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Post by Carrow on Feb 21, 2010 12:08:45 GMT -5
Cerinus watched all this from a distance, once again in the position of onlooker. Now and then, his brown eyes shifted their gaze from Caden and Elle to the fireworks. He couldn't remember witnessing such things before, and it saddened him that he had never seen such sights as these fireworks. The mouse stood, looking back and forth between the two martens, and this new spectacle.
He sighed as he watched the two mustelids talk. He knew his time would come. Somewhere, and somehow. But strange as it sounded, the dibbun mouse couldn't see himself as romantic material. Caden and Elle seemed perfect for each other, but the wood mouse thought of himself, and with drooping whiskers was forced to admit that he didn't see himself as attractive, in any sense whatsoever.
Oh, in the name of mice! he thought. I told myself I wouldn't allow myself to be dragged down by thoughts like this, but I just... can't help it. I don't know, I still feel like some sort of outsider, much as I hate to admit it. Oh well. Cerinus, just try to take what you can out of the rest of the night, okay, matey? It's not all bad, right...?
He turned his attention back to the fireworks, lost in thought. ..."Shall we check out the playroom then?" Caden's voice. It was quite soft. Reassuring, almost. It was also enough to snap the young rodent out of his despondent reverie. His head came up, and he met the pine marten's gaze. "Oh... sure. I'd quite like to, actually. Whenever you'd like."
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Post by Ladorak on Feb 21, 2010 23:53:06 GMT -5
"Over fear?" he asked, opening his eyes now. "Yes...I suppose you're right. Fear....it's something I feel very infrequently...and rarely to any great extent. There are some things that cause it...but I try not to dwell." He felt strange again...and knew exactly why. Why was he such a sap!? He felt a compulsion...a compulsion to whisper in her ear that he loved her...and that he never wanted to be apart from her ever again after tonight.
But that was so stupid! How could he call this love? It was only his longing for companionship in life....but then again...wasn't that love? Biting down hard to keep himself from speaking those words, Ladorak Fugate smiled behind his clenched jaw.
"Yes" he said thickly. "Whiskey would be good....though for later as you said. Do have to make sure I have a place to actually stay tonight. I don't think I'll be returning to Burnham Thorpe anymore. If you do wish to meet.....Chatham would work best. It's where the Agamemnon is docked." he instructed her, passing along the information as if it were nothing.
But...he wanted to speak up so badly. His body was aching to let those words slip by his lips. "Molly...." he began slowly, gazing down at her and moving his snout close to her ear again. I love you....I want you....I need you..... too many things to really name....but none of them left his lips. He hovered there...tight lipped and unable to speak. Well....this was a shame.
Instead he opted to just reopen his eyes and gaze at her longingly, but without being able to say why. What a complicated and wretched thing was love. You travel halfway around the world and nine years later you're a Captain. You go through life acting as if it's perfect...until life drops Molly Serra in front of you....and realize everything you've been searching for is oddly enough....right here. Perfect Fugate....and all you manage to say to her is her name? What a wonderful ermine you are! Seductive, sweeping her off her paws for sure! he bitterly thought.
Why had he actually fallen for her? They were just past acquaintances right? It didn't extend beyond that...it couldn't....or did it? Letting a light chuckle escape his lips, he shrugged. "I guess I'm just at a loss for words tonight....or I like saying your name. Maybe I did have a bit much to drink earlier....oh well. It is close to the hour where the guests must depart though. I summoned my carriage a little while ago. I suppose...reluctantly...I must depart presently. But...only for one or two hours tops." he said, giving her a wink now.
It felt like his heart were being rent in pieces by him not telling her...but no! If they met again tonight those words would not leave his lips....somehow he just knew it. He would keep it strictly "business." If it hurt.....well it soon wouldn't, that much he knew. Giving her a warm look, he raised his brows a bit in a knowing manner, wearing his mask well.
****************
Caden moved over to Cerinus, who seemed to be lost in thought. "Hey Cerinus...you think too much it makes your head hurt." the albino said with a chuckle, nudging the mouse with his elbow. "Come on! Cheer up! You got aboard a warship! Should be happy! Not....contemplative!" he finally settled on that particular adjective.
