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Post by Redstripe the Strong on Oct 28, 2006 17:09:17 GMT -5
"He threw me to get me into the throne room. The last I saw he was surrounded on all sides by vermin, with arrows all over him. He fought to the death. He took many a vermin to the Dark Forest with him." He looked around and sighed,"I miss those days, hundreds of enemies pressed against you in a battle that could take days, even weeks to end." He nodded,"But your father's name, I think it was...ummm....ahhhh...sorry I can't remember either. It might come to me later."
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Post by earthpelt on Oct 28, 2006 17:28:21 GMT -5
Bravespirit's ears pricked at the name Russano, and she looked excitedly at her twin. "Hey Loyal, wasn't Papa's brother's name Russano The um...?" The young badger had to dig deep in her memory for her Father's brother's name. "Russano The Brave! I remember 'cause Momma said that's why I have's the word brave in my name!" The young female cried, extremely proud of herself that she had remembered. Her simplistic mind did not register the fact that if these beasts were talking about the same badger, it would make Arlan a relative, if not sibling, of her and her twin brother. Strange that the name would come up. Bravespirit thought absently.
Loyalheart's eyes sparked with interest, and instead of looking sullen as he had when he was listening to the story, he looked quite energetic now. "It was - " The young male badger was about to answer when his twin beat him to it. Instead, he nodded his striped head vigorously. "Aye, I remember hearin' her say that!" Loyalheart replied with energy, though not as much as his sister. The young male quickly fell silent, and his dark eyes glinted thoughtfully. Anyone who knew him well, and Bravespirit was the only one at the moment, could tell that right now, behind the dark, intelligent eyes, his mind was working furiously to make a connection or find a solution.
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Post by taggle on Oct 28, 2006 17:36:32 GMT -5
Arlan looked over at Bravespirit, the light in his head finally coming on. Yes.. his name was russano the wise... but.. how in the world did you know?" he asked brave and loyal at the same time. His mind worked fast and came to conclusions... if her uncles name was russano and my fathers name was russano..that would make her.. my cousin! great seasons.. He held his tongue to see if they could figure it out, his face showing no emotion.
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Post by earthpelt on Oct 28, 2006 17:52:41 GMT -5
Bravespirit looked up at Arlan, her excited mood disappearing for a moment and being replaced with a somber expression. "He was our Papa's brother." She said quietly, glancing at her brother. Despite her fun-loving nature, the youngster greatly disliked speaking about her parents to somebeast older then her, as she did not think they cared She noticed her twin had the 'I'm-thinking' look, and she raised her brows questioningly, silently asking what it was that he was thinking so hard about. Still, the immature Bravespirit did not register that if her uncle's name was Russano and that was also Arlan's Father's name, that would make Arlan she and Loyalheart's cousin.
Loyalheart nodded again in agreement with his twin sister. "Aye, we never met him. Papa talked about him though, an' that's how we learned 'bout him." The young male badger explained, his brow furrowed deeply in thought. He ignored his sister's questioning gaze as best he could, and finally spoke "So...your Papa's name was Russano The Brave?" The youngster asked after a long moment of silence, his dark eyes looking up questioningly at Arlan. Great seasons, I'm so confused. Loyalheart thought, looking down at the sand. He subconsciously closed his dark eyes, trying to block out the other things around him so he could focus on this and have a clear mind.
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Post by taggle on Oct 28, 2006 18:05:06 GMT -5
( dont forget arlan is young too!) Arlan answered. " Yes.. which would mean that.. your my..cousin." he said. " I thought our line had died out..i had 2 uncles.. one's name was swiftblade, whom i never met..."
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Post by earthpelt on Oct 28, 2006 18:25:27 GMT -5
(I know! She's just weird)
Bravespirit's dark eyes widened with shock when Arlan said they were cousins, but after a moment of thought, the female realized it made perfect sense now! The whole reason he looked familiar...it was because her family's blood, even if it was just faintly, ran through Arlan's veins. The youngster blinked as her Father's name was mentioned. The only beast she had met since her parents died that uttered her Father's name was Loyalheart, and it seemed strange to her to hear somebeast else say it. Once Bravespirit was snapped out of her daze, she looked at her twin excitedly. "That's our Papa's name!" She exclaimed, then seemed to calm down a bit. "Or at least it was."
