Lugaru Text RP: The Decrepit Epoch of Ruin

[Indigo]

Just three hours later, early in the morning, Azuan had sent Dina in to wake Xinal up. She was hesistant, begging him to let the cat sleep just a bit longer, but he wouldn't hear of it. Apparently he him self was restless. He paced up and down in the small tavern, wondering how to handle the journey.

Dina entered Xinal's room silently, placing a hand on his shoulder. She shook him slowly
"Hey".

[Janro]

The feline woke up at the slightest touch. With a sigh he brought himself to sit upright and with great effort shrugged off the sleep that still gripped most of his mind. "Thank you for waking me." Xinal stretched a little before preparing. He put on his cloth wraps and the armor within several moments. He rotated his left arm trying to make it adjust to the shoulder pad and then quickly tapped the chest plate just to make sure it was in place.

"Alright then." More or less awake, the tabby picked up his sword and made his way to meet up with Azuan.

[Indigo]

Azuan stood at the end of the stairs, talking with two rabbits and a rat. All seemed to be fit to travel along with them.

A giant jack rabbit the size of a wolf stepped forward with delight, reaching out a large paw to shake with Xinal once he approached. "Aha! So this is the lad eh? Glad to meet you. I'm Sir Willington, but you can call me Jolly"(For obvious reasons). The other rabbit was busy piecing together a set of cooking gear in an angry manner. Jolly took a step towards Xinal, bending over to whisper to the tabby cat. "Don't mind the little missy. Her name is Lucy Lockheart. The best cook in all of Avestris, and an angry one at that" A wooden spoon came flying towards Jolly's head, and he dodged by mere inches.
"Hah missed me !" He stuck his tongue out at the gray smaller rabbit, who simply tossed another. Hitting him perfectly in his smug face. He shook it off with a smile, pointing to the elder rat with a missing arm, and a missing eye to match it.
"That old coot is Carbon. He's crazy. He's into chemistry, some wierd mumbo jumbo. But he's good enough. Claimed to have his arm and eye taken by flying dogs on a journey once. What none sense eh?" The rabbit elbowed Xinal playfully before being interrupted by Azuan.

"Enough with the chit chat. We have been waiting long enough. Let's go".

Azuan looked around to say goodbye to Tess, but she was no where to be seen. He simply shook his head before giving Dina a Squeeze before going out the door. Dina turned towards Xinal holding out her arms. It's in her nature to be friendly to such a degree "It was a pleasure to have you here Tom"

[Janro]

Xinal never saw a rabbit of that size before. His whole body shook during the handshake. Before he could introduce himself his attention is diverted to another rabbit working on something. Then the exchange of words and utensil brought an amused grin to the tabby's face. Then he listened silently to the story of Carbon. While doing so he recalled the rats that attacked him the day before. The thought was interrupted when an elbow playfully, but a tad bit more painful than expected, poked into the cat's side.

"Right."

He heard the tiger's call. Xinal sighed just before noticing his fellow cat hold out her arms to him. A hug? The ends of his lips tilt upward and held out his arms in a similar fashion to hug her if that was the case. "Thank you for your hospitality, Dina. My name is Xinal by the way. I almost forgot about it for we were just returned to as slaves or toms or whatever." He slowly blinked his eyes, a cat gesture, before turning about to head to look for Tess as well.

"Please tell Tess I'll be back. And I'll do my best to make sure no one else should die because of all this." Doubt flickered beneath his gaze for a moment. Could he really uphold such a promise? After chatting with her last night, he felt that he should at least try and promise her that at least.

[Indigo]

As she let go of Xinal she looked around. "I'll do that once i see her again. She's been gone for an hour now. But that's just how she is i guess" She smiled patting his back.
"You're welcome to return anytime you like. We could use a healthy house cat like you"
She chuckled, returning to the back of the bar.

Upon exiting the tavern, Jolly had to bow to get outside. He then reached out for a large bag, big enough for it to look like a person would be inside it. As he lifted it and swung it over his back, almost hitting Azuan with it. Metal rattled around inside it loudly. He then placed it on a small two wheeled cart.
Politely he grabbed Lockheart's gear, and placed it on the cart too. And he then took two long handle bars at the front, and seemingly effortlessly pulled the cart with him just behind Azuan.
Lockheart frowned, averting her gaze from Xinal before pacing after the large rabbit-driven cart.

Carbon smiled at Xinal, picking up the pace. He stroked his long goatee as he began to question Xinal.
"So you're from the outer rim huh ?".

