***Kieran is out and about exploring and trying to pass himself off as a feral and encounters Tenken. That’s about all there is to be said for this one. And yes, I am trying to steal and modify that poem title, “Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood”. :P***

LV: Maple Grove(#550R)
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Tall maples spread their limbs skyward, dominating this stretch of forest. Although all the trees are bare of any leaves, now, their smooth, grey-brown bark and twining branches create a quiet scene of beauty. The forest floor, however, is a clutter of dead leaf litter and the occasional fallen, rotting limb.

A broad meadow lies to the [North] of the forest.
[South], deeper into the forest and barely visible from here, is a small, grassy clearing.
High in one of the maples is the knothole entrance of [Fredric]'s nest.

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Kieran is roaming the woods beyond the colony, searching for something. Searching, in specific, for a good, secluded, path out of Thorn Valley. He's been toying with an idea...a crazy idea. He doesn't feel comfortable in the colony anymore, despite his new job in the greenhouse. The ex-guardsrat is debating leaving the colony all together, but isn't crazy enough to leave in the heart of winter. Kieran halts beneath the shriveled leaves of a bush, sniffing the cold air and listening for any sign of movement. The scout is clad only in his fur, hoping to appear to be just another feral out hunting for food to anyone that might see him from a distance.

"AAAAAACHOOOOO ah pffff it's getting cold...." Indeed the outdoor is not the best place to be in the middle of winter, especially for an inexperienced child. "AAAAAchooooo hmpf better go back to the burrow... no dinner this time I guess ... HUH?" He suddenly stops and perks his hears, something is near but he can't say where. All his muscles in tension ready to deal with the predator... a smell coming to his nose, he recognizes it immediately. "No... c-can't be... where is it" he mutters nervously.

Kieran's ears perk at the sound of a very loud sneeze and the rat hears muttering sounds after it. Keeping to cover, he pads as quietly as he can through the snow cover, sniffing and listening for the source of the sound. ~A mouse,~ he thinks to himself once he gets a good whiff of the sneezer. The rat frowns a little with concern--that sneeze didn't sound good, and being out here in the snow while ill isn't a good thing. Kieran pads closer and steals a glance over a snow-covered branch and spots a young mouse as his smell betrays something else--fear. The ex-guardsrat stays where he is, scanning the woods for any sign of something dangerous in the area.

Tenken crouch and waits... though the whispering of the cold wind is the only sound he can hear. Then the smell gets closer, he feels it closer but still can't say from which direction comes... he feels chased and cornered. "I-I-I know you are here r-rat... but I'm not h-harmless you know? Y-you better go back to where you came or or I..." He really doesn't sound intimidating at all =P

Kieran hears the mouse speak up and the sound of his voice confirms what the colony rat already suspects: the mouse is a child. The black-furred and heavily scarred rat rises up on his hindpaws to reveal himself. "Y-you've g-g-got n-n-nothing t-t-to f-f-fear f-f-from m-m-me, mouse," he stutters, though this stammer has nothing to do with it being cold--this is normal for Kieran.

Tenken GASPS! and faces the huge rat, on his four and showing his little fangs to Kieran trying to look as menacing as he can. "G-get back rat, I know you want to eat me right now b-but I warn you I- I... I AAAAACHOOOOOOOOO!!!" the sneeze dropped down all his "menacing" stance XD "I won't l-l-let you I..." while saying this he desperately tries to look for an escape route!

Kieran holds up his forepaws and takes a few steps back, revealing his horribly maimed left paw to the mouse. "I'm n-n-not g-g-going t-t-to h-h-hurt y-you. C-c-calm d-d-down, p-p-please..." he stutters, all the while watching carefully and waiting for the mouse's parents to show up, not wanting to fight off a pair of enraged mice.

Tenken can't understand... this rat didn't act like the rest he have met in the forest. "W-What do you mean... I..." he suddenly detects something more on that strange rat, more than his size there was something on the way he moves, the way he has spoken so... kind? Slowly the fear leaves the way to the innate curiosity of the young mouse. "Who... who are you?"

