|
Post by Korren Greeneyes on Jun 11, 2006 13:05:47 GMT -5
Korren wandered the gardens, enjoying the peaceful, serene afternoon. He loved flowers, especially wild ones. He was quietly grateful for the large plot in the gardens allotted to wildflowers.
The red-furred mouse glance about him; he did not want anybeast to see him, and think that he was some sentimental sissy. He bent down, and plucked a little wild rose bud. Cupping it in his paws, he sniffed its sweet aroma.
Wild roses; so many memories they brought. A far away look arose in Korren's green eyes as one particular memory became clear. A summer, not so long ago, when he picked a bouquet of wild roses for his mother. She always accepted them with gratitude, as if they were the greatest present anybeast could give her. They never lasted one day, though.
Sighing, Korren came back to the present. He looked around once again, just in case anybeast had come in during his reverie. It didn't become a warrior to be off the alert.
|
|
|
Post by Snowflower on Jul 3, 2006 21:52:08 GMT -5
The mousemaid steps through the door to the gardens. Her ship had been washed ashore on this island, and until she could secure passage on another ship, she was stuck here. So, while she was here, she was going to have a look at any objects of interest.
Noticing the familiar red-haired mouse on the path, she ran towards him.
"Hey, fancy meeting you here. Y'know, I never did get a chance to meet you formally."
|
|
|
Post by Chicory Rue on Jul 4, 2006 16:45:44 GMT -5
Rue sat absorbed, staring meditatively at the bunch of Cistus she was holding, completely absorbed- cistus, the tiny white flower known as the rock rose, so reminiscent of the tidy little garden that she and the hares had cultivated on the rock faces of Salamandastron. She sighed heavily, letting the flowers drift away in the wind, floating in a roundabout way down to the sea.
She glanced up, startled, at the sound of pattering paws. Seeing a mousemaid running down to where Korran stood, she stood up, stretching. For a moment, she hung back, undecided, unsure of whether the two mice would really want her there- then she shook herself, and started (rather uncertainly) down the path towards them.
After all, she could always leave if her presence was unwanted.
|
|
|
Post by Korren Greeneyes on Jul 5, 2006 1:55:07 GMT -5
((Sitting up at midnight, my time, and can't sleep.))
"Oh," thought Korren, in surprise. "Well, uh, nice to meet you. Name's Korren Greeneyes, at your service."
He looked around; seeing Rue, he breathed a small sigh of relief. Being alone, in a garden, with a female one has met only once before, and whose name one does not know, and who suddenly comes running up to one in an almost friendly fashion, can be a little uncomfortable.
|
|
|
Post by Chicory Rue on Jul 6, 2006 20:34:55 GMT -5
Rue caught sight of Korren looking at her and waved, inwardly relieved. She had thought her presence would be completely unwanted. Nevertheless, she still hung back (ducking behind a nearby bush), determined to let the two mice have their privacy, at least for a while. If Korren showed any signs of getting too uncomfortable, she would make her entrance.
|
|
|
Post by Korren Greeneyes on Jul 11, 2006 23:32:53 GMT -5
"Hey, Rue, do you want to join us?" calls Korren. "I want you to meet my friend here."
Surreptitiously, he mutters to the mousemaid. "What is your name, again?"
|
|
|
Post by Finbar Bellamy on Jul 12, 2006 17:53:01 GMT -5
Well, well, well. Looked as if Korren already had himself a lady-love.
Finbar's sinewy form was obscured from the two mice's view by a flower bush of some sort. He didn't know what the little purple-white blossoms hanging from the shrub were called. Never bothered with flowers, as it just didn't seem very masculine. They weren't that interesting either.
He was watching the two mice and the badger that had approached them - the very same one that had interfered with his and Ranjit's little skirmish. For now he would stay hidden. Perhaps he would reveal his presence eventually though, at a more opportune time.
His blue eyes glinted mischeviously as he heard Korren ask the female mouse to remind him of her name. So, they had just recently met. Better? Who knew. Even Fin didn't know what exactly he was planning, but he couldn't just sit around and do nothing while two young lovers were hanging about on the island. Especially when one of them was a susceptible, naive young mouse, and the other probably even more so.
|
|
|
Post by Snowflower on Jul 12, 2006 23:50:24 GMT -5
The mousemaid laughed - a hearty laugh, not a giggle, but still high enough to sound feminine.
