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Post by bookity101 on Mar 1, 2009 22:07:13 GMT -5
Luxe Calone jostled slightly as the cart he was in went over a dip in the road. He rubbed his tail ruefully as the cart went over another bump. "Oi! Driver!!" Luxe called over the din of the squeaking wheels. As the plain gray rat turned to look at him, his hand rose to the ax handle that stuck out over his right shoulder. "Yeah!? Whaddya want Luxo?" The rat called over to him. Luxe shook his head, Dumb rat can't even get my name right. "When do we get to Thorpe?" He called back, as he did, a mansion in the distance caught his eye, Wonder who lives there? he thought. The rat flicked his whip near Lux’s face, Luxe caught in his paw as it came back again. “Watch were you flick that thing, Ok bub?” He ‘asked’ as he let the rat tug the whip from his paw. “We’ll be there in a couple of hours, but I’m stopping for lunch in about an hour.” The rat called back to him, as he sullenly turned forwards again. Then the rat seemed to brighten up. He cracked his whip again careful to keep it away from the big ferret. Then an oily grin spilled across his face as he remembered where we as stopping for lunch, that stupid ferret would regret annoying him….
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lux stretched scratched, comfortable on the warm grass with the sun in his face. He pulled off the battle ax, admiring the work that had gone into. It was a beauty of a piece. His Master had given it to him when he passed the exams for Journeyman. A design of ivy flowed up the handle to splay across the ax heads. The design was new, that Luxe had helped come up with. The double headed broad ax, the only thing about it was that it a had am as head on both ends of the leather wrapped metal pole. Only somebeast with muscles like a blacksmith had would be able to lift, much less swing it. Luxe then committed the most dangerous thing he could do in that situation, he fell asleep. Lulled by the soft grass and warm sun, he failed to notice the motley group of vermin sneaking up on him…
((Open Thread))
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Post by Ladorak on Mar 2, 2009 1:12:32 GMT -5
Caden was bored. He was staring out the large front window of Ladorak's manor, wishing he could go back....leave this island...or at the very least kick some shins. Ladorak of course would reprimand him....stupid old stoat...why couldn't he just let him alone? He wasn't his father...not even close. And he most CERTAINLY wasn't his mother either.
A cart was rattling up on it's way to Thorpe, and it caught the albino kit's eyes. Hmm...a rat and a ferret were riding along in it. Maybe they could take him out of here! But alas....Ladorak was sitting close by, reading a book. The Voyages chronicled by Dampier, one of his favorites in terms of a series. Caden slunk off the window seat, beginning to move towards the door.
"Caden...let's not go anywhere right now, OK? If you're hungry I'll get you something to eat." Caden muttered something darkly at Ladorak's works, and skulked back to his seat. He angrily looked out the window, Ladorak raising his eyes from his book to do the same as he heard the rattle of a cart. Odd....not many carts came out this way.
His bespectacled eyes followed the cart, taking note it held a ferret and a rat driver. Interesting......but Ladorak shifted his eyes down to his book again. He really needed to make some progress today. Without being at sea...reading about it was the next best thing for him. Dampier had traveled the globe, and had detailed his journeys extensively in words.
It didn't take long. Ladorak had turned a few pages, Caden had asked a few questions....and then Caden had stirred noticeably in his seat. Ladorak looked up again. The cart had stopped a good distance away, and the two occupants were out of it now. But.....something was wrong. The traveling ferret seemed to be unaware of group of ruffians sneaking up on him. Ladorak frowned. Caden seemed intrigued. A fight! A real fight! Maybe a murder too! Caden was suddenly interested now.
Damn....Ladorak's eyes darted to his sword, the Midlight Hammer on the wall, mounted above the mantelpiece. But no...he had sworn never to take that down unless it was a time of war.....he couldn't remove it. Rising quickly and setting the book down, the ermine moved fast, his black tar tip of a tail turning in to a blur on his otherwise white fur as he moved over to a locked cabinet. Ladorak withdrew some keys. The constable probably was in town, not out here in the outskirts.