"Come on....let's go see what's going on in the playroom." He began to lead the know, hearing the happy cries of dibbuns from around the corner. But when he poked his head into the room and saw Spender being used as a trampoline he couldn't help but grin and burst out laughing. "Hah! Look! I didn't know Spender made for such a good bounce!" he exclaimed. He moved aside, standing just off center of the doorway so the other two could see.
Huh....he seemed to be engrossed in some sort of...execution fantasy or something. He was absorbed in playing with....dolls? O...K.....well Caden had certainly seen everything tonight.
***************
The porter clattered up with the Fugate carriage. "Fugate carriage, ready to go." the long tailed weasel said casually as he slid down from the driver's seat with all the grace of a snake. There was some sort of oily charm about this one.
He glanced up at the sky, frowning a bit. It was snowing.....why couldn't it be raining? Rain was...superior....it had a ceaseless quality about it...and made for such good methods of....art one might say. "Who is Fugate?" he asked, still watching the falling snow.
"Fugate? Uh....he was...." the marten behind the desk scratched his head. "Oh yeah! He was the ermine who spoke with me about a half hour ago. I remember him now! Naval officer.....strange though, as he arrived with a...albino pine marten kit." The weasel's ears perked up at this, and he looked over at his fellow mustelid.
"A pine marten kit you say? About how old?"
"Hm? Um....well I dunno....not quite stripling I'd say." was the marten's response. The weasel stared intently at him now, which caused the doorjack to pull at his collar nervously.
"Really? And Fugate came alone?" he grilled.
"Um...yes I think so."
"Is he single or married?"
"I...I don't know! What do you care for anyway!?" the doorjack demanded. The weasel paused with a frown upon his face, then smiled in a smarmy way.
"Nothing.....I meant nothing by it. Might want to let Fugate know his carriage is here...oh and his driver as well."
Creep.... the doorjack thought as he nodded and signaled one of the attendants over.
The porter stood, transfixed and seemingly staring off into space. Fugate....do you experience pain? Are you alone? And if so......why do you have an albino marten kit with you....and more importantly....what is your attachment to him?
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Post by Carrow on Feb 22, 2010 11:49:10 GMT -5
The three made their way down to the playroom, Caden leading, and Cerinus following along behind her, with Elle bringing up the rear. Pine marten and mouse were discussing a few things. "Well, I suppose you could say that, but then I've always been the kind of creature who would have enough, maybe even too much, on their mind at any particular time. I've been like that again just there, thinking about things I should be doing my best to forget about for the moment. Especially," and here, rhe rodent's eyes lit up, "especially with creatures like you two for company!"
This seemed to cheer him up considerably, and he caught up with Caden. The dibbun wood mouse was prone to having these mood swings quite frequently. Then again, he did have more things that might set him off than most others did. "But I really would rather we drop this line of conversation for the moment, matey. 's that alright with you?," Cerinus asked with a grin. The mouse had good hearing, and he too was able to make out the squeals of delight coming from within the playroom. All those creatures must be having the time of their lives in there, he thought.
Along with his marten friend, the youngster glanced inside, and when his eyes caught sight of Spender, he almost collapsed right away. He hadn't been prepared for anything like this at all, and the sight of the ferret, one, being used as a trampoline; and two, not seeming to mind it in the slightest, quite literally took his breath away. How could this be the same creature who had so nearly attempted to knock him flat earlier on?
He turned to Caden once more, and from the mirth in his friend's eyes, Cerinus could see rather well what he was thinking, and the mouse's thoughts were running along much the same lines. The mouse, who seemed in better spirits already, nudged the albino marten, commenting, "Hah, I didn't know you mustelids were such springy creatures, mate! I must say that our ferret friend here looks to be serving his purpose rather well!"
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Post by Ladorak on Feb 25, 2010 17:34:14 GMT -5
"Hey!" Caden said, grabbing Cerinus and shoving him playfully into the hall. "We aren't THAT springy! I think Spender is cause he doesn't have much inside of him that would give him much substance. Seemed like a pretty shallow bugger to me." the marten murmured as he walked away from the door and started heading in the general direction of the party. "I'm sure none of us want to go in there with him, so let's see what's going on with the party...and Ladorak." he added, mentioning his now favorite ermine.