"I didn't mention my name, silly," she muttered, trying not to embaress him. "Snowflower."
She looked over her shoulder, grinning at the friendly-looking female badger Korren called over, while quietly sniffing the wind. Five years working as a slave in a Juska clan didn't leave a beast inexperienced; there was a definite odor of weasel in the garden.
The mousemaid shrugged mentally; having heard about this Horde, she knew it consisted of many "vermin" species. A weasel in the gardens shouldn't have been a surprise to her.
|
|
|
Post by Korren Greeneyes on Jul 14, 2006 21:02:22 GMT -5
"Snowflower, right," said Korren, sheepishly hoping that Rue had not heard.
|
|
|
Post by Chicory Rue on Jul 14, 2006 23:19:33 GMT -5
Rue grinned at Korren's remark. She decided to stay hidden in the bush a little longer. She knew full well that it was impolite to eavesdrop, but she decided to linger a bit longer anyway, in case Korren needed her to bail him out of any social awkward-nesses that might occur. She shifted a little to get a better view, then cursed under her breath as she stepped on a dry twig, which went off like a firecracker. She froze, hoping the female mouse hadn't heard.
Suddenly, she frowned. What was a weasel doing in the garden? She could tell it was a weasel by the rank smell that assailed her nostrils with the wind. Distrust loomed in her, and unconsciously, her hackles began to rise.
|
|
|
Post by Finbar Bellamy on Jul 14, 2006 23:20:50 GMT -5
Finbar watched the mousemaid sniff the air. What was she smelling for? Him? Odd. He never imagined such a dainty creature picking up his scent. Almost as if she was the predator, and he the prey. He chuckled inwardly at that.
The weasel continued to keep his presence hidden, observing the couple from behind his bush.
He was still formulating some sort of plan in his mind, though its details were not quite resolved yet. Oh well, he did have plenty of time. If the mousemaid knew of his presence, she seemed in no hurry to reveal it.
|
|
|
Post by Snowflower on Jul 15, 2006 2:05:07 GMT -5
But the mousemaid had heard the twig snap. Her head snapped around; she was used to being on guard. When she saw that it was only the female badger Korren had mentioned, she relaxed; and then realized that the badger's hackles were raised. A sure sign that an enemy was about.
Snowflower had no doubt who it was. The weasel, she thought. Maybe she had been mistaken to think that it was a friendly weasel from the Horde. However, she kept her face expressionless, not to conceal that she was afraid, but because she didn't want him to know that she had found him out.
"So, Korren, do you know many stoats, rats, weasels, around here?" she asked her friend, in a speculative manner.
|
|
|
Post by Korren Greeneyes on Jul 15, 2006 2:16:29 GMT -5
Korren also noticed the snapping twig, and looked up to give Rue an indignant look for not coming over. Snowflower's question recaptured his attention, however, and, as he turned his gaze toward her again, he could not help getting a whiff of the scent in the wind. That, and the subtle hint Snowflower dropped him in her question, clued him in to the weasel's presence.
The red-haired fieldmouse pretended that he was still out of the know, and nonchalantly replied, "Oh yes, and pine martens, ferrets, and wildcats, not to mention badgers, mice, and otters as well. We're a motley group, the Horde."
A cocky half-smile came to his face; he had a pretty good idea who the weasel was. "Ha, I have quite a few acquaintences in the so-called vermin ranks, too. One weasel stands out in particular, a soldier from my legion. He is a very sentimental type, and likes to come to these gardens to get in touch with his "feminine" side."
|
|
|
Post by Finbar Bellamy on Jul 15, 2006 12:33:08 GMT -5
Fin stepped out from behind the flower bush, smirking. "Korren...you little rascal."
He came up so that he was standing in front of Korren and Snowflower, his arms crossed across his chest. "Seems we're both confident enough in our masculinity to stop an' smell the roses now and then, eh?"
He grinned wider and winked. If the mouse didn't trust him by now, he might as well give up on trying to befriend him. Fin didn't give out smiles to many mice, and if the young chap wasn't going to take advantage of it, then...