Unlocking the cabinet, Ladorak withdrew a simple yet sturdy blade. Caden's pink eyes widened as it flashed before the ermine, being held in his stout paws. Ladorak...never wanted to hurt others unless it was in combat...he had nearly sworn off fighting but....with no other choice, he would have to pitch in to this to save that ferret. "Caden.....stay here....do NOT leave the house." Ladorak ordered the kit as he moved to the door and quickly ran outside.
Caden eagerly watched. No matter what happened....somebeast would end up dead! This was the kind of thing he'd been waiting for!
Ladorak's hind paws smashed through the grass. Off to his right he could see a another cart, mouse drive, heading towards Thorpe as well. He wasn't sure who it was, but he let out a yell to startle his opponents and catch them off guard as he charged up behind them......sword ready to swing in to the nearest enemy.....
**********
Ladorak was in luck as the approaching cart contained none other than the Right Honorable Montegu Sylver, self-titled weasel sleuth and brilliant detective of Muggidrear. He was actually out here to pay a social call on Ladorak, but found that the stoat had somehow ended up in a scuffle.
"Driver! Hold fast!" he exclaimed excitedly. "That's Fugate alright, and the scoundrel's gone and got himself in to a bit of a scrape, oh what fun!" Monty leapt off the cart, landing lithely on his hind paws. Drawing the hidden sword from his silver handled cane, the weasel charged forward in support of Ladorak, itching for a good fight as his green cloak flapped out behind him and his top hat flew off his brow and on to the grass behind him. Monty was quick, agile, and very swift on his feet whereas Ladorak was strong, powerful and nearly irresistible in his attacks. The two would probably make a good team....provided the thugs weren't scared off at the start.
The two were converging now at right angles to the group of ruffians, and it looked as if battle would soon be joined if the thugs weren't outright frightened off......
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Post by bookity101 on Mar 4, 2009 22:11:01 GMT -5
Luxe jerked awake when he heard a wild yell from behind him, but he couldn't take much notice of because of the scythe blade that was trying to implant itself in his chest. Rolling to one side, he jumped to his feet and swung his fist at the stoat who had tried to kill him. The stoat didn't know what sent him sprawling to the ground dazed. Luxe jumped over him and rolled to avoid a sword swipe to his head. As he came up he had his ax in hands. He spared a glance over his shoulder, the yeller was an ermine who looked in good shape and was swinging a sturdy sword as if he meant business, the ermine was quickly joined by a weasel in a flapping green coat who was waving a slender sword. After a glance over his other shoulder and did a quick count of beast against them, about 15 he guessed, sense some of them were running back to the woods. Blocking a clumsy strike to the head, he fought his way over to were the weasel and stoat stood. "Hey thanks for the yell there, that guy almost had me there." He said, directing his words to the stoat. Without another word he stepped away from them and began swinging his ax around in large circles, to the point were you could not distinguish the heads from one another. The defense he had come up was superb, as it made almost all strikes fall where his paws was not, the one problem with it is he had never fought someone with a whip before, and since he was unable to devote his full attention to just one opponent. Luxe never saw the leather whip that wound its way around his neck and jerked him off balance, causing him to slice open his own leg. "Ouof!' was the only sound he made as he fell to the ground. Oh great, he thought Now I'm just in the way! Luxe didn't have much time for complaining though, the rat was coming at him again... ((He's not as useless as he seems, he's just having a bad day )
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Post by Ladorak on Mar 5, 2009 0:45:02 GMT -5
((No problem, it can happen to any character...I think it makes it more fun that way to be honest as I enjoy it doing it myself from time to time. ) With a whirling display of rather unique blade skills, the traveling stoat was able to defend himself for a brief time before being caught up in a whip that caused him to sprawl on to the ground in a heap. Ladorak saw that there were....far more enemies than he had thought. Around 15....but why? That was unusual for bandits. Holding and paying a group that large was difficult at best for outlaws, so either these guys had a really good financial setup or.....they had all just come together for whatever purpose and were new. A group this large would definitely attract the constable though, which would be good....or bad, depending on how violent this group was. Ladorak hated killing as well....but he would if necessary. Hacking at the beast with the whip, he aimed to maim, not to kill. If these blaggards could be frightened off....he'd do far better for himself. Monty