cheesethief
Busy Dibbun
NOT CLUNY, DON'T SHOOT.
Posts: 27
Main: Roach
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Post by cheesethief on Sept 9, 2023 16:00:10 GMT -5
'Panicking' may have been a strong word— one Roach would never admit to publicly— but his mind was going a mile a minute while he waited for the three of them to figure something out. He had half a brain to throw his arms out and say "jump, and I'll catch you!", as if there was any chance that wouldn't have ended in disaster. Then there was his other idea, where the weasel, whatever his name was, used that shield of his to collect water from the base of the stairway and put the fire out.
What they ended up doing seemed much quicker and more efficient. Plus, it had worked. Roach was glad he hadn't said anything.
When all of them were through the flames, the rat started back up the stairs, snorting when Celebes called his name. Although Celebes hadn't said so outright, he could hear the accusatory tone in his voice. It wasn't just surprised like Fyri's had been.
He turned to face the otter, but made sure he was loud enough for all of them to hear when he answered: "No, I wassn't sleepin' IN Tsarmina's bed. It's rancid. Have you seen it?" He hopped up the next few stairs, glad to be putting more distance between them and the lantern fire... and between himself and the group. "In case y'haven't, it's rotten. Covered in spiderwebs, too. I feel like it'd give way if I so much as sat— anyway, I haven't been sleeping on it, I've been sleeping next to it. Nice t' get away from all the responsibility for a while."
Only since he saw the spire poking up and got curious, which wasn't that long ago at all. Two days ago, maybe three at most. All he needed to do was say he was going berry picking and show up again before the sun went down with at least a few berries to show, and nobeast would bat an eye.
"What were you three doing 'ere, then?" Roach asked.
He couldn't see Celebes and Fyri sneaking out for the same reasons as him. He didn't know the ins and outs of their heads, but they didn't seem like responsibility shirkers. As for the weasel... his eyes narrowed.
"Strange group, is all. Celebes 'n' Fyri together, I understand. But Chadwick... hmm. Needed somebeast with a shield?"
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Post by Fyri on Sept 10, 2023 15:19:07 GMT -5
"Ye better be fast."
And fast it went. Double quick even. Before Fyri could reply, she could feel Celebes... strongly urging her to go first. She swallowed her protests as she realized it had been her idea so not wanting to take the lead now would show little faith in its probability to succeed. So instead she focused on crossing the ever hotter shield, grateful her natural tree balancing sense worked on this most unusual of branches as well. When she'd made it across, she hid her relief at having made it with her fur still dark brown and cream, and quickly moved to make way for Celebes and Stanwick to cross as well. She stood to catch her breath, the hot air having made it difficult, on top of leaving her throat feeling parched. If it wouldn't possibly be as rancid as Roach was describing Tsarmina's bed to be, she'd have half a mind to go down anyway and drink from whatever water was submerging this now ever more ruined stronghold. At this rate, there wouldn't be much left of it to explore, let alone of the treasure they'd been tasked to find.
"Strange group, is all. Celebes 'n' Fyri together, I understand. But Chadwick... hmm. Needed somebeast with a shield?"
The mention of her name drew Fyri back to the present. She frowned slightly at his last words. It sounded mocking. If Fyri had not been on edge already by the sudden attack, fiery inferno and shoving about, she might have thought further than that first impression and seen it for the method of diverting attention away from himself that it more than likely was. As it were, the words left her lips in an almost equally mocking sarcastic tone that she would surely regret soon enough.
"Evidently so." She said, straightening her ruffled up capelet, "Unlike 'at friendly fire stunt we coulds haeve done' withit." The remark had been aimed mostly at Roach for his comment and impromptu assault earlier but her annoyance at Celebes' actions shimmered through as well. Her emotions, ever swift and fickle as the wind that blows through the highest of pines, shifted when she realized just how much they'd already relied on Stanwick and his giant shield so far. To get into the tower, to shield them from the attack, to get them across the fire... Fyri had found it baffling Stanwick would carry such a heavy thing with him on this expedition but she was ever more grateful he had.
"...speaking of..." Her voice dropped to a whisper, meant more for herself than any of her companions, as she turned to the stoic weasel warrior. Feeling a little embarrassed at her initial gut response to his actions before, she now gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks fur pullin' me tae safety." Her smile turned into a small grin as she added, "ye were right, havin' ye in front was th' best call."
