[
Ty walks through the door cautiously. He takes about
five paces before he sees Vizon
and waves over at him, swaggering over with a slight smile, "So where's Mnemeh?"
"She just left." Vizon crosses his arms and leans back in the chair,
"I'm guessing you don't want a drink."
**Shatter comes in, with two
large male wolves behind her. The larger of the two, Hellsbane,
has the rope on his belt and a spear in his paw, and Ronin,
the other male, has a sword by his side in its sheath. Shatter's
Indian battle-ax is on her back with the sheath. They look around like
predators, though Ronin looks quite calm**
Ty sits across from Vizon,
back to the doors, "Why'd she leave? I thought we were supposed to
meet?"
Vizon goes rigid and his eyes grow wide, "Oh....this
is bad...."
*Shatter picks up on Ty's scent, and looks over to where he is sitting. Seeing
them as well, Ronin puts a paw on Shatter's
shoulder, and Hellsbane's grip on the spear tightens*
Seeing Vizon's
reaction, Ty feels a chill run up his spine, he swallows and dares to turn...
*the three make their way
over there. Shatter's ears are back, but not pressed
flat, and Ronin's ears are perked forward, and he's
now in the lead*
"Aw, crap, Ty, I'm sorry - they haven't been here for days...I didn't
think they'd show up...." He slowly stands, fingertips on the table, his
fur standing up on end as he faces the wolven threat.
"I could sure use that
drink now..." Ty mutters, but remains seated.
*Ronin stops, as
does the others, when he gets to their table. His paw is on the hilt of his
sword* Where is the child?
Ty's heart beats faster, adrenaline filling his system.
Fight or flight. Fight or flight. He'd been running for so long, but the
penalty for fighting would most likely be death - and he couldn't run now. The
only alternative to death would be giving away their hiding place, but Ty felt he had to protect the pup...and Martes
for that matter. What could he do? He didn't want to leave Meck
alone in the world, and he didn't really want to die... Ty
remains silent, paws over his eyes, elbows on the table.
Vizon pulls out his sword, ready to defend his friend when
the moment comes...
*Ronin's
paw remains still* We won't harm you. Just tell us
where the child is. We just want our kin back.
Ty thinks of Meck, of the
worry and agony he and the old martin went through, helping the pup stay alive
and recover. He remembers the mock battles when he lost to Meck,
voluntarily and the jokes they'd played on Martes.
What would life be without the pup now? Back to the hard ale, he supposed. But
something in him refused to give up. He could never go back to being a drunk
and a cheap hired hand, he'd become a father again. He couldn't lose another
child.... Ty looks into Ronin's
eyes, "No."
*Ronin
remains calm, though his eyes show more than anger* The
child is the heir to the pack. We will get him back one way or another. Either
you tell us now, or we will skewer you. Unless we come to an arrangement, we
will kill you for your arrogance.
Ty rises to his feet, all traces of fear long gone. His
jaw is set and his eyes stare back at Ronin steadily,
"Then kill me now."
Vizon steps toward him, "Ty,
what are you doing?"
Ty knew that if he reached for his axe, it would only
justify their killing him. He holds a paw up to Vizon.
So be it then. *he unsheathes
his sword, and holds it in both paws*
For once, Vizon
loses it, "Ty, no! Don't do this! You don't have
to!" He dodges around the table and comes at Ronin
roaring, sword raised to strike.
Ty remains where he
is, his breath comes quicker, his chest is pounding, but for once, he feels he
is doing the right thing.
*Hellsbane
swings the staff of the spear around Vizon's torso
area as he comes near Ronin*
Vizon has to deviate his intended
target to Hellsbane. He grapples the spear around and
down, pushing it to the floor where he steps on it with his boot and thrusts
his sword toward the wolf's chest.
*Hellsbane
drops the spear as Vizon steps on it and hops back,
and Shatter intercept the sword with the battle-ax*
Their weapon's clash, but Vizon moves like a flash, thrust parry, jab, block, false
swing, slash....Vizon's incentive is his and his
friend's lives, he is going berserk.
*Shatter holds him off by
blocking expertly with the ax, while Hellsbane,
behind Vizon, works the end of the rope into a noose.
