Escape attempt no. I

[Gyre]

ooc: I may rewrite this in the morning.. It's way too late right now to even think about writing something legible.

bic: The rocks gave under Piran's foot and he stumbled back so as not to be dragged down with them. He slammed into a wall behind him, then stood there in the dark listening to the stones clatter away down the slope.
Pi let out a long, slow breath, stepping away from the wall and looking down at himself.
His tunic was torn, not that that was the worst of his worries, by any means, but it added, even if only in a small way, to all the things that had happened to him. .. and it was torn right across the front too..
The noise of teh rocks had faded to almost nothing, but then the otter heard a faint, but omonus splash. He started walking again, carefully.

This was better then sitting and waiting to rot in that old, thieving town, he reminded himself stoutly, kicking a small rock down the slope. At least he was going somewhere.. hopefully.

He traveled slowly, and with no way to know how much time had passed since he entered the mine, he quickly exhausted himself.

After kicking loose any rocks he found at his feet, Pi gingerly settled his head on the cool gravel. There he slept soundly, if only for a few hours.

[Cerridwen]

It had been many seasons since Quicksilver had been exiled from her mountain clan because of who she was. Her family was respected among her people but she was feared as a white demon that would bring only evil to the clan and was exiled when she came of age. Even though she appeared to never age, time had taken it's toll and her eyesight had become even poorer than what it had been when she was younger. Now she was nearly blind but she still carried her bow and her aim was a true as ever becasue she had leaned to deal with her failing sight. She would never become vulnerable but she had to adopt a staff to help her find her way.
Now her travels had brought her south and she had found her way into the abandoned mines of the region. Carefully she felt her way through the dark tunnels, sweeping her staff in an arc infront of her. Abrubtly it struck something other than the hard rock of the tunnel. She had struck something soft....

[Gyre]

ooc I'm sorry this took so long.

bic
Pi leapt up and stumbled back a few steps on the shiftiung rocks. He swatted the stick away then squinted sternly into the shadows.
"Who's there?!" His voice shook slightly, and he wrung his paws. Chidding himself, he took a deep breath, and forced his paws down to his sides, and fitted them into firm fists.

[Cerridwen]

"Ah, so there is someone else down here." Quicksilver mused, it did not matter that to her that it was pitch dark because she could have barely seen anyone who was there to begin with.

[Redstripe the Strong]

Hitchaw sat in the shadows watching Pi and Quicksilver," Ya knoow a little light never urt no one." He struck hi flint against a rock hitting the grass and leaves he gathered and a small flame flickered to life,"These caves are dangerous in tha darkness mates." He stood up and looked at Quicksilver,"Never seen a white otter afore." He shrugged,"But I ain't never seen all things." He nodded to Pi,"Well mate, ya know the way out? I jus ran out of vittles."

[Gyre]

ooc: Otter-fest? ;D

bic: Pi squinted at the flame that Hitchaw held. "... What are you.." The otter was about to finish with 'you doing here,' addressing both creatures, but he realized that he might ask himself that same question..
"Who are you beasts? .. I'm sure you've followed me from that wretched town to rob and kill me.." His voice was sharp and cutting, as he let his tail fall to teh gravel with a heavy thud.

[Redstripe the Strong]

"Kill ye? Naw I been in these caves fer nigh over a week now." He leaned against the wall,"It gets kina lonley down ere alone, ya know." He scratched his chin and sighed,"But a wee little peace an quiet never urt no beast afore."

[Gyre]

Piran looked undecided at Hitchaw, rubbing his elbow as he held his arms crossed. Finally, he spoke, "A week? I've been stumbling around down here for.. well, it feels like days, but I really can't be sure of that... What are you doing down here then, if not to kill a lost merchent?" Pi gave in slightly, putting a little humor in his voice.

[Redstripe the Strong]

"yA know after tha first few days I asked myself that same thing...an I still don know." He shook his head,"But yer meant ta be where you are, so who am I ta question that?"

[Gyre]

"I see..." Pi thought on Hitchaw's words a moment, wondering if he was stranded so far away from home for a reason. It was a small comfort to think there was still some meaning to his life, but even that couldn't pull his mind away from the situation. The rocks were cold under his feet, and the chilled air nulified any comfort he'd found.
"So, how id you come to this place?.. and more impotantly, do you know which way you came from?" The otter gazed around at the cavernous mine, his palms turned upward in a perfuctory shrug.

[Redstripe the Strong]

"Now mate, Ifin I knew the way out, would I ave asked you if you knoew?" He laughed,"But I think I came from thata way." He pointed to his right,"Or it may have been thata way..." He pointed to his left."Ya know, I htink I'm lost...Nay, more I'm positive of it."

[Gyre]

Piran sighed. ".. I came that way.." he waved thoughtlessly over his shoulder, "but there's nothing but thieves, gypsies an' crooks out there.. I've been stranded there for nearly a month and this is my only way out. I'll die in here before I go back. " He made two fists, as if he were stangling some beast.
"You can't get half a mile outta that place without getting held up by some grubby plunderers.. I was lucky. I wasn't killed, but two of my mate were.." His shoulders sagged, and he let out another slow breath.
"M'sorry.. just, pent up anger, you know?" He looked around the slightly lit cavern. There were several large shafts leading away into the darkness, but the steep slope to the left held only the promise of icy water at the bottom. Pi kicked another stone down and listend for the slpash moments later. Looking up from the darkness ovre the water, with the splash still echoing around, the otter spoke dryly.
"It seems we're all in the same boat here.. unless you happen to know the way out, my friend." Pi turned his tired gaze on the white otter and forced a slight smile. .. then he realized she couldn't see his attempt, and he let his lips fall back into a weary frown.

[Cerridwen]

Quicksilver tilted her head to one side, studying Pi then looked in Hitchaw's direction. The new light was not mutch of a comfort to her other than she could now distinguish the forms of her new found companions.
"I fell in here because the ground gave way. As to whether or not I can see, I'm not totally blind yet. I can still see shapes and forms but it's been seasons since things were clear to me." she sighed, paws resting lightly on the end of her staff.

[Gyre]

Pi looked concerened, forrowing his brow and looking Quicksilver over briefly. "Are you hurt?.. a fall into this place could knock any creature out of comission." He twisted his neck and it cracked stiffly.

"I know just taking a nap on this floor has stiffened my old bones..."

[Cerridwen]

"It was not a bad fall, more like a tumble. The earth gave way and I ended up rolling down an embankment into a water filled pit. The drop was steep enough to where ther was no chance that I could make it out. Would you care to help me find a way out of this maze? I know that none of us is readily fit for haning about in the underground." Quicksilver mused...