So this is the final Sassy piece before the Elite 7 / 8 battle, and it's got Todd and a bit of Wildfall.

But mostly, it's Sassy and Todd. Check it out!

 
Not terribly long before the battle between the Elite 7 and 8, Sassy Snake, the spunky and prodigious healer from another dimension, had made her way to the Blood Clan's campsite, where she had found Tus, Jarlsboris Wildfall and Todd Blackpaws, among others.

After saving her earlier, Todd and Wildfall finally had gotten a chance to introduce themselves. Todd, being Todd, had just made a suggestive comment about Sassy 'fulfilling' their 'thoughts' and then had asked her, "So what do ya say, babe?"

Sassy's answer? "I say that I don't like being called a 'babe.' Since I am neither an infant nor your lover, that name doesn't apply to me and I choose to ignore it."

Todd's friend Wildfall (the Ireacan rogue, at least in his own mind) is smirking at Todd and flashing those "told you so" eyes. "Ya never learn, do ya fox?"

Todd ignores him and focuses on Sassy. "Hey, babe, easy there. I don't mean no harm. To me a 'Babe' is any woman with a body as fine as yours."

"Under normal circumstances, I might possibly be flattered by your attentions, Mr. Fox, but I just don't have the time right now."

Todd mumbles something about 'mouthy healers' to Wildfall, not thinking Sassy would catch it.

She does and responds. "They call me Sassy and, I guess you know why now."

Wildfall chuckles. "Hey, Todd, isn't your girlfriend a 'mouthy healer?' Is that who ya meant?"

"Knew this healer once back home. You could call her 'mouthy'. Babe could s-"

Todd looks over at Sassy and blushes to his ears. Close call! "Um.. tell you later, mate."

Wildfall mutters and whispers, "Can't take you anywhere, foxxy, yeesh."

Narrator's note: You could probably either add or subtract an x from that. Your call.

They continue to walk for a while and then, for no reason Sassy suddenly stiffens and stops in her tracks. She turns and sniffs and it is apparent from her face that she likes what she smells. "What is that?"

Todd says, "What is what, babe?"

"I asked you not to call me that." Sassy sees a small path leading off to one side from the main path and points down it. "That! What's over there?"

Todd looks and slowly shakes his head. "Um, nothing I guess. See no evil, hear no evil, smell no evil."

"I smell something!! It smells like, . . . like . . . home!!!" With a shriek of joy she sprints off down the path.

Todd yells after her, "No Sassy, wait! You don't know . . ." She is already out of sight and running by this time. The foxy foxbard growls and turns to his friend Wildfall. "Wait here in case she doubles back." He then leaps after her.

When she stops, she is in the middle of a very lush valley. "Wow! Oh, how beautiful! In the middle of desolation, a real garden!"

By this time, Todd has caught up with her. "You okay?"

"Yes, sure," she says a bit disappointed. "It's not my home though, but it sure is pretty. Look at those qwumba berries! Haven't seen them since I left home. Didn't think that they grew here." She begins to pluck berries and to eat a few.

"You do know that that might not be safe, right?" Todd says as he looks on in concern.

"Why?"

"The land could be poisoned, those berries might be deadly."

"They sure taste good."

"Okay, you have had some berries and saw a pretty garden, now let's get back to the others, huh?"

"Um, no thanks. Hey, look over there!" She slowly moves toward a large leather-looking cylinder. "No, this can't be. This has to be a dream, right?"

"Don't know." Todd asks, "What are you talking about, anyway?"

"Those are thwockle fruit pods!! Can you just believe that?"

"I might, if I knew what you were talking about."

"Those, the cylinders! You have surely gone thwockle fruit gathering before, right?" She looks anxiously at him.

"No, not that I can remember."

"Well, you would have remembered if you had."

"So, what are they, anyway?"

"Only about the best fruits ever! You have never heard of them, have you? But then again, you aren't a healer, are you?"

"No. They don't look that impressive to me. Just some leather cylinders. Lemme have a closer look." He starts to move toward one, but Sassy grabs his arm.

"Are you crazy? Those are thwockle fruit pods! Oh, that's right, I keep forgetting. Here let me show you something." She bends over and takes a stone from the ground. "Watch this and learn a lesson." She hurls the stone at the pod and seconds later the pod is covered from top to bottom in long rows of spikes and thorns.

"Uh, I didn't expect that at all," says Todd and he takes a few steps away from the pod.

"Some call them 'Hedgehog fruit' but their proper name is thwockle fruit."

"Yea, only where is the fruit?"

"Inside the pod, of course."

"How do you get the fruit then? This one is covered with spikes from the top to the bottom."

"That's right. Look at the next one to it."

He looks at that one. "That one is completely closed up. How do you get the fruit?"

"With this." Sassy draws a long, thin dagger that has crystals and diamonds and gleams and glitters in the sun.

"You just slice into it, then?"

"Well, not exactly." She begins to giggle. "Unless you want to die real slow and painful. Those thorns, remember?"

"So, how do you do it then?"

"I should make you wonder about that all day, but I am not quite that cruel. Guess I'll have to get one to show you how. Besides, I could really go for that fruit right now. They are excellent for healing potions and drinks." She looks down on the ground and moves a few steps to the left then some to the right.

"What are you doing now?"

"When you gather thwocs, you have to make sure of your footing. It's always best to scope out the lay of the land before you step. Remember those thorns? One misstep and it is all over. If you stumble on a tree root, or an acorn, or anything on the ground, that's all brother."