The weasel's softly gleaming eyes turned to Snowflower. "Well, aren't you going to introduce me to yer friend, then?"
|
|
|
Post by Chicory Rue on Jul 15, 2006 21:10:00 GMT -5
Rue noted the indignant look the Korren threw her, but she still refrained from stepping out into the clearing. She held perfectly still behind a particularly large and bristly rose bush (the overpowering scent of which was enough to cover her own). A sudden idea come to her- she bent down and drummed her paws slowly on the ground, strongly at first and then fainter and fainter, to make is seem as if she were heading out of the garden altogether.
She didn't really know why she was being so wary. She knew who it was- Finbar, a minor officer in the Horde. But nonetheless, she didn't trust any vermin-types whatsoever, and she wouldn't have even if she had found out that one had been her mother. In fact, it was all she could do to keep herself from growling aloud, pawing angrily at the air like a nervous cat.
|
|
|
Post by Korren Greeneyes on Jul 15, 2006 23:53:47 GMT -5
Korren grinned back at Finbar. He never had anything against the weasel, knowing that he was just a lovable rogue. The mouse was glad to know that Fin had a sense of humor - a sure sign of a kindred spirit.
"Course I want to introduce her. Finbar, this is Snowflower; she's a friend from Mossflower. Snowflower, this is Finbar Bellamy; he's one of the lower officers in my legion. And that badger I pointed out before is Chicory Rue, another officer."
Korren glanced around, and, not seeing Rue, shrugged. "Evidently, she's gone now, but at least, if you meet her, you know her name."
|
|
|
Post by Snowflower on Jul 16, 2006 0:04:40 GMT -5
The mousemaid winced a little at Korren's insult, but, when the weasel came out, and addressed Korren as a friend, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't an enemy.
Smiling, Snowflower extended her paw in greeting toward Finbar. She had nothing personal against weasels, knowing that vermin often had to fight harder between good and evil than woodlanders could imagine. She had learned that from a good friend, an old rat who raised her like a daughter.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bellamy."
|
|
|
Post by Chicory Rue on Jul 16, 2006 17:55:26 GMT -5
It occurred to Rue that it might be better to step out into the clearing after all; at least the weasel wouldn't be able to do anything in plain sight. And besides, it was getting rather dull, not to mention uncomfortable, crouching behind a bush and listening to the conversation of the others. Suppressing a sigh, she bent down again, and drummed her paws against the ground once more, except this time in reverse: weakly at first, then growing louder and louder, as if she were just approaching.
Suddenly she stood up and pretended to yawn hugely, smacking her lips. Strolling into the midst of her three companions, she nodded amiably at Finbar (smiling ever so slightly), then turned to Korren and said, "Korren! How are you? And who's your lady friend here?"
|
|
|
Post by Korren Greeneyes on Jul 16, 2006 18:10:34 GMT -5
"Oh, I'm fine, Rue. This is Snowflower. Snowflower, this is the Chicory Rue I told you about."
Korren's nervousness returned a little, simply because he thought it was a bit silly to make so many introductions at once.
|
|
|
Post by Finbar Bellamy on Jul 16, 2006 18:24:27 GMT -5
Fin accepted Snowflower's paw and shook it in the most gentlebeastly way he could imagine. Wouldn't want to make a bad impression, it just wouldn't do. Especially with all those touchy anti-weasel types running about.
And I wouldn't dream of giving weasels a bad name, Fin thought, smiling inwardly.
"Finbar, please," he responded smoothly to the mousemaid's greeting. "You kin call me Fin if you like."
His ear twitched as he heard what sounded sort of like the soft tread of pawsteps - leading away from where he and the two mice were talking. They didn't really sound like pawsteps at all, though...now he couldn't hear them anymore.
Funny thing, they were coming back. Fin was suspicious. What beast would want to hide, feign walking away, then feign coming back again? It was odd...
A beast came out from behind a bush - a rosebush, different from the one Finbar had been behind - and approached.
It was the female badger that had interrupted his prank on Ranjit. She nodded at Fin, and he returned the wordless greeting, the same faint smile on his lips, though it was different in quality. Hard to decipher, and he doubted any would try.
What did you know, she was chummy with Korren too.
Hmm.
|
|