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Post by Firehead on Jul 22, 2009 13:27:27 GMT -5
For most people, sneaking around in the Mountains of Rain and Night would not have been a first choice. Nor would it have been a second, or a third, for that matter, it probably would not have been on their lists at all. But for Rab, it was the equivalent of a festival. He liked to nose around where others didn't. it was not to show off--Rab was not interested in showing off to anybody. Why was he there? For the fun of it. To see what was going on in the mountains. To enjoy the peace and quiet. Not that he was having any.
At the moment, he was watching someone on the trail below him. He had been sitting there for half an hour, when he'd spotted the man coming. Something about the man seemed familiar, but unless it was someone with an urgent message for him, they would have stayed at his cabin until he returned. For five minutes he'd been watching the man, and even though the stranger didn't look like a ranger, he sure could move quietly like one. Rab shrugged, then threw his voice so that it sounded like it had come from the brush nearby. "Scenery doing any good for your health?"
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Post by ivory on Jul 22, 2009 14:20:36 GMT -5
After being attacked by the Assassin Guild's leader eleven days ago, Badger had reunited himself with his horse, Mikilana, and caught the next boat to Araluen. He'd taken the nine days to forget about Kadara and turn his attention back to his problem with Hatchet. One wrong and two more years of his life had been stolen. It was time to put an end to it, a full-hearted end. He hadn't like the conclusion he'd reached, but knew that it'd been the truth. He'd ran more than fought back because he's wanted to run. Not anymore.
He'd led Mikilana off the boat and immediately made his way to the Mountains of Rain and Night. Two days of a quick pace had pushed both of them, but on the eleventh day he'd crossed into its entrance. Another hour and he was where he wanted to be: the beginning of his run and the ending.
He made the final steps alone, leaving Mikilana in the shade of a single tree, wanting to take a moment to himself. He was changing; he could feel it. He closed his eyes.
"Scenery doing any good for your health?"
And snapped them back open as he swung toward the underbrush beside him. He took a step toward it before shifting his body in the other direction. Mikilana hadn't given him any warning and the wind was blowing directly from the brush towards her. His eyes narrowed even as he touched the knives at his waste. He fingered the smaller knife's hilt as he scanned all of his surroundings.
"Why don't you come out and see for yourself?" He made sure to keep all sounds of a threat out of his voice, still uncertain if it was friend or foe. The odds leaned much greater to the later considering where he was, but he didn't want to act in case that small percentage of it actually being a friend struck true. Though he had to wonder why anyone right in the head would come here, himself excluded since he had a good reason...kind of...
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Post by Firehead on Jul 22, 2009 14:33:56 GMT -5
The man stopped and swung toward him, taking a step in his direction before stopping again to turn toward his horse. The horse that had not made an impression on Rab. Nor Rab on the horse, apparently. "Why don't you come out and see for yourself?" the man replied, and Rab lifted an eyebrow at the suggestion. Propping his chin up on his fist, Rab studied the man. Seen him a year or so ago? Definitely. Who was he? Not entirely certain. Making a decision, he rose quickly and a couple of bounds put him directly two yards in front of the stranger and in the middle of the path. Hands on his hips, Rab answered the man. "I might take you up on that."
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Post by ivory on Jul 22, 2009 14:50:13 GMT -5
Badger stopped retreating when the man showed himself, though he kept his fingers on his knife. Something about the man nagged at the recess' of his mind, but he couldn't seem to figure it out. It just kept darting away from him like those stupid minnows he'd tried to catch as a boy. So he waited just as he had for those fish.
"I might take you up on that."
He already had taken him up on it, but instead of voicing his thoughts he said, "Who are you?" Better to let the stupid minnows come to him.
[OOC: no offense met. *grin*]
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Post by Firehead on Jul 22, 2009 15:06:34 GMT -5
The man didn't seem surprised by Rab's sudden appearance, but eyed him, then asked, "Who are you?" Rab's eye held a spark of laughter in them as he countered. "First things first. Who are you. I've been coming here for a while now, and I've never seen you up here before."
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Post by ivory on Jul 22, 2009 19:08:00 GMT -5
He'd been here two years ago and though that had been 'private' business, he would've bet that everyone within Hatchet's circle would've heard by now. Placing his bid on the table, he replied, "Geoffrey. I'm a ranger, checking out the area." He actually wasn't a ranger anymore - well, at least not for now - since he'd turned in his oakleaf a few years ago to deal with Hatchet, but figured it might make the man more wary of attacking. "You've been here for a while, doing what?"
Though he would've asked that question as a ranger, he really was curious as to why anyone would want to come visit here. Not only was it away from civilization, but it was home to those beast Wargals. And that last thought confirmed his suspicions. This man could be deadly.
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Post by Firehead on Jul 23, 2009 8:38:20 GMT -5
The man seemed wary and yet he gave a straight answer."Geoffrey. I'm a ranger, checking out the area.You've been here for a while, doing what?" Or...not so straight. Geoffrey? Maybe. Ranger? No. There was no spark of laughter now, in Rab's eyes when he spoke, not lower but softer in tone. "It seems your mistaken, sir. I happen to be a King's Ranger, and you, sir, would be of a much better health if you gave me the truth."
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Post by ivory on Jul 23, 2009 9:17:06 GMT -5
[i[Ranger?[/i] His eyes narrowed as he gazed more carefully on the man's appearance. Clothes colored brown and green - perfect for fitting to the background...for a ranger's work anyways. Slim of build, yet muscular - the ideal look of a ranger. Curly, light brown hair, blue eyes, tanned skin. [OOC: retreived from his profile] Again that tingle of familiarity arched through his mind. And then he had it. He had seen him before. It'd been at a Gathering a few years ago and at a distance for the most part. Double-checking his memory just in case it was based on false hope, he found it to be true.
