"A New Journey" (based on Watership Down)

Petrie. · **Reply #40 on:** August 19, 2010, 07:11:24 PM

Arvens had an answer for that. "Birds molt their feathers rather frequently, so we gathered them." His ears twitched at the sound of rustling. Turning around, he saw Rankin approaching rather slowly. "Well, now you get to meet Rankin, the other rabbit in that small scrape I spoke of. Nice enough guy but can't stand authority for some reason or another."

Malte279 · **Reply #41 on:** August 19, 2010, 07:14:26 PM

"I see", said the rabbit and again his mouth was curled with what was difficult to pinpoint as friendly or taunting.

Campion1 · **Reply #42 on:** August 19, 2010, 07:54:25 PM

"Don't summarize me, Arvens." Rankin said. "I think I can introduce myself just fine."

Rankin looked the newer rabbit over, and smirked a smile. What a joke.

"Hi, my name is Rankin. And yours is?"

Malte279 · **Reply #43 on:** August 19, 2010, 08:05:31 PM

"Ah yes, I know you well" said the rabbit with a broad grin. "Nice enough a guy you are, but one who can't stand authority for one reason or another... May it have anything to do with the fact that, for all I have been told, your former warren was a tyrannical one? And from you I know now that the feathered rah is named Avens; though to be fair I will admit that I had asked him about his feather rather than his name so his being introduced to me by you is not altogether to be blamed on him."
All the while he was talking the rabbit was waving about with his forelegs and it was impossible to tell if the series of gestures he made was a serious but miserably failing attempt at cutting a grand figure or if this rabbit was mocking... whom exactly?
With a flamboyant but bumbling bow the rabbit finished: "As for myself I lack somebody else to introduce me to you, but you can call me Cinankhen if you want to."

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #44 on:** August 20, 2010, 03:49:07 AM

Mayberry had been running for several days, and having had no time to rest, silflay or drink any water had now taken it's toll on her body. The only reason she hadn't fallen asleep yet was her sheer stubborn iron will, she continued to hop across the landscape hoping to find some form of warren that would allow her to rest for a short bit before moving on once more. But after so many days spent running, her senses were starting to become dull and play tricks on her. Why even now she was certain she could hear the sounds of other rabbits around. She knew by now, she'd be considered a hlessi... but that wasn't going to be a problem, if anyone gave her trouble, she'd deal with the same way she dealt with all her problems... by force.

Campion1 · **Reply #45 on:** August 20, 2010, 05:19:07 AM

Rankin had noticed an undeniable charm in this fellow that he had never seen in his life. Not only was the humor natural, but it wasn't in sarcasm and followed by spit in the face or random assault. It was all in good fun, and part of his personality. Rankin had taken an immediate liking to this buck

"Ha ha heh-hey! Cinankhen! Cin - an - khen! Now say that five times fast!" Rankin joked, laughing. "It's very nice to meet you cinankhen... Uh, yes, I come from a.. Rough bunch. Although I'm not sure how Arvens guessed that so well." Rankin looked at arvens, with a suspicious look on his face, but still sporting a small smile... A smile. A REAL one. He would have never thought.

Petrie. · **Reply #46 on:** August 20, 2010, 07:03:30 AM

Arvens merely stayed out the way, watching the two rabbits get to know each other a little better. There was lots of smiling and joking. What they were truly thinking, Arvens couldn't put a paw on it. They could be trying to show each other up or trying to see how the other reacted to certain items about their routine. Arvens was certain about one thing, these two certainly were going to have a hard time in a strict warren should they come across one. He'd already seen on the short journey so far that neither appreciated being told much of what to do or how things should be done. Arvens put his judgments and thoughts aside momentarily.

"Cinankhen, Rankin, while I'm pleased and honored to have met some companions on this journey, we cannot stay out here in the open in view of all. Elil clearly are out tonight and we need to be under cover. I suggest we move poste haste to someplace more secluded." With that, he turned back to the tree cover and hopped closer to it. "We'll travel within here and might chance on someplace decent to rest."

Campion1 · **Reply #47 on:** August 20, 2010, 08:08:05 AM

Rankin hopped behind arvens, almost following, and said something

"Arvens, wait." Rankin said "I know you're really edgy on leading us along, but I think you would need the most sleep among us. If we found a good place, would you trust me if I offered to watch over you two for the night while you rest?"

Rankin stopped talking for a moment, thought, than spoke again.

"I ask because I know you didn't catch any sort of sleep when we were at the scrape. That's not healthy, especially after being chased by man. I haven't had that problem."

