Just an Old Seadog...Kind of

[Vexa Blueclaw]

Rosethorn Gingivere

Keeping her hood up, a graceful young wildcat made her way through the woodland. She had left the Amber River several days ago, including leaving her friend Kellen in search of Fort Emerald Bay. The coast was nearby and Rosethorn knew that meant there was some sort of navy lurking around the fort to provide protected waters. With any luck she would be able to get aboard at least a trader. Since her father's death two years ago, Rosethorn hadn't set a paw on a ship of any sort despite being raised on one. Mutiny like the one against her father was a hard one to recover from but, Rose was starting to think she was ready. She missed the waves and gulls, burly sea otters and the drunken singing of the crew after a successful journey. Sighing, Rosethorn paused and glanced around. Dusk was coming but hopefully, if directions from a robin could be believed, the fort wasn't far.

Hoping the bird hadn't given her bad directions several miles back, Rose picked up her pace again. Her lightweight skirts swished around her hips, several thin bangle bracelets jingling cheerily from her wrist. The pack Rose carried was light, much lighter than when she'd left Kellen. It was a reminder of just how far she was from her friend. Friends for her were rare things since only one friend had stood with her against her father's mutinous crew after they'd killed him. Now poor Tiberius was most likely resting at the ocean's bottom.

Gritting her teeth and straightening up, Rosethorn raised her head as the outer fortress walls came into view around the bend in the road. Hefting her pack a little better on her shoulder, Rose stride purposefully toward the lowered gates. She wasn't surprised the gates were down, it was nearly nightfall after all but she'd get somebody's attention one way or another. The best place for a sailor to find work was a busy market in a seaside city. This was just the place. If she could get in.

"Hey! Anybody up there?" Rose called, coming to a stop and putting her bag down at her side. "I didn't come all this way to be left on the doorstep all night!" Folding her arms, Rose fixed an impatient glare on her face and watched the gates for guards.

[Brooke Briar Steeleye]

Name: Spiffin Balley Species: Hare Gender: Male Weapon(s): Hefty Walking Staff and a Long Sword that's strapped across his back. Personality: Spiff is usually friendly but if he thinks that you're up to something well then he's all about business and protecting the Fort and those that reside within. Brooke would have his pelt if he didn't!

Spiffin Balley gurgled in his sleep. He threw his arm over his own body and mumbled to himself. "Can't a beast get any rest around here? I mean... How hard it is to show up in the daytime? Anything to irritate me!" Spiff was usually a happy-go-lucky hare but when he is stirred from his sleep he tends to get a bit cranky.

The lanky hare stood up and peered over the wall, trying to strip the sleep from his eyes as he rubs them with his balled up fists. "Can't a Hare get any sleep around here.. Wot?" He stood and then leaned over to see who it was that was disturbing his beauty sleep. Oh... I was just a wildcat.

Spiff groaned and then called out to her, cupping his paw around his lips so that the sound of his voice would carry farther. "If ya keep gettin so testy I'll leave ya out there all night!" He chuckled to himself. Sometimes the power went to the male Hare's head, not all of the time but mostly in times that he perceives that a creature is being rude.

[Vexa Blueclaw]

The grumbling voice of none other than an cranky old hare made Rosethorn's emerald eyed glare sharpen. Her footpaws were sore from walking and she was in no stately mood herself. Still, she had to make a good impression or the hare would make good on his weak little threat of leaving her out all night. If he insisted she could always sneak in some other way or just camp for one more night. Deciding to play along, Rose flexed her claws on her arm and swished her red-gold tail while regarding the hare atop the wall. The good thing about being a wildcat? Wonderful night vision.

"Well sir hare, I can assure you I would not be out all night" Rosethorn called easily. "I simply thought it would be polite to knock on the front door before trying to sneak through the back."

Her voice held no real malice, simply the impatience of a weary traveler as well as a poor traveler. Sailing season was prime right about now and if the armada was recruiting it would be now. Standing outside bickering with a crotchety old hare was not where she needed to be spending her time. There were recruiters to find, temporary shelter to aquire and food to be found. If Rosethorn was nothing else it was a creature of priority and necessity. Take care of what was necessary by any means necessary and then worry about trivial things such as how the old hare thought her a spoiled kitten.

Shifting her stance slightly so her skirts swished quietly, Rosethorn regarded the gate guard again. "I hear work for the sea-folk is good here. If I am mistaken tell me now so I need not waste my time."

Picking up her bag, Rosethorn held it over her left shoulder, all business. If he answered that work was poor, Rose would be off without bothering with the fort. There were bound to be more forts about these parts. If not, she would hope he would open the gates before she decided to simply climb them or sneak in through another entrance. She was certain thieves in the fort as well as their spy networks kept some sort of secret entrance. It merely required finding.