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Zandric nodded with a soft arc spreading across his face. The fox slowly applied the knife to his skin--an incision was made. " What now, brother? " he chuckled happily.

From there, Zephyr took hold of Zandric's bleeding ahnd with his own, and got down on one knee, prompting Zandric to do the same. Once done, Zephyr planted the slightly bloodied dagger into the ground and closed his eyes.

"Great Ancestors, as I kneel before you this day, I bring before you one who is as close as kin and worthy of the glory of the North. Allow me to bring the two of us closer than any alliance, deeper than any wound our enemies can inflict, and watch over us as we forge our own destinies in this world. If we should fall, let it be side by side in battle, as warriors, and lift us with your blessing..." he said softly, those words were the most moving words to ever come out of the berzerker's mouth. After that was done, Zephyr squeezed his hand a bit, forcing a small amount of his blood to mix a bit more with Zandric's, and one single drop fell onto the  hilt of his dagger, running across the intricate designs on the blade, making them light up a deep vermillion. Zephyr slowly released Zandric's hand, and took the dagger, placing it back in it's sheath.

Zephyr smiled, "Now, I think we should probably see what all the commotion is about, eh? The forgin' of yer Northern Blade'll have to wait, it's customary to have a Blade forged for yer brother, it signifies their brotherhood...Me, I'll be returning to my Berzerker roots,  I'll be making gauntlet weapons for myself from now on...I'll still use my bow fer huntin' though." he said softly, cracking his knuckles...he felt...satisfied...if not over joyed.

Zandric couldn't suppress his joy, "Thank you, brother." he embrace him quickly. "I look forward to this forging you speak of. Now, let us see what Lenna is dealing. " The two brothers made their way to the supply caravan only to find a crowd closing around a bound young woman. The fox scrutinized the area searching for the proper authority...and there she was chatting with one of the guards. "Lenna!" he called to her as both Zephyr and himself pushed through the crowd. As the approached, a single question found it's way across his lips, "Who is this young brat? " 

Zephyr smiled softly, he was glad of his imposing stature, as it made getting through crowds much easier. He noted the bound young woman, and he snickered softly "Some Stoaway." he thought, clearly amused by his expression. If she didn't have enough composure to avoid being caught by a group of wanderers, then she, in his eyes was a neophyte at the aspects of stealth.

Gretel's tail twitched with agitation.
"Oh no reason," she said tightly. "Just thought maybe there would be a little water around here..." She looked at the mouse. "...Or swords...," she added slowly. "I just thought I might hitch a ride with you to a new town. It's ever so tiresome to steal from the same villages over and over again."
She clamped her mouth shut. Not very wise to immediately state you were a thief. You clumsy twit.

ooc: Hey, all. Sorry I've been gone. It's getting harder and harder to keep up with the rp. ^^' Anyway. Loved the ritual. Nice. X3

bic: Lenna's lips twitched into a smile and she started to laugh. "My girl," she said. "If it's swords and thieving you like, then you've come to the right place. Tell me, though. Of what opinion are you of the anthro who calls himself our king?" In the girl, Lenna saw a potential new member for the Wandering Furs. Depending on how the question was answered, Lenna would either take the cat into her group--if the girl wanted to join--or would merely bring her to the next town they passed and drop her off. She stood there, still smiling, waiting for the cat's answer.

Gretel snorted. "The King eh? Didn't know we had an anthro egotistical enough to call himself so." She sniffed indifferently. "Well if you all have no problem with my little...sword-lusting then I suppose I'll be staying here."
A fox yelled, "Who is this young brat?" She whipped her head around. Her ears twitched and her lip curled back. "Call me a brat do yah!? Come 'ere and FIGHT ME like a man!!" she cried, displaying her hands which she had untied, unnoticed during her talking with Lenna.

Zephyr clapped with a large grin on his face "I like this girl! She's more crafty than I thought!" he said in his booming northern voice. "Looks like you got yerself a challenger, brother!"