The albino wasn't sure what it was about Ladorak that he kept liking more and more, but deep down Caden knew he was gradually accepting him as a father now. He still wasn't ready to admit to that, but he was getting closer.
There was that issue with his mother that Spender brought up, but he would deal with that later. He could hear the music drifting over to them. The party was probably winding down by now. It was getting late and beasts had places to be.
Caden really didn't want the night to end however as he knew it meant saying goodbye to Cerinus....though he'd see him in a few days. Elle however he probably wouldn't, and that caused him to start twisting up inside.
"Mmmm....I guess after tonight I won't see you much." He said softly to Elle as he walked, the party becoming visible in the distance. "I do want to write to you though, and um....well.....would....would you like something to at least remember..me by?" he asked, first fast and then slow and then fast and finally slow again. Remember him by!? Where had that come from!?
Caden was surprising even himself tonight, and he thought of what he could possibly give her now that he'd asked her that. His memory band jingled around his neck, the gold name plates clinking as they brushed each other. Wait.....what about the plate with his name on it?
But no...he couldn't give that up....but then again why not? It was just his name....and he knew who he was. Well if she said yes he could consider it, and if no then he'd just hang on to it for now. "I mean Cerinus I'll be seeing in a few days, for that training! Can't wait for that by the way!" he exclaimed, giving the younger mouse a grin now.
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Post by Carrow on Feb 26, 2010 12:18:31 GMT -5
Cerinus chuckled at his new friend's explanation for the unsociable ferret's springiness as he rapidly back-pedalled out of the playroom and whirled around to face his friend, his eyes shining. "I like to think that creatures such as him aren't all that bad once you get to know them. I could be completely off base with Spender, of course, but I'm going to stick by that now - even though he was a whisker away from knocking me into the middle of next season."
The young rodent smiled. The mustelid certainly was feisty. "But yes, I wonder what Mister Fugate has been up to. His night's been just as eventful as ours, I shouldn't wonder. I've really enjoyed myself tonight, Caden," the mouse told the albino pine marten, placing a friendly paw on his shoulder as the pair stood observing their surroundings. ...and the for the first time in years, I can say I'm glad to be alive, he thought, concluding the sentence in his own head. He was trying his very best to escape those thoughts tonight, but, well, he just couldn't.
The young wood mouse knew that his friend would miss Elle a lot more than he did because of the connection between them - though of course that wasn't to say the dibbun wouldn't miss having her around either. He went over to the beech marten as well, smiling at her. "I've rather enjoyed your company tonight, miss Elle," the mouse said softly, sounding a tad shy. "Fates know when I'll see you again... hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later. We're going to have our own adventures, and maybe, just maybe, a couple of years down the line, we'll see each other again."
With that said, Cerinus turned away, slight tears forming in his eyes. He'd known the beech marten for only a few hours, and now he was going to lose her, just as he'd lost so many other things in his short existence. It just wasn't fair, he thought, but who am I to act surprised things would turn out this way? I'm more used to things like this happening than creatures my age should be.
The best he could return Caden's grin was with a small smile of his own. True, nor could he wait for training to commence, but if the mouse'd had to sum up the night right there and then in one word, he would have chosen bittersweet.
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Post by spender on Feb 27, 2010 9:40:46 GMT -5
"Chatham," Molly repeated dutifully. "I'll be there." She tapped his nose. "Count on it."
And drunk as a Christmas turkey...
"I don't suppose it would be imposing... were I to ride along?" She chuckled. "I made no plans on having Featherston's carriage return for me... I won't be a bother, I promise. You can drop me off along the way - I've a friend or two, I think, to pay a short visit to. They wouldn't mind being pestered at this hour. I should be fine borrowing their transportation to meet you later..."
~ ~ ~
Spender's Scuffle-Senses tingled. Somebeast was being yanked about somewhere closeby! And worst of all, it wasn't him doing it.
But by the time he'd struggled free enough to turn his head towards the door, whoever it was had gone and shut it again. The ferret grunted and turned back to his game - only to realise in his distraction, the female kits had stolen their dolls back.
He made do with a few rectangle bricks.
