle, what he hadn’t bargained for was her youngsters stalking him further once he had left. The miscreants and waited till he went swimming to gather some under water plants and had tipped the entire contents of his packs into the river. Now the hare was scouring the thickest parts of the forest gathering anything he could use for rations or to replenish his lost medicinal herbs.
“If I had been that lots mother I would have tanned their slimy hides! Imagine playing such a trick on a harmless traveler, especially one who had done their poor old mother a service!” The hare stopped his quiet ranting to harvest some wild blackberries before continuing along, tripping on the kneeled roots as he searched. It was not a complete waste in the next few minutes Tawny had found dock leaves and several herbs that reduced fever. He was just about to pluck some chamomile when he tripped over another root and fell crashing next to a sleeping badger.
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Post by superswede on Jun 11, 2010 6:56:06 GMT -5
Mara dozed slightly as she sat in utter silence; but she was immediately brought to full attention by the sound of something moving through the trees a short distance away. Her paw tightened around the spear, and she listened motionlessly, waiting for the stranger to either wander on or to cross her path. If some vermin came this way, they would be dead before they saw what hit them. The badger had been improving her spearsmanship lately, and was not in the mood to have mercy on villainous creatures.
Now she was certain; the unknown stranger was definitely coming this way. Mara held her breath, listening as they came closer. Just behind some tangled underbrush, almost in sight... she gripped the spear tightly, prepared to leap up and put an end to the miserable intruder's life. Suddenly there was a crash and a blur of fur, and a creature sprawled on the ground near her feet. She sprang upright, hefting her weapon above her, but stopped herself mid-motion. This wasn't a fox with steel claws; it wasn't even a rat, or ferret, or stoat. It was a hare. "Who are you?" she said, lowering her spear slightly, though she was still wary.
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Post by Silver Sweetfur on Jun 11, 2010 12:54:36 GMT -5
“I” said the hare as he stood back up, brushing away dirt and leaves that had clung to his jacket “Am having a very tough day, so Madam, Kindly put the spear down would you?” Without waiting for a response the hare turned away from the badger maid and began collecting some of the chamomile he had reached for in the first place.
“Tawny Brookswift the II, is my name” He shot a glare at the badger as he sat down to organize his herb pouch “Don’t you dare call me Brooky… Most creatures call me Tawny. I am a traveling healer by trade.”Once his pack was organized to his satisfaction Tawny took a good look at his companion. A female badger, a bit older than himself but still well in her prime. She wore a long blue garment almost like a habbit and of course her weapon of choice was a spear.
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Post by superswede on Jun 12, 2010 11:37:58 GMT -5
Mara exhaled slowly, and lowered her spear. A slightly irritated hare, perfectly harmless. No not harmless- she had heard stories about lethal fighting hares- but he was no threat to her. "Well then, I suppose it is a pleasure to meet you, Tawny Brookswift," she said after a brief pause. "I am called Mara Stormpelt. I am a traveler but practice no trade in particular." Bending down, she plucked a dusty sprig of chamomile off the ground. "I suppose this is yours then," she said, holding it out towards him. Mara was quiet for a moment, and then continued, "So, might I inquire as to what has made your day so horrible?" It was not often that she ran into friendly strangers these days.
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Post by Silver Sweetfur on Jun 14, 2010 20:09:54 GMT -5
Relaxing as the spear was lowered tawny took the sprig and placed it in his bag.
“Well met Mara Stormpelt” and with that he told her of his run in with the toads. “And now I have to replace all my supplies… all for trying to do a good deed” tawny leaned back against the tree behind where he was sitting with a sigh “that will be the last time I help any sort of belly crawler” The hair then looked at the badger maid
“and what’s your reason for being in this forsaken place?”
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Post by superswede on Jun 19, 2010 16:50:07 GMT -5
Mara frowned with disgust. "Toads," she spat bitterly, "They're no better than vermin. I used to live on the river's edge, so I met a good number of slimy things, and of all such creatures, only one was ever a decent, honest creature, a salamander who lived nearby. The rest were selfish and tried to cheat us and steal from our supplies. Cowards too, though... a minor show of force was enough to scare them off, for a while at least. They were just loners, or living in small groups, they didn't dare any open fighting. I used to live among shrews, you see, they could be quite quarrelsome."
She sighed, shifting slightly and relaxing her clenched paw. "Well, now, that's all in the past anyway. They aren't as bad as vermin." Mara paused at his question, and looked up at the distant blue sky between the mighty trees. "I travel," she answered after a moment, "Never stay in the same place anymore. My path brought me this way, I suppose, and it will eventually lead me away from here again. Settling down isn't really an option for me. Places to go, nemeses to tear limb from limb..." Her jaw tightened grimly. She would not rest until that fox's blood ran through her claws.
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Post by Silver Sweetfur on Jun 19, 2010 18:15:01 GMT -5
Something about Mara reminded Tawny of his cousin Boxer and he patted the Badger-maid’s paw as he sat next to her.
“I f you can stand an old grouch like myself, why don’t we explore these woods together?” Tawny wasn’t sure he could stand to lose another close companion but something told him Mara might need a friend. “I am still searching for an abbey somewhere in these woods, supposedly it is the home to some great healers… If we can find it I am hoping to learn quite a bit.” he paused and winked “besides it would be much better than sleeping in the wilderness, am I right?”