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justcog
Active Dibbun
Posts: 63
Main: Stanwick the Repentant
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Post by justcog on Sept 11, 2023 13:11:20 GMT -5
Stanwick squinted as Fyri and Celebes went by, hastily charging over the makeshift bridge that was his shield. He looked down to the wood, scowling as he prepared to follow suit. Though the decision was made for him as Celebes gripped him by the collar and dragged him over the flames. He stumbled clear of the flames, but as soon as the otter released him, the weasel doubled back and bent down, hastily yanking his shield off the flames before following the other abbey beasts up the stairs. He looked to the smoldering edges of his shield, frowning at the now scorched front.
"Nice t' get away from all the responsibility for a while."
Upon hearing that, Stanwick's gaze would shift to the rat with an annoyed glare. Right, getting away from responsibility and messing up HIS chance to prove himself to the abbey beasts. His grip tightened on his shield for a moment, though with an added sigh, he restrained himself for the time being. Losing his temper wouldn't solve anything here.
""Strange group, is all. Celebes 'n' Fyri together, I understand. But Chadwick... hmm. Needed somebeast with a shield?"
"It's Stanwick." He corrected bluntly, lowering his shield to the floor and letting it lean against his leg so it could cool... and to not still be holding onto the still VERY hot piece of wood. He rubbed his palm subtly, trying to hide his discomfort after pulling it from the flames.
"An' evidently, yes, they did need a beast with a shield." He added indignantly as he motioned to Roach's slingshot.
"Thanks fur pullin' me tae safety." Her smile turned into a small grin as she added, "ye were right, havin' ye in front was th' best call."
Stanwick turned his head only slightly as Fyri whispered to him, pointing his ears towards her. It was admittedly somewhat hard to hear with his helmet on, but given the small nod he gave after her words, it seemed he heard her just fine.
"O' course. Wouldn' want any abbey beasts bein' scorched under my watch." He replied back quietly with a faint grin of his own before crossing his arms and returning his attention to the rat. He'd let Celebes do the talking here, they seemed to know Roach far better than he. Not to mention Stanwick tended to be a little more... intense than most others.
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Post by Celebes on Sept 12, 2023 11:02:31 GMT -5
"Strange group, is all. Celebes 'n' Fyri together, I understand. But Chadwick... hmm. Needed somebeast with a shield?"
Well naturally, Celebes felt compelled to join in the chorus of evidently so's and echoed the other two. With his own rhetorical flourish of course. "I think that is evident enough, so."
With that out of the way, the otter returned to the rats other question, seeing that the others had suddenly nominated him as team speaking captain. A role that he didn't mind at all. "The elders sent us out here to see what was in Kotir. This is the first time its been out of the mud since it sunk into it," Celebes explained, then grinned as he embellished with a "they really want some props that they can use for telling the dibbuns stories."
Celebes turned around, looking towards the fire that finally seemed to behaving like fire should, slowly smoldering out on the west flagstones of the stairway with nothing to burn. The otter put a paw over the step, it was still plenty warm, but at least not flaming. With the lantern smashed and its contents finally burned out, the twisty corridor quickly became dark. "Though I don't know how we're supposed to find anything in the dark," he groaned.
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cheesethief
Busy Dibbun
NOT CLUNY, DON'T SHOOT.
Posts: 27
Main: Roach
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Post by cheesethief on Sept 12, 2023 20:07:10 GMT -5
Roach gave a sheepish grin and a shrug at Fyri's "friendly fire" comment. He even muttered something that almost sounded like "sorry," though it was hard to know for sure.
He'd own up to it; they all had the right to be peeved at him for what he did. He was disagreeable, and brash, and being shot at from above while balancing in a (most likely haunted) dark staircase didn't seem like the most relaxing way to spend one's afternoon. Still, Roach was a little bit proud of himself for the ambush. If they hadn't been his friends, he could have just saved his hide.
"If you'd been meanbeasts, 'least I wouldn't be dead. Right?" the rat half-joked, turning his eyes to... Stanwick, again... and promptly rolling them. "Stanlick," he drawled. "That's what I said, Weasel. Use yer noggin."
He shook his head, tsk-tsking through his crooked teeth.
That could've been the end of it. They could have gone on to find another light source and grabbed the treasures to bring back for the Dibbuns. Maybe...