Ronin stares coldly at Ty*
Vizon hacks and slashes with all his agility and strength,
fangs bared - a battle-axe is large, dangerous, and strong, but Vizon is quick, the swings of the heavy weapon are slow. As
he dodges another swing he counters with a swing of his sword, but at the same
time he kicks Shatter in the knee.
Ty lifts his chin and holds his ground. After all, Ronin still has his sword raised.
*Shatter spins the ax around
so that Vizon's foot comes in contact with the blade.
Ronin speaks* Why won't you tell us? The child
doesn't belong to you.
The blade slices through the black boot's toe
and cuts deep into Vizon's foot. His only response is
to roar louder and bring his blade up in an arc toward Shatter's
chin as she raises the axe again.
Ty narrows his eyes
at Ronin, "I can't. You'll never
understand."
[Ronin]
I know you're the only father the child's ever known, but you stole the child
from us. The child is ours. We will get him back. You could never give him what
we can.
Ty shakes his head, still meeting Ronin's
gaze, "I can not lose another child...another family. That is why I asked
to die. I will fight for him to death."
Shatter flattens her ears and
ducks, just as Hellsbane swings the noose over Vizon's head*
Vizon flinches in surprise as the rope tightens around his
throat. With his free paw, he pulls at it, then as his
breath is cut off, he drops his sword and claws at the noose desperately.
*Shatter grabs the sword when
he drops it. Hellsbane yanks back on the rope.
With a choking gasp Vizon is pulled off his feet. He hits the ground,
thrashing, his eyes bulging and his teeth grinding together as air, so
essential for life is denied him.
[Ronin]
You think I'm heartless, don't you? No, I just want my nephew back. Though,
what I have in mind is breaking tradition completely, but it'd be the only way
to make the child happy...
Ty looks past Ronin and
glimpses Vizon, struggling on the floor, gripping the
constricting rope around his neck, "Vizon!"
Vizon's mouth is open, gasping, but sucking in nothing as his
eyes glare and search for any means of escape. He sees Ty,
but can only look at him for a few seconds before flashes of light begin to
dance across his vision. He is suffocating.
*Shatter stands next to Vizon and puts a foot paw down on his chest, put doesn't
push. Hellsbane holds Vizon's
head tightly, and allows the noose to loosen a little bit so he could breathe.
Shatter crouches down and sits on Vizon's legs, and
starts checking him all over for other weapons*
Vizon gasps, heavily and hoarsely as oxygen once again
fills his lungs. Shatter finds a dagger at his side and a small knife in his
boot.
Ty looks toward his friend anxiously, but doesn't move.
He wrings his paws together and turns back to Ronin,
a pleading look on his face.
*Ronin
also glances at them, but turns back and sees the look* It's alright, they
won't kill him yet. We're trying to unshed as much blood as possible. Are you
willing to listen now?
"Now
that you have my best friend at blade point?" Ty replies bitterly, then pauses. "What is it?"
*finding the dagger, she
wraps it in a cloth and sticks it in her belt, then takes off his boots and
examines them. She finds a knife in one of them, and does the same with that.
She throws the boots away. Hellsbane tighten the
noose, but not all the way*
Vizon yells in pain as Shatter pulls off his left boot,
blood pouring from a huge gash in his foot that almost severed it in two.
*Shatter realizes what she
did, and takes out another cloth and wraps his paw in it, and tightens it, so
the blood might stop the it's flow* Where's Tovah
when ya need 'er, eh? *says
Shatter*
Vizon grits his teeth and roars at the touch of the cloth
and almost screams at the pressure put upon it. He is beaten at last. Vizon's body shudders and every muscle in his body is
rigid. His hands tremble under the strain, veins prominent and claws sinking
deep into the rope.
[Ronin]
*knowing that Ty's cornered, he re-sheaths his sword*
Shatter and I have discussed it many a time, and with the whole of the pack.
We've decided that, if you're willing to learn our traditions and respect them,
you can be part of the pack. Granted that you'd be the lowest rank, you'd be
allowed to interact with the child as he too learns our ways. What say you?
