The bad tidings music brings

[Aalai]

The flickering flame of a roaring campfire seemed in as foul a mood as its master. Occasionally the flames would give out a hushed hiss as the shadow around the fire moved, spraying the fire with droplets of water. In one hand the figure's ever faithful companion lay sack, the musical instrument calling to him. Begging him to play, but alas not in the foul mood.

What right did those beasts think they had to toss me out into the river!? Those otters were fne babes.
Alright so maybe a permanent bedroom, and a entire sack full ofp rovisions had been to much to ask for but they had no need to be so rude about it. With a forlorn sigh he plopped his moist buttocks down on a rotten log, and lwoered his head into his hands.

Knowing he was unable to resist the pipe's pull anymore he put it to his lips, and was glad to find it's sweet trill unadmonished by the rivers flow. The high notes rang out clear, whilst the low notes reverebated through the forest glade. His throat was to raw to even think about uttering a quiet tune just yet, besides the words seemed to spring off the pipe as it played. No words required for the 'Moon's requiem' as he called it.

[Trill Riversong]

Trill had been taking her nights rest in her usual fall fashion, wrapped up in her tarp buried under a mound of leaves. She was deeply asleep, her senses were ever alert to even small sounds, but it was not until she heard something rather strange that she came fully awake. Had it been anything but music she would have either turned over and gone back to sleep or moved away but she had always found it fascinating.

Moving cautiously she came out from beneath her hidden bed and stalked closer to the source. The camp fire made it easier then it might have been and soon enough she was looking in her to intense way at the young looking squirrel beside the flames from beneath a bush. For a moment she listened raptly with her eyes closed to the sound but after a moment she felt an odd desire rise up in her.

"Cross the night into the shadow wood they rode, hearts as dark as the starless sky..." She sang softly to herself, the music put the idea for words into her head even though she had never heard the tune before.

"Unseeing, uncaring for him they rode. There bright king, the morning star... She did not know that her voice was rising up to join the pipes but it did all the same, mellow and bitter sweet.

"Into the sunless lands to fetch back his lady fair. Into deaths heart they rode, one by one and in pairs..." Music was perhaps the closest thing to a weakness that Trill had and it tended to show.

[Aalai]

Though he had caught a hint of the quiet singing, the wicked squirell had attributed it to his own pipe. Sometimes, when he was alone it seemed to join in with his singing, and become more then just a normal instrument.Before he realized what he was doing thep ipe had dropped from his lips, and he added his own voice in.
"Over valleys, through foes, on and on the yrode. Never pausing, never stopping, reaching for the prize--"
Then the male squirell went into a fit of coughing, loud raucous coughs that harmed his already tender throat.

Well at least that damn captain would be without one very imprtant babe on the ship. Piper had loved doing business with that pirate, but just in case he had made sure his daughter thought him to murder both Piper and herelf. So when he went over the side, so did she, and off she ran into the night.
I'll find her tomorrow. The shackles have had their fill for a while.
Wiping his hand across his mouth Piper looked towards the bushes where the sound was coming from, a plaintitive smirk placed across his muzzle.

"Come sit down Sweetheart. Piper won't hurt you dear."
Judging by the snippets of what his waterlogged ears had hard it was female. If it was a male creature, well they could have a few laughs about it later. Patting the log beside him the squirell fiddled with the whip handle that was evident against his clinging tunic. Beside which, and hopefully out of sight he had a few pairs of shackles. But they were very rarely used on anything above the age of 40 seasons. the whip on the other hand was fair game.

Turning his head away from the bushes he gazed into the fire. Coughing every few seconds, and fiddling with the pipe in his right hand. It was hard to flirt with someone, or convince them you were perfectly harmless when you couldn't see them. Whether from embarassment or habit the squirell's tail had moved so the bald underside was against his back.

[Scarlet]

Scarlet had been quietly sleeping in an old oak when a musical noise reached her ears, beautiful and clear. She woke herself fully and studied the forest from the colossal oak. In the distance she saw a faint flicker of firelight through the foliage.