Had Celebes not explained in quite so much detail as he had, and had Roach been a little bit more mature. What was done was done, though, and Roach went from nodding agreeably along with what the sea otter was saying, to looking like he'd just tasted curdled milk. The rat's eyes got wide.
"You're sayin' the elders picked him over me?" he blurted, resting his eyes on each one of them before finally letting them linger on Stanwick. "Why?" He held his arms out. "He's new! We barely know him!" He was also a weasel, but that wasn't saying much, given that Fyri was a pine marten and Roach, himself, was a rat.
"I might not 'ave the cleanest track record, but I promise you it's cleaner 'n whatever he's got hidden down in that narsty little brain o' his!" Fyri and Celebes probably wouldn't agree, but Roach found himself asking just that, anyway; "You both agree, right? Why him and not any other Redwaller? An' don't say it's a newcomer thing to make 'im feel important, 'cause if that's what he wants, we might as well send 'im back to fetch another lantern! Then e'rrybeast wins, right?"
A claw was jabbed in the direction of the window, and a challenging glare sent Stanwick's way.
"Chadwick proves 'imself, the three o' us find whatever props we can up here, an' then we meet back up for a jolly good time."
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Post by Fyri on Sept 13, 2023 12:11:08 GMT -5
With a little chuckle at the warrior's reply, Fyri turned her attention to the conversation between Roach and Celebes. She was about to pipe in that there was, naturally, a riddle involved as well when Roach's demeanor did a 180. Fyri's eyebrows went up in surprise at the rat's indigence but soon an amused smirk pulled at her lips and she couldn't resist a tease.
"Why ye wasnae picked? I donnae ken, Roach." Fyri put a hand on her hip when Roach had finished his rapid ramblings, ignoring his last comment for now, as she recalled the very same instance that Celebes had earlier, "Mebbe it has somethin' tae do wi' how ye handled th' lest relic o' Martin ye got yer paws on?" There was a twinkle in her icy blue eyes as she looked at the rat.
Of course, though that is what Roach was known Abbey-wide for, that had nothing to do with him not being chosen. In fact, none of them had been 'chosen'. They'd simply shown up to the gathering and volunteered to come. Roach must have just not gotten the memo, or simply had been shirking responsibility to come here. How ironic that would be; hiding out in the same location his task would send him to if he'd bothered taking it!
Now, they might not have been pawpicked to be a patrol but Fyri immediately shook her head at the suggestion that one of them return to the Abbey. Especially since out of all four of them, the most logical choice wasn't Stanwick but herself. She could most easily climb in and out of the tower... and she did not want any of them to realize this and send her to do it. The entire abbey knew of their departure. It had been an occasion to feast, after all, and surely if one of them returned, they'd be swamped with curious creatures, grownbeast and dibbun alike, hankering for a grand tale of discovery and the majestic unveiling of treasure.
To have to say they came back because they'd dropped their lantern was more than a little anticlimactic and embarrassing...
Pulling at a loose string from his final words, Fyri replied, "Th' donnae make any sense. If th' three of us can find the props while Stanwick is fetchin' a lantern, why woulds we need a lantern in th' first place then?"
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justcog
Active Dibbun
Posts: 63
Main: Stanwick the Repentant
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Post by justcog on Sept 13, 2023 19:53:31 GMT -5
Stanwick let Celebes do the talking, he didn't feel like it was his place to reprimand the rat. After all, he was still an outsider, didn't know to what lengths redwaller's took these matters.
"Stanlick," he drawled. "That's what I said, Weasel. Use yer noggin."
Though upon hearing his name so obviously disregarded, the weasel's hand would ball into a fist. It was easy to get beneath Stanwick's skin, especially when he was being treated as if he was an incompetent fool. He squinted at Roach, beaming at them as they continued to ramble on and on about how he shouldn't be here.
A claw was jabbed in the direction of the window, and a challenging glare sent Stanwick's way.
When Roach pointed to the window, Stanwick would scowl and give a quiet huff. Reaching down to grab his shield, Fyri would likely hear the weasel murmuring bitterly under his breath about Roach. It seemed like he was going to take up the challenge before Fyri pointed out a mistake in his wording.
"Th' donnae make any sense. If th' three of us can find the props while Stanwick is fetchin' a lantern, why woulds we need a lantern in th' first place then?"
