Quest at Dawn

[Terragon Scrufftail]

*Terragon had awoken early again, as she had done for the past fortnight. The dawn was barely breaking and a mere slither of light was visible upon the horizon as she left Starsett Hollow. The squirrel took with her a cloak and a spare set of clothes, washed quickly in a stream in the woods, away from the settlement and drying herself on her cloak quickly dressed in clothes meant for travelling in. Even then, it was as though Terragon knew she would not be returning to Starsett Hollow in a long time.*

*By the time she reaches the finally-completed buildings that are St. Ninian's Abbey, the damp cloak on her back is too cold and wet to wear. Another squirrel greets her at the door of the Abbey and insists on lending Terragon a spare cloak. With a nod and a word of thanks, the Terraluxian squirrel wanders further into the monastry, paws padding through the cloisters towards a small room, housing a shrine to St. Ninian. She kneels in front of a painted statue of a simply-clad churchmouse and mutters into the silence, trying to think of what to say, trying not to feel almost embarassed; the mouse's gaze feels heavy upon the back of Terragon's bowed head. The last thought in her mind before she stands is simple: Ashnel. She quickly hides a smile as she remembers the journey through Mossflower with Seastar and the dark-furred squirrel and attempts to look sombre. And it is as she tries to remain serious and respectful that Terragon notices a scroll at the footpaws of the statue. I shouldn't read it, she tells herself, over and over, and yet temptation overcomes the squirrel and she finds herself reaching for the parchment. Perhaps Ashnel came to the Abbey and left it there, Terragon hopes. The writing is all too familiar and the leaderess nearly howls in frustration, before remembering where she is and swallowing the anger. For it is the hand-writing of the riddle writer that she now begins to read...*

*"Go from Terraluxian home,
Seek the founder squirrel's tome.
Search for Abby, find my sister,
But beware! Be silent!
Speak only in whisper!"*

*Terragon could have rolled the scroll of parchment back up and left it there, but it is now curiousity that gets the better of her and she reads it a second and third time, memorising the lines. Then, she pads quickly back through the cloisters, thanks the squirrel at the gate and walks hastily back to Terralux, whose residents are now waking, and, as she enters the Village Square, for the first time in days, Terragon is not thinking about Ashnel.*

[Stoakly Centurio]

*Edmond wakes up, rubbing his solemn brown eyes as he rolls out of bed. Still in his night-gown, a long, green flowing robe, he yanks it off and dresses in his finest green tunic with gold hemmings and a brown hood. The mouse grabs his tan knapsack and stuffs a cloak in it, some biscuits from the previous night's dinner, October Ale, and a couple of blankets. He has been planning a trip to St. Ninian's for a couple of days to refresh his head, get his mind off of the gypsies that attacked, and start over. Buckling his dagger to his belt, he wipes his fur with his paw, and then straps the knapsack around his back, and exits.*

Hallo there! *The mouse calls to a small squirrel scurrying through the streets. He spots Terragon, the Leaderess of the village, and smiles.* Brilliant day, eh? Snow is clearing up a tad and spring is comin' along nicely. *Edmond decides to tell Terragon of his planned trip and smiles.* I'm taking a visit down to St. Ninian's church for a few days. Refresh me mind, eh? I'll sleep in one of them cots, y'know. *He nods to Terragon and notices a slight difference in her attitude.* You seem a little confused. If you're gettin' prepared for a journey, I'll gladly come along. Asides, the Order o' St. Ninian's hasn't gone on a mission yet. Anyhow, I'm off to tell Stoakly g'bye afore I either leave for St. Ninian's or go where ever you need me to go. *He pads off into the street, waving to Terragon behind him.*

[Terragon Scrufftail]

Um... good morning! *Terragon calls after the mouse, nearly laughing in surprise at the talkative mouse.* And - *She dashes after him.* - Tell Stoakly that I've found another scroll from the riddle writer. He'll know what I mean. *Terragon laughs faintly again at the shear determination of the mysterious riddle writer.* Yes, you're right. It is a brilliant day, Edmond, is it? *She asks, faintly recognising the mouse from around the settlement, but not being able to recall his second name.*

[Stoakly Centurio]

Another riddle, y'say? Is this what has you up and about? *Edmond turns back to talk to Terragon. He looks at her in curiosity.* So, are you gonna take us out on an adventure for the riddle? *His brown eyes are beaming with excitement, even though he hasn't gotten clarification yet.*

[Terragon Scrufftail]

Oh... I dunno, *Terragon says, suddenly uncertain.* I mean, it's winter. Nobeast'll want to be questing. *She glances around as though looking for warriors of the Terraluxian Guard nodding their heads and shivering in agreement.* Will they?

OOC: *Cough.* Your cue to enter, anybeast who wants to join the quest. *Cough.*
Meh. Short message and my spelling is getting worse...