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Post by superswede on Jun 23, 2010 2:30:13 GMT -5
Hesitating slightly, Mara considered Tawny's offer. On the one paw, she was quite reluctant to let herself be diverted from her mission; on the other, she still had a lot of training and scouting to do before she was prepared to face Steelclaw, and she might as well have a companion and a place to stay while she did so. "Well," the badgermaid said slowly, running a claw through her fur, "I don't know anything about abbeys and great healers, but I wouldn't be averse to some company for a bit. I've been alone so long now... I wasn't accustomed to solitude, before, but now..." She shrugged, almost apologetically, and glanced at her spear, fidgeting with the crudely sanded wood. Mara had been almost shy, once upon a time; these days, she was too preoccupied with her grim thoughts to think of much else.
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Post by Silver Sweetfur on Jun 30, 2010 19:52:16 GMT -5
“Well then, we shall have to remedy that wont we? nothing like a pleasant stroll with a friend to get one’s mind off doom and gloom for a while” Tawny carefully tucked the badgermaid’s paw under his arm”And just let me know if you see anything edible, perhaps we can get a proper woodland salad for lunch, eh?”
Tawny laughed a bit at that the mention of food. Most everybeast had heard of a hare’s signature appetite and Tawny was certainly not an exception to that rule. Though one thing most creatures did not realized was a hare was quite capable of ‘living off the land’ so he wasn’t too worried, something would turn up, It always did.
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Post by superswede on Jul 1, 2010 11:11:14 GMT -5
Mara smiled in mild amusement. Hares were quite entertaining creatures, and this one certainly lacked no charisma. "Sounds like an excellent plan, sir Tawny," she chuckled, "I could certainly do with a proper meal." Tawny was a hare, a beast of voracious appetite; she was a badger, not quite so known for gluttony, but any creature her size required plenty of refueling, so to speak.
She set off walking with Tawny beside her, glancing from the ground to the trees absent-mindedly. It was late autumn, quite late, and many of the typical leafy greens had begun to wither. "Oh, look there," she said, pointing at a shadowed region at the base of a massive oak, "Blueberries... they're in the shade, so they haven't been spoiled by heat." She bent, plucking one of the berries. The tiny blue sphere seemed a mere pinprick against her claws, but it was nourishing food, and not an entirely common thing so late in the season. The darkness below the trees must have delayed their growth somewhat.
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Post by Silver Sweetfur on Jul 16, 2010 23:56:39 GMT -5
Tawny reached into a pouch of his pack and pulled out a linen sack which the hare began placing the blueberries into.
“You’re right old gel, what a good find!” the hare paused and sniffed before handing the sack to the badgermaid before darting off to a nearby clearing. He quickly returned with an armful of greens.
“Might not have been to far off when I thought of salad, lets see … Dandelion, Wild lettuce, Ramson, and Rampion not bad all together” The hare led the way back to the stream so the pair could wash the plants.
“Have to decide the next course of action now. I was following the stream earlier but there might be a road deeper in these woods otherwise I suspect we would see more creatures traveling by stream… if anyone comes this deep anyway”
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Post by superswede on Jul 17, 2010 0:31:10 GMT -5
Mara nodded distractedly. "Salad is good, keeps you fit," she said. Her scar was aching, all the way down to her spine, and her paws were restless. It had been several seasons now, since she last had slain any type of vermin; she was out of practice, and knew that with every moment, more of the scum raided the earth. But there wasn't anything she could do, at the moment.
Following Tawny to the stream, she forcefully rinsed the leaves as she listened to him talking. "Road sounds fine," Mara answered, "It'll be easier getting through there, if there is one, than walking here in the trees... I don't know about you, but I get stuck on occasion. The woods are so dense here, and I'm not as nimble as a squirrel..."
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Post by Silver Sweetfur on Jul 17, 2010 1:17:53 GMT -5
“Maybe I few seasons back I was” Tawny responded with a huff. He was only 18… hardly old, but his travels had taken their toll and Tawny no longer felt like a spring leveret anymore. “but yes I did get stuck on several occasions which was why I started traveling by river…”
the hare sat back drying the leaves and berries before dividing them up equally between himself and Mara. Then he sat next to his companion and nibbled some leaves as he thought. If they set out at a perpendicular path to the river it only stood to reason they would stumble upon the road but as they would be dodging the think trees if the pair wasn’t careful they could easily get lost and wander in circles.
After demolishing a few more leaves he packed the rest away and stood up hoping to spy a path or feeder stream as he waited for Mara to finish and be ready to go.
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Post by superswede on Jul 27, 2010 2:14:12 GMT -5
Mara Stormpelt nodded absent-mindedly. "I see," she answered the hare, not really listening too intently. Her attention was occupied with finishing her meal, figuring out how far the road, if it existed, might be, and devising cruel methods of skinning foxes. Mara was not a very nice badger; not anymore, at least. The sweet innocence in her died a long time ago.
"Right," she grunted, getting up, "I suppose we ought to set out then. This way?" She motioned towards the trees, away from the river in a line which appeared to be slightly less snarled with branches and debris than the rest of the wood. It could have been an illusion, but she figured one way was as good as another. Shrugging, she started walking forward. "What do we do when we find the road?" she mused aloud.
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