Stanwick's hand tightened on his shield as he realized he had almost been duped by the rat. Roach probably just wanted him out so they could take all the glory, cunning rat! The weasel shot an appreciative glance over to Fyri, silently thanking her for saving him from making a fool of himself. Besides, he could be cunning too!
"Hmm... any-beast have oil for the lamp? I'm sure there was a table upstairs; might be able to use th' leg from that an' some cloth to make a torch." He suggested. Was certainly better than making the trek all the way back to the abbey.
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Post by Celebes on Sept 14, 2023 1:43:09 GMT -5
Celebes was never the best at dealing with confrontation, even if he wasn't directly involved. It tended to just make him run his mouth, as if it would drown out all the other negative feelings. So he stood by awkwardly while the three traded jabs of various degrees of being veiled, thinking of how to inject himself positively, when Stanwick gave him a nice out.
"Hmm... any-beast have oil for the lamp? I'm sure there was a table upstairs; might be able to use th' leg from that an' some cloth to make a torch."
"Actually matey, I do! Been keepin' it on my belt so its handy, I was beginning to regret it since I kept confusing it with my water canteen," Celebes said with a grin to no one, unclipping a smooth green flask from his belt. In their dash from the flames the party had naturally migrated most the way back up the stairs, and so all Celebes had to do was hop a few more steps to get the tinder for the torch. The tattered drapes were about the only dry cloth in the room, steadily dried by the slow wind passing through, and so Celebes tore off a long strip. Off in the corner there was a smashed chair, and Celebes had to wonder aloud "You think Tsarmina did this when she had one of her hissy fits forever ago?"
Before Celebes wrapped the cloth around one of the chair legs, he leaned down and dipped it in a puddle that had been festering near the mildewy rug. Still in a tutorial mood to keep the room filled with harmless words, Celebes explained his reasoning. "This old cloth'll burn right up mateys, if we just light it. I'm making the bottom damp so that the flame doesn't burn through so fast. The heat will dry it out as it travels down the cloth, giving it more to burn."
Dousing the prototype timer torch in oil, he made to hand it over to Roach. "Here, take the torch," Celebes said as a mini peace offering to his earlier remark. But even as the words were leaving his mouth, he began to regret them. For in the dark, he who had the light called all the shots.
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cheesethief
Busy Dibbun
NOT CLUNY, DON'T SHOOT.
Posts: 27
Main: Roach
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Post by cheesethief on Sept 14, 2023 16:22:44 GMT -5
Roach's smug little sneer turned into a scowl when Fyri piped up, and he crossed his arms, muttering some not nice words himself. That nosy pine marten. Why did she have to be so smart? Now Stanwick wasn't going to go, and it looked like the weasel had been very close to taking Roach up on the challenge!
The rat shot Stanwick a look, but didn't egg him on further. He'd be patient. He'd get him yet.
"So... about the sword," Roach remarked to Fyri as Celebes headed up the stairs. "You never made interestin' decisions when you were young?" He raised a brow, somewhere between teasing and genuinely curious. Wasn't fair that everybeast still held him to what he did as an adolescent. "Easy to be jealous of the one who ran away with Martin's sword when you've ne'er been alone with it, innit?"
He smiled winningly at Fyri, then shot Stanwick another stink-eye.
That was when Celebes came back.
Roach looked around, feigning disinterest. What was that, a chair leg? He squinted, leaning on the wall while the otter doused the thing in oil. The last thing he expected was for Celebes to come over and hand it to him.
"... Don't mind if I do!" exclaimed the rat, barely able to hide his surprise. That made him leader, didn't it? He stepped lightly around Celebes and the others— fixing Stanwick with a third and final look, this one screaming 'nyeh, nyeh!'— and descended a couple stairs down.
"You sure do know 'ow to make it up to a beast, Celebes!" he called back to them, grinning broadly. The torch's light reached as high and far as his arm would allow, and he stopped every so often, searching for the candelabra. His tail and toes skimmed some of the still-warm stone and he stopped and flinched, fighting the hiss that sprang to his teeth. "Careful, the stairs are still hot! If we find that gold thing in the... allcovey... you three can climb up an' I'll stand watch an' make sure nobeast falls. We won't lose sight of it!"
