With Cadmus (Cassius) and Isabella (Drasta)

Cassius and Drasta meet in the forest and discuss some of Cassius plans for the Valley..

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Cassius walks slowly through the forest, heading a small but formidable-looking group of Stagg warriors. His signature Pickhammer is nestled tightly across his back, pressing in to his new yet rough fur cape. His eyes are fixed purposefully forward, leading his group onwards in the semi-darkness of dusk. With a sudden look upwards towards the Sky, Cassius stops, motioning for his warriors to do the same. He sniffs lightly at the air, casting a solemn glance around the roots of the tall trees. "Hmm..." he murmurs, standing still in the rapidly fading light. "Someone...here?"

Drasta steps out of the brush, her fur cloak, dusting off her paws as she does so. "Drasta of the Black Knife," she replies, her paw going to the hilt of her weapon--a large stone bowie knife secured at her hip. "You must know me at least by sight. And you, of course, are Cassius."

Cassius frowns at the rat, stretching many of the scars upon his muzzle. "Ah...yes. Drasta. Have not heard...too much of you." He signals to the group behind him to hold their ground, knowing a fight with Drasta would likely be costly and pointless. "Why are you...here?" he says, keeping his own paws firmly at his side, though his stance shows he's ready for anything...should anything happen. "The Staggs move...do you not move...with us?"

Drasta arches her eyebrows. Of all she's heard of Cassius, his odd speech hasn't come up much. *Perhaps that oversized hammer distracts people..* She merely shrugs. "Always, dear Cassius. Always am I with the Staggs. Up until just now, I was on the hunt...for new pelts." She reaches out, and strokes the fur present on her skirt. "But luck is not on my side this evening, it would seem. You are on maneuvers, I take it?"

Cassius slowly nods his head, eyeing the pelt with slight amusement. "Yes...we move. We plan. We plan an attack on those...wretches at the Valley. Yet not...now. No. Not now. But soon. Now we simply scout, watch, and wait." he says, tilting his head side to side, stretching his neck a little. "Hunting, hmm? I have heard you...collect pelts as your trophy." He walks boldly forward, breathing deeply at the night air. "I have also...heard...you hunt for a greater...trophy?"

Drasta smiles, baring her teeth. "No, not yet...though I am developing a plan to do just that, eventually." She watches Cassius with interest as he strides forward. "Ah, yes--we hunters are never truly satisfied unless we have something to hunt /for/. I covet the pelt of a redfur from the Valley...such a glorious color, Cassius! And when the light catches it...ahh, such radiance!"

Cassius can't help but smirk at this description, giving a low and light chuckle as he stops just in front of Drasta, clasping his hands behind his back. "Redfur? Hmm...who is this...prize you speak of?" He says, fixing his eyes firmly onto Drasta, as if she and she alone existed right now. "You might be...of great help to us. The attack will come...soon." He stares for a single, silent moment before finally breaking his gaze off of Drasta, gesturing for his warriors. "Come...walk." He says, speaking both to his warriors, and to Drasta.

Drasta nods, raising her eyes to his. "I intend to be of great help, friend Cassius. I even have a few little...pet projects, if you will, currently in progress. Of course, it's much too soon to be speaking seriously about any of them," she replies with a dismissive wave of her paw. She nods, and begins walking with Cassius and the rest of the Staggs. "And you? What business have you out here?"

Cassius walks along, motioning Drasta to come beside him. "This is good...news. We need...strong allies. And I? I...am simply looking. Watching. I...am planning our strike, and I think...I have a place in mind." he says, fidgeting slightly with his cloak. "I shall not...press into your affairs, my dear...but you will be needed. If you have...any aids we can have...make them known. As for -my- plan...what do you know of the...crop fields?"

Drasta raises her eyebrows once more. "Aids? What kind of aid?" She thinks for a moment, considering his question. "Little at the moment, though I can certainly find out. What precisely did you wish to know, my friend?"

Cassius smiles at this, thinking. "What I meant...was if your projects can aid...us in any way...offer them. As for your knowledge... How guarded are the field? How...attended? Watched? Prepared? I must...know these things...if I wish to carry out...my plan." he says, looking sideways at the passing foliage, night setting in fully around the group. "Share."

Drasta smiles a bit. "I have made the acquaintance of a few ex-colonists...no longer loyal to their motherland." She gives a low chuckle. "I have taken two as my pets...it is not necessary to harm them, they are willing enough to tell me what I wish to know. Right now one of them is working on creating weapons for me....things to help create chaos in the colony, which would in turn allow us to do as we please." She smiles grimly. "As for the field, I have no idea, but it would be easy enough to find out."

Cassius nods his head, thinking more deeply within his deranged mind. "Good...good... I look forward...to seeing these projects...come to fruition." After several more moments of walking he and his group of warriors stop at the border of the forest, looking out of the thick underbrush and upon the crop fields themselves. "Here... If you deign...to help me...then watch these fields...from near and far...and tell us...what you can find." He turns and looks towards the colony proper, eyes suddenly going wild. "This Valley and all those within it...will burn and die, wether by my hand...or the combined might of all the Staggs!" He turns back to look at Drasta, a dark and savage smile upon his face. "You...shall have the prize...you seek...soon enough."

Drasta smirks, her sharp teeth visible. "Of course I shall help...chaos shall reign, and this place shall be our playground." She chuckles darkly. "Your generosity is truly boundless, friend Cassius. I shall look forward to having my redfur."

Cassius turns his back on the fields, bowing low to Drasta a moment later. He points to two of his warriors, motioning for them to take up look-out positions. "Stay here the night...and report. My dear...Drasta, if you wish to...remain with them...you are welcome to...do so." He walks off with his remaining entourage, turning his head back at Drasta. "I must...take leave. I hope we shall...be seeing more of each...other."

Drasta nods, inclining her head politely to Cassius. "I hope so as well, friend. I bid you well." She decides she'll remain for a small amount of time...the campsite can wait for now...

Cassius smiles one last time, turning around with a soft rustle of his cape and disappearing into the blackness of night.