Welcome [Trojan, Treaflet, Me]

[Skipper]

The lighthouse stood proudly at the tip of the peninsula. It had been visible for quite some time, for its sheer size could catch the attention of anybeast miles away. Now, as Shordann, Trojan, and Treaflet approached the structure, its true massiveness began to register in their minds. It was an innovative masterpiece -- the first structure of its kind in the world. A large, black stripe ran from a small door at the base, spiraling up the side of the lighthouse, and ultimately coming to rest at the balcony, just below another door.

It had not taken too long for the trio to arrive, but night had fallen and the smell of food presently wafted through the salty air. The scent caught Shordann's attention, and, smiling as always, he picked up his pace. The old mouse moved surprisingly quickly for a beast of his age. As he jogged toward his home, he spoke to the two beasts following him. "This, gentlebeasts, is my -- ahem -- humble abode. I designed the whole thing m'self! Built it with the help o' the fine otters from Holt Seaslate. . . There're three levels. The first is the actual house -- used t'be a mansion, before I began the project. Vaulted ceilings, proper ventilation, a water system, even!" Shordann spoke like a proud mechanic who had just built a fine machine. In a way, he was. "Y'have t'hire beasts to make it work, but trust me, they're well-paid and very well-fed, haha. Second is just storage, really, but it's lit'rally the safest place on earth. Y'can't get t'the top without a set o' keys, which I always carry. Third is the top, of course. That's where the light comes from." He pointed a paw at the top of the lighthouse. A beam of brilliant light shot from it and into the night. Fog had begun to settle, so the effect of the light was beautiful. "We use fire, mirrors, and glass. It intensifies the light to make it brighter, and the mirrors send it off into the sky. I call it 'Landstar' -- the missus doesn't like the name, but I'm sure it'll catch on, hahaha." Three has. He evidently wasn't certain about the name, himself.

Shordann looked down to find his paw already on the doorknob. "Oh look, we're here." With an ostentatious sweep of his paw, Shordann flung the door open.
There, behind the doorway, stood Mrs. Crestpaw, smilingly bearing a tray of food. "Welcome. We have cookies."

[historybug]

Night had finally fell as Trojan Duncan Wavedog tramped silently behind Shordann the rather odd mouse. As it got darker, Trojan relied more and more upon his keen sight to keep up with the fast traveling mouse. Trojan hoped they would reach Shordann's home soon. His arthritis was beginning to bother him more and more the longer he walked. His footpaws twinged and itched. They wanted to stop, they wanted to rest, but Trojan would not allow it. They would make it to Shordann's home first.

Thankfully, Trojan spotted where Shordann was headed quickly. A tall tower stood firm through the thinning trees. The more Trojan could see, the more he pondered how this tower worked.

It was a very very tall tower, with a large black stripe spiraling around it. There was a small door at the base, but it was what was at the top that puzzled Trojan. A light was at the top. A long beam of light. It circled around and around the tower, casting it's light out on to the open sea.

As the small company neared the strange tower, Shordann sniffed the air then quickened his pace. Trojan sniffed the air as well. Food! Warm cooked food! Trojan grunted as he willed his aching paws to move faster and keep up with Shordann.

"This, gentlebeasts, is my -- ahem -- humble abode. I designed the whole thing m'self! Built it with the help o' the fine otters from Holt Seaslate. . . There're three levels. The first is the actual house -- used t'be a mansion, before I began the project. Vaulted ceilings, proper ventilation, a water system, even!"

Oh yes, Trojan thought to himself. It was certainly a humble home. But Trojan had to admit, if all of this was really inside this tower, then Shordann was a very smart engineer! Either that, or he was a smart buyer.

"Y'have t'hire beasts to make it work, but trust me, they're well-paid and very well-fed, haha. Second is just storage, really, but it's lit'rally the safest place on earth. Y'can't get t'the top without a set o' keys, which I always carry. Third is the top, of course. That's where the light comes from."

"We use fire, mirrors, and glass. It intensifies the light to make it brighter, and the mirrors send it off into the sky. I call it 'Landstar' -- the missus doesn't like the name, but I'm sure it'll catch on, hahaha."