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Post by Fyri on Sept 17, 2023 9:11:27 GMT -5
The tension in the air had been so palpable Fyri's fur was starting to stand on end. She rolled her shoulders, just to have her body move in some way to shake the sensation off. Roach could be the trouble making sort but his aim seemed to be squarely on Stanwick. Fyri couldn't help but wonder if they had bad blood or something. "You never made interestin' decisions when you were young?" The rat's question broke her out of that thought. She shifted her weight, thrusting her other hip out, her amused smile back after the filthy looks thrown beside her had made it fade. Oh, she'd certainly made some interesting decisions - good ones, bad ones, ones she regretted, ones she should regret but didn't in the slightest. She wasn't about to cite her entire biography - in rhyme, naturally - to him right here and now though. However much it tempted her to regale a tale. Before she could reply with a ' Oh aye, I 'ave. I simply didnae get caught', Celebes had returned and Fyri's grin fell to confusion as the otter promptly made Roach - the very beast that had been instigating the fight and glares - the leader. As the rat brushed past them to take up his new role, Fyri shot Celebes a questioning glance. The question: Is this wise? The answer: No, Celebes, no, it isn't.Regardless, the pine marten followed, lifting her paws rapidly, standing lightly to minimize contact between her pawpads and the hot floor. The word 'climb' instantly caught her attention and her eyes instinctively started darting along the roof and walls for a pawhold. Even if it didn't lead to the candelabra that the others had spotted, she'd still eagerly fly up there. There wasn't a twinkle in sight though - naught but the flicker of their new torch that cast the hallway in dancing shadows. It didn't take long for Fyri's imagination to start whirring again and imagine the shadows morphing into unknown beasts lurking in the dark....
She closed her eyes and shook her head to rid herself of the visions, instead focusing on her other senses to bring herself back to the moment. Warm if stale air around her. Her companions' breathing. The smell of smoke mingling with something that may have once been a berry. Her nose twitched and she cracked her eyes open at Roach again. Was he sure he hadn't slept in that bed? She kept that comment to herself.
"We have tae catch sight of it fir--"
✨ BLING~✨
A twinkle caught Fyri's eye, like the sun in the clearest of blue skies. She squinted up at the roof where there was indeed a pocket of supreme darkness - an alcove, even, if you will.
"Isnae it tha' up there?" She asked the group, pointing a paw at the point of interest to interact with, wondering if it'd really be this easy. I mean, there was the convenient rope before so why not?
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justcog
Active Dibbun
Posts: 63
Main: Stanwick the Repentant
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Post by justcog on Sept 18, 2023 10:18:26 GMT -5
As Celebes prepared the torch, Stanwick would smile subtly to himself. They didn't need any dumb lantern to explore, just a torch and a will! Though as the torch was handed off to Roach of all beasts, Stanwick's usual grimace would return. As Roach practically danced around them down the stairs and gave Stanwick one last stink-eye, the weasel would glare right back at the rat before begrudgingly following behind him, making sure to keep the shield as a barrier between himself and the rat in front of him.
She closed her eyes and shook her head to rid herself of the visions, instead focusing on her other senses to bring herself back to the moment.
Looking over his shoulder to ensure everyone else was following, Stanwick noticed Fyri's reactions to the situation. He pouted for a moment before reaching a hand back, giving them a firm but reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"Look 'ere." He muttered before tapping his shield with a small smile, "Any beast other than Roach out there, an' you'll still be protected." He whispered before returning his attention to the rat in front of him. When Roach skimmed his tail on the still uncomfortably hot stone and flinched, he'd be met with a VERY firm paw from Stanwick on his shoulder to ensure he didn't fall.
"Careful, the stairs are still hot! If we find that gold thing in the... allcovey... you three can climb up an' I'll stand watch an' make sure nobeast falls. We won't lose sight of it!"
"I don't think I'll be doing any climbing." Stanwick commented quietly as he rolled his shoulders, chainmail rustling faintly with the movement. Besides, he felt he'd be more useful down here anyways, might be able to break a beast's fall with his shield if they land atop of him.
"Isnae it tha' up there?"
Hearing Fyri speak up behind him, the weasel would squint in the approximate direction she pointed, giving a disappointed hum to himself. Stanwick was known for many things... great eyesight wasn't one of them.
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Post by Celebes on Sept 18, 2023 12:41:22 GMT -5
Glances were being given all around, though save Fyri's mildly accusatory glare none of them ended up connecting with Celebes eyes. Or paws with his shoulders, for that matter. Celebes had to weasel around the literal weasel who was temporarily bridging the divide between Fyri and Roach with his paws, and popped out at the head of the line. The sooner they were out of this cramped, descending spiral staircase, the better.
