(Openish) In Which the Adventure Continues...

This is a continuation of the "Adventure Awaits!" thread with Abathor, Rascal, Elleth, and Merenwe.


It was an uneventful trip back to the castle, and, thankfully, they only lost their way once or twice.  When Dante set out from the castle he hadn't really paid any attention to where he was going, but some internal compass of his managed to keep them on track.  

As they broke the through the trees, a spectacular sight met their eyes.  A massive castle stretched before them and the sun peaked out from behind the building, it was just barely past noon.  At first glance the castle looked to be a mighty fortress that was in it's prime, but as they drew nearer one could see the haphazard tilt of a tower, or an un shingled gap in the roof.  It was still quite an impressive sight though, a large moat that ran around the castle shimmering in the sunlight.  Across the moat a lone boat could be seen, bobbing up and down in the water.

Dante's shoulders drooped a bit as they approached the moat, he sighed inwardly.  When he had first set out he had hoped to not see this place again for at least a year, and when he did come back it would be with thousands of tales of his adventures.  Everyone would welcome him back with open arms and hurrah his stories.  As it was, he would probably get a good scolding from his mother.

"Ahoy!"  Dante called out when they reached the bank of the moat, "Ahoy there!  Remo!  Ya there ya lazy 'og?"  From across the moat, a voice called out, "By my 'eadspikes, is that you Dante?  I bet that you wouldn't be comin' back til at least th' fall!"  Dante laughed heartily, "Well, seems ya lost yer bet!  Now git yer lazy spikes o'er 'ere!  We've got company and I don't suppose th' Abbess would like ta hear you kept um waitin'!"

A hedgehog appeared from behind the boat, and waved a hand at Dante, "Atch, don't get your tail in a twist, I'm a coming!"  With that Remo, for that's who the hedgehog was, hopped into the boat and poled it across the moat.  When he arrived at the other side, he cocked his head in surprise at the motley group of creatures before him, "I say Dante, that's quite the crew you have with you!"  Remo stared at Kayn, it being his first time seeing a badger, "Ah, we'll have to take two trips across."  Dante smiled at the hedgehog, "How 'bout you take Kayn 'ere across first an' then come back an get th' rest o' us?"  The hedgehog broke his stare at the badger with a blink, "Er, yes, climb aboard Mr. Kayn, sir."

Dante nodded to the badger and turned to look at the otter and fox that stood next to him, "So, whatcha think?"  He asked with a grin.

'I think I've gone mad.' The fox thought quietly to himself. What was Vannon thinking? Him, a mangy fox coming to visit this monster of a castle run by otters and hedgehogs and...and probibly mice!

They would probbibly have his foxy hide tanned and stuffed by morning! Who knew how the locals would recieve a beast such as he.

A growl from his scrawny stomach reminded the fox of just how desperate he was. So swollowing his pride and fear Vannon put on his best toothy smile. "I think you sure got yourself a mighty fine looking castle! I've never seen one so...so..."

The fox tilted his head to the side. A paw on his hip the fox rubs at his chin as he examines the leaning watch tower. Admitedly the place looks like its glory days are long behind it. The price of peace Van supposed, but even he knew better than to insult his would be hosts.

"Er...words seem to fail me. Be kind and help me out here lad." Vannon says to the badger.

"Umm...its quite magnificent, even with all...its quirks?" Kaidon said, trying to wrap his mind around the sight before him now. This castle was so much different then castle Ironforge! Well...it is being used by for peace after all, unlike his family's whose...more leaned towards the thought of war coming soon.

He said a silent prayer in his head that there were beasts that had different ideals. Then he heard Remo the hedgehog mention him by the false name he gave Dante, "Oh uhh...okay." He said, nervous again as he was the first time he met the others and climbed on board the boat carefully as he could. The badger nearly fell out of the boat from lack of balance and support, but he managed to steady himself enough to stop rocking the boat with his weight. His face went red from embarrassment at his actions.

Niamh stared at the castle in awe.  She had traveled far with her parents, but this was something she had never seen the likes of.  It was huge.  She watched as Kayn clambered into the boat and was rowed across the moat.  The water glinted in the sunlight, and she itched for a swim.  But that would be rather improper, she thought.  She'd better just wait and follow the lead of Dante.  Who knew, maybe there were even dangerous water creatures in the moat, like she'd heard tell in some stories. Instead she just stood silently and stared.