Ty swallows, his eyes darting around as his thoughts run
wild - would it work? Could he do such a thing? He doubted a rough hard-lived
sailor could ever fit, but this was his chance. A way out.
Ty looks at the ground and sighs, then looks back up
at Ronin, "Yeah, I s'pose
I cain do that. If'n that be thur only way."
[Shatter] *to Hellsbane* He ain't goin' nowheres, so I'll get Tovah. *she gets up and rushes out. Minutes later she
returns with another she-wolf, though this one looks hardly aggressive*
*Tovah
shakes her head as she unwraps the cloth from the paw.
She takes a cloth and wraps it where a vein would be, and ties it tightly. (that would stop the heavy flow of blood)* Shatter, get a big
bowl of hot water, and sprinkle this in it. *she hands Shatter and small pouch
and she runs off. She returns about five minutes later (that's long considering
the situation) with it and sets it in front of Tovah.
Tovah puts Vizon's paw in
the bowl, holding it together*
Vizon's muscles relax a little, and his breathing becomes
less like quick gasps and more regular. He shuts his eyes, grimacing, tears
squeezing out from between the lids as his paw is dunked and squeezed.
*Ronin
sets his paws on Ty's shoulders gently* Then, when
your friend is better, we shall begin the ceremony of making you a part of the
pack. You won't be harmed, but thought of as a funny-looking wolf. *he chuckles
slightly*
Ty watches Vizon as he speaks,
his brow drawn together worriedly, "Er - will 'e
be alright?"
*he smiles* Tovah's
taking care of him. She's knowledged with many
healing techniques and herbs, taught by Yehudi the
Great. He'll be fine.
Ty is sure he will have trouble becoming part of a wolf
pack, but he is even more sure that Vizon will not take this union very well. Ty hopes that Vizon will
understand and not hate him for the rest of his life....
Yehoodee? Tovah? These names mean nothing to Ty,
but he supposes they will eventually. He looks upon the future with a little
hope and a lot of fear....
*Shatter puts a stick wrapped
in soft leather with many bite marks between Vizon's
teeth* Use this. It helps. He spits it
at her hatefully, then groans as a new wave of pain is
sent up through his entire being. *Right
about now, Vizon's paw should be numb. Tovah nods to Hellsbane, and he
props Vizon up. Shatter has a flask of herbal water
in her paw, and sprinkles an herb in it. She puts it to Vizon's
mouth and speaks* Drink this. *and angles the flask so some of the water flows
in his mouth*
By now, Vizon
is too relieved and exhausted (not to mention, delusional) to protest anything
else and drinks the water. It flows smoothly down his raw throat and he slips
into a deep sleep even before the potion takes affect.
*Tovah
takes out a sterilized needle and thread, looks to Shatter, who tweaks Vizon's nose* He's out cold. If he wasn't, he'd be highly
insulted by a "nose tweeking".
*Shatter nods to Tovah, and she lifts Vizon's paw
out of the water. She cleans off the wound, and starts to bind the wound with
the needle and thread*
[Ronin]
Yehudi the Great is simply that; great. He's
powerful, and yet mysterious. He's never in one place for long, and it's hard
to keep track of him. Tovah is the she-wolf right
there, fixing the mink's paw.
[Ty]
"Ya mean that thur 'ealer wolf is thur alpha female?
I don' know much 'bout wolves, but I always did 'ear that thur
alphas were the meanest...." he pauses, looking from Tovah
to Ronin, "An' she don't look as much fierce as that Shatter gal...." He scratches the
back of his head, hoping he's not insulting Ronin.
[Ronin]
*he chuckles* No no, Tovah
is a healer wolf, yes, but she is a Beta. Shatter is the alpha female; I am the
alpha male. I can be aggressive when I need to be. This is a lot better than
fighting, eh?
Ty forces a smile, but looks at his feet. He feels
guilty about Vizon. Here his best friend has just
thrown his life away to save him, and not only did he not lift a paw to help,
but now he's joined the enemy...."Vizon, please
forgive me..." he thinks to himself.
Suddenly a thought strikes him, "'Ey, uh,
Ronin - I got a small question fer
ya.........will I still be able ta
come an' visit me pals?"