He raised a single shoulder in a half-shrug and said, "It was half truth. I used to be a ranger until two years ago when I quit." He hesitated slightly before adding, "Name's Badger Cheeseman." He hadn't used his real name in two years and it felt a little odd in the air, but he wanted to give the man something to check should he still not believe him. And he didn't have to worry about the usual since the man was a ranger and could no doubt take care of himself. Still...maybe he should warn him...
"I quit for personal reasons. I had a mission to apprehend a bandit by the name of Hatchet five years ago. It wasn't easy, but I managed. He was imprisoned until two years ago. He's hunting for me and everyone he sees I'm in contact with - best if we go seperate ways."
He didn't move though despite his words of advice. It felt good to be in the presence of another ranger, even if he didn't know him.
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Post by Firehead on Jul 23, 2009 9:55:52 GMT -5
The man studied him carefully, then gave a shrug. "It was half truth. I used to be a ranger until two years ago when I quit." He hesitated slightly before adding, "Name's Badger Cheeseman." And with those last three words, Rab's memory clicked.
The Grouch. Of course. Up and vanished two years ago-- hadn't been seen since. Crowley had a word out on him. Anyone who saw him was to try to talk, knock, or otherwise get enough sense back into his head to convince him to rejoin the Ranger's Corps.
"I quit for personal reasons. I had a mission to apprehend a bandit by the name of Hatchet five years ago. It wasn't easy, but I managed. He was imprisoned until two years ago. He's hunting for me and everyone he sees I'm in contact with - best if we go separate ways." Rab noticed that he didn't move though despite his words of advice. Crossing his arms over his chest, Rab gave Badger a once over. "Crowley wants to talk to you. For that matter, so do I." Jerking his head in the direction of the brush to the uphill side of the path, he said, "Let's eat."
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Post by ivory on Jul 23, 2009 10:14:07 GMT -5
"Crowley wants to talk to you. For that matter, so do I."
Badger winced at the mention of Crowley, a tug of guilt on his conscious. He hadn't left in the noblest of ways - having simply left his oakleaf on the man's desk sitting on top of a piece of paper with his name on it. It wasn't that he feared him, simply didn't want to have to second-guess his decision like he knew he would've should Crowley have talked to him.
"Let's eat."
Badger hesitated for a second before his stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since he'd left port a day and a half ago. He whistled a single high note and a few seconds later Mikilana was walking by his side as he followed the man - Rab 'S'-something if he remembered correctly.
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Post by Firehead on Jul 23, 2009 10:40:08 GMT -5
Badger was silent a moment, then he gave a high, single whistle, and he and his horse followed Rab back into the brush. Opening his small traveling bag, Rab handed Badger a half a loaf of bread, and began to slice yesterday's fresh-cooked meat in half. "My name's Rab Streamflag, by the way." He paused, the spark returning to his eyes. "Which Ranger did you say your mentor was again, Geoffrey?"
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Post by ivory on Jul 23, 2009 10:51:27 GMT -5
Streamflag, that was it, he remembered with a nod of his head, his mouth watering at the sight of the meat.
"Which Ranger did you say your mentor was again, Geoffrey?"
"I didn't," he replied absently, already able to taste the morsel slidding around on his tongue. He swallowed, licked his lips, and forced his eyes on Rab. "If Crowley sent you to talk me back into the corps, you can forget it." The words hurt to say, but he wasn't about to turn his back on Hatchet and allow him to go on slaughtering everything he cared about.
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Post by Firehead on Jul 23, 2009 11:25:04 GMT -5
"I didn't," Rab's head snapped up, his eyes wide with surprise, and he started to speak. He had expected an answer of course, but this was not what he'd expected to hear. He certainly hadn't intended on being taken seriously. Then he noted the absentminded way Badger was watching him cut the meat, and he understood.He'd played a rather deadly game of hide-and-seek with a wargal in these mountains, when he'd first been consigned to his fief, and had gone without food and water for hours before the wargal had lost interest. Learning from his carelessness, he'd made sure never to go unprepared again.
Badger met his eyes. "If Crowley sent you to talk me back into the corps, you can forget it." Again, Rab studied the man's eyes, noting the stubborn look in them. Then he looked away, glancing quickly around to make sure there were no unwelcome guests in the area, and handed Badger a lump of meat, keeping the other and making a kind of sandwich out of it. Then his eyes sought Badger's face again, and his tone was even and resolute. "There is no way I am forgetting it."
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Post by ivory on Jul 23, 2009 11:46:09 GMT -5
Badger hadn't expected him to, but he kind of wished he had - it'd make this a whole lot easier. He swallowed his mouthful of meat, flicked his eyes back toward Rab's, and replied, "Then come back later 'cause I'm not going back."
He took another bite, thinking it over. He'd planned to go back when he was ready (aka: Hatchet six feet under), but how long would that take? It'd already taken two years, was he really patient enough to wait another? He study Rab for half a second before giving himself a mental shake.
There was no way he'd ask, not because of his pride, but because it wasn't Streamflag's problem. The left side of his mouth pulled down into a frown, but his mind was made up. As soon as he finished eating, he'd thank the man and leave. The sooner he found Hatchet's trail (which wouldn't be hard considering he'd been running from it for two years and knew what to look for), the better.
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Post by Firehead on Jul 23, 2009 12:05:57 GMT -5
"Then come back later 'cause I'm not going back." Rab gave it some thought, before answering, then seemingly gave in. "Alright." He busied himself with finishing his meal as quickly as possible. Done, he drew out a small canteen of water and washed down the breadcrumbs, then offered it to Badger. "But I'm going with you."
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