Dante took stock of his companions reactions to his question, they all had quite different reactions, Vannon seemed to be slightly disappointed, Kayn's reaction was not quite as disappointed as Vannon's, but it did seem like he was expecting something different.  Niamh's was probably the most interesting of the three's, she just stood and stared, taking in every inch of the place.

A grin spread across Dante's face as he saw Niamh eyeing the moat.  He nudged her, "Will be sure ta take a dip after we meet th' abbess, if'n you'd like ta that is."  Looking across the moat he saw that Remo and Kayn had already reached the other side, and Kayn was standing on the bank while Remo poled it back across the moat.

As Remo pulled up to the bank, he grinned at the remaining three, "Whelp, let's get you three across, ya'll have ta squeeze a might, but we'll get there."  Without further nudging Dante climbed into the boat and squidged himself on the edge of the seat.  As they pushed through the water he dipped his paw in and swirled it around, breaking the smooth reflection of the puffy clouds in the sky.  A small smile passed over his features as he thought of what his Mum would say when she saw him, it then turned to a grimace as he realized the likelihood of him never setting foot outside the castle again.  He shook his head, maybe his Da would be on his side, maybe.  

Thunk.  Dante was brought back to the here and now when the boat bumped into the landing.  The castle gateway loomed in front of them and Dante himself felt a little small, even though he'd lived behind these doors for basically his whole life.  He sighed and slumped his shoulders, he'd have to face his Mum sometime, but he hoped that the motley group he brought with him would ease the attention on him, or at least make it good attention.  Then maybe his Mum wouldn't be too hard on him.  Looking back at his friends he asked, "Ready for this?"  But perhaps he was more asking himself than them...

Niamh climbed out of the rowboat and onto the bank. She tilted her head back, staring at the huge gates. Why hadn't she ever come here with her parents? Did they even know it existed?
She braced herself as Dante asked if they were ready for this, and nodded. He seemed a bit nervous, she noticed, so she tried to lighten the mood. "Lead on, fearless leader."

Vannon hopped into the boat, making it wobble until he settled himself. "You know...I don't think I've been inside a castle. A TRUE castle, not some tower keep or dungeon. I bet its all filled with fancy art and armor and food."

A faraway look entered the fox's eyes and he began to drool ever so slightly. "Oh I can just imagine what castle folk eat. All the pies and cakes and meat and fish and eggs...glorious sweet tasting eggs..."

Before the boat left a serious look entered the vulpines face. "Out of pure curriosity...how many foxes are here, in the castle?" In reality he was asking what sort of reception he was going to get.

Kaidon waited patiently for the others to finally get across. He honestly would've headed in already to find the recorder Dante mentioned that could know about where his uncle was. Unfortunately...he did not the layout of the castle itself, or......where he would find the recorder in the first place. That and he did not want to....cause a stir, not a good first impression to say the least.

Once they got across, he stood to the side, twiddling his paws to pass the time. He looked up and saw them, making him smile a little. Then he heard them talking and could see Dante seemed....apprehensive, nervous almost, then Niamh gave him words of encouragement.

"Y-yeah dante, lead on fearless leader." He said, echoing the same words the white otter used.

Seanen rubbed the back of his paw across his eyes and stared down at the book in front of him.  It was Brother Johan's records from before Seanan himself was born.  Most of it was just normal events, "Mrs. Bankvole had twin girls today," or "Skipper caught a giant fish for the feast."  But Seanen couldn't find what he was looking for, he could've sworn that what he was looking for would be in Brother Johan's records, but he wasn't finding it.  

Sighing, he looked out the window and onto the grounds below, and what a sight met his eyes.  Dante, the ever exuberant otter, had returned and with company to boot.  A badger, a fox, and a white otter followed Dante as he marched in.  Seanen smiled, the Mother Abbess was going to have quite the surprise!  He watched as Dante halted just outside the entrance to the castle, he said something to his companions and disappeared through the doors, leaving his company waiting.  Grunting with the stiffness of his old bones, Seanen got up from his chair and headed downstairs to find both the Abbess and Dante.