[Tinsy Stormsight]

As if on cue, another beast comes strolling up the street, cloaked and hooded. It is a tall creature, in a blue-gray cloak..for a moment, one might think it's Regen. However, said beast has a sort of slink to his gait, sort of sneaky-like, even though he's walking in plain sight. Besides, Regen's old wound acts up when it's wet out..so it can't be the ex-soldier.
When he gets closer, one can tell that it's Rippla, walking with purposeful stride as always. The weasel has a slight grimace to his face, as if he's uncomfortable in the cold. But then, he usually looks like that, due to the scar across his face that twists his lip into a permanent sneer.

He slows and pauses near the others, eyes flicking over first Edmond and then Terragon under the hood. After a moment, he removes the covering and nods lightly.
"Good morning. Out for a stroll on this pleasant day?"
As if.
The weasel was quite aware that nobeast walked out in the cold and damp of their own accord. Except for him, but he'd grown up at docks in the northlands..it was cold and wet there, even in summer. Today he was in the mood for a walk, disregarding the weather.
This would mean that their esteemed leaderess had something going on. Although Rippla normally didn't give a rip about such things (as Regen Eale would so put it), perhaps the Eales would want to know about it.

OOC: Felt like rping Rippla today...just in one of those moods. Also, it's fun to do someone who's always nasty sometimes.

[Terragon Scrufftail]

*Terragon ignores Rippla until it is impossible to without seeming as equally hostile as the weasel himself.* I was, but then I found something down at St. Ninian's, *She tells him, more or less truthfully. Terragon raises the scroll in her paw and, gripping it by the top of the parchment, allows the long scrap of paper to half-unroll to make some of the text visible before the end curls back into the scroll-like shape.* Terralux's infamous riddle-writer. *It briefly crosses Terragon's mind that, if anybeast could track the mysterious poet down, it would be Rippla. Not that he would care to and the leaderess is too proud to ask him. She stares coolly back at him, the scar across the weasel's face now only inspiring only guilt for the squirrel. Shouldn't have let Balder... mind you, the fool wanted to pull Rippla's teeth out. But I don't know if he'd appreciate being told to "count the blessings."*

[Tinsy Stormsight]

But beware! Be silent!
Speak only in whisper!
Rippla frowns slightly, having caught the bottom two lines of said riddle, runs his tongue across his teeth thoughtfully, and thinks about this. Found by the place they called Ninian's? Infamous riddle-writer? This place simply got stranger the longer he stayed around. Headless ferrets, beasts dissapearing and coming back later, anonymous riddlers.
The riddler didn't bother him too much. Many bards and suchlike went nameless, mostly to bother beasts who read their poems and songs. There were few things more annoying than finding a story one liked and not knowing who wrote it.
Or so he'd been told.

The weasel stares back at Terragon calmly, dark eyes cold as the gray sky above, and contemplated what to say next. The leaderess probably wanted something from him, although what he wasn't going to ask. Rippla's eyes flicker to the parchement again and back.
"What does it say?"

[Terragon Scrufftail]

*Terragon watches Rippla's eyes flick across the last two lines. He can read, can't he? Lonas had never mentioned whether the weasel was able to read English, but, then again, it was really party conversation. Or any kind of conversation, really. Terragon's expression is more or less unreadable, although her eyes drift away from Rippla's for a moment, unwilling to meet his gaze, as though with one look he can read her mind.* "Go from Terraluxian home, Seek the founder squirrel's tome. Search for Abby, find my sister, But beware. Be silent. Speak only in whisper," *She reads, not daring or bothering to speak in anything much more than a monotone.*

[Tinsy Stormsight]

Rippla takes this all in, expression not wavering. After a moment, he says, defiantly using a normal voice, "It sounds to me like we've a quest going. Shall I inform the Eale brothers?"
A riddle quest..sounded to him like the kind of thing Lonas liked. Rippla had done things like that before, although not quite willingly, and usually under threat of death. He'd always been the one with brains in his family, and thus was assigned to do things that involved thinking...follow maps, find hidden things, manipulate others into doing what was wanted. Simple stuff, really, but good training for the life of a spy and informer.

[Terragon Scrufftail]

Thank-you, Rippla, *Terragon answers quietly.* I suppose Regen will be at the Apothecary. Baraka might be interested in joining in too, but only if you can find him without going out of your way.

OOC: Meh. Short message again. Advancing quest to when everybeast arrives?

[Terragon Scrufftail]

*Terragon raises a paw in greeting to the newcomers.* Morning. New clue from the riddle writer. *She holds out the now slightly tattered scroll of parchment with a shrugg and a smile.* Read it through, if you like. *I haven't the faintest idea what it means...*
*"Go from Terraluxian home,
Seek the founder squirrel's tome.
Search for Abby, find my sister,
But beware! Be silent!
Speak only in whisper!"*