Climbing swiftly and quietly with the grace only of one who has done so many times, she reached the base of the tree and stealthily moved in the direction of the fire, the music steadily getting louder and clearer.

Soon she could see the flames flickering brightly ahead of her and the music was suddenly accompanied by a hushed voice, singing along with the melody and slowly getting louder.
A figuire was standing by the fire. A male squirrel on pipes was creating the melody. Who was singing? As her eyes searched accross the fire for the singer, all of the sudden the male squirrel stops playing and sings out a line of song. "Over valleys, through foes, on and on the yrode. Never pausing, never stopping, reaching for the prize--" then coughs roughly. After a few seconds he calls out "Come sit down Sweetheart. Piper won't hurt you dear." Scarlet didn't trust the squirrel but she decided to sit and watch what happens next.

[Trill Riversong]

Silence was the only answer as Trill considered the squirrel who seemed none to disconcerted by her presence in the woods. To her mind only a simpleton or someone very confidant in there ability to defend there self would be so calm in the face of a unseen threat. All things being a threat in Trill's mind until proved otherwise or eliminated.

She also found his tone strange, disconcerting given in the situation. A sweet face was as much a disguise for a knife as anything else. Yet she wanted him to start playing again to the point that it was bothersome as her mind would not focus on the appropriate course of action which was to run away. Instead she found her self trying to devise a way to get him to play more.

"Yah trust easy..." She called back, ears sharp for the sound of any other beast incase he had a partner. Letting any beast get the upper hand on her was not something she planned to do.

[Aalai]

Piper eyed Scarlet, knowing she wasn't the beast he had heard, call it a well placed instinct. The male squirell had some evidence, such as the fact that this squirell had come from a tree, not from the bushes. Both of his glittering green eyes turned to Scarlet, who he offered a polite nod. Of course he was right, as the reply to his earlier statement echoed around the clearing and back to him. Stalling, and pretending not to have heard it he began wring out the front of his tunic, adding to the small cloud of steam already coming off of the moist garment.

After a few more seconds he let his tight shirt drop towards his stout frame with a wet slap. A reply edging its way out of his mouth.
"Whoever said I was trusting yah?"
Suave as always, if not mocking Trill he was at least trying his best to intimidate her. She seemed to have a small accent, maybe she wasn't from around Mossflower/Their dialect tended to be devoid of anything but the accents attributed to their own kind. Of course Piper could imitate most accents, and did it to make those he was working with feel more comfortable.

Coughing discreetly into his right paw, his piper gave a loud squeak. As if protesting the tretment it was currently receiving. This was the first time in a while that it had been around beasts who appreciated music, and it wanted to play! Of course that went against the squirell's current plans. Although he did eye it and whisper one word three times over.
'soon'.

[Trill Riversong]

"Why then?" Trill didn't bother stating that if piper wasn't arrogant or stupid that his offer was likely a trap. It seemed obvious to her and she rarely pointed out that sort of thing unless she had a specific reason to. The fact that she was having a conversation was strange though in its way but she wanted very badly to hear the music again.

As for Scarlet she kept a wary eye on both squirrels. They did not seem immediately to be partners of any sort but that meant little to Trill.

[Aalai]

"You sing ,and my poor voice has decided to quit its job tonight."
Piper replied. He was getting closer to finding out the squirell's positioning, and he was now almsot positive the creature was female. Sighing he leaned in closer to the fire, the water finally began beading off his fur, he was glad he hadn't taken off his shirt before the girls had arrived, it was hard to explain a whip and a pair of shakcles.

"Besides---"
taking a deep breath piper continues.
"its getting rather chilly, and I wager your getting rather cold, can't have that singing voice murdered by a cold gale now can we?"
The male squirell asked. His tone one of innocent indifference, after a little while mayb he could find out of a new plce to carry on with his cradle robbing, and slavery services. Reguba was a place he wanted to try out sometime.