of course was a master at the swift chops and thrusts, masterfully parrying blows from two ferrets at once. He would duck and weave, his skills learned from his pal Scruff coming in exceedingly handy. He too aimed to slash and cut, but not kill, as he didn't believe in personally killing others either unless absolutely necessary...but so far, unlike Ladorak, Montegu Sylver had never taken a life. Ladorak's powerful form had cut deeply in to the whip holding arm of his adversary, and cut clean down to the bone. Damn....he hated doing this needlessly....but it WAS to protect another. He was certain this wouldn't look good on his record either....he just seemed to draw trouble for whatever reason. He was fighting to protect a complete stranger...but as life was precious, so too could it be thrown away if another life was in danger. Monty was moving quite rapidly, not tiring out yet as he practically danced his way with his cane sword. He was quite the formidable adversary, and it looked as if the brigands had so far failed to get a single hit on the wily detective. Ladorak, for his part, decided to make an example of these bandits, mostly because the odds were stacked against him and Monty. Gritting his teeth and silently hoping the beast would forgive him, he plunged his blade deep in to the chest of one of the foes, causing a deep wound that would more likely than not prove fatal. "There's no reason for the rest of you to die needlessly!" Ladorak shouted as he withdrew the blade, his opponent collapsing and spasming before him. A whistle shriek could be heard as well off in the distance, and Ladorak could see that the town constable was rushing towards the scuffle with his two deputies. Seemingly fearless, Ladorak didn't want this to escalate any further. Caden was watching the fight from the household, mystified at how Ladorak fought. How could he possibly be that good? "I'll give you one chance....one chance only to leave this place....or else the fight will go on and you'll all either wind up dead or under arrest." Ladorak only hoped they'd take his threats seriously. He didn't WANT to kill anymore but.....if he had to....he would. He deplored taking lives but.....there was no getting around it. Monty would never kill, even in self defense, but it seemed as if the weasel had an idea. Pushing himself back a bit after fending off numerous attackers, the crafty weasel drew a pistol, a small derringer that he always carried with him in addition to the sword. The constable and deputies would be armed with pistols in addition to their nightsticks, and the guns at least would help to even the odds. Ladorak would carry a gun....but he was a horrible shot. Monty however, was not, and stood back, waving the pistol about and causing the ones who had focused on him to stop dead in their tracks for fear of getting shot. Monty's was single shot, as were most flintlocks, but it was better than nothing. "Alright you blackhearts! Back! All of you! There's plenty more where this came from after all! If you all don't want to get yourselves killed.....you'll do as the stoat says!" he bellowed, pulling both hammers back on the flintlock pistol and adopting a serious tone. He was bluffing of course, not intending to shoot any of them, but they didn't know that. His pistol was actually double barreled, so he would get two shots, though only could fire each once. He moved it back and forth over the group, and this seemed to get their attention as the constable and his posse drew closer. Some townsbeasts were also turning out as well, with their own muskets and weapons, and it seemed as if the tide would soon turn against the bandits. Monty's eyes gleamed a bit triumphantly as he stood back from the group, wondering what their reaction would be. Some had already retreated....would the rest do the same?
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Post by bookity101 on Mar 5, 2009 23:57:56 GMT -5
Luxe lay half-crumpled on the ground, trying to stop the bleeding from his leg. It was hopeless, unless he got some medical attention to his leg soon, he might just bleed out. Trying to prevent this he tore off some of his linen shirt to wrap it up, using his ax as a make shift crutch, he hobbled his way towards the now standing still, gun wielding weasel, when he took a very un-dignified sprawl across a beast on the ground. As Luxe stood up, he noticed the rather ugly chest wound in the rat that he had fallen on. It looked fatal, and the beast was in the middle of what appeared to be a very painful spasm attack. Leaning down he struck the beast one the chin, knocking him unconscious. Continuing on, but this time watching where he put his feet, he managed to get behind the weasel, thinking that this would be the most prudent action at the moment. Peering around he counted 7 beasts still standing, all of the others had either fled, or were on the ground on various states of pain. "Alright you blackhearts! Back! All of you! There's plenty more where this came from after all! If you all don't want to get yourselves killed.....you'll do as the stoat says!"
