User blog:Fereahgo the Assassin/A Warriors Heart and Honor

PROLUGE Airia whirled around, practicing her swordplay. Her knapsack lay unguarded by the fire. She sliced the leaves off of a lowhanging branch and stopped. Someone was coming through the forest, overhead, probably. She didn't bother to douse the fire on her way to the stream. Strapping on her knives, she grabbed her knapsack and jumped into the stream. Her strong strokes pulled her to the other bank, where she clambered up, cold and soaked to the bone. She turned around, just in time to see a figure come strolling along, picking leaves out of it's tail. It was a squirrel, and from here she could tell it was lithe and strong. It paused, and stooped over the fire, then turned and stared straight at Airia. She didn't blink, she didn't even turn her head, she just stared. The figure called out, and two more forms joined it. One was an otter, the other, she shuddered, was a badger.

Tor stared at the two eyes on the other bank, adrenaline pulsing through his veins. He called to his companions, Skipper the otter, and Minna the Badger Mother. Both were armed with two long javelins apiece, a slingshot and Minna carried a longbow. Tor only carried a sword, slingshot and a bow and arrow set. He turned to Minna and asked quietly, excitment quivering in his voice, "There is a beast on the other bank. I do not know who it is, or what it is for that matter. All I know is that it can swim well, is quick, and is armed." Skipper flexed his paws, grinning like a disobedient dibbun, "Do you want me tah fetch the wanderer in, matey?" His eyes were alight with a kindling fire, reflecting Tor's feelings. Minna stepped between them, her small eyes filled with concern and wisdom. "Now Skipper, Tor, I don't thinnk we should fetch the wanderer, as you put it. Leave them be. If they were friendly, theey've would've stayed. But they didn't, so we don't know. Please, let's go back to Redwall." She turned around and started heading back into the trees. "But, they are so close to Redwall, what if it's an enemy scout? What if it saw us, and is listening to us right now?" his voice rose in volume and pitch. Skipper walked up behind him, placing his paws on Tor's shoulders, he began steering the young squirrel to the forest, back to home. Tor slumped his shoulders, and sprang up into the nearest oak. "I bet I'll get there before you guys do!" he crowed as he nimbly dashed forward. Minna and Skipper turned, satisfied that their job was done.

Airia sighed, she was going to follow them. She empited out her knapsack, left the things that she wouldn;t need, and bounded into a overhanging willow that swung silently over the streaam. She jumped quickly from bough to bough, using all her efforts to get into the tree. She reached the top of it, got as far over the edge of the stream as she dared, and leaped. Her eyes narrowed over a oak branch, and she reached for it. Her claws cuaght the edge of it, and she pulled herself into the mighty oak. She started hooping branches, jumping recklessly, unafraind, yet afraid she would not find the three creatures who would lead her to Redwall. She ran into Tor, who had paused for a break, and knocked them both to the ground. She whipped out her sword, and placed between them, point in the ground, her paw on the hilt. She glared at him, her eyes narrow and menacing. Tor backed up, and drew his own sword, and leveled the tip with Airia's nose. "So, you came out of hiding, intruder." she grinned. "I was never the intruder. You see, you do not own the forest, it owns you. You cannot control it. You cannot own it. Therefore, I was not intruding."

Tor blinked, the creature in front of him was a drop dead beauty, with pure black fur and eyes like a polished emerald. He then noticed her build. She was sinewy, lithe, and he knew she was agile. Her paws were cuallesd, strong, her tail was sleek, full and gleamed like ebony ivory. It glimmered in the moonlight, then she struck. Her blade whipped around his like a angry torrent of wind, and his blade was on the ground before he could block it. He stared at his empty paw, and drew his dagger. But it was useless, she was already gone. Soemhow, she had melted into Mossflower Forest, gone, but he was sure that she would return.

CHAPTER 1