"He's runnin' down th' alley, get 'im! 'Oh no, my petuniaaaaas!' Ewww, flower mulch on my paws! 'Argh argh argh, why are th' soldiers shooting at meeee?' VreeeoowwwKRPFFF! Pew pew pew!"
~ ~ ~
A lone ferret stumbled through the dark. His clothes, while fitting, did not seem to be arranged properly on his frame; they hung haggard, giving the impression of rags despite the fine fabrics they were made of. He sported a black eye, and half his teeth were missing. He walked with a slight limp.
He also walked straight into a bush.
He clutched at his face and swore, and in the lamplight, one could see his left paw had but four claws on it, his pointer missing.
He smelled of booze and desperation. He had musked himself when he heard the dull echo of the fireworks, and threw himself from the bar in a frenzy. His eyesight was fine, as far as shapes went, but he was colourblind. In his drunken stupor, he could not comprehend the fireworks. Lights in the sky, loud noises - he'd never experienced fireworks before, and so could only liken them to the firing of cannons.
Ten years ago, if you had told him that there were devices which could launch round balls of metal at uncanny speeds without the use of a very big winding mechanism, he would have told you to stuff a shark in your maw. But living outside the Vulpine Imperium had opened his eyes to the true horrors of warfare (he simply chose to forget about them the next day.) And now he was scared spitless for his son's safety.
If only he could find the front door to the palace... there was all these carts in the way...
Seige Cielciosk gave up trying to navigate the front drive, and leaned against the nearest carriage, breathing heavily. The place still stood. It seemed in one piece. He just... needed to... catch his breath... before continuing...
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Post by Ladorak on Feb 28, 2010 1:51:42 GMT -5
He smiled now, reassured a bit (at least with himself) as she tapped him on the nose. Ladorak considered this. Hmm....years ago she had seemed to avoid him because of Caden...but what would she think now? "Captain Fugate, your carriage is ready." the words were hissed in his ear by a slinky rat who quickly departed.
"Well that's my ride. I'll have one other with me if you don't mind, though he'll be in as soon as we reach our destination." and there we go. He had to reveal that detail about himself. He could see Caden and the others reentering the main hall in fact, and inwardly sighed. What would she think...his guardianship of a pine marten?
Oh wait... "Excuse me for a minute." he said, breaking off from her and moving over to Montegu Sylver. "Jal Sylver, hope you don't mine me staying at your place tonight with Caden. I'll be picking up a place in town tomorrow, but for now I just need a place to crash...though truth be told I might even be on the ship tonight, and it would be just Caden with you." he explained. The least weasel pursed his lips and considered this.
"Ermmm..."
"Marvelous, I'll see you back there then."
"Well...door's unlocked but..." Monty tried, but Ladorak was already leaving his side and heading back to Molly.
"Glad that's taken care of." He said, giving her a winning smile. He wanted to get his feelings for her out in the open! He just...wanted to tell her how he felt. But it was so difficult! The words to explain were just...so hard to conjure up. He knew what he wanted to say...but not how or when.
"Come....let us be off then." he said, leading her towards the entrance. He steered towards Caden, stopping in front of him and the other dibbuns. "Caden, we'll be leaving soon, so say goodbye to your friends. You'll be seeing Cerinus soon at any rate. Go on ahead and wait for me near the entrance. I'll....be just a moment longer." he said, glancing at Molly as he said this.
Caden nodded, and started heading for the entrance. Ladorak followed, but more slowly...far more slowly. "Molly....I want to ask you something. It's....sort of important. But it's just been something that's been killing me and I'm rather dying to know." he stopped right before the ornately gilded doors. "I...I really do hate to ask too...but I just don't want to feel awkward about this anymore." He paused, letting her process this and actually give him her affirmation....or rejection if she had other things on her mind. Either way.....it felt as if the ermine's heart were being squeezed in a vice. What would she possibly say when he did bring it out in the open?
*********
Caden had nodded, and motioned for his friends to follow. "Well I guess that's it. Kind of sudden but....I wonder who he's with?" he asked, looking over his shoulder as he led the way. His pink eyes suddenly shot wide open as he saw the snow outside. "Heeeey! Look! Look! Look! It's snowing! It's snowing! It's snowing!" he cried, pointing excitedly and racing forward, charging out the front doors and bursting outside like a white ball of fluff...which he essentially was. "Yeaaah!" he yelled, pumping his paws in the air and running through the light snow on the ground, kicking it up and watching it scatter before him.
