In the Water Meadows

[Filrion]

Filrion floated into the Water Meadows around noon, and feeling hungry, munched on a flan, as he steered towards a shoal in the middle of the meadows, where he dropped anchor. Getting out of the boat, he stretched himself, then lay down on the warm sand...

[Fanfarl]

He slowly dozed off.when he awoke someone had sat down next to him. it was a large female hegehog."ello' " she said "what do you be doin round these here parts?"

[Filrion]

"Oh, hello, I'm Filrion, who are you? Anyway, I'm headed for Isle Marl, to visit an old family friend, who is in bad health," replied Filrion sitting up, and shaking sand out of his ears. "Thankfully, the pike shoals are limited in number, unfortunately, it is rumoured that the deepcoiler had mated before it was killed, and that its babies may still inhabit the lake. I just hope they are rumours, and nothing more..."

[Fanfarl]

"I'm Lilyspike." relplied the hegehog." can't tell you much about that lake,try to stay away from it myself."she shivered "still can't get over those ghost storys my brother told me as a kid."...

[Filrion]

"Ah, well, it's been nice talking to you, but I best be off. Wait, do you know anywhere I can get a sprig of Anyst?" asked Filrion, "I'm looking for one of those..."

[Fanfarl]

" don't know what one of those is. oh well best be off."said Lilyspike and she headed off along the bank....

[Filrion]

Filrion pushed off once more. As he was floating down the river, he noticed something in the reeds. Paddling closer, he saw...

[Fanfarl]

a bow.with an arrow knocked.and the string pulled back.and a snarling vermin.Filrion.....

[Filrion]

Drew his sword with lightning speed, jumped to the left, and sliced the bow in half. "Let me guess, you were told to kill anyone coming this way, and your also lost," he said, his sword in a ready position...

[Fanfarl]

the stoat drew a flameberge."'I'm not lost but I know plenty well where your going." he jumped at you and swung. "To the Dark Forest."....

[Filrion]

Filrion backstepped until the stoat was on the boat, then dropped the anchor by his feet, catapulting the stoat onto a nearby sandbar. Filrion wobbled about, then steadied the boat. The stoat gave a peircing whistle, then...

[Fanfarl]

he dove forward pirceing the side of the boat with his sword. as the boat began to fill with water the stoat climbed aboard and slashed at filrions legs....

[Filrion]

Filrion kicked the stoat in the midriff, then caught him with a uppercut in the chin. The stoat snarled, then lunged forward. Filrion sidestepped, attempting to trip the stoat...

[Fanfarl]

the stoat stoped mid-charge and stepped down hard on filrions outstreched footpaw. he shoved Filrion onto the ground who couldn't move because of his trapped foot. the stoat stabbed down on filrion.....

[Filrion]

Suddenly, the boat, which had been filling with water, tipped, throwing the stoat back. Filrion jumped on him, pulled out his knife, and pressed it against the stoat's throat. "Make one move, and it'll be you that's headed for the Dark Forest," warned Filrion, keeping the stoats arms and legs in check...