Zandric almost fell over from the quakes of laughter shivering throughout his chest. "I suppose I do, brother. Alright...alright...everyone make some room. I need to teach the kitten a lesson. " Murmurs shook the crowd as they parted like soggy bread within a boiling stew. His eyes narrowed as he popped both his knuckles and neck--a finger demanded for the kitten's first move.

Gretel stood as the fox enticed her to move first. She slowly padded forward, eying him, calculating.
"Call me a kitten do you, Foxy?" she said. Quickly she dashed toward him with outstretched claws ready. As she came up close to his front she flipped to his right and slunk under his feet.

Lenna watched the fight commence between the cat and Zandric. Normally she would let a fight be finished, so long as it wasn't going to cause major trouble. But with the earlier situation with Larze, several good members dead, the earlier fight with the monster, and now having to head to Nanda to put a stop to a tyrannical lord... Lenna's patience was beginning to wear thin right around this point. So it couldn't be helped when she scowled and shouted, "Enough!" She was so loud and forceful that all of the camp fell silent. "I'm tired of all this fighting," she said, keeping her voice loud enough so that everyone could hear her. "There's been enough trouble for the past two days, and we're headed for more soon. I need everyone to cease bickering and brawling, and get to work packing up the camp. If I see any more fights breaking out, I will make sure that those who were involved in the fighting are punished properly. As the leader of the group I demand the respect of those under me. If the rest of the world is to see the Wandering Furs fighting amongst themselves, then who will they turn to to help them in their times of need?! Now that that is clear, everyone should go back to performing their duties: packing, or tending to the sick, or giving our dead a proper burial. Just do it, and no more trouble!"

Zandric smirked at the dirtied kitten kneeling before him, dust decorating her ravaged attire, "Looks like you get away this time, child. Now, go and help the others. Zephyr, Lenna, and I have planning to do." With that he began to trot towards the two people basked in the shadow of the caravan. One bore a grimace and a stand-offish posture, the other a grin and a shrug. The fox's heart pounded to an eager fruition---one his brother, the other his dear friend. Life was a strange mistress, but love had nestled itself in his heart and soul. Larze's blood stained memory barely grazed him any longer. He was content.

Gretel stood and brushed herself off. "This time?" she said slyly, slinking around him. "I'll get away. Every time," and she licked his face and ran off into the camp to help pack. She spun round to look at him, laughed, tumbled under a wagon and leaped to some anthros carrying parcels and barrels.

The rest of the camp began to bustle with activity, leaving Lenna, more or less, to herself. Sighing and running a hand though her hair, she muttered to herself, "Lord, I can already tell that girl's gonna give me problems."

Zandric crossed his arms as he approached Lenna, "I apologize for the little scuffle. Won't happen again." He waved at a small insect buzzing in his ear before turning his attention back to her, "What do we have planned, Lenna?"

"It's fine," she said dismissively. "And anyway... We need to leave as soon as possible in order to reach Nanda. If we don't... There's no telling what will happen to those people, and those of the many other villages that trade with Nanda. Especially if the lord terrorizing them is the very same whom I think it is."

Zephyr decided to interject here "Let me lend my skinnin' crew to help speed our movement then." he said, making a loud whistle...which attracted all the small cat like creatures that had been spotted before.


"These little guys are mah skinnin' crew...the Celothi Tribe" he said softly All of the little guys performed a strange salute, including the one covered in furs and fathers, who appeared to be just as loopy as he was mystical.

Lenna chuckled as the creatures appeared. "I apologize," she said. "I don't mean to be rude. I've heard of the Celothi Tribe before, but I have never seen them." Addressing the Calothies, Lenna said, "Your help would be much welcomed. We have much work to do in order to move, and we have recently lost several members. Right now we could use a bit of help, if you'd please."