Kieran lowers his guard somewhat as the mouse appears to calm down. He's taken aback by the sudden shift from scared to curious and hesitates before answering. "C-c-call m-m-me S-S-Scar..." he lies. Kieran drops back down onto all fours and jumps over the branch, landing in the snow and still a good ways off from the small mouse. Realizing that likely wasn't a smart move, Kieran backs a few steps away. "I h-h-heard y-you s-s-sneeze...y-you d-d-don't s-s-sound s-s-so g-g-good. D-d-do y-you l-l-live ar-r-round h-here?" he stutters.

Tenken crouches and unwittingly shows his teeth at the sudden move of Kieran but he calms down again when he hears his voice yet he remains at a safe distance. "Yes I... I live in a burrow near her..e" His common sense just hits him right in the nose! "What are you doing! Talking with a rat! Leave! LEAVE NOW! RUN!" All his instincts shouting him to leave immediately yet... there was this feeling, his natural curiosity that doesn't allow him to run. Instead of that he slowly makes a couple of steps closer to Kieran, smelling the air. Something was not normal on him but what's that? "You... aren't from here right? I mean I don't AAAAAAACHOOOO sorry I mean I don't recall seeing you huntin... I mean walking on this part of the f-forest... sir"

"I'm n-n-not f-f-from ar-r-round h-h-here," he admits. "I'm j-j-just exp-p-ploring." The sneeze provokes a frown from Kieran. "M-m-mayb-b-be y-you ought t-t-to g-g-get y-yours-s-self h-home...b-b-before y-your p-p-parents t-t-try t-t-to k-k-kill m-me f-for t-t-talking t-t-to y-you..." he stutters, looking around nervously and sniffing at the air. Kieran is simply *not* looking for any trouble, from anyone or anything. He begins to back away, still wary of his surroundings.

Tenken says, "My... my parents are not..." Ten can't believe what's happening, he doesn't know why but he feels like the huge rat is more scared than him so, he decides (against all what his mind is yelling at him) to let his curiosity to command his actions... "I don't know where my parents... are sir and you... you don't have anything to fear from me either. um my name is Tenken, Tenken Maple sir um.. nic-e I mean nice to meet... you mister Scars" he steps a bit further, getting close enough to Kieran to not be able to escape if the huge rat decides to attack him... against his better judgment.

Kieran manages to grin at the tiny mouse as he approaches. "Y-y-you're a b-b-b-brave l-l-little f-f-fellow," he stammers. "It's n-n-nice t-t-to m-m-m-meet y-y-you, t-t-too. And...I'm s-s-s-sorry ab-b-bout y-your p-p-parents." The scout frowns a little not quite able to fathom being orphaned at such a young age. Abruptly, the fur on the back of Kieran's neck stands straight up and he shoots onto his hindpaws to survey the snowy landscape, ears, eyes, and nose alert for danger. Nothing. He sinks back down to all fours, ears turning red. "J-j-j-just j-j-jumpy...I'm n-n-n-new t-t-to th-th-this p-p-part of the v-v-valley," he lies.

Tenken can't hold a smile when Kieran talks to him, has passed so much time since he talked to a fellow rodent that his lonely heart almost jumps in joy but indeed, he was a rat so he's still a bit aware. "Ah um... but aren't you with your.. friends I mean, are you here by your own?" Quickly he notices the terrible wound on Kieran's paw but, he prefers to not mention about it, fearing the reaction of the huge rat

Kieran can feel the mouse's eyes on what remains of his left paw. "C-c-c-cat..." he stutters, jerking his head towards the old injury as he also moves to conceal it a bit better. With a nod of his head, Kieran stammers, "Y-y-yes, I'm b-b-by m-m-mys-s-self t-t-today. J-j-just out exp-p-ploring. L-l-l-like I s-s-said, I'm k-k-k-kind of n-n-new ar-r-round h-h-here."

Tenken nods a bit, his curiosity slowly has taking control of him, making the child step a bit further, closing in the rat. "AAAACHOOO!! Um ha SNEEZES* S-Sorry Mr. Scars I... Um... " he has to rise his sight waaaaaaaaaaay up to find Kiran's eyes n.n; "Can I go... Can I go with you mister? I mean if that's ok for you... please?"