Luxe smiled to himself as several of the weaker willed beast dropped their weapons at the threat of being shot with a small derringer. But there was only one problem with the weasels plan, he only had two shots, and there were seven of them. Unfortunately, a tough looking rat with a sickle blade noticed this at the same time as Luxe did.
“Oi, Pretty coat, you got two shots in that toy there. What you gonna do when that toy of yerse runs out-a shots?” Called the rat, his back to the approaching officers and townspeople. Personally, Luxe wanted to know that one as well…
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Post by Ladorak on Mar 6, 2009 1:17:13 GMT -5
Monty only offered a smile in response, shaking his head. Ladorak meanwhile had moved quickly, going about and kicking away the weapons of the bandits who had dropped theirs and forcing them to stand away from those that had not by sword point. He kept a close watch on them, ready to spring forward if any of them even so much as flinched.
Monty was grinning now, seeing that the posse was getting closer...and once they were within roughly 250 yards, the muskets could be used. He was offering protection for the traveling stoat now, and well he would bloody well protect this fellow! "Oh I won't have to worry about firing a shot there my good rat. But they....heheh, they will." he pointed with his free paw behind the rat, where the posse was just about coming in to range now, many having already loaded their muskets and were getting ready to fire. About 4 had muskets, and the constable and his deputies had pistols, which they would use at closer range of course.
"It's your choice now!" Monty said, puffing out his chest and ready to fire if any of them lunged forward. "I'd suggest surrendering now, you'll be spared and at worst probably sent off to the hulks as you haven't killed anybeast yet." He explained, the hulks being old hulks of ships that were moored in the river Bronn to keep the prisoners away from civilization. It would be a harsh life, but probably one better than getting shot. There was a small chance that a few of them could still escape, but Monty doubted that at this rate. His grin remained as he stood before the rat, almost squaring off with him in a way. "I believe it is your move." the weasel said in a rather defiant tone as he stared hard at the rat, showing he meant business.
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Post by bookity101 on Mar 6, 2009 23:21:17 GMT -5
The rat took a glance over his shoulder, paled. Dropping his sword he began to make a move towards the woods, hands raised. Luxe smiled slightly to himself, then raised a paw to his forehead, slightly dizzy from blood loss.
"Thanks to you my friend, With out you and the gentleman there, I would be bleeding out somewhere on this field." He said with a smile, "I'm Luxe Calone, Journeyman Blacksmith." Pausing a moment he continued, "I'd shake your paw, if it didn't include you dropping that gun of yours to do so." He finished with a cheeky grin.
Luxe shifted his weight, and a muffled a groan of pain escaped as he put to much weight on his injured paw.
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Post by Ladorak on Mar 8, 2009 10:13:43 GMT -5
"It was a pleasure Jal Calone!" Monty quipped, grinning. He slowly moved the hammers back down on his pistol so as to avoid firing them. By this point the authorities and townsbeasts were busy gathering up the bandits who had remained and were working on binding their paws with strong cords. Thorpe was not used to trouble such as this.....but these convicts would be shipped far off to Muggidrear to either rot on the hulks or else get moved across the sea for hard labor in the colonies.
"Allow me to introduce myself, the Right Honorable Montegu Sylver, at your service." Monty reached up for his hat, but then remembered it had blown off when he made his charge. "Ah, it seems I lack a cap to doff I'm afraid." He clicked his teeth in amusement, an old form of mustelid laughter that still survived in some circles.
"You're wounded." Ladorak said, moving over to help Luxe now that the town had the situation under control and he no longer had to guard his prisoners. "You look like you'll need some help." the ermine stated in a concerned tone.
"Ah! So he does! Forgive me, here I was introducing myself when your health and safety must take full priority. That over there is Jal Ladorak Fugate." Monty motioned towards Ladorak as the the latter knelt down to get a look at the injury. Jal, in case Luxe did not know, was the equivalent of "Mr" in Galdea, and Jis would be the equivalent of "Ms, or Mrs." It derived from the old usage of jacks to describe males, and jills to describe females.
