This is the last Sassy piece for the mission but also the biggest of the set, edging out even her co write with Todd (and a bit of Wildfall).

Arguably, it's the best. I'd call it some of her best work so far. See why below.

 
I wake from my slumber and tidy up the camp a bit. I am standing and watching the sun rising over the river when I feel a gentle hand on my shoulders. I look up into the eyes of Thorny Bristle. He smiles at me and says, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes," I say, "It is quite lovely. Don't tell me there is no beauty at home."

"Very little of it in the places where I have been. It's nice to see it. Not just the sun there, but you three girls; you and Icy and Rayvon. I am lucky to be surrounded by such loveliness."

"Rayvon," I say as I look all around. "Hey, where is she anyway?"

"I thought she was sleeping like the rest." He looks over to where she should be sleeping and realizes that she has gone. We rouse the others, but they can't help shed any light on Rayvon. We scour the campsite for her, but can't find her.

"I wonder where she has gone to," says Icy.

"Dunno," answers Linger.

Icy chimes in, too. "None of us knows."

Suddenly, we are startled by crackling twigs and crashing bushes and out from the brush steps Rayvon. Bristle asks, "Where have you been?"

"Out hunting. I brought back a kill." She holds her crossbow in one hand and a dead rabbit in the other one. "I killed it; so, which of you heroes wants to skin it? You, Sassy?"

She offers the rabbit to me and I back up a bit and avert my gaze from the grisly sight.

"What's the matter, Sassy?" Rayvon asks, "Is it the blood? Are you afraid of blood?"

Bristle comes to stand between us and I back a bit farther away. "It's only partly because of the blood, Rayvon." He says, "It is also because she doesn't believe in shedding the blood of an innocent creature. Especially when it is not necessary."

"Not necessary! Of course it was necessary. It's meat, isn't it? We are hungry, aren't we?" She looks at each of them in turn.

Icy meekly says, "You didn't have to kill it, did you?"

"Some thanks this is for providing meat for us," Rayvon says, "and by the way, I didn't ask you anything, did I Icy?"

"No, but I just thought . . ."

"Ha! You think! You wouldn't know a thought if it fell out of the trees on your pretty head. You brainless bimbo! You twit. You are so scared, you won't even carry a real weapon."

"I think that's enough, Rayvon," Bristle says as he goes to comfort a crying and sobbing Icy. Rayvon turns on me like a cat on a mouse, "And you, Sassy, you are afraid of a little blood! Maybe I should call you Sissy."

"Don't say that to her," advises Bristle, "She doesn't like that."

"Too bad! I really don't care what Sissy likes and what she doesn't. How about that Sissy? Sissy, Sissy, Siss . . ." My hand flashes down for my sword and it starts to slide smoothly from her scabbard. I stop when I look into the cold malicious gaze of Rayvon.

"Go ahead, do it Sissy," she taunts. "Draw that sword, but you will be dead before your first stroke falls." She levels the crossbow at me and smiles a cruel mirthless smile, "It's loaded, I always load it and you know that I can use it. You will be as dead as this rabbit!"

I release the sword and it slides back into her scabbard. "If you all will just excuse me for a bit, please," I say as I head for the underbrush. I will stay there until things are a bit less explosive and things go back to normal.

On my way back to camp, I make a brief stop at the river and splash some cold water on my face to cool me down.

I don't want tempers to flare, especially mine, but I can't help feeling that Rayvon is spoiling for a fight. I need to be a lot calmer just to balance things out but right now, I have to get my feelings under control. I take a nice slow walk back to our campsite and try to pretend as if nothing has happened. The first thing I encounter is the smell of that rabbit cooking over the fire and, to be honest, it does smell very good. I know that I could never eat any of it though; I had vowed never to injure or hurt the innocent and should I partake of that rabbit, it would go against that belief. I can't allow myself to be tempted in that way.

I walk into camp and Rayvon says, "Sissy's back! Where have you been Sissy? Crying your eyes out in the bushes?"

Bristle looks Rayvon straight in her eyes and says, "Just don't start that again, Rayvon. You were lucky last time, so don't push it!"

"Lucky, was I? She's too much of a sissy to fight anyway."

Icy says, "Now, you know that's not true. We would still be prisoners if she hadn't risked her life to free us. You saw her fight and you know she can."

