and through the woods. [open]

[bonfire]

it was her fifth day on the march and nothing had happened so far. nothing to it, really, is there? wondered lorelei. the sable-furred haremaiden walked with springy steps through mossflower wood, hoping she would see the famed redwall abbey soon. having never been there, she didn't know how long it would take her to reach it or any shortcuts, but she did know that the abbey was somewhere south-west of her family's home --- and so that was the direction she took, always alert for signs of others. so far she had met nobeast, heard only bird calls and the sounds of nature, and seen only more trees and more trees --- "and more flippin' trees!" muttered the haremaid under her breath. pausing for a moment, she took her bearings by the shaky position of the sun through the canopy. "about lunchtime, wot? thank goodness, i'm famished! righto, lori --- quick rest and a bite to eat, then onward to the abbey!" seating herself on a nearby rock, she slipped the haversack from her shoulders and dug around inside it until she found what she was looking for. pennycloud cordial, cinnamon scones, and an apple for health's sake. she would have taken more had she not been wary of rationing herself. tucking in eagerly, lorelei emmeline willoughby thought that even if she had a ways to go, her adventure was turning out to be more of a pleasure stroll. wot!

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Two creatures. A Stoat and a fox. Where scouting the area the hare was at. They had Juska tattoos and the such on their faces and sometimes their arms and backs. The Stoat had a pair of torn up breeches and the Fox wore a Leather Brigandine. The Stoat being armed with a steel tipped spear while the Fox had a Falchion and both had curved daggers. They had been walking through these woods when they had suddenly noticed that hare. The Stoat shouted "Hey look mate! Tis a Rabbit! And she's got vittles! Can we hav' some? Please?" The Fox scratched his head "Uhhhh. Yur' sure? She looks more lik'er hare to me."

[bonfire]

lorelei had a problem. not two blinkin' bites into my first scone and along come two vermin types! the haremaid chided herself mentally, though, knowing that she was bound to meet somebeast or other. a flood of thoughts overpowered her brain --- among them, doubts about her situation. sure, she could handle herself with a weapon, but she'd only ever sparred against her father. could she take on a stoat and a fox if things went badly? probably not, old gel. best play it safe. suddenly glad that her rock-chair was against a tree and that her back was thusly guarded, lorelei smiled and swallowed her mouthful. "i suppose i'll have to give you some, since you said please," she said to the stoat, her green eyes glittering as she stuck out her tongue. "but get it right, chappie! your comrade's got the proper terminology --- i'm a hare, not a rabbit!" she tossed each beast an apple and a scone from inside her haversack.

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

The stoat's voice had a bit a guilt in it. " I'm sorry. I n'ver really seen'er hare and a rabbit shoulder to shoulder together."

They both cut their apple and scone in two and passed a half of their food to the other. So each one had half a apple and half a scone. This was pretty strange mainly because Vermin often fought over their food. As they ate a fair small distance from the hare to stay out of the hare's personal space. The fox finally spoke

"Since your'er hare. You must be lookin' for that Abby place where all ther' otters and squirrels and mice..."

The Stoat interrupted him "Really? I thought'er would be goin' to that'er mountain place. What was it called? Salam'erd'er..... No! Wait! It was Salamand'erson....." The Stoat seemed to have either forgotten the name or his way of speaking English kept messing him up.

The fox spoke. " You mean Salamandastron? I think thats it was called..." There he went again. "I think" He seemed to always know the correct answer. Yet never seemed sure if his answers are correct or not...

[bonfire]

watching the pair confused lorelei. from all that she had heard about vermin from her fighting-hare father and her goody-two-shoes mother, these two should have attacked her long ago. instead they ate peacefully, even making conversation. rather strange, wot? thought the sable-furred haremaiden as she munched on her apple. when the pair mentioned the abbey and salamandastron, the alarm bells finally had an excuse to ring in her ears. aha! they must think i can take them there --- or maybe they'll want to ransom me for treasures they think we've got. on your paws, lori, and step lively! she remained seated and kept eating, but lorelei was on the alert. "no harm done, wot? know you know!" she told the stoat, surprised that he would think to apologize at all. definitely not vermin behavior. adressing both of them, she continued, "redwall abbey n' salamandastron, y'mean? i'm lookin' for one so i can get to the other, wot! you two gentlebeasts wouldn't be able to give a maid her bearings to the abbey, would you?" she asked, fluttering her long eyelashes.

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

Both vermin could have not been lying when they told her how to get there. The second she even gave the question. They did not hold back at all. They even went so far as to warn her about Xiuhcoatl and his evil tribe, Herrick and his Corsairs that have been sighted near the Abbey, and also the recent increase of the Barbarian Tribes that seemed to "Fill" Mossflower Woods. They had also say some things about wild savage lizards and trident toads that had been seen in Mossflower. But they also mentioned that they are part of a large tribe called the "Juskarang" Who's leader might help her get there safely....

[Aalai]

(Cole; Please leave your text it's default color, it's that color for a reason. Especially refrain from using yellow or Limegreen)

[bonfire]

if the sable-furred haremaid had been suprised before, she was now more confused tha never, though she did her best to hide it. why would two scringey vermin types be so flippin' decent? alas, decent as they were, lorelei could not escape the echoes of her father's words, his endless warnings about vermin and the course of actions she should take should she ever be so unfortunate as to meet any. so far, most of those actions had been avoided. i think i've only gotten as far as manners, but they never got angry with me. huh, i thought they'd have the sense to demand more food than a measly scone and an apple apiece! in her heart she was glad that they hadn't, though, because she would prefer her first real fight to be one-on-one. nevertheless, the haremaid listened with both ears extended and open, brain recording the directions she heard... or at least, pretending to. the words would probably be in one ear and out the other. when they were done speaking, lorelei took her turn. "thanks, chaps, but i'll take the solitary march, wot!" with a wink and a quick motion of her paws, she tied the haversack's opening and deftly swung it over her right shoulder. "really, though --- thank you for the information. i'll put it to good use." and with that, she was off again on her life-journey.

ooc: if you want, you could bring in xiuhcoatl and have him take her for ransom or something at the abbey, though idk if that's in-character for him. prolly isn't, for most warlords... though it's plausible. if you don't want to, though, i'll just nip on over to redwall and post her there. ^^

[Hans Vermeer (Cole)]

( You can go on to Redwall. You might meet these two again after she leave Redwall. If that is ok with you.)