"Yeah.....you're going to have to get that sutured.....I'm not sure the town doctor is a surgeon, but do you think you could walk with us down to his office? It isn't terribly far from here....hold on......" Ladorak removed his shirt, something that caused some of the other townsbeasts to cringe. They knew he was a sailor but still.....such a thing for a gentlemammal to do in public was rather....straightforward. Monty merely clicked his teeth in amusement at their chagrin. Ladorak's white furred chest was now bare, but he seemed not to mind it as he bit in to a sleeve and tore the shirt in to a piece he was looking for.
"Could you get me a stick?" Ladorak asked of Monty, who quickly obliged him. Tying the shirt tightly around Luxe's leg to cut off blood flow, Ladorak looped the stick through the shirt and twisted it in order to effect tourniquet. "There you are....that should stop the bleeding at at least, but we'd need to get you to the doctor. Do you think you can make it if we accompanied you?" the now bare chested ermine asked as the wind ruffled his exposed fur. It was thick and actually somewhat fluffy, being his winter coat. Ladorak was sort of embarrassed by it as he didn't have a coarser, more rustic looking coat. For some reason his genetics ended up giving him a fluffy, softer looking coat than most males tended to sport in the winter.
"Indeed, it's not a far walk like Jal Fugate said, you think you're well enough to make it?" Monty chimed in, having left briefly to retrieve his cane and hat, replacing the sword into the cane and balancing his hat back upon his brow.
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Post by bookity101 on Mar 9, 2009 21:28:36 GMT -5
Luxe bit his lip as Jal Fugate wrapped his shirt around bleeding leg. "There you are....that should stop the bleeding at at least, but we'd need to get you to the doctor. Do you think you can make it if we accompanied you?" Luxe cocked his head, thinking a little. "Indeed, it's not a far walk like Jal Fugate said, you think you're well enough to make it?" Assured Jal Sylver.
Luxe grimaced as he tried to put more weight in his injured paw. "I'll make it if somebeast can support me on my left, I think.." Finished Luxe with a pained grin.
"So what brings two sword wielders to the defense of a defenseless idiot?" asked Luxe with a slight grin, aiming his question at the two beasts who had saved his skin.
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Post by Ladorak on Mar 9, 2009 23:48:15 GMT -5
"I can support you." Ladorak said as he placed a strong forelimb around Luxe, helping to support the stoat's weight and keep him upright. He moved slowly so as to avoid rushing Luxe and causing him further pain. Monty stayed close by to make to lend a paw if need be as they walked.
"Oh....I just can't stand by when another's life is put in danger in unfair odds. I mean.....I know it's probably none of my business, but I had to get involved. I don't even know you, but I know honest and decent beasts don't attack in a cowardly fashion as those scum that attacked you did. So yes...I figured you were the innocent one in this." Ladorak explained as he held on to Luxe in order to keep him supported as they drew closer to the town doctor.
"Hah! An....interesting way of putting it Jal Fugate, but then again you were always on the logical side of things." Monty clicked his teeth in appreciation of his acquaintance. "And well, I decided to join in as Jal Fugate I know is an honorable sort, and wouldn't engage in a fight on the wrong side so to speak." was the weasel's explanation.
"Speaking of which, why ARE you here Jal Sylver? You almost never come out here to the country. I'm almost always the one seeing you in Muggidrear at the club...which admittedly I don't frequent as much anymore. So that begs the question....why are you all the way out here?" Ladorak responded with a question of his own now as the white building of the town clinic rose up before them. It was more of a house than a hospital, but that's what you got with small towns like this.
"Ah yes....I have been meaning to say.....but I think it's best if we get Jal....Calone here, to the doctor." Monty stated, taking a moment to recall Luxe's name.
Ladorak nodded, and opened the door with his free paw. "Can I ask what brings you to Thorpe then Jal Calone? You mentioned journeyman blacksmith.....you have business here then...or are you on vacation?" the ermine wasn't sure if he was right or not. Creatures did sometimes come to Thorpe to visit....though it was mostly a fishing village and not known for anything particularly scenic or historic. Still....sometimes a nice countryside village did the trick for some beasts though.....it all boiled down to why Luxe was out here in the first place.
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