[Ragdollmaster]

Stellos looked the stranger up and down before nodding. "I'd appreciate any help I can get in taking down what remains of this den. As you can see, Enzo's in no shape to fight; there might be two more of my allies arriving soon, but they're both a little injured and fatigued from an ambush. As for me- well, I'm not really the type of man who can rush into a den of wolves and expect to survive."

[Janro]

The cat wondered why the rabbit was averting her gaze. Like it mattered at all he thought to himself as he fell in pace behind them.

"If I'm not mistaken, yes." With every step the bell around his neck rang ever so slightly. Reminding him of the life he came from. "Originally from a province within Ceali."

[Indigo]

"Aaah yes, all cats usually come from Caeli. I once heard, that they were a species imported to the island of Lugaru, from a large country out there somewhere. Probably nonsense."

Carbons facial expression turned serious now.

"The outer rim huh... You didn't see any... Odd creatures did you"

He let his one and only arm, drop to his side as they walked. But it was clear that the rat clenched his fist hard, digging his long nails into the palm of his hand.

[Lotus Wolf]

Lotus nodded and began walking up toward the lip of the cave. It was not his way to waste words on banter, and so if he assumed the bat would follow if he was ready. He reached into his cloak and took out his pouch of throwing knives, fastening it to his inner arm. He then unsheathed his sword, this time not bothering to fill the cutouts with flammable insets - it was dark, and so he did not wish to break the cowl of night.

Once up to the lip of the cave, he paused and turned. The bat seemed to be conversing with his companions. Lotus turned back to the cave thinking something like; I'm not usually the person rushing into wolf dens either...

[Janro]

"Can't say I have." The cat looked up to the sky. "We weren't allowed to roam around by those bats. It was all work work work eat sleep. Rinse and repeat." Xinal shook his head. "What do you mean by weird creatures? Maybe I might've seen it while I sneaked out onto the field at night."

The tabby noticed the posture of the rats hand and wondered what it is that these odd creatures meant for him.

[Indigo]

"Bats eh... Disgusting creatures. If i still had my right arm i wou-" He was interrupted by Jolly, who burst out into a song out of sheer joy. Azuan smiled to him self, walking in the front no one could see that of course. Lockheart face palmed, throwing a ball of snow after the jack rabbit, making him catch up to Azuan rather quickly. She shook her head a bit, adjusting the grip on a bag she was carrying.

Carbon looked at Xinal "We'll talk once the leader decides to setup campsite"

[Janro]

The feline nodded his head respectfully and continued walking along. Out of habit he eventually wound up towards the rear of the group. His tail flicked every now and then showing the discomfort he felt from the cold. He never said anything though. Other than a slight ringing. That too eventually stopped when the cat couldn't take the ringing anymore and held onto the bell to keep it from sounding.

I'd better be careful with this. I might attract some unwanted company.

[Indigo]

As they traveled for miles none stop, they crossed the border from Avestris and into Chante. The harsh terrain turned into steady small roads. The leafs on the trees began to get a more green colour.
There was less snow, and a dramatic change in temperature. It was alarming how quickly the surroundings of Lugaru could change like that.
----------

As the sun set in the distance, Azuan raised a hand. Even Jolly had been tired out by the trip, and he honestly dropped the handles of the cart. Crashing in the dry grass, onto his knee's. Everyone took a small rest before Azuan stood up again.

"Very well. Jolly, you help me setup a campsite. Lucy you setup your gear, i bet we're all starving. Xinal, you have the honor of gathering firewood with Mister Deveron [Carbon]"

Lucy mumbled something to her self, starting to unload the cart together with Jolly.

[Janro]

The feline only nodded his head in response, conserving his energy. He could feel his feet ache slightly. His stamina held up relatively well, but he too was indeed tired like the rest. He ventured off in search for the fuel for their fire.

Not one to start up a conversation he proceeded to the nearest densest group of trees. He unsheathed his claws and ran them along some of the bark. His green eyes scanned the surroundings thoroughly. Eventually he came across some branches, thick and thin, already fallen on the ground. He approached the pile, making sure not to trip on any roots or rocks along the way. The bell's noise scattered the birds that were nestled in the branches nearby.

[Indigo]

A rustle in the bushes not far from where Carbon was harvesting fuel for the fire, could be heard.
At first the rat didn't think much of it, but upon hearing it a second time. He shot his arm out, and into the bushes. Pulling who ever was lurking out of it by the neck. It wasn't anyone he knew, but the fur coating was unmistakably belonging to Tess. She gasped for air, as she was suspended from the neck. In a last ditch effort to get free from Carbons grip, she kicked him in the stomach. Causing him to loose his grip, and she then grabbed his arm and dug her teeth into his wrist. Causing the elder man to yell in agony.