Leona sat on a cushion in the corner of the Den, taking the opportunity of a few moments of quiet to do some reading.  She heard pawsteps approaching, and looked up to see Dante walk into the room.  She rolled her scroll up quietly and shook her head, looking at the exuberant otter who had lost his exuberance.  He looked as if he were walking to his execution.  

His mother would be glad that he returned safely.  But Leona wondered how long the young otter would stay before disappearing again. 

Leona rose to her feet and cleared her throat.  "Well, Dante?  I must say, I didn't expect to see you return so quickly.  What is going on?"

"Ugh...I never did like sea travel." The fox said as he stepped off the boat. Vannon stuck out his tounge and rubbed at his scrawny belly with both paws.

He was about to follow the badger and otter in side when he caught the white furred beast sitting down on the grass.

Raising an eyebrow the fox turned on his heel. "Why the long face miss?" Vannon said as he approached. Leaning to one side with his paw on the hilt of his blade the fox replied again. He had a feeling that he already knew the answer. The otter practically drowned herself in mud to conceal her fur color from them.

The fox couldn't say he really understood the problem. White otters, brown otters, he failed to see a difference. Now grey foxes and red foxes, there was a reasonable difference. Red foxes with they fancy red coats, bah!

"If it will make you feel better, we can enter at the same time and both be out of place together." Vannon held out a paw to the otter to help her up, "Then we can raid the kitchens and eat all their sweets until we explode." He laughed.

"But seriously, can we hurry this up? I havn't eaten in so long I am tempted to cook even the badger at this point."

"Uh-uh......oh." Kaidon slowly began to say and stop when Dante hurried off, leaving them to wait. He turned back to see Niamh sit on the grass and....looked depressed. Before he could try to cheer her up, the fox beat him to it and started talking to her. Maybe...hes not such a bad fox after all, the badger thought and smiled.

Then he heard the statement Vannon made and the smile turned into shock, "Wait what?!" The shock of the words said by the fox had a profound effect on the badger, resulting him in fainting on the spot with a thump.

Dante shuffled his paws and stared at the ground, "Er, ah, Mother Abbess, I er, brought back some guests with me, and, er..."  His face grew red, he had never been good at explaining things to important creatures.  He cleared his throat and tried again, "I made some new friends, an', well, they wanted ta visit th' castle.  It twas alright ta bring 'em, right?  Vannon is a fox, but he seems alright, an' Kayn's perfectly fine, an' Niamh is no trouble..."  He blurted the last part out, and immediately grew red in the face.  

"Kayn wanted ta know if'n he 'ad h'any relatives in th' area, er, well, if'n there was any other badgers, I guess."  Dante explained after a moment of shuffling.  He looked up at the abbess, "Would ya like ta meet them?"

Leona hid a smile. My goodness, Dante had trouble saying the simplest things.
"Yes, I would enjoy meeting your friends. Don't bother with bringing them to me, I've been wanting to get out into the sunshine today. Why don't you lead me to them? And I'm sure Seanan will know if there are badgers in the area or not. If seems to me there was one at some point, but I'm not sure if he's still in the area." She stood and began walking towards the door.


Niamh had reached for the fox's paw with a faint smile on her face at his words, when the badger dropped to the ground in a dead faint. Or, at least, she hoped it was a faint! She rushed over to him and was relieved to see him breathing. "Vannon, quick, please get me some water from the moat. Here," She yanked off her cloak, "you can soak some up with this."

The fox craneed his head to the fallen badger after he fell. "Oi." Paws on his hips Vannon kicks the badger, gently, in the foot. "Must of been the heat." He concluded. Taking the offered cloak Vannon marched himself down to the moat.

He continued to talk even as he leaned over into the river, "Must be hard travelin around in a fur hide so thick. And he seems propper insulated with vitals. Er...well fed." The fox gives a wide toothed grin, "Maybe we should cook em after all? Huh? Huh?"

He paused for a moment before he realized that such humor may not be the most appropriate among these peacefull folk. "N'ver mind." He added before returning with a cloak soaked in water. "Stand back miss." Admitedly Vannon has never had to de-faint a beast before. He is fairly sure that is a word, de-faint. If not it should be.

