"A New Journey" (based on Watership Down)

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #60 on:** August 22, 2010, 01:50:44 AM

Mayberry had indeed heard all that was said, and upon hearing the other rabbits responses, she decided it was in her best interests to speak. "My name is Mayberry, former Captain of Owsla, to the Warren of Bloodsbain." She then gave a death glare towards Rankin as she continued. "And as tired, and weak as I may appear.. I promise you, any Elil or rabbit, stupid enough to stand in my way... will dealt with by extreme force." She then took a ragged breath and stated with a voice seeming to border near death, "But please... just let me rest... t-that is all I ask of you..."

Campion1 · **Reply #61 on:** August 22, 2010, 09:02:07 AM

Rankin was not impressed, and only responded with a mere "Ok."

Petrie. · **Reply #62 on:** August 22, 2010, 09:16:58 PM

Cinankhen's reply made sense to Arvens. Logical, to the point, and it did offer a sense of security for all the rabbits, and they wouldn't need to travel any further that night. "I like the idea," said Arvens, "besides Mayberry here cannot travel any more, and I'd rather like to talk more with a captain of Owsla if she's up to it."

Arvens sniffed at the ditch area and dived in. The ground was a tad mushy, and it was not going to be totally comfortable, but beggars can't be choosers. "Well, let's go and rest," he said, looking on towards the metal drainage shaft.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #63 on:** August 23, 2010, 07:03:05 AM

Mayberry who by now was far too tired and weak to hop into the ditch, simply slumped by the edge of the depression in the earth, and sighed. "I would like nothing more... than to tell my tales... of being an Owsla captain...." she said with a tired intake of breath. She then asked Arvens, "What... would you like... to know?"

Petrie. · **Reply #64 on:** August 23, 2010, 07:07:58 AM

OOC: Arvens asked, not Cinankhen

Campion1 · **Reply #65 on:** August 23, 2010, 08:22:44 AM

"I think we should talk about this tomorrow." Rankin stated. He then hopped into the ditch with Arvens.

Malte279 · **Reply #66 on:** August 23, 2010, 08:20:18 PM

Cinankhen seemed to have listened up at the words of Mayberry and had already opened his mouth to say something when Rankin's words seemed to make him change his mind. As he closed his mouth again with a regretting but accepting look at Mayberry.
Turning his look to Rankin and Arvens he said: "Maybe you two can tell your tales when we reach a saver spot."
Turning to Mayberry before one of the others could respond he said: "But I think you must take a last effort before you can rest. At the edge of the ditch you are in view from everywhere. And even at the bottom of the ditch you will be visible to owls unless we move to one of these tubes the humans put in where they are crossing their ditches."
Finally giving up the distance from everyone he had kept up carefully until now Cinankhen approached Mayberry.
"Can I help you?" He asked. "You are not injured, are you?"

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #67 on:** August 24, 2010, 03:03:16 AM

Mayberry turned her head to face Cinankhen and replied, "No... not injured, j-just tired." Then realizing what Cinankhen said was true about where she lay right now. With a forced sigh of compliance Mayberry raised herself up and jumped down into the ditch. She happened to hobble over to one of the few open spaces left in the ditch. She then sat silently taking many deep breaths, and trying to will herself to stay awake in case any of the other rabbits asked her a question.

Petrie. · **Reply #68 on:** August 24, 2010, 07:05:08 AM

One paw after the next, Arvens led the way down the ditch looking for the man tunnel thing where nothing could see them from above. Luckily it wasn't far away and for the better. Stopping at the entrance, he leaned his head forward, smelling around within the drainage pipe. Rainwater, soil, and dampness was all that he could detect--no other animals. He couldn't see far but hopefully it was large enough for all. He stepped in to see what really was there, and found he barely fit. It'll be more than a hiding place if I can't get back out he thought and sighed. Water was everywhere and you couldn't go far either way in either direction, only straight ahead. This was going to be a long night, if any truly slept at all.

"Come on over, its safe," he called out, "its not far now."

Campion1 · **Reply #69 on:** August 24, 2010, 09:30:33 AM

Rankin hopped right up next to arvens, and looked at the manhole. It looked too small to fit into.

"Yeah, forget it. That's just too small." Rankin sighed. "I'd rather sleep where I am... I wonder if the doe could fit in here, though...?" Rankin laughed.

Malte279 · **Reply #70 on:** August 24, 2010, 11:35:05 AM

Cinankhen had stayed behind with Mayberry but he cast a nervous look up to the sky. And a few signs of the nervousness he had shown earlier in the wood came back to him. "You sure look like you have had a long day, but just to make sure that the long day is not followed by the last of nights you really want to get up and get to the tube."
Cinankhen was wondering if he could help Mayberry to get up or carry her, but even though Mayberry was relatively small she still was a bit larger than him and even if this had not been the case he was astutely aware that he was not able to carry much.
Looking for Arvens and Rankin for help he became aware of another problem. The two were at the nearest tube in the ditch but even in the pale moonlight it was easy enough to see why the two of them were standing before the tube rather than getting into it and it was not for any intention to wait for him or Mayberry.
On all his journey's Cinankhen had come across many tubes and pipes that would have been comfortable enough for rabbits of Rankin's and Arvens' size and he had yet to come across a tube too narrow for someone as lanky as him, but this tube was definitely not the size of a more average sized buck or doe than he was.