"Come on!" he shouted to the other two. "Let's go!" he ran into the falling flakes, holding his arms out and pretending to fly as he dashed here and there, weaving in and out of the carriages....pure innocence in the falling snow....
**********
Ladorak Fugate...Ladorak Fugate....Ladorak Fugate..... the name played over and over again in the long-tailed's mind. Who was he? What sort of guardian was he? Why an albino marten kit? And just like that....part of the answer was dropping right in his lap.
For at that very moment a white ball of fur crashed out of the palace doors and began shouting and whooping, happily running about with his arms splayed. Narrowing his eyes, the porter watching with fascination as the kit romped and played in the falling snow. Innocence....innocence....a small, 12 year old kit. It reminded the long tail of days gone by...when he was much younger.
But wait! That was the kit! Fugate's boy! And...what was this? Only two other dibbuns? Where was Fugate? Well who cared! This was perfect! They were just kits....there would be no witnesses now.....
A loud carriage was rattling down the street behind him as he stepped forward. Too easy. Too easy....his boots crunched in the snow, the loud carriage getting closer, filling his ears and pulsing through his brain. Yes....too easy...unguarded kits...the easiest kind.....
But no. He stopped. No....things weren't right. It was snowing first of all...that wouldn't do. And secondly, he wasn't wearing his police uniform. It was just....wrong. He could go up to the kits but how convincing would he be? But dressed as a cop on the other paw...that would convince anyone! Always trust a cop...they were protectors, guardians of the law. Kits always trusted cops. He patted his coat pocket. He did have his badge with him....but he needed his uniform to really pull this off. Sighing, he shoved his paws into his pockets and simply watched Caden cavort about. No....he would be safe tonight....there was no point...it wasn't the right circumstances.
And besides....a drunken jack suddenly stumbled onto the scene, panting against a carriage. Well that ruined any ideas he had. There'd be an adult witness now...even if he was drunk. Best to just play this one safe. Turning to the jack, he offered him a smile. "A bit lost are we? I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to step back. That's Captain Fugate's carriage....and he should be arriving any moment now. Do you need some help?" he dug into his pocket and produced his badge, the brass glinting in the poor lighting from the gas lamps.
"I'm a police officer, though currently off duty." he informed Seige. What an odd night. A perfect opportunity...imperfect circumstances....and now this..weird drunk stumbling into Whistleminster Palace. Little did anybeast know...but the night was going to get just a tad bit more...unexpected within the next few moments.....
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Post by Carrow on Feb 28, 2010 5:31:42 GMT -5
Cerinus was going to bid Caden goodbye and goodnight and turn back to return to Archie, when the sight outside the window caught his attention. Snow? he thought, at the end of February? My, my, now there's a thing! The mouse's face was wreathed in smiles, and his eyes wide as saucers, as he followed Caden and Elle outside - which is to say that he was basically no less than a paw's breadth behind Caden.
The albino pine marten simply ran down the stairs, but the rodent was feeling ambitious. He'd had his running start, and the momentum was perfect. Launching off the top step, he executed a somersault, his size another factor that helped him to complete the manoeuvre flawlessly. That sense of elation was back again. Funny how quickly things can change, he thought, as he sped after the white-furred mustelid.
The pair darted in and out of the carriages, running here, there and everywhere they could, two young creatures letting their natural exuberance and energy show. Cerinus was moving closer to Caden now. There was a spot just up ahead where the snow thickened ever so slightly that that mouse's keen eyes had picked out in an instant. He smiled, wondering how good his friend's reaction time was. He was in quite a playful mood. The snow glittered and twinkled around him as he ran, and he had fallen under its spell, a completely different creature now than usual.
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Post by bookity101 on Feb 28, 2010 21:26:14 GMT -5
Elle was about to reply to both of the boys, but they continued talking, then ran out to play in the snow. Which was a good thing as far as she was concerned. She was trying to figure out what to do about his question. Did she want something of his to remember him by? She was going to be seeing him in just a few days, but he would be seeing "Elliot" not Elle... so maybe it would be nice? for him at least to think that she needed something to remember him by? Its not like she would actually have to keep it with her on the boat...