The Celothi in fur and feather scraps jumped forward, waving his stick with all sorts of bobbles from it "We Celothis helps you moves your wheely-homes....but you feeds Celothis..." he began, btu saw the death glare from Zephyr, whow as thier chief provider of food, and who also frowned upon greedyness from Celothi tribesmen... "Or...maybe you gives us shinies or wheely homes too?" he asked, tilting his head...they weren't nomadic by nature...Zephyr happened upon them after a Hae Rulain Drake ravaged thier small villiage, and he offered them food and protection if they wandered with him and assisted him in skinning...alone, a Celothi wasn't much of a threat, but when together, they were a storm of knives, poisons, traps, and hatchets...a veritable army of small, unbeatable, tenacious warriors...and a valuable asset to any camp due to thier willingness to help. The one in furs and feathers tilted his head "What says you, big female one? Pleeze speak to Zimalken!" he said, finally revealing his name.

Lenna laughed again. "Very well, then," she agreed with a nod. "Since you are willing to help us, we will gladly pay you back. We're actually somewhat low on money right at the moment, but we can feed you and let you travel with us if you'd like. After all, you seem to be friends of Zephyr. And if I'm right, Zephyr will be traveling with us for a bit."

Zephyr simple looked at Lenna "I've been meaning to...talk to you about that..." he said softly. "I understand if you feel uneasy about allowing a born and bred berzerker into your group...but I was wondering if...maybe I could stay on with you and the Wandering Furs...I've been alone on my roads for too long." he said softly.

The Celothis all looked at Zephyr and tillted thie rheads, and then looked back at Lenna, thier eyes gaining an absolutely adorable look as they pulled a sad puppy routine as a way of attempting to bolstor Zephyr's position. Even Zmalken forwent his crazed appearence to adopt this look.

Zandric nodded, " I have no intention of leaving the Furs either, Lenna.  I plan to see this through to the end, even if it kills me." The fox grinned and patted Zephyr on the back in amusement.

Lenna shook her head with a smile. "Honestly, Zephyr," she said, amused. "Do you even have to ask that question? The Wandering Fur was created to help others in need, and to give homes to those who do not have any. Did you really think I would send you away after all you've done for us? You, Zephyr, or you, Zandric? No. You are both welcomed into the group with open arms. After what you have done, Zephyr, no one will want you to leave. And Zandric, no one will longer question your credibility. The past is the past, and that is where it will stay. Welcome back, Zandric. And welcome, Zephyr and those of the Celothi. I'm sorry to say that we cannot properly celebrate your arrival into the group, what with moving soon. But when we can, we will."

Zephyr scratched his head "I...I just wanted to make it official." he said softly. He gained a happy expression, and the Celothi tribe all leaped into the air and cheered, happy to have a home once more. The small Celothi tribe immediatly scurried about, lfiitng many times thier own combined body weight with amazing cooperation from each other.

Zephyr smiled as the moving process was speeded by an antire tribe of smaller creatures helping "If we combine the meat gained from my hunts, and from whatever we get from town, we'll actually be able to feed them all...the only ones that really eat a lot are expecting den mothers." he said softly more to himself than anyone else.

Gretel walked over to the group covered in dust and sweat.
"We've finished packing about half of the wagons here Lenna," she huffed. "Why do you Wandering Furs have so much stuff?"
She shook her head. "Just wanted to give you an update on our progress... Aaaand I kind of... hurt myself. Do we have any healer-type furs around here?"
She showed her little thin arm with a deep, large gash going from her wrist to her shoulder.

Lenna smiled as she watched the Celothi scurry off to work. Then she turned back to listen to Zephyr. "Right," she said with a nod. "We should be able to make it work." Lenna was about to ask Zandric and Zephyr to walk with her in order to discuss plans once they reached Nanda, but she was interrupted by the cat girl from earlier. "My gods, girl!" She exclaimed. "How in the world did you manage to do that? Never mind. I'd rather not know." Turning she called to someone in the crowd, and a wizened, old cat woman by the name of Thylla appeared. "Thylla," Lenna said. "Please take this girl and get her arm cleaned up. We don't need her to catch an infection." Thylla nodded and gently led Gretel away.

"Now," the mouse said once the two cats had gone. "I need  you two to help me discuss plans for when we reach Nanda. I'm afraid that we're heading for trouble, and we might have to be ready to fight against a lord and soldiers."