Kieran frowns a little bit, then shrugs. "If y-y-you r-r-really w-w-want t-to...b-b-but I th-th-think w-w-we s-sh-should g-g-get y-you b-b-back t-t-to y-your b-b-burrow." The rat can't quite believe the mouse's bravery. "S-s-staying out h-h-here in the c-c-cold c-c-can't b-b-be g-g-good f-f-for wh-wh-whatever y-you've c-c-caught."

Tenken YAYS! and in an explosion of energy he takes Kieran's paw and practically pulls him " Alright! n.n I'll show you my burrow c'mon quick mister Scar I have a lot of berries and... and a spidey and some other things and and I never had guests before...." the young mouse squeaks almost nonstop ^.^

Kieran starts as the mouse lets out a joyous yelp and attempts to jerk back as the little one leaps at him and snares his good paw with a surprisingly vice-like grip. A chuckle escapes him as Kieran lets himself be 'dragged' along by the little mouse. "Are y-y-you s-s-sure I'll f-f-fit in your b-b-bur-r-row?" he stutters, trying to make a joke, and then realizing that perhaps it wasn't the wisest thing for him to say. "I'm s-s-sorry...I'm s-s-sure it's a v-v-very s-s-snug h-home...and I'd l-l-like a b-b-berry or t-t-two, if y-y-you c-c-can s-s-spare th-th-them."

Tenken chuckles and nods "Yes sir! I've got a lot of berries and some other things I found n.n And not to worry, it's quite a big burrow. An old hare was living there but he has left some time ago and I think he doesn't mind if we stay there for a while, I wonder what happened to him... Anyway, I want you to meet Itchy =D He should be cleaning the burrow right now and eating some mosquitos and such and and" he leads to what seems to be a bunch of leaves and branches scattered over a small mound

Kieran listens as Tenken describes his home and blinks a bit. "An old r-r-r-rab-b-bitt h-h-hole, huh? Y-y-yeah, that's p-p-plenty b-b-big," he stutters. He'd whistle a little in amazement if he knew how to. "S-s-so y-you've g-g-got a p-p-pet s-s-spider?" he stammers, not quite believing his ears as they draw nearer to the burrow's entrance. It's pretty well camouflaged, in Kieran's opinion. "You d-d-did a g-g-good j-j-job h-h-hiding y-your h-home."

Tenken chuckles and nodnods "Thank you sir, I thought it was a good idea to conceal the entrance so the ra... I mean the predators would have it tough to find me." He takes out the leaves reveling a quite sophisticate entrance, an actual wooden door that seems to be pulled back by a pulley mechanism. "Please come in mister Scar" the mouse chirps as he beckons the rat inside. While the entrance is a bit low, in the inside of the burrow the ceiling is high enough for Kieran to be stand with some spare space.

"S-s-stop c-c-calling m-m-me m-m-mister," the rat stutters sheepishly. "M-m-makes m-m-me f-f-feel old." He notes the little mouse's near-mention of the word 'rat' but says nothing. The tall rat ducks low to fit in under the door, noting how well-made it is. He's surprised to find a feral capable of building something sophisticated like that. Kieran keeps a wary eye out for the mouse's pet spider, having never been a fan of the eight-legged freaks himself.

A little yet hairy spider slowly slides clinging from a web string down to Kieran's shoulder... "Um s-sorry mist... I mean Scar, please take a sit, I'll have a fire ready in a moment" saying that he knees near a fireplace made of what looks to be ceramic and well protected by a ring of rocks for safety. Using mechanism consisting of a piece of rough metal and a stone he provokes a spark that lit a fire, warming the burrow and slowly reveling a lot of stuff scattered all over, both natural and some others that don't seem to be at all. Along with a large wooden table and some chairs among it, of rough construction yet sturdy serving well to their purpose

