Davrag Joris had his lies concocted when he entered the Academy with
the Masked One. The guards asked no questions, merely accepting The Masked
One's explanation of the other operative being off at the city on one
mission or another.
Davrag kept his head down and cloak hood up, concealing himself best as possible as he entered the Academy, marveling at the craftsmanship and beauty of the interior. How majestic this place was, he mused. It was almost enough to make one forget that it was the most brutal places in the north and responsible for the deaths of so many, students and enemies alike.
It was Davrag's kind of place indeed.
"The Master of this place is Tarl Argith," The Masked One replied, "He's a fox and Vandashira's mate."
"Brave guy..." Davrag muttered under his breath as the two walked through the halls, unmolested by the students or officers nearby, the emblem of the red dagger visible on their chests as to warn off any of the Academy's denizens that any attempts at making any sort of trouble would be well wasted against them and punishment would follow any foolish enough to try.
Davrag began to find all the walking tedious after a while until they came to a large door, with the symbol of the Academy's Master and knocked once, stepping back as the doors were opened by a weasel in a bodyguard's uniform.
"Ye back, Mask?" Terrlin's voice traveled through to the Masked One's ears, using the quaint nickname he invented for the stoat operative, "Who's with ye? That Aldon? Where's Fyric?"
The fox at the desk, who Davrag took to be Tarl Argith looked up, his eyes hardening suddenly, "Who is this beast?"
The Masked One took a prudent step away, and only too late did Davrag realize what was intended, "Davrag Joris of Calishan. Fyric and Aldon are dead at his blades."
Davrag's amber eyes narrowed in fury, "Treacherous, little..." He expected the guards to move forward and cut him down right there. He couldn't do much, even with his skills against all those in the large room but to his surprise, Argith waved a paw, returning his guards to a ready position, all freezing where they stood as the fox rose.
"I don't know why Morik'd miss this...he's always been so punctual," He mused, a smirk playing on his lips, "Terrlin, is there something you'd like to say?"
The ferret operative looked livid, "'e killed two of my beasts!"
"That he did. What is your point? I remind you that I care little for you little spies...or was my demonstration with the rat lost upon you?"
Terrlin shut his mouth immediately, glaring at Davrag sullenly.
"You killed my mate's beasts, stoat...you must have a talent at stealth...and skilled with those swords of yours, I take it."
Davrag nodded, feeling not a little pride at the compliments of the master of the Academy himself, "I have some talent..."
"And we can always use...talent." Argith smiled and nodded to one guard, "Bring wine for our guest."
The guard nodded and exited, returning minutes later with a bottle of red wine and two glasses which Argith filled, passing one to Davrag, the stoat remaining standing and not daring to even sip the wine until Argith had tasted it, only then did he begin to drink, first checking the inside of the glass for any poison. Satisfied he was safe, Davrag enjoyed his drink
Argith smirked at Davrag's caution, dark eyes locking on the stoat's amber ones, "That was unnecessary caution...if I wanted you dead I'd have had you cut down when you entered."
The Masked One remained silent, incurring Davrag's suspicion. Had that stoat known this would happen? Had he deliberately set this up? Brushing aside the doubts he smirked, returning the gaze, "One doesn't last long on Calishan's streets or in its guilds being trusting or weak, Master Argith."
Argith leaned back, paw at his side on his sword hilt, a not-so subtle gesture Davrag didn't miss, "No, I suppose they don't, Sir Joris. Now, on the subject of what you can offer me...I'd wager you could make an excellent Master while here...all I need to know is the rest of the information of the hunters also involved in this little drama."
"And you think I can give it."
"I know you can, and will," Was the curt response of the fox Master, Davrag didn't miss the threat and shrugged lightly, deciding to go with the flow and play along...for now.
"Very well...there are two others and this is what they plan..."
It was nearly midnight when Davrag Joris snuck into the dungeons, dressed in the tunic of an Academy master. It had taken some time to give his 'honor guard'-in truth, beasts who would monitor him very closely and attempt to dispatch him if he showed any sign of suspicious behavior, Davrag knew-in order to sneak down.
Davrag recalled that fool guardstoat Morik arriving back after he had told Argith what the fox needed to know in order to...intercept his fellow hunters the next day. Davrag didn't especially like the stoat guard and had resolved to kill him when the time came.
Let the fools monger with power and their Academies! Davrag Joris was in this for self gain and self preservation. He'd see them all dead in the end; Argith, Eroket, Jald, Morik, Vandashira...the list was long but Davrag was confident he'd fulfill it. But first things would have to come first.
Davrag sneaked into the cell, silent as he always was, not letting fatigue get to him as he slipped in, hearing the growl of a beast aroused from its slumber.
"Jald, it's me."
"Davrag?" The ferret whispered, sounding shocked.
"Yes, it's me...I got in, won Argith's trust." The last part was a bit of a stretch, but the fancy details could come later, when they were out of the Academy.
"I doubt that," Jald growled. "Where's my sword?"
"Argith has it still...couldn't steal it...now shut up and stay still and let me free you."
Jald nodded as Davrag withdrew a small dagger and set to work at one of the ferret's manacles, working a few minutes before the manacle popped free. With a grin, Davrag set to work on the other, Jald holding his breath until he was freed.
Rubbing his abraised wrists Jald smiled, "Thanks."
"Don't mention it, I didn't do it out of compassion...c'mon, let's get out of this cell."
The ferret and the stoats removed themselves from Jald's cell, both attempting silence best they could, Davrag nodded slowly, "We'll need to hide somewhere...anything else would be suicide."
Jald nodded as the two set off through the Academy halls. The balance had shifted once more. Jald was freed and Davrag with him while Eroket and Boneflower moved towards an ambush Davrag himself had set up.