Listening to the others chat, Celebes piped in a thought. "Well if there's a riddle for it, its a might fine too dark to see it, mateys," he said, voice trailing off. He was about to second Stanwick as being part of the not-climbing-THAT club, but he figured his last performance made that clear. Still, riddle or no, it would be nice to see what was up there. But short of throwing the torch, they had no way of illuminating the area.
"Well...maybe we don't have to throw the whole torch..." Celebes thought aloud, turning around to where Roach stood above. The torch he held was dripping cinders, likely parts of the rag flaking off under the heat. The otter bent down and got some of the stairway water on each of his paws. "'scuse me mateys..." Celebes said, breaking apart Stanwick and Fyri with a soggy paw to each of their chests. He pushed through the gap, and grabbed a glob of the torch refuse. It sizzled and steamed in his wet paws. It was like a scaled up trick of licking your paw and pinching a candle out. Celebes turned, and hurled the glob up towards the alcove.
Splock!
Celebes aim wasn't the best, and the glob stuck down and to the left of the alcove. Still, it have a little light. "See anything, Roach?"
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cheesethief
Busy Dibbun
NOT CLUNY, DON'T SHOOT.
Posts: 27
Main: Roach
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Post by cheesethief on Sept 23, 2023 20:09:57 GMT -5
Roach gasped and shot a glance behind him when he felt himself grabbed. "Hey! What're you doi--" Stanwick, of all beasts, was the one making sure he didn't topple over? Roach clicked his teeth and muttered out a very terse "thank you", and then scooted up ahead to squint at the glistening gold that Fyri had spotted. No need to linger on Stanwick any longer than necessary. That cunning weasel had already played the rest of the Abbey for fools, and Roach swore that he wouldn't get roped in too. Roach craned his neck and looked at the area everybeast was fussing over, but it seemed like the candelabra, if it was there, was swallowed by shadows again almost as soon as the marten had pointed it out. Thanks to Celebes' innovation, though, maybe it would be easier. Who knew that melty torch goo could be such a useful tool? "You were really considering throwin' the whole torch?" Roach asked wryly, smirking at the otter. The smouldering glob was working wonders-- Roach's keen rat eyes picked up on more glittering from the area, and when he stood on the tips of his paws, he could make out a shadow. "Yep, that's it, all right!" he exclaimed, so overcome with the rush of treasure finding that he threw grins at the lot of them, even Stanwick. "Y'think they'll tell stories about us?" he addressed the group. "If we spruce it up some, say like... 'the four brave creatures what risked their lives ag'i'n' blazing fire and battled ghosts to find Tsarmina's cursed candelabra'— it's got a ring to it, don't it? Sure, we 'aven't encountered ghosts so far, but I won't tell if you don't."
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Post by Fyri on Sept 29, 2023 11:04:35 GMT -5
Fyri's line of sight travelled along her own paw, still kept up, pointing the way like a waymark guiding weary travellers to Redwall Abbey. It trembled like a reed in the wind as the word 'climb' was still echoing in her head. The mere prospect was exciting her. Her quivering did not lessen, oh no, not in the slightest when Celebes spoke… “Well if there's a riddle for it, its a might fine too dark to see it, mateys” …Riddle! The word made not just cogs but entire windmills turn in her head, recalling the rhyme she’d dismissed rather off-pawedly upon their departure. Harken, ye beast, if tis my treasure ye seek… A smile spread slowly across her face as she imagined what they may find and– "Y'think they'll tell stories about us?" Fyri quickly covered her mouth to stifle the little giggle that was threatening to escape. Her ears perked up, her whiskers were erect, her tail slightly bushier. Her fur still tingling pleasantly from Stanwicks comforting touch, the light crackle shot to her spine, running across her body like a current. In the flickering flames, her icy blue eyes glittered like rime on a frosty winter morn. “but I won't tell if you don't.”Her arm finally lowered, brusquely, as she skipped forward. Putting one paw on the lukewarm wall beneath the alcove, she turned with a wide grin and sparkling eyes to Roach. “Nae, if tis a tale, leave it tae me tae tell!” She grinned as she looked at Celebes and Stanwick in turn. “En I canst make it rhyme as well!” Feeling as in her element as the pine marten could inside a hot and damp old tower hallway, and further emboldened by the others’ presence and the weasel’s