Rankin stopped talking when he remembered who he was talking to. This imbecile wouldn't trust me worth hraka.

Rankin looked back while he was moving "Ohhh cinankhen? Are you coming with us?"

He then looked back at Arvens and waited for response

Malte279 · **Reply #48 on:** August 20, 2010, 08:55:32 AM

Cinankhen didn't respond right away he held his head a little inclined and seemed to chew on something. During all the time he had still maintained the distance of one fence pole from to Arvens and Rankin.
"Where is with you?" he finally asked. And suddenly there seemed to be a trace of that fidgetiness about him which Arvens had seen before in the forest. When he continued he spoke in a way as if he was reciting a poem.
"What is your way? Or is it ways?
Do both of you what you want to?
Does one of you or both
strive to do the doing for the other
will this soon be cause strife
just as has been so many times?"
Again Cinankhen stopped for a moment and looked like he was desperately trying to think of more doggerels, but failing that he just asked in prose but clearly trying to put a lot of emphasis and weight on his words: "What are your plans and intentions?"

Petrie. · **Reply #49 on:** August 20, 2010, 07:35:13 PM

Arvens smiled at Rankin but it didn't last long. "Captains didn't sleep much unfortunately where I came from," he sighed. "I'm kind of used to working on little sleep. But if we do find a good place, I will sleep a little."

He had no sooner finished than Cinankhen had begun rambling what seemed to be a bunch of nonsense to Arvens. Rabbits often did this when ill and just said anything that came to mind. Cinankhen didn't appear ill, but being out in the open you never knew what might happen. Only when he finally made a coherent sentence did Arvens even attempt to say anything to him. "We intend to find a place to rest, just as I told you before. We cannot expect to remain in the open and will surely be spotted if we do. If nothing else, we can use the cover of the greenery to hide ourselves and take turns resting if we must do so. If we chance upon an empty burrow, I intend to use it as a home if it is suitable as such. A warren would be a nice find but given that none of us has had any luck finding another rabbit until now, I don't think any warrens are close by." He frowned, realizing how depressing that sounded. "Are you joining us Cinankhen?"

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #50 on:** August 20, 2010, 07:53:47 PM

Mayberry crested a hill and despite her eyes being worn out from days of running she had the need to check this out, she bounded over and stopped taking a moment to stop. She looked around the group of rabbits and struggled to keep herself upright. She silently waited to be acknowledged by the others around her, still doing well to keep her guard up.

Malte279 · **Reply #51 on:** August 20, 2010, 08:59:10 PM

"Join..." said Cinankhen and he sounded as if he had to chew on that word. "I am a hlessi. And I am a hlessi because I want to. I have been a hlessi for a long time and fared a lot better that way than..." he stopped in mid sentence and made a gesture as if he meant to brush something aside.
"But if you are looking for a place to spend the night you're better off here than in those woods. I've gone a long way and really there is no saver place than these ditches between the human fields. The water at the bottom washes away your scent, at the bottom of the ditch you are out of sight for anyone while you have a clear view in every direction if you peek over the edge, if you find a tube where the humans built a way over the ditch not even an owl can spot you in there and few elil will look for you there anyway because just like you they think it smarter for us to take cover where they are taking cover as well. Good reason not to take that cover isn't it? So no, I'm not going to get back into that wood. IF you do, then good luck to you. If you don't, the ditch is long enough for more than one rabbit and it's easier to keep one or two out of six eyes open for a night than one out of two and..." Ciankhen's broke of suddenly turned his head slightly and stared across the field.
"Or maybe eight eyes? By Frith and Inleh, this must be the night of hlessil! There comes another one."

Campion1 · **Reply #52 on:** August 21, 2010, 11:54:12 AM

Upon hearing what Cinankhen had said, he had looked where cinankhen did. There, across the field, he could see a white rabbit. He knew it was only a matter of time before Arvens would see it too. Come to think of it, ANYTHING could see that rabbit from anywhere. Rankin sighed

I'm growing tired of this. Rankin thought, but he made no attempt to try and greet or invite the rabbit.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #53 on:** August 21, 2010, 01:17:11 PM

Mayberry wandered over to the group of rabbits that seemed to have taken notice of her arrival, but even as she came within speaking distance of them all she kept her maw shut and her face rather stoic. If they had any intentions of trying to fight her, she figured it would be best to be better safe than sorry. She stopped right in front of Cainkhen and looked at the others arrayed around him with a critical glare. She then spoke aloud to them all, "As long as you give me shelter for the night, I promise in return not to get in your way."