"Wow. Maybe this isn't such a good idea. Hey, let's get back to the others."

"No! I am getting a fruit. Don't say anything to distract me or try to stop me in any way. Just stay where you are and watch me carefully. I'll explain more later." With that, she puts the dagger in her left hand and moves stealthily to the pod. She comes to about a foot away and slowly moves in till she is six inches away. Now, she stabs the pod with the dagger and as the thorns begin to erupt out on the surface of the pod, her hand flashes down in an arc toward the top of the pod and then out and she is holding a silver orb in her hand. She moves away from the pod, surveying the garden as she does.

"Your hand was like a streak of lightning! I couldn't follow it, it moved so fast."

From a bard, that is obviously saying something.

"Well, you have only a couple of seconds to get the fruit, so if you want any, you have to be quick! We grew up playing it as a game where we came from. Want to go next?"

Todd looks at the thorny pod and then at the silver fruit in her hand and slowly shakes his head no. "Oh, come on, 's your turn. Go'fer it!"

"No, thanks."

"You don't know what you are missing." She looks at the fruit in her hand. "Looks like a thwoc, smells like one too." She sheathes her crystal dagger and draws a smaller cutting knife. She deftly cuts the fruit and looks at it. "Oh, yes, that's right. Look at the pretty colors in it!" She shows him the cut fruit which has a rainbow of colors all through it. "Each color is a separate flavor. It is juicy and crunchy at the same time. Want some?"

"Uh, no, don't think so."

"Oh, come on, foxes eat berries and fruits in the wild, don't they?"

"They eat a lot of things that you probably wouldn't touch, Sas."

"Hhmmm, I suppose that is true." Still, she takes a small piece. "Here try this one." She passes him the small piece and begins to eat the fruit she is holding. It is fabulous and delicious and a smile lingers on her lips. "You know, before I leave, I should pluck some more of them. They are excellent for healing."

"Yeah, sure," says Todd as he eats his fruit, "I agree. They're quite tasty, but I don't like the fact that you have to risk getting hurt to get one. Anyway, they may belong to someone."

"Naw, they grow wild, just like these other berries and fruits. There is a Wantzineel bush, the Qumba berries, these fruit; these are all growing wild. Nature's bounty!"

As they are talking together, Sassy suddenly hears a rustling in the leaves. Todd hears it too and his hand flies to his ax. "No, wait! I think that might be my friend Serpentina."

"Huh? Sir who?"

A huge snake suddenly slithers from the brush and says hi to Sassy. To Todd, it sounds like hissing and when Sassy talks to it, she hisses as well.

"Art though fine, ssisster Sassy?"

"Yesss, very fine. Thiss is my friend Todd."

"What do you say, Babe?"

Serpentina says and gives a bow. Sassy, of course, begins to laugh uncontrollably. "What is so funny?" Finally Sassy is able to talk.

"Serpentina just asked you, 'What do you say Babe?'"

"Oh, she did not! You're making that up to tease me."

"No, I promise I didn't. She has been scouting around for us and she says that we are needed in Degrassi and the way may be clear; at least for a while."

"Well, that is good news. Come on, let's go."

"Um, I'll meet you there. I want to gather some more fruits and berries for potions."

He looks into her deep green eyes. "You don't want to leave here now, do you?"

"Not really," she says and he can hear weariness in her voice, "but I suppose I have to, don't I? My skills as a healer will be needed. I wish, I wish . . ."

"What?"

"Well, I actually feel funny even asking a favor of you, but I do wish . . ."

"Favor? You saved my life. What can I do for you?"

"Well, it seems kind of morbid really; but I was just wondering that it would be a great comfort to me that, if something should go wrong during the fighting and something should happen to me, I would dearly love to be brought here and buried here. It is a lot like home; I know it's not, but it is the closest I have been since I got to this dimension. I know it is silly, but I still can't help wishing for it. If things go well for me, I will be able to come back on my own. Otherwise, . . ."

"Hey- hey, Babe!" Todd interrupts her quickly, grabbing at her hands with his paws. "You ain't dying' anytime soon! You're gonna live a nice long life, raise a few litters of kits… maybe with some handsome foxy stud you'll meet." He smiles, his eyes giving that mischievous twinkle they have a habit of giving when he gets playful. He says all of this with purpose. Better to have her angry at him that obsessed with the possible outcome of the next few days.

"You are probably right," she says, seeming to relax just a little. "You know, I hardly know you. I don't know many people here except for Becky Joy. Still, if you think you could keep that promise, I would deem it a big favor."

Todd could see that he can't going to completely take her mind off this, so he steps back and gives a large, overly dramatic bow. "Very well, I promise to do it personally. Should I fall, I shall entrust your wishes to another - but it will be one I can trust to carry it out."

He then looks up at her, the twinkle returning. "That good?"

"Yes, that will do nicely thank you. Well, I best be about gathering fruits, and you had best get back to the others. I promise I will catch up to you soon." She pauses. "And I promise I will try to stay optimistic about the upcoming few days."

"Take care, Sassy. I hope I shall see you soon…. Babe." With a mischievous smile and a twinkle in his eye, he heads down the path leaving her to gather fruits.

Heh.. M (Todd's handler) and I kind of had to fuss with Todd's part to get him right, and Wildfall kinda vanished, but still, another excellent Sassy Snake roleplay.

I really like the interaction with Todd and Sassy in this piece too. She really is sassy! Hopefully we'll see more of it in AIL's third season.