Kieran lets out a startled yelp as a spider suddenly appears on his shoulder. He bats at it and stumbles away, managing to trip over more than a few items that he could only vaguely see in the semi-darkness of the burrow. The large rat finds himself a place on the floor to sit, as all the furniture is decidedly too small for him, and attempts to massage away the ache in the toes he rammed into...well...something large and heavy as he tripped his way from the entrance. The warmth of the fire is welcome and unexpected, as is everything that Kieran sees in Tenken's burrow. "D-d-d-do...d-d-do y-y-you kn-kn-know s-s-some of th-th-those w-w-weird r-r-rats f-f-from th-th-th-that c-c-colony n-n-near the m-m-mountains?" he finally stutters. The rat quite frankly can't believe that a feral family would have the know-how to make all this.

Tenken chuckles as he sees the big mean rat startled by 'Itchy' XD "Hey Itch stop annoying our guest c'mon!" n.n The arachnid is sent flying by Kieran's swings and ends all wrapped on his own web into a hairy and squeaky ball of silk. "Don't mind him, he's just curious about the newcomers, I don't think he could eat you anyway, he rather hunts for mosquitos n.n" He hopes on a stone and using a lever he activates a mechanism that opens a cage at his right side, full of nuts, berries and some other comestibles. Taking all what his arms can hold he goes to where Kieran was and sit with him. "Here, please take whatever you like and... hmm? Colony? No I don't think I have met rats near the mountains, I never been on that part of the woods though..." he says as he munch a big nut

Kieran pays the spider no mind and nods vaguely to show he's listening as Tenken introduces 'Itchy' to him. He wiggles his sore toes, having forgotten just how much the cold amplified pain sensations. The ex-guardsrat just stares, somewhat stupidly, at the amount of technology present in Tenken's burrow. He never would have guessed ferals could do something so amazing. "I ask b-b-bec-c-cause I've only e-v-v-ver s-s-seen th-th-things l-l-like th-this in th-th-that c-c-colony," Kieran eventually stutters The words are out of his mouth before he even realizes what he's said, but the rat tries to act like what he said wasn't important and, oddly, succeeds to a degree. From the pile of food that appears on the floor in front of them, Kieran selects a blueberry about the size of his fist and raspberry roughly the same size.

Tenken nods a bit to Kieran... not fully understanding what he meant MUNCH MUNCH* "Well I... I just build some things with what I found, I like to and... What colony?" Indeed Kieran's mention of the colony has turned on the innate curiosity of the mouse

Kieran takes a bite out of the blueberry and sits there chewing as he tries to think of a way to answer Tenken's question. "Th-th-there's th-this c-c-colony over n-n-near the m-m-mountains, acr-r-ross the b-b-big c-c-creek. Th-th-they act l-like th-they're l-little f-f-furry h-h-humans, or s-s-something. I've n-n-never s-s-seen anyb-b-body b-b-but th-them w-w-with a f-f-fire in th-their b-b-burrow b-b-before..." he finally stammers.

Tenken continues chewing the nut as some bits scatters from his muzzle "Ah... um well mom taught me how... but you say they're rats? Like you? I mean... How do you know about them?" He suddenly realizes that it wouldn't be wise to inquire him with such insight questions, he was a rat after all and if all this was a trap to find his burrow and eat him? He drops the glance a bit "I.. I'm sorry didn't meant to be so pesky I..."

Kieran nods a little at Tenken's first question. "Y-y-yeah, th-they're r-r-rats...b-b-but s-s-s-smart-t-ter th-than m-me. I know ab-b-bout th-them b-b-bec-c-cause I r-r-raid th-their c-c-crops f-f-for f-f-food...and b-b-because I s-s-snuck up t-t-to a w-w-window one n-n-night wh-when I s-s-saw l-light inside." The rat is amazed at how easily the lie comes, but hopes it's actually believed. He takes another bite of the blueberry in his paw before speaking again. Kieran senses fear in the mouse again. I kn-know y-you d-d-don't b-b-believe me, b-b-but I t-t-truly d-d-don't e-e-eat m-mice. You d-d-don't n-need t-t-to b-b-be af-fraid of me." To punctuate this sentiment, Kieran tosses the uneaten raspberry back to Tenken. "Th-thanks...I'll j-j-just l-leave n-now. I d-d-didn't m-mean t-t-to f-frighten y-you..."