Loyalheart opened his eyes and looked up at Arlan, searching the other male's eyes for something to verify his saying they were cousins. The youngster had to admit, it did make sense, as Arlan seemed to have a look about him that made the younger badger think about his parents, his twin sister, even himself. All doubts in his mind disappeared when Arlan said his Father's name, and that he was his uncle. How else would he know his Father's name if he was not related somehow? "Aye, but we never called him that." He agreed with his sister calmly, his intelligent dark eyes serious. Loyalheart's expression remained still and calm, and he said nothing in response to his sister's other comment.
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Post by taggle on Oct 28, 2006 18:35:18 GMT -5
"wow.." Arlan said, " why have we never met before?" he asked his new-found cousins.
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Post by earthpelt on Oct 29, 2006 14:45:39 GMT -5
Bravespirit twisted her face up in thought, but this was one of the rare occasions when she thought of the answer before her twin did. "Prolly 'cause Momma and Papa liked to travel, an' didn't stay in the same place for very long." She said thoughtfully, looking up at Arlan and shrugging. Why that would make it so they never met their own uncle and cousin, the young badger did not know. Loyalheart prolly does know, so's I'll let him explain. Bravespirit thought. He always payed more attention when Momma and Papa spoke anyways, so's he knows more about why they did what they did then I do. The female badger added to herself, for once admitting to not knowing more then her brother.
Loyalheart's dark eyes did not leave Arlan's, but he was not so spaced out that he did not hear his sister speak. The young male badger waited for her to say more, as he was used to allowing his twin finish before he started. When she said nothing, the young badger tore his eyes from Arlan's and looked at Bravespirit. She did not look like she was going to say more. So Loyalheart spoke up. "An' since they traveled a lot, even if we did meet me an' Brave have seen so many different faces that we might've forgotten." The young male said, and he furrowed his brow thoughtfully. Had they met before, and they really had forgotten? No...because Arlan might not have had the same traveling life and would remember.
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Post by taggle on Oct 29, 2006 14:55:53 GMT -5
" No. We lived in a kindom.. by the sea. I would remember." he said. " they traveled alot.. yes. that seems correct. Momma always said that when i asked if I had any cousins or such. I was lonely and wanted somone to play with back then..." he trailed off. " so..umm..."
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Post by earthpelt on Oct 29, 2006 15:34:59 GMT -5
Bravespirit listened to Arlan, her striped head tipped to one side. The story sounded familiar, as sometimes Swiftblade would tell her about the kingdom his brother lived in. Now, the reckless female did not listen when her parents lectured her, but when they told stories she was all ears. A faint smile flickered across her muzzle when he spoke of being lonely sometimes. "We know that feeling. What with Momma and Papa movin' around so much, we dinna have time t' make many friends." Bravespirit said. "But then I suppose we had each other t' play with, so it was a liddle different." The young female added, glancing at her twin brother and flashing a small grin.
Loyalheart too, tipped his striped head to one side as he listened. A kingdom eh? The young badger thought curiously, as he liked to listen to stories about things that would tell him what other badgers were like, such as ones about the Badger Lords of the mighty extinct volcano, Salamandastron. See, he liked those stories because it gave him an idea on how he should act once he reached adulthood. "Aye, if there was a beast our age where we went, an' that's a big if, we only got t' do things with them for a day or two." Loyalheart agreed with his sister. He returned Bravespirit's grin. "That's true as well, as it wasn't all bad." The youngster said quietly, not daring to add 'when she wasn't being a liddle demon'.
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Post by Redstripe the Strong on Oct 29, 2006 17:01:24 GMT -5
Erebus had stood in silence letting the badgers speak,"Lucky you, getting to play as children. Me I was raised from birth to be a warrior, no friends, no fun, and no disobedience." He closed his hand into a fist, his whole bady shook,"You don't know what it was like to grow up like me, you two are lucky."He said this to Brave and Loyal," I watched my brother kill himself performing a sword practice, did we morn his death? No. My father grew angry because my brother didn't meet his standerds. He burned the body with no warriors rights." He turned and punched the side of the boat,"So don't stand here and talk about having it hard haveing to travel, I was forced into war before I was old enough. I was bred a warrior therefore I am nothing but a warrior."