reassuring words, Fyri’s normal caution was thrown to the wind. She rubbed her paws together, did a quick assessment of the wall and then, with gusto, launched herself at it. The surface was drier here than elsewhere in the hallway, no doubt thanks to the recent blaze, so the risk of slipping was lower. Even so, she prioritized speed, using the momentum of her jump to carry her to her goal: the alcove of wonders. She lingered there, briefly, the dark inside faintly glowing a warm red that got ever dimmer. The glob Celebes had thrown up here could only stay alight for so long. She lifted one paw and moved it towards the glimmers inside the blackness. A slight pause, a gulp as her initial adrenaline rush was losing its potency, and then, with a determined look burning on her face, she thrust her paw into the unknown. “I got it!” Fyri exclaimed triumphantly, as her paw felt the cool sensation of metal brushing against her palm. She caressed it, feeling, trying to determine its shape and size. “Tis only as big as my paw…” She reported with a grunt as she tried to pull it out. The thing refused to budge. Getting a firmer grip, she tried again, and again, and again… “ Ngyuuh..! Come… on…!” She tugged, pulled, twisted and even tried to verbally coerce it but try as she might the treasure would not budge. “Tis like it’s bin glued stuck in ‘ere…!” One paw was still clinging to the edge of the alcove, claws out for better grip on the scorched stone. She'd need to deploy it as well. Shifting her weight and digging in her backpaws as best she could, she took a deep breath before placing both paws on the strangely stubborn shiny. A memory of warrior shouting to fully utilize their strength (apparently it wasn't just done to scare your opponent witless!) drifted across her mind and doing her best to mimic one, she let out a battle cry that turned into a very particular blend of amused laughing, grunting and restrained shouting.
"NGHYAAAAAAAAHAHAAAAAAA!!!"
Plop!
And then, just as like that, her arms flew backwards, high up in the air above her head. Aloft in them, she held not a candelabra but a golden paw with pads of emerald and claws of jet black obsidian with the bottom stained in sticky yellow! In that moment, Fyri hung in the air, only connected by her backpaws that slid off from the force she'd exerted. Her pleased smile at her victory fell as she noticed another gleam or two... or three... or four... from the alcove. And then the rest of her body fell. Accompanied by the buzz of fast-beating wings and the sound of a pine marten in distress.
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justcog
Active Dibbun
Posts: 63
Main: Stanwick the Repentant
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Post by justcog on Sept 29, 2023 17:06:30 GMT -5
Once he was sure Roach was steady, Stanwick would release his grip on the rat, albeit somewhat roughly. As Celebes took a portion of the torch and lobbed it up to the ceiling, the weasel would give an impressed hum as he lowered his shield to rest against his legs. Very cunning otter, he was glad to be in their company. Squinting once more, Stanwick could just barely make out the faintest shine up above, making him grin at the sight.
"Yep, that's it, all right!"
"Aye, that's it." Stanwick mumbled in agreement before shifting his gaze over to Celebes and lightly prodding them with his elbow.
"Good throw." He complimented simply before his eyes then shifted to Fyri as she prepared to climb. Stanwick opened his maw to offer a paw to help, or to suggest using his shield as a starting point again like at the base of the tower, but as she began to race up the wall, the weasel would instead stay silent. He watched her climb diligently, eyes focusing on her more than the alcove above. Though when she finally reached the top, Stanwick's on-edge posture relaxed slightly.
“I got it!”
"That's great! Jus'... be careful comin' down!" Stanwick shouted back up to her, cupping his paws around his mouth to focus the sound towards her. It was likely somewhat funny hearing the warrior weasel sound like a concerned badger mum... though the immediate glare towards Roach just DARING him to make a comment was more in line with a badger than anything else.
"NGHYAAAAAAAAHAHAAAAAAA!!!"
Hearing Fyri's war cry above, Stanwick immediately returned his attention upwards, only to see the pine marten swiftly falling down towards him.
"Brace!" Stanwick exclaimed, taking a step down to ready himself for the impeding impact of Fyri. He managed to get his arms up just in time! Catching her, Stanwick would grunt from the weight buckle against the wall, almost beginning to tumble down the stairs if some beast didn't help him keep his balance.
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