Tenken blinks as he catches the raspberry from Kieran, rising the glance to him. "N-no wait I..." again the voice on his common sense speaks to him "What are you doing! Let the rat go or you'll be eaten!" that voice have saved his life in more than one occasion but this time, this time he pays no attention at all to it, it's the first time in a long time he had the chance to actually talk with someone, the fact that someone could easily kill him doesn't matters now, he just don't want to be alone anymore. "D-do you have somewhere to go? I mean a burrow or something 'cause... 'cause you can stay if you want, it's... it's freezing outside and you could get a cold..."

Kieran smiles a little at the mouse. "Y-yes, I've g-g-got m-my b-b-burrow. It's a b-b-bit of a w-w-walk, b-b-but I'll b-b-be f-f-fine." His ears flush a little and he stammers, "...I am s-s-sorry if I f-f-frightened y-you, and th-th-that I imp-p-posed on y-you l-like this. M-m-maybe I c-c-could r-r-return the f-f-favor s-s-somehow?"" He's quick to raise his good paw up in a gesture to allay whatever new fears the mouse might have. "I d-d-don't m-m-mean y-you'd h-have t-t-to v-v-visit m-me. I c-c-could always b-b-bring y-you s-s-some of m-m-my s-s-store, or one of the b-b-blankets I b-b-borrowed f-f-from the c-c-colony." Kieran pauses and bites his lip, thinking on what Tenken just said. "If all I'm d-d-doing is s-s-scaring y-you, th-then I th-think it's b-b-best th-that I g-g-go..." he eventually stutters.

Tenken nods to Kieran, dropping the glance again. "No Mr.... I mean Scars, you're not... Well yes I admit I was scared before, It's just that... I never met a rat like you before. To tell the truth all the rats I met tried to eat me, wasn't nice at all." He rises his lance looking at him and smiling. "I'm... I'm glad to meet you Scars" he says and extends a greeting paw.

Kieran drops down to his knees so that he's almost eye-level with the young mouse. "Well, y-y-you d-d-don't h-have t-t-to b-b-be s-s-scared of m-m-me," he stutters, taking the mouse's tiny paw in his own and shaking it. "I'm g-g-glad t-t-to h-have m-m-met y-you, t-t-too. And...n-n-next t-t-time s-s-some r-r-rat t-t-tries t-t-to attack y-you, j-just t-t-tell them th-that y-you're under m-m-my p-prot-tection. Th-they'll kn-know wh-who y-you m-mean." Having said this, the rat grins to show his teeth, looking rather wicked in the firelight as he does so; it would be easy for Tenken to see why other rats might be afraid of him in that light. "And...d-d-do y-you w-w-want m-m-me t-t-to b-b-bring y-you s-s-something t-t-to r-r-repay y-you f-f-for the f-f-food I ate?"

Tenken's eyes widen as he sees Kieran's fangs, definitively not the sight he'd like to see on a predator but this time, this time he feels somewhat relieved of having such fangs protecting him. A playful chuckle escapes from his muzzle "Okay thank you, I'll tell them that if they touch me I'll call Scars to give them a beating ^^. Well I... I'd like if you don't mind some wood to build another table, this one is a bit cranky and makes spooky sounds in the night... and a blanket would be nice too" ^.^

Kieran resists the urge to give the mouse's headfur a tousle. "Y-you d-d-do that and they'll th-think t-t-twise ab-b-bout hunting y-you ag-gain," he stutters, a small smile on his muzzle. He nods as Tenken gives him his 'shopping list'. "A b-b-blanket and w-w-w-wood I c-c-can c-c-cert-t-tainly h-h-handle. H-how s-s-soon d-d-do y-you w-want th-them?" he stammers, cocking his head to the side as he's seen many ferals do when asking a question or confused by something.

