New Year Oak 2010

[Terragon Scrufftail]

*Terragon looks up at the tree positioned in the centre of the square. Despite the oak's sparse decorations, there is something comforting about the familiarity of the town tradition. Drawing her cloak tighter around her shoulders against the chill of the frosty morning it occurs to the squirrel that the season has not yet been named although winter is now truly upon the settlement. This thought in mind, she searches through her bag for quill and parchment. She'll try and gather suggestions when the others arrive...*

[Tinsy Stormsight]

Regen's a little drunk, maybe. Perhaps tired, too. Making the trip from Riverside Manor (a stupid name, that; Lonas picked it out) to Terralux in less than a day was quite a feat. But then, he hadn't gotten the letter about the New Year until three days before it actually started. Then he'd taken two to decide if he really wanted to go back or not. There couldn't be that many beasts left he still knew. Lonas was who knew where. Rippla was, last he heard, selling his blade and soul to..well, whoever bought that kind of thing. Crusaders or something. Regen had kind of cut his own mercenary career short. The only beast with him who might remember the village was Tomin, really, and the young fox was still sound asleep in the Tavern as far as he knew.
He wanders toward the oak tree in the middle of the village, vaguely remembering that this was the only tree the Villagers wouldn't let him cut down during the sieges. People were oddly attached to the landscape around here. He can see a squirrel across the way. Red, female, wearing a cloak. Well, it was cold that morning.
Morning?
He wonders if it's too early to drink, and immediately forgets abou the idea. The squirrel, he realises, is Terragon.
It had been a while.
Regen immediately sped up the pace, limping slightly..his leg was a bit stiff in the colder weather. Too bad Lonas wasn't there. It had been a very long time.
"Terragon!"
The gold squirrel slows, a grin spreading across his thick-whiskered face, brown eyes gleaming happily. He stops in front of the other squirrel and holds out a gloved paw. For a moment, he forgets that he doesn't look exactly the same. The scar on his face is a bit of a throw-off. Rippla'd said it would be. And anyway, it had been almost..over..a year.
"It's, uh."
Should he re-introduce himself? Couldn't hurt. Might help.
"It's Regen."
He smiles again, somewhat hopefully.

[Terragon Scrufftail]

*Staring up at the vast, ancient oak, Terragon does not hear the other's approach and it is the sound of her own name that causes her to turn to face the newcomer. Though she feels she should recognise the other's voice, his limping gait is unfamiliar and before Terragon can put a name to him, the squirrel is standing before her, grinning and extending a gloved paw to her.*

"Regen?" *Terragon blinks, the changed face of the other squirrel but not the name taking a moment to register as she accepts and shakes the proffered paw. Then,* "Regen!" *Of course. She curses her moment of hesitation.* "How've you been?!" *The russet-furred squirrel's mouth grows into a small, bright smile.* "I nearly didn't recognise you there..." *She begins, the exclaimation trailing off as the squirrel wonders whether this is quite the right thing to admit. It's true though that Regen has changed, a scar not blighting, that would be the wrong word entirely, but altering his face. The limp too; Terragon can't recall an occasion where the old injury appeared to have affected Regen as much as it does now. Perhaps she's mistaken though. The years play strange tricks upon the memory and although Terragon is still young she cannot help but feel, perhaps not entirely irrationally, that former certainities and recollections are beginning to slip away from her. Yet all the same here stands one part of the past, grinning as though the none of the previous weeks and months - or has it been longer now? - have ever happened; it's good to see Regen again.*

[Bracken]

*Bracken slows her pace as she reaches the square. She wasn't sure exactly where she'd been heading, but anywhere would've done. It had been so long since she'd been here. She'd gained great experiences from her travels, but was still somewhat unwilling to recount the exact details of them. Some knew that she'd seen her sister down on the coast, but few knew why.
Now she looks around, getting her bearings. Yes, she remembers the Tavern, and the Forge, and a few of the streets leading off the square, and the Oak tree in the centre. Drawn to the tree, as she gets closer she spots two creatures beneath it, clearly in conversation. She hesitates, not wanting to intrude, but then recognises Terragon and continues towards them. Bracken still hadn't really spoken to Terragon yet, despite having been back for a little while, but it had been a long time since she'd really known her. As she reaches them, she stops and clears her throat a little, embarrassed to be interrupting, and smiles at Terragon and the other squirrel, whom she doesn't believe she's met before*
Cha, hello. It's been a while.
*She glances back up at the tree*