[Trill Riversong]

"Humph..." Trill didn't believe the reason but also didn't care over much. She was well enough rested to sit up the rest of the night and not hungry enough to be tempted to accept food or drink. That left the more likely threats of direct attack but even there the trees were close enough at hand that she felt confident she could escape. Flawed reasoning for her as it was positive.

Thinking herself insane she moved cautiously, circling the other squirrels camp twice with ears and eyes peeled for hidden assailants before coming back to her starting place. Knowing that it was dangerous and she was stupid for taking the risk for a bit of music Trill finally stepped out of the shelter of the trees, purposely making a bit of noise so as not to startle the beasts by the fire when she emerged.

[Scarlet]

Scarlet returned the nod curtly, knowing enough not to trust any beast in the Forrest, no matter how friendly and Innocent they might seem to be. A slight rustle, barely noticeable, caught Scarlets sharp ears. She listens attentively to the conversation between the piper and the other beast, hiding in the bushes:

"Yah trust easy.
"Whoever said I trusted yah?
"Why then?
"You sing ,and my poor voice has decided to quit its job tonight. Besides---"
taking a deep breath the piper continues.
"its getting rather chilly, and I wager your getting rather cold, can't have that singing voice murdered by a cold gale now can we?"
"Humph..."


The other beast turned out to be a squirrel, as Scarlet found out, and a female too. Obviously she and the piper were not partners, but this could be another trick, like so many Scarlet had stumbled into a few seasons ago, but she had learned better in those past seasons and quickly, but stealthily positioned her self for a quick getaway if it turned out they were indeed partners.

[Aalai]

Piper didn't acknowledge the noise Trill made, or the squirell herself for that matter. She had came out, no reason to push her, or to speak to her that second. After a short period of gazing at the ground the male brought his glittering green eyes up, and surveyed Trill. Much to raggedy to make a good slave, and he hardly ever dealt with adults anyway, not gullible enough to be lured away with food.
" Greetings."
Even without ai ntrodcution, just by her showing herself the formalities were over.

Of course he wagered the real reason she had come out here had nothing to do with his persuasion. No, he didn't own the music, sometiems it seemed to control him. With a self satisfied smile he raised his small instrument to his lightly fur lip, and gave a low keening note, similiar to a ghost's mournful dirge when it finds itself unable to communicate. Of course to him it much more resembled the pleasant osund of screaming children as they were marched up the main plank.

[Trill Riversong]

Trill did not shrink back but became utterly still at the sound the pipes made, nightmare phantoms and faded memories conjured up like wraiths by the sound. Only her ears perking forward gave an indication that she had not simply been turned to stone on the spot. She stood rooted, waiting on the next not or scream from the instrument as if spell bound.

[Aalai]

(Scarlet's up.)

[Scarlet]

The pipers low note made a melody in her head. Suddenly something pulled at the back of Scarlet mind, old memories flooding back to her, sweet memories and sad ones, both. A
strange feeling came over Scarlet slowly, like the dawn glowing dimly on the horizon, and steadily getting brighter, turning into daylight. The feeling embraced her, a sad but uncaring sort of feeling, like she didn't care she was sad even though she was, she was carefree and kind of happy. She closed her eyes. She opened them but did not see. Suddenly she jerked back to the real world and stared at the piper. What had happened to her? Was she under a hypnotic force? She did not care to know what happened, she only knew to get out of there and fast. But wait, she wanted to know something more. Something about this piper. She stood there and waited for it......... hoping that it wouldn't kill her to stay.

[Aalai]

"Well 't seems to still work. After my 'swim' in the river."
By the sneer on his face at the word swim it was obvious it had been anything but recreational. His free hand tightened at his side, making the whip handle obvious under it. Maybe he could find out the nearest settlement from these two.
"So wha' do you two want to hear?"
He could play anything from a comical ditty, to a entire song meant to imitate the sound of a howling wolf, beginning with a note the same as the dirge he had began earlier. He loved that sound, reminded him of cries of pain.
"By the way did I catch either of your names?If I did, I must apologize my whole mind is waterlogged."