Tenken chuckles at the smile "Err... um whenever you want Scars. I mean if that will bring you here again I'd say as soon as possible" ^.^ he looks down to Kieran's wounded paw and frowns a bit "Um wait... does that... hurt?" he says visibly concerned.

Kieran chuckles at how eager Tenken is for a future visit. "Th-then I'll b-b-be b-b-back in a c-c-couple d-d-days," he stammers, returning the mouse's smile. The rat follows Tenken's gaze to the mess that is his maimed paw. "N-no, it d-d-doesn't hurt. Th-this h-h-happened a l-l-long t-t-time ag-g-go. I d-d-don't f-f-feel m-m-much of anything w-w-with th-this p-paw," he stutters. To prove his point, he bangs on the table very hard with what's left of that paw a few times, never flinching or wincing even though he should be. "S-s-see?"

Tenken nods to Kieran "Ah ok, but mom always said it's better to prevent than cure later. Wait I think I have something here..." he goes on his fours jumping over the furniture scattered all over, and 'digging' through the stuff piled on a a wooden box, even the poor Itchy is sent flying clinging on his web. "Ah here!" he comes with a roll of what seems to be a bandage, the same that it's wrapped around his forearms. "Here, let me cover the wounds with these. Otherwise you could get an infuct-inf-influction"

Kieran shakes his head. "R-r-really, th-they've all h-h-healed over...th-though the b-b-bandages m-might b-b-be useful in the f-f-future..." he stammers as Tenken comes over and offers to wrap his wounds. The rat holds out what's left of his maimed paw so Tenken can see for himself that it's just a lot of scar tissue with a few tufts of fur poking out here and there. "It's h-h-hideous, I kn-know...b-b-but it h-h-healed a l-long t-t-time ago." The rat pauses and thinks for a moment. "Or...w-w-would y-you w-w-want m-m-me to c-c-cover it up b-b-because it's s-s-so d-d-disg-g-gusting?" he asks.

Tenken shakes his head "No, no Mr. Scars it's not that. I just thought it must hurt..." He unrolls and cus a bit of the bandage with his teeth and hands it to Kieran "Well just in case please take some with you, you never know when you gonna need it. Be ready always, that's what mom said"

Kieran chuckles a little. "Believe m-m-me, it d-d-did h-h-hurt wh-when it h-h-happened, and f-f-for the l-longest t-t-time b-b-bef-fore it f-f-finally h-healed. B-but it d-doesn't h-hurt anym-more," he tells the young mouse. He smiles and accepts the small roll of bandages. "Y-your m-mother w-w-was a s-s-smart m-mouse. Th-thank y-you f-f-for the b-b-bandages. I l-likely w-w-will n-n-need them b-b-bef-f-fore l-long." Kieran moves to give the mouse a friendly pat on the head as he heads for the burrow's exit. "So, I owe y-you w-w-wood and a b-b-blanket wh-when I come b-back, r-r-right?"

Tenken nodnods happily "I'll be waiting for you Scars. If I'm not here just sniff the surroundings, I'm always around. Ah! And watch for those rats of the colony. Please take care, I'm sure they wouldn't be happy if they find someone sneaking in their place. Please take care" chuckling at the pat he waves to him. "Bye Scars! Come back whenever you want! Ah wait let me..." he quickly goes to the door and pulls a lever next to it, opening it with a slightly clank sound.

Kieran has to laugh a little bit as Tenken gives him a bit of a hyperactive send-off. "D-d-don't w-w-worry, I'll b-b-be c-c-careful," he promises. "And I'll b-b-be b-b-back s-s-soon, t-too." As the mouse tells him to visit whenever, Kieran replies, "M-m-maybe I'll sh-show y-you wh-where I l-live, once the w-w-weather g-gets n-nicer?" he suggests. The rat returns the wave as he ducks to get under the frame of the door. He doesn't leave, however, until Tenken has answered that last question.

Kieran chuckles, amazed at the mouse's exuberence. "C-c-come s-spring, th-then, I'll sh-show y-you the p-place," he stutters. "S-stay w-w-warm and g-g-get healthy!" he calls as he heads out into the snow.