Elle smiled as she watched the boy's playing in the snow. She saw the two jacks talking over by the carriage, she assumed that they were valets, Elle almost called out to Caden, but decided against it, not wanting to interrupt the two boys, it had taken Caden most of the evening to help Cer break his shell, and she didn't want the mouse going back to that, so she would wait for them to be finished playing in the snow before talking to Caden.
*****
Luxe had just shoved a pawful of cheese and crackers in his mouth when Ladorak came up. By the time he had cleared his mouth, Ladorak was gone. Luxe cleared his throat,
"Well... that was weird."
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Post by Ladorak on Mar 1, 2010 19:16:00 GMT -5
Caden laughed, catching Ladorak's eye from inside the palace as he spun about. The ermine couldn't help but to smile as he glanced back over at Molly, awaiting her response.
Outside, Caden nodded at Cerinus's flip. "That's a good talent to have mate. Helps to be really nimble onboard ship I'm sure." he said, inwardly impressed at how the mouse was able to accomplish that and pull it off. "You'll have to teach me how to do that." He said, turning to look about him.
OK....so there was a bit of a ramp he could vault off into the street. It was for the carriages that had to unload heavy luggage. A look of determination crossed his face now as he backed up, and then took off at a run, charging forward and leaping up onto the ramp, his tongue poking out of the side of his mouth slightly as he pressed forward. He wanted to land this jump and then do a bow at Elle if he could.....but it seemed fate had other plans.
Just as he jumped off the platform and sailed through the air, a horrible cracking noise sounded from off to his right. Ladorak heard it too, and much to his horror, as he saw Caden flying through the air, his own momentum from the launch carrying him forward, the ermine could see that a carriage had broken loose, and was hurtling down the street.
What essentially had happened was that the carriage that had been clattering along and playing in the long tailed's ears had suffered a most unfortunate occurrence. It's axle had snapped close to the wheel, causing the carriage to lurch forward, and even worse break its tongue as it went down. This caused it to careen and topple over, crashing onto the cobblestones and sliding along the ground, plunging straight towards Caden now.
The albino's eyes widened but he was helpless until he hit the ground. Gulping, his eyes shot from left to right, trying to pick out a way he could avoid this. From the looks of it...by the time he'd hit the ground he'd have maybe a second to react....but his mind froze up. He had no time! In two to three seconds tops he'd be crushed....and Caden's mind literally went dead on him as the carriage's roof loomed up in his sight....
"Dammit!" Ladorak shouted. "Caden!!" he bolted, moving quickly around Molly so as to avoid knocking her over and darted out the doors, throwing them open and dashing like a possessed creature straight for where Caden was. He had started moving the second the carriage had snapped its axle, and the Captain was more like a blue and white blur through the snow as he wove his way past his own carriage and jumped off the platform not a second after Caden had gone over the edge.
Just...need...to push him.....his arms were outstretched towards the albino...almost...there.....and then he was grasping his fur on his arms and pulling him in against him as collided with the ground, pushing himself forward with his legs and scrambling to get out of the way. The carriage impacted on one of his hind paws but he yanked his tail out of the way in time. Yelping out, the ermine watched as the big vehicle ground past him and finally slowed to a stop.
Panting now, Ladorak realized he must have run on all fours at some point. His ankle ached...but he was sure it wasn't the last thing that would be aching before the night was up if he did end up going with Molly...but that of course was a different matter entirely.
"Caden..." he began to get to his footpaws, calling the marten's name as he did so. The albino seemed to have had the wind knocked out of him, but other than that he appeared fine. "Caden...can you hear me?" he asked, standing the kit up now as well. "Come on....come on..." he pleaded quietly, watching as those pink eyes opened.
"Yeah...." the marten replied groggily. "Yeah....." Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Ladorak began walking back towards the palace, his racing heart beginning to slow now that his ward was safe.
The long tailed weasel had stared, transfixed at Ladorak's exploits. Such devotion! Such speed and loyalty! And for a different species! Was this some sort of adopted thing going on here? But what did it matter? Fugate....might just in fact be what he'd been looking for all this time....
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