Subtitled "Dinner time, edge of the Nearby Plains" for it's location, we've got a less action oriented piece here which focuses on Vixen, who debuts for this mission with this co write with Dash. This one fell between Catrina's defeat and a Feena solo piece. Dash, of course, has no way of knowing about the odd substory with Catrina, or her devastating loss, at this point.

A little strategy and a lot of characterization follows. We're just starting to learn about Vixen at this point, but it's a nice early effort on her part.

Dinner time at the edge of the Nearby Plains...

It's a cool, dusky evening that finds our heroes of the moment, Vixen and Sebastian Dash, relaxing under the shades of the trees dotting the edges of the nearby Distant Woods.

They sat between a Weeping Oak and a Story Maple tree, with Vixen cooking some kind of a stew, in a small pot. It was nearing a simmer already.. The two had just enough camp supplies to rest on their trip through the plains. As she worked on the stew, Dash had the bowls set up, and was carefully dividing fresh nuts, dried corn, dull mint leaves, and seasonings into each bowl.

Dash finally broke the silence. "What are we dining on tonight, anyway?"

Vixen stirred the stew faster. "Jus' somthin' I hunted."

"Oh," Dash replied. If she didn't want to share, he wouldn't ask. "As long as it's not any of the patrons from the inn.. "

Vixen looked at Dash weirdly. "No it's just some random animal. Hehehe, I would not want to even touch those arse grabbers anyways."

Dash grinned. "Don't worry. I was only kidding, anyway. They should taste good with my famous trail mix, though. As in whatever you hunted.. not the grabbers.. Add a little flavor to dinner."

Vixen grined. "Famous huh? I jus' wish we had more then meat and potatos. Carrots are rare on the plains."

Dash nodded in silent agreement, reflecting upon the events that had brought them here. Catrina had gone off on her own.. hunting.. while Dash made his way to the Typical Tavern, hoping to find some additional help there. He'd actually hoped to get Vivace, but she had gone on a mysteriuos pilgrimage unexpectedly. She hadn't left any idea of when she'd be returning.. And Dash had his own problems.. "Well, eat up, anyway. We've only a mile or so before we'll be at the alleged location for the KOKOL outpost. I wouldn't be surprised to find we had a fight on our hands.. and probably a big fight."

Vixen sighed and looked around like something was hiding behind the grass. She filled the bowls with the stew. "Do you think there are rats close to our camp?"

Dash paused to consider it. "Doubt it. The fire and our presence should keep them away. Plus, if there's rats anywhere, it'll be where the Goblins want them. And they don't know we're coming."

Vixen sighed and smiled. "If one shows up, I'm blaming you."

"You're being paranoid." Dash flashed her a smile. "How's my dinner coming along?"

Vixen passed him a bowl. "Wiseass."

Dash flashed an innocent smile, handing her a smaller bowl, with the fruits and nuts mixed together.

Vixen took a small handful of nuts. She looked at something. "Nice katanas."

"Practicing your pick up lines?" Dash asked, stirring a little Knoll butter into his stew. (Believe me, it's better than the bit the Knobs make.)

Vixen smiled. "No. I noticed the hilts of the katanas sticking out of your back pack," Vixen said, picking a flower and putting its petals in her bowl of stew.

Dash glanced over, remembering their presence. "Oh.. remember I told you that Catrina was going hunting while I went to look for you and Vivace?" By which Dash actually meant, he'd gone to look for Vivace, who wasn't there, and Vixen had ended up wanting to help. "She wanted me to hold on to them until we meet up. That's another reason I chose this vantage point. If she gets ahead of us to the meeting point, I'll hopefully spot her in the distance."

Vixen smiled "Hopefully." She drank something out of a flask.

Dash nodded. For his part, the beverage of choice was a simple can of Willer Artificial Selective, the Distant Ice Mountain brewed version of the famous brand of beer. Dash seemed perfectly fine to let them slip into silence. His mind was still on Catrina.. was she still upset with him? He'd managed to get her to stay through the moment, but guilt trips usually aren't a very good way to keep a friendship going. Besides.. he could do more harm than good trying to insist things between her and Blahking magically work, as if by will alone, he could foster a friendship or even respect between the two.

The Murri-dan. Several of them, Catrina had lead Dash to believe, were trained in various fighting styles, so there'd be no way of knowing what they were up against. They also varied in size, from some half Dash's height, and a third his weight, to those that would tower over all but the biggest bugbears. There was also the issue of the Knob Goblins.. not to mention the possibility of retaliation from the Penguin Mafia. . . .

Vixen sighed. "What on yer mind, Dash?"

Dash looked up, shaken from his thoughts for a second. "Pardon?"

Vixen giggled. "You looked like you were in deep thought for awhile. Heh.. I can't really stand long silences." She took another sip from her flask.

"Was I? Sorry." Dash paused, reflecting. "I guess I'm not to traveling alone.. or me and my horse, Españolola, You've got me a bit curious.. why can't you take a long silence?"

"I dunno, I guess it comes from working as a barmaid I guess. Before I worked, I was the most silent fox you would ever meet."

Dash smiled. "I guess that'd do it.. honestly.. I'm trying to calculate how much danger we're going to be in on this mission. Not to mention the implications of it."

Vixen looked up at the stars. "I'm kind of lost in thought my self."

Dash shrugged. "Not surprised.. it's a good evening for it.. Care to talk about it?"

Vixen yawned. "Maybe... just thinkin of my past and my actions and possible future."

"We really don't know that much about each other's pasts, do we?"

"No. Not a lot."

"Tell me a bit about yours," Dash said, happy to nudge the conversation to her and away from him.

Vixen sighed. "Sure, lets talk about pasts..." She spotted a fight in the distance. "Looks like a battle over there." She pointed to a bloody battle out there.

Dash strained his eyes.. and noticed it.. "You might be right.. I can't tell who's.."

"The rats and bats are really going at it." Superior fox-like vision.

"We better get packed and investigate.. make sure no innocents get caught up in the crossfire.. er.. crossclaws?"

Vixen simply nodded in agreement, with a glint in her eye that showed she was as eager for a warmup fight as Dash.. She had to be convinced to help with a quick packup on their equipment, but Dash successfully kept her from charging into battle.

A battle which, sadly, will have to wait til the next part in our story. . . .