Trojan nodded. Quite an invention this "tower of light" was. He remember how back a Rivtown they had large beacons on the upper tower of the ramparts to guide ships, but using mirrors to extend the beam. It was a brilliant idea. It was like a small oil lantern, but made bigger and put on a tower. Surely this light brought in many ships from the fog, but Trojan knew that when you attract guests you also attract the unwanted ones.

He shivered. No, don't think about that. Trojan switched shoulders with his javelin and the apple bundle. As they approached the door of the large tower.

"Oh look, we're here."

Trojan raised an eyebrow underneath his hood. Really? You just now noticed? He thought to himself. However, Trojan almost had to catch himself from being startled, when Shordann open the door to him home and suddenly a small mousewife appeared with a tray of fresh food.

"Welcome. We have cookies."

Trojan bowed slowly, as he stepped over the threshold. "Thank ye marm." Picking up one of the cookies Shordann's mate offered, Trojan took the dirt bundle off his javelin as he holstered it. "These are apples I found in the woods. They are all I have to give you for your generous hospitality. Hopefully they can do ye well."

[Treaflet & Coppertooth]

*Treaflet walked in too, but didn't take a cookie.* I already ate, but thank you for offering them. *He wanted to eat, but years of living alone, being almost tricked by vermin, made him cautious. He was almost sure they were fine, but he was still wary.* So Shoredann, could you take me to that map room of yours? And also, may I see the light system? My twin might like to know about how to make one, because he is an inventor.

[Skipper]

As Mrs. Crestpaw accepted the apples from Trojan, Shordann raised his eyebrows at Treaflet with interest. The two mice spoke simultaneously.

"Why, these are just perfect for the next batch of pies!"

"An inventor you say? I would very much like to meet this brother of yours..."

"...and mayhap I could use some o' those oranges from the garden out back-- what d'you think?..."

"... O' course, I wouldn't know-- if 'e's anywhere near Wildnes, I assure you, I've not met him..."

"...Y'know, I think I'll just take these to the basement an' see what Dake thinks. He's like a connoisseur..."

"...But come, I must show you both to my study," Shordann addressed the visitors.

The eccentric mouse turned and started toward the room that was his study. Meanwhile, his wife returned to the kitchens, where she placed the apples on the table amid other ingredients. She called out, "But dinner is almost ready, dear!" and stopped Shordann in his tracks. He pondered this for a moment, and replied decidedly. "Oh, it won't do them any harm t'look about a bit. 'sides, I've yet to show Dojran and Freechret here t'the guest rooms!" Mrs. Crestpaw sighed. "Well, fine, but do hurry."

Excitedly, Shordann scampered to his study and showed them around. He pointed to a large map that was pinned to the wall. "That, sirs, is my map. I got it from a Mr. Stromness out west a season ago, but I've never really had t'use it, save for running small errands 'twixt here an' Strat..." The mouse continued to ramble as he shuffled about the study, adjusting this and repositioning that.

[historybug]

Trojan found it very confusing as the two mice spoke at the same time, but each talking to a different creature. Trojan had to focus hard to listen to Mrs. Crestpaw.

"Why, these are just perfect for the next batch of pies!"

"An inventor you say? I would very much like to meet this brother of yours..."

"...and mayhap I could use some o' those oranges from the garden out back-- what d'you think?..."

Trojan, adjusting his hood and javelin holster, shrugged. "Ah'm not much of a cook marm'. I wouldn't know. I have to admit however, I have never heard of an orange pie..."

Taking a bite of his cookie, Trojan had to restrain himself from taking more cookies. They were very good! Of course, this was coming from a creature who hadn't had much warm food in the past season. So to the well fed creatures the cookie may be horrible, but Trojan would never know. He did however know that if this single cookie tasted this good, then dinner would be amazing!

"... O' course, I wouldn't know-- if 'e's anywhere near Wildnes, I assure you, I've not met him..."

"...Y'know, I think I'll just take these to the basement an' see what Dake thinks. He's like a connoisseur..."

"...But come, I must show you both to my study,"

Realizing that Shordann had addressed him, Trojan began to follow the eccentric little mouse, but not before carefully wiping his paws at the door.