Malte279 · **Reply #71 on:** August 25, 2010, 04:58:01 PM

Cinankhen was getting a little angry with himself. Why in Frith's name didn't he just get on? Here was a doe apparently too tired to care about getting to a saver spot very close by, there were too bucks who wouldn't fit into this particular pipe so if indeed they were to stay as a group for this night they all would head on to a larger pipe in this ditch or look for some brushwood near the pipe, perhaps the fence might also offer enough protection from a diving owl, or maybe they would head for some totally different place altogether... in which case Cinankhen decided he would definitely not come along but stay at the kind of spot which on all his journeys had proven to be the safest one could find so long the weather remained dry.
Cinankhen felt how rather than being angry just with himself for caring to hang around with these rabbits he was also getting angry at everyone of them for showing little care in return. "Do you care enough to get to a place where you can sleep without being killed in your sleep by some owl or would you rather have it that way?" he asked Mayberry trying to hide his frustration with her sleepiness with an exaggeratedly kind sound of his voice. In case of the two rabbits who were clearly too far away to punish him right away he felt less need for sounding gently when he called in a a rather acid tone: "Oh ye stronger members of rabbit kind, does either of you care to help this doe or will ye rather just leave her here in the mud if so is her decision?"
And to himself inaudible to any of the others he muttered: "And some rabbits wonder how I could possibly prefer being a lone hlessil over the company of other rabbits!"

[Excuse the broad hints, but I feel this RPG is falling silent at a time when each of us has plenty of options on what to do rather than waiting for somebody else to do something ]

Petrie. · **Reply #72 on:** August 26, 2010, 04:26:54 PM

Arvens was about to return inside the pipe to see if there was a way to manage any sort of comfortable sleeping grounds when Cinankhen's voice was loud and clear. Arvens barely could contain a choked gasp and laugh at the same time.

Arvens hopped over quickly to Cinankhen. "You never tell a Captain of Owsla what to do or to suggest she cannot handle things," he hissed quietly, but not so quietly that Mayberry couldn't hear him. "They aren't the leaders of the guards for nothing. She may look tired, but she's captain for a reason. Now come. She can take care of herself. If she wants us to help she'll say it."

Malte279 · **Reply #73 on:** August 26, 2010, 04:33:53 PM

As Arvens approached Cinankhen backed away again to maintain the distance between two fence pols that would give him a start in case this was necessary.
"Owsla is the leader of the guards", said Cinankhen as if he had never ever heard that definition before. "What is the task of the guards and the Owsla?" he asked Arvens.

Petrie. · **Reply #74 on:** August 26, 2010, 04:40:53 PM

"Outside of the chief of the warren, they are the most powerful rabbit there, usually one of the largest and strongest," Arvens spelled out rather quickly and plainly. "In most warrens, if you demote a captain's ability to lead or manage the situation, you get scratched. That would show a thing or two about who's in charge and why." He looked at Mayberry again. "You won't get scratched, but the Owsla captains are very good at surviving in the open. She will be fine. Now, are you interested at all in trying to help me make the drain more comfortable? It would be nice as well for a decent place for the captain to rest. That wouldn't take long."

Malte279 · **Reply #75 on:** August 26, 2010, 04:43:11 PM

Ignoring what else had been said Cinankhen asked: "So it is the task of the Owsla and the guards to be powerful? Being powerful is their function?"

Petrie. · **Reply #76 on:** August 26, 2010, 04:51:39 PM

"Oh for Frith's sake!" Arvens practically yelled at the rabbit, "let's just do something for her instead of standing here. You can ask me questions later. Now I need help with the damp dirt in your tunnel. The whole place isn't bad, so maybe some soil can be dug out near the top and moved so its drier. Now come on," he huffed, turning away and off towards the entrance to the pipe.

Malte279 · **Reply #77 on:** August 26, 2010, 04:58:31 PM

The tone of Cinankhen's voice did not change one bit while he kept his eyes fixed on Arvens and said totally failing to acknowledge that Arvens had turned away: "Just a moment ago you told me I was never to suggest to a Captain of the Owsla that she could not handle things. How dare I suggest her or you to be unable to handle things with a tunnel that is no more mine than yours?
And how dare I suggest a Captain of the Owsla to be unable to tell me what the use of the Owsla and the guards is... on second thought unless you tell me that now I will have to suggest it and suggest it aloud whether you like it or not."

Campion1 · **Reply #78 on:** August 27, 2010, 01:04:56 AM

When arvens had left the pipe to speak to cinankhen, Rankin just sat where he was and relaxed. He gave a small yawn, and thought You know what? I'm OK with this. I think I could just sleep right here. Rankin could ignore the moist surface under him for now, he just wanted some sleep now that he could consider himself safe. He was about to take his chance seriously and act upon it until he heard arvens raise his voice rather loudly. Rankin's heart pulsed within a seconds time. He's yelling at someone.

When Rankin had looked at the three rabbits, it looked to him like arvens was pointing off his way and cinankhen had just finished saying something. Cinankhen.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #79 on:** August 27, 2010, 03:44:59 AM

Mayberry had sat rather still and listened to the other rabbits debate and discuss what to do, even where it concerned her own safety and finally after hearing all she wanted to hear she stood up on her paws and shouted, "ENOUGH! For Friths sake, you boys fight as if the next decision will cost you your lives! If my safety is that important to you all... then I will try to sleep where ever you three think is best."