Reguardless, the fox thought he preformed the needed action by twisting the cloak above the badgers head, dropping water onto his muzzle and face.

"Hey! Buddy! You ok?" He asked the badger while giving him a friendly wide toothed smile.

In the depths of Kaidon's unconsciousness, memories of his past went by in flashes. Moments of when he was back home...in Castle Ironforge, the dark green banners flying high, the sun high as he sparred with his father in the training ground. Then his studies of blacksmithing under his uncle Tobar's tutelage, followed by him practicing archery by himself in the dead of night. With...another beast, who was it again?

Before he could get a better look, he felt the cold water on his muzzle and face. He woke up sputtering and gasping, sitting straight up taking in deep breaths as if he was drowning.

"Wha-what happened?" Kaidon asked both troubled otter and not much troubled fox. He had no recollection of even fainting in the first place.

Relief was written all over Dante's face when Leona said she would meet his new friends.  A small smile started to spread across his face, his enthusiasm for everything returning after the dreaded confrontation was over.  Nearly bouncing with excitement and happiness Dante trotted after the Abbess, "Lets go!  I left 'em at th' entrance with Remo!"


Seanan smiled as Leona told the young otter that she would indeed like to meet his friends.  He could feel the otter's exuberance returning and took a step back from the doorway, which was probably a good idea because a few seconds later Dante came bursting out at the same place where Seanan had just been standing.

Hopping from paw to paw, Dante danced around the Abbess as she made her way out of the Den.  Seanan cleared his throat, catching Dante and Leona's attention.  "Well hello there Dante, Leona."  Seanan couldn't keep the small upward twitch of his mouth from happening.  "I hear you found some creatures and brought them back with you, Dante," he then addressed the Abbess, "You wouldn't mind if I tagged along to meet these fine creatures, would you Leona?"

Leona smiled as she saw the recorder."Well hello, Seanan. Of course you may join us. I have a feeling we'll have need of you." She walked sedately beside the recorder as they followed in the wake of Dante. Leona found herself wondering if she had ever had so much energy as the young otter. Then she shook her head with a smile, remembering her past. Yes, she had been full of energy herself at one point, and it wouldn't do to forget it. She held back a chuckle as she wondered what her younger self would have thought of her now.


Niamh finished wringing out the cloak over the badger, and sat back on her heels as he sat up. "You fainted. I imagine you haven't drank enough today. I know I haven't." She glanced towards where Dante had went and saw him returning. "Better straighten yourself up, here comes Dante." She followed her own advise, wiping her wet paws on her tunic. She stared at their whiteness in dismay. Well, there would certainly be no hiding that she was an albino now. And the mud, which had seemed so practical when she had rubbed it in, had long since dried and began crumbling off. Now she just looked stupid, like a filthy ragamuffin. Not the first impression she had wanted to make. Sighing, she rose to her feet. Nothing she could do about it now.

"Yep. Passed out like a great big sissy you did." The fox crossed his arms. Not bothering to offer to help the badger up Vannon turns his gaze towards the return of his new ottery companion those who followed him.

Stepping lively into the castle the scrawny fox waves in an almost frantic motion as he approaches the new group. "Dante! You have returned! And you brought friends. Excellent! A pleasure to be meetin the lot of you I'm sure."

The fox leans back with his paws on his skinny hips. Like the otter Vannon is somewhat concerned with his appearence. It does no beast good to look like a half starved tooth pick. It was a problem he planned to address as soon as some kind beasty should him to the kitchen area.

"Eveything is fine since you left. Nothing out of the ordinary and kf there was rest assured that it wasn't my fault. Oh, did I say it was a pleashre to be meeting you all?"

"Ye-yeah, not enough water I guess," Liar, "Thats it." He said nervously and cringed from the fox's comment. "I..." He began to start to say to the fox, but stopped and got up silently, dusting himself off. Putting on a blank face, he hopped it would cover what sadness he felt from Vannon's words, knowing they were partly true and it stung deeply.

"He...hi Dante." He said quietly, giving a small wave to the returning otter and his new group now. Quickly, Kaidon could tell these two older beasts seemed important, another perk he picked up when back in his home of Castle Ironforge was knowing a beast of higher stature by first glance.