"But dinner is almost ready, dear!"

"Oh, it won't do them any harm t'look about a bit. 'sides, I've yet to show Dojran and Freechret here t'the guest rooms!"

"Well, fine, but do hurry."

Trojan rolled his eyes as he slowly followed Shordann. By now one would think that a creature could get another creature's name right...

Once inside the study, Shordann showed Trojan and Treaflet his map.

"That, sirs, is my map. I got it from a Mr. Stromness out west a season ago, but I've never really had t'use it, save for running small errands 'twixt here an' Strat..."

Trojan looked over the map, recalling a few spots on the map where he had been. Surely it was a grand map. One thing did make Trojan think however. Why would Shordann by a map of the east from a creature out west? Wouldn't a local map maker be more reliable as they lived in the area in which the map was made?

Backing away from the map to let Treaflet have a better look, Trojan found an empty chair near a desk and slowly sat down in it with a slight moan. Oh, how his arthritis was aching today! Trojan was sure that the cracking and popping sounds he was making could be heard all the way out to sea!

Trojan crossed one of his legs over the other as he sat in the chair so he could rub the old aching footpaw. Yes, he was old. Although Trojan hated to admit it, he was old and he knew it. His fur was starting to gray and his paws ached.

He was old.

[Treaflet & Coppertooth]

*Treaflet walked over to ithe map. Following the road on the map with his paw, he came to a stop only a few miles from the lighthouse.* I'm pretty sure that is where he lives, unless he moved in the past few seasons. *Treaflet walked over to Shoredann.* Thank you letting me use my map. If it is possible, could i stay the night here? i want to rest before tommorrow.

[Skipper]

Shordann clapped his paws together. "Oh! That's right. Both of you feel free t'stay a night or two or three or six, but not a week, 'cos that's our policy." And with that, the old mouse repositioned a few askew papers on his fancy wooden desk, muttered something at a bookshelf, and exited the room, leaving the two visitors to their own devices.

---

((I don't know where you want to go from here. You can post some thoughts from your characters, have a little dialogue, or just end the thread as it is. Whatever works for you.))

[historybug]

((OoC: I don't know how big the map is so I'm improvising. Hope that's okay! ))

Shordann clapped his paws together. "Oh! That's right. Both of you feel free t'stay a night or two or three or six, but not a week, 'cos that's our policy."

Trojan looked up from rubbing his aching foot. He was going to ask Shordann if he had any creams or warm water that he could use for his foot, but the high energy mouse had already cleaned up his desk, observed his bookshelf and left the room.

Sighing, Trojan put his foot down slowly muttering to . "Yer gettin' old mate...whether you like it or not..." He picked up his javelin that he set aside, and slowly stood up, his joints creaking and moaning (or in his ears they were).

Trojan looked over at Treaflet from under his hood and back over to the map. Approaching the map once again, Trojan mentally traced the places where he had been, all the way to the bottom. At the bottom of the map, there was a small dot, a dot that represented a city, a city near a river that met the sea.

Rivtown.....

Even though it was not labeled, Trojan knew what it was. Reaching one wrapped paw out, Trojan caressed gently over the small dot.

Rivtown, once his pride and joy. The town that he pledged to die for. The town that would never look at him the same way again. The town that rejected him.

The one place that he could never go back too.....

((Ooc: Treaflet, feel free to interrupt his mini-flash back if you wish. ))

[Treaflet & Coppertooth]

*Treaflet walked back to the map. He got out a piece of parchment and a quill, and drew the section of the map to his brother's house. This task took him a few minutes. Staring at Trojan's paw, he was silent for a moment longer.* Have you been there before? It looks like you have.

[historybug]

Trojan was oblivious to everything else has his mind swam in the memories of his old city. Patrolling the walls by night, marching with his platoon by day, laughing with his mates at the lunch hall, training with his father, hugging his mother....

"Have you been there before? It looks like you have."

Blinking, Trojan looked over at Treaflet. His sad, gray eyes, just seen from underneath his hood. His voice was caught in his throat. Sighing, he shook his head and looked back at the map. "Yes, I have been there.....But I can never go back..."
((Ooc: Sorry, it's a shortie... ))