Malte279 · **Reply #54 on:** August 21, 2010, 01:48:49 PM

For some reason Ciankhen seemed to be amused suddenly. "I don't know yet where the ways of these two fellow rabbits who are going to introduce each other to you, my name is Ciankhen by the way, are going to lead them or where their shelter will be. But the ditch where my shelter will be..." he nodded towards the ditch "...is certainly long enough for one more rabbit."
He grinned.
"My way is long but not so broad that anyone is likely to stand in my way."

Petrie. · **Reply #55 on:** August 21, 2010, 05:25:02 PM

Arvens frowned at Ciankhen's stubbornness. "Why may I ask would you put such confidence in a man-made item to protect you? Man is our biggest enemy. I want to know why you would rather remain here than follow Rankin and myself." His gaze quickly averted to the rabbit who called out in the night. White-colored, this one definitely needed shelter, being so exposed, and so unlucky to be snow white. "Over here, quickly," said Arvens hurriedly. "We were just deciding where to go next. The woods and fields are not exactly safe this evening."

Malte279 · **Reply #56 on:** August 21, 2010, 06:35:49 PM

Quickly picking up Arvens last statement Ciankhen asked: "And why, permit me the question, are you putting such confidence in the woods when at the same time you declare them not to be safe this evening?
I have been on the walk in the open for long. Longer I dare say than you Captain of the Owsla." Again Ciankhen made a little bow that but it had no air of any true respect to it.
"Anyway you can go wherever you want to but I will go where I have fared well and where I at least see the danger before it sees me. And with Frith's blessing a danger spotted is none that will catch a rabbit."
Once again a smile curled Ciankhen's mouth when he added: "And also, unless I'm very mistaken I am not sure if Rankin is quite so convinced about your... what was the phrase? Edginess on leading him along? I think you really need to figure out some things there. As for me I do not mean to lead anyone anywhere, but I know what has worked out well enough for me in the past and if you want to benefit from that that's alright, if you don't that's alright. But while you are working out all this and before you are giving Owsla orders to our new arrival as well I would be interested to know your name as well." Ciankhen nodded at the white rabbit and had spoken loud enough for her to hear every word.

Campion1 · **Reply #57 on:** August 21, 2010, 06:55:51 PM

To Rankin, the does face didn't look true to how she really felt. He could remember back in a day when many does he knew would try to keep their dignity when there was no such thing, and when some of his once-then friends had witnessed and been involved in unspeakable brutality. The faces they gave were unforgettable. Here, he could see a rabbit who appeared to be fatigued and near desperate to trust total strangers. With memories at bay, Rankin lowered his ears and looked down at the ground. But that was in the past.

As Cinankhen responded to arvens, Rankin thought. We've been in the open this entire time, and have not been bothered by elil.

After cinankhen was done and decided to ask the new rabbit a question, Rankin looked at arvens and reasoned "On second thought arvens, I think we should rest here with cinankhen for the night. Every predator around is going to think we're suicidal, and we could be being watched right now as we speak. This new rabbit looks very exhausted and I'm not sure if she could go on. If we end up getting attacked on our way, she's as good as dead. Also, it doesn't look like cinankhen is compelled to leave right now." Rankin looked back at cinankhen and the new rabbit, but listened for arvens.

Petrie. · **Reply #58 on:** August 21, 2010, 07:06:45 PM

Arvens looked at all three rabbits as if they were suddenly judging him for what he used to be. Most unusual he thought, you would feel they think they're daring me to hit them or smack them or scream at them because I once was in the Owsla, and none of them were. Well rabbits fighting rabbits in the open is plenty stupid, and besides they're all as smart as any other captain in Thornbrush's warren would have been. I like their style.

Arvens responded curtly to Cinankhen as if he were an equal and said, "Point taken," and added, "to answer your question, my name is Arvens, one of many captains in the Thornbrush warren, now destroyed. You and Rankin both have sense and would've made fine individuals in our warren. I want to know more about this ditch setup if it can adequately hide us all for the time being."

Malte279 · **Reply #59 on:** August 21, 2010, 07:13:47 PM

Cinankhen was looking a little surprised for a moment as if he hadn't expected a response or not this kind of response. Then he shrugged and said: "Like I said it has always worked for me. From here you have have a clear view in every direction and not an elil will be able to sneak upon you. Wading from here a bit in the water at the bottom will make it impossible for anyone following our scent to tell which way we went and if we find a tube or something like that even birds won't be diving down upon us. As for everything else we are runners the thousand can't keep up with us in the open when we see them coming long before they're there."