The balance in the hunt had shifted and nobeast could honestly tell where it would lead.
Davrag kept his head down and cloak hood up, concealing himself best as possible as he entered the Academy, marveling at the craftsmanship and beauty of the interior. How majestic this place was, he mused. It was almost enough to make one forget that it was the most brutal places in the north and responsible for the deaths of so many, students and enemies alike.
It was Davrag's kind of place indeed.
"The Master of this place is Tarl Argith," The Masked One replied, "He's a fox and Vandashira's mate."
"Brave guy..." Davrag muttered under his breath as the two walked through the halls, unmolested by the students or officers nearby, the emblem of the red dagger visible on their chests as to warn off any of the Academy's denizens that any attempts at making any sort of trouble would be well wasted against them and punishment would follow any foolish enough to try.
Davrag began to find all the walking tedious after a while until they came to a large door, with the symbol of the Academy's Master and knocked once, stepping back as the doors were opened by a weasel in a bodyguard's uniform.
"Ye back, Mask?" Terrlin's voice traveled through to the Masked One's ears, using the quaint nickname he invented for the stoat operative, "Who's with ye? That Aldon? Where's Fyric?"
The fox at the desk, who Davrag took to be Tarl Argith looked up, his eyes hardening suddenly, "Who is this beast?"
The Masked One took a prudent step away, and only too late did Davrag realize what was intended, "Davrag Joris of Calishan. Fyric and Aldon are dead at his blades."
Davrag's amber eyes narrowed in fury, "Treacherous, little..." He expected the guards to move forward and cut him down right there. He couldn't do much, even with his skills against all those in the large room but to his surprise, Argith waved a paw, returning his guards to a ready position, all freezing where they stood as the fox rose.
"I don't know why Morik'd miss this...he's always been so punctual," He mused, a smirk playing on his lips, "Terrlin, is there something you'd like to say?"
The ferret operative looked livid, "'e killed two of my beasts!"
"That he did. What is your point? I remind you that I care little for you little spies...or was my demonstration with the rat lost upon you?"
Terrlin shut his mouth immediately, glaring at Davrag sullenly.
"You killed my mate's beasts, stoat...you must have a talent at stealth...and skilled with those swords of yours, I take it."
Davrag nodded, feeling not a little pride at the compliments of the master of the Academy himself, "I have some talent..."
"And we can always use...talent." Argith smiled and nodded to one guard, "Bring wine for our guest."
The guard nodded and exited, returning minutes later with a bottle of red wine and two glasses which Argith filled, passing one to Davrag, the stoat remaining standing and not daring to even sip the wine until Argith had tasted it, only then did he begin to drink, first checking the inside of the glass for any poison. Satisfied he was safe, Davrag enjoyed his drink
Argith smirked at Davrag's caution, dark eyes locking on the stoat's amber ones, "That was unnecessary caution...if I wanted you dead I'd have had you cut down when you entered."
The Masked One remained silent, incurring Davrag's suspicion. Had that stoat known this would happen? Had he deliberately set this up? Brushing aside the doubts he smirked, returning the gaze, "One doesn't last long on Calishan's streets or in its guilds being trusting or weak, Master Argith."
Argith leaned back, paw at his side on his sword hilt, a not-so subtle gesture Davrag didn't miss, "No, I suppose they don't, Sir Joris. Now, on the subject of what you can offer me...I'd wager you could make an excellent Master while here...all I need to know is the rest of the information of the hunters also involved in this little drama."
"And you think I can give it."
"I know you can, and will," Was the curt response of the fox Master, Davrag didn't miss the threat and shrugged lightly, deciding to go with the flow and play along...for now.
"Very well...there are two others and this is what they plan..."
It was nearly midnight when Davrag Joris snuck into the dungeons, dressed in the tunic of an Academy master. It had taken some time to give his 'honor guard'-in truth, beasts who would monitor him very closely and attempt to dispatch him if he showed any sign of suspicious behavior, Davrag knew-in order to sneak down.
Davrag recalled that fool guardstoat Morik arriving back after he had told Argith what the fox needed to know in order to...intercept his fellow hunters the next day. Davrag didn't especially like the stoat guard and had resolved to kill him when the time came.
Let the fools monger with power and their Academies! Davrag Joris was in this for self gain and self preservation. He'd see them all dead in the end; Argith, Eroket, Jald, Morik, Vandashira...the list was long but Davrag was confident he'd fulfill it. But first things would have to come first.
Davrag sneaked into the cell, silent as he always was, not letting fatigue get to him as he slipped in, hearing the growl of a beast aroused from its slumber.
"Jald, it's me."
"Davrag?" The ferret whispered, sounding shocked.
"Yes, it's me...I got in, won Argith's trust." The last part was a bit of a stretch, but the fancy details could come later, when they were out of the Academy.
"I doubt that," Jald growled. "Where's my sword?"
"Argith has it still...couldn't steal it...now shut up and stay still and let me free you."
Jald nodded as Davrag withdrew a small dagger and set to work at one of the ferret's manacles, working a few minutes before the manacle popped free. With a grin, Davrag set to work on the other, Jald holding his breath until he was freed.
Rubbing his abraised wrists Jald smiled, "Thanks."
"Don't mention it, I didn't do it out of compassion...c'mon, let's get out of this cell."
The ferret and the stoats removed themselves from Jald's cell, both attempting silence best they could, Davrag nodded slowly, "We'll need to hide somewhere...anything else would be suicide."
Jald nodded as the two set off through the Academy halls. The balance had shifted once more. Jald was freed and Davrag with him while Eroket and Boneflower moved towards an ambush Davrag himself had set up.
The balance in the hunt had shifted and nobeast could honestly tell where it would lead.