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Post by earthpelt on Oct 29, 2006 18:13:05 GMT -5
Now, Bravespirit was not going to let Erebus stand by and say they were lucky. The young female badger's dark eyes flicked to the otter, narrowed icily and the emotion displayed in them was angry. "We dinna ask t' hear a sob story riverdog, we was only explainin' things. An' don't be sayin' we're lucky when ya' knows nothin' about us. An' jus' 'cause you're a warrior doesn't mean ya' can talk t' us like that, we're beasts jus' like you." She growled, foolishly unafraid of the large otter before her and living up to her name, but at the wrong time. Bravespirit was certainly not the type to keep her mouth shut when she should, and this was one of the moments were she really should have been quiet.
Loyalheart flinched at the otter's words, as he had not expected any of it. Unlike his sister, he was not blinded by anger and knew Erebus was 100% correct. But the young male knew his sibling well, and shot her a warning look. "Brave don't - " but he was to late to stop his twin. The youngster listened helplessly as his sister growled, and he closed his eyes and pressed his small round ears to his skull, burning with shame that she would talk to a beast older then herself that way. After she finished Loyalheart put a large paw over Bravespirit's muzzle. "I apologize for her words, she talks 'fore she thinks and dinna mean them." He said quietly, praying the the otter would forgive his twin.
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Post by Redstripe the Strong on Oct 29, 2006 18:28:33 GMT -5
Erebus turned around and faced her, Drizzt already in hand. The blade aimed right at her,"You stupid stripedog, don't you ever compare yourself to me. You are worthless to me, your strength means nothing on the field of battle. You would be cut down in minutes if you have fought the beasts I have! Let me ask this, what did you do as a babe? Did you play with others, listen to your mother tell you bedtime stories, and even laugh and play with your father? If you have then you would never had made it as I did, I was killed of all emotions but anger and hate! If you even utter the words 'jus like you' then I will cut your tounge out of your sorry mouth." He stood still his feet planted solidly into the ground his eyes flashing dangerously, his body tense with anticapation. He tightened his grip on the sword and growled as Loyal appologized for his sister,"I don't even think she can think, she is a brash young lass who would die on the battle field if not for her have living the nice life with her parents. I watched my mother die for treason, her blood was splashed on my body in mockery, DON"T EVER COMPARE WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU TO ME!!!" He sheathed his sword and turned around,"I don't have time to babysit those who still act like dibbuns. Pathetic." The last words from his mouth were dark and filled with malice.
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Post by earthpelt on Oct 29, 2006 18:46:59 GMT -5
Bravespirit snarled and pushed her brother's paw away, rage blazing in her dark eyes. She stared defiantly down the sword blade, as if daring the otter to use it. "I did mean them Loyal, don't get in the way!" She hissed, baring her teeth. "Anger an' hate! You ain't a real warrior then!" The female badger spat angrily, turning her attention from her brother to Erebus. "I was allus taught real warriors thought of others 'fore themselves, whether in battle or at home, an' followed a code. But obviously, you don't do either!" Bravespirit barked furiously, her young mind not registering, or even caring, that the large otter could slay her with one quick motion.
Now Loyalheart lost himself, seeing his twin under threat of a sword by a beast who could easily slay her. Like his twin, his dark eyes quickly lost the calm, serious look they always had, and blazed like a leaf caught on fire. "You lay a worthless paw on me sister an' on me oath you'll have t' drag me t' the gates of Dark Forest!" The young male roared, losing all ability to think straight and, like his sister was, living up to his name. His eyes lost a bit of the flame when the sword was placed back in its sheath, but still glinted dangerously. "If we're pathetic wot does that make you?" Loyalheart challenged darkly, narrowing his dark eyes and refusing to think of the consequences of his actions.
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Post by Redstripe the Strong on Oct 29, 2006 19:54:57 GMT -5
"Those are fairy tale warriors, on the field of battle honor means nothing." He spit on the ground,"You both are pathetic. I wouldn't kill you though, I would not dirty my swords with your blood." He laughed cruelly,"Was the hole honor thing a story your mommy told you?" He started walking then stopped,"Your right, I am no warrior, warriors are weak minded cowards who fight in battles that they have no way started. I am a knight, far above your weakness. I have been hammered into a killing machine, my goal in life is to kill and survive. If you wish, I could show you how. Charge me and find out."
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