"Well," says Rayvon, "Some more wisdom from Miss Bubblehead. You just keep that pretty nose of yours out of this! Or maybe you would prefer to have me slice it off for you." With this, Rayvon draws a wicked-looking dagger from her belt and advances on Icy. She swings it in a menacing way, but Bristle grabs her wrist and the dagger is sent flying. Icy retreats to the other side of the fire, but glares at Rayvon. I look at the dagger and notice that Rayvon has several others in her belt.

"Where did you get those, anyway?"

"Well now," she drawls, "That's an interesting story; but not one I am sure a sissy like you would enjoy."

"Rayvon," Bristle starts but she cuts him off.

"This morning before I found the rabbit, I found a camp of thugs. I snuck up on them and slit their throats and took their daggers. That's where they come from."

"You what?" questions Bristle.

"I slew them in their sleep. Slit their throats nice and clean and they won't be bothering us or anyone else now."

"I can't believe that you did that," Bristle says and looks appalled.

"Why," she counters, "Aren't they the enemy? Don't they want to enslave us all?"

"Maybe so," I say, "but there is a right way and a wrong way to do things and I think you did the wrong thing."

Rayvon is enraged. "Who are you to tell me how to do things anyway? You have some nerve! I am not going to be a coward and a sissy all of my life like you are."

Bristle's reaction is immediate. He pushes Rayvon hard and she falls to the ground. "You apologize to her this minute or I'll give you more."

She leaps to her feet with the dagger back in her hand. "If you dare to lay a hand on me again, Bristlehead, I'll slice you too!"

"Okay, guys, let's cool down a bit," I say, "Rayvon, put down the dagger and Bris. Just back away."

Rayvon glares at me. "I am not following your orders anymore. Now that I found out what a sissy you are."

Bristle goes to the fire and says, "Uh, I think that our breakfast is done. Looks like this rabbit has cooked enough."

"Good," says Icy, "I am starved. I'll have a bit piece of it please."

I watch as they all head to the fire and the rabbit, but I do not join them. Bristle notices and comes to me. "Not hungry, Sassy?"

"Not really. I can't eat that rabbit, and you know why."

"Yes, I do. Aren't you hungry, though?"

"I have food with me."

"Like what?"

"Like this. Catch!" I throw him a silver orb and he catches it.

"Hey, wait a minute, that looks like a throck. Can't be. Is it?"

"Yes, it is. I recently found a good supply of them."

"A throckle fruit. I don't believe it! It has been so long since I have seen one, let alone eaten one."

"So, what are you waiting for? Taste it."

He take a small knife from his belt and starts to peel it, marveling at its sight and smell and the texture of it.

Rayvon sneaks up on us. "What have you there, Bristle?"

"A throckle fruit."

"A what?"

"A throckle fruit. Sassy found them."

"Where?" she wants to know.

"Fairly close to here. Why do you want to know?"

"Humph, I don't! But I wouldn't just trust everything that grows. Some plants and fruits are poisonous."

I think to myself, Yes, as poisonous as some people. I keep it to myself, not wanting to fight anymore.

Rayvon takes my arm and tugs me toward the fire. "Come on! The rabbit is roasted real well and I want you to eat the first piece."

"Um, thanks, but I can't do that."

"Why not, you sissy? It's dead! It can't hurt you. Just try some."

"Sorry, but I won't try it." So saying, I wrench my arm from her and go back to where Bristle is standing.

"Well, fine then! More for the rest of us. Hey Linger, you are a big dude. You probably are hungry. How about some rabbit then?"

He looks at her and says, "What Sassy eats, Linger eats. What Sassy no eats, den Linger no eats."

"Well, isn't that just wonderful. Here I go and provide a great breakfast for you ingrates and you would rather eat fruit with Sassy. At least Icy and I will eat the rabbit."

I go to Linger. "If you want to have some of that rabbit, I'll understand. It is all right for you to do that. You must be ravenous."

He shakes his head and I hand him a throckle fruit. He stares at it for a bit. "How dis work?"

I giggle slightly and take the fruit from him. "It works like this. First you peel it." I skin the fruit and cut it into slices. "Here you go, big guy. Each bite is slightly different than the one before. Enjoy."

Linger takes the slices and starts to eat them. I look at Bristle and he is eating a slice and offering another one to Icy. They both appear to like it a lot.

I approach Rayvon with a few slices. "Care to try a slice?"

"No, I'll stick to my rabbit." We continue to eat until we are all full. Then Rayvon breaks the silence. "So, let's strike camp and head for those caves near the waterfall."

"Uh, yeah, about that," I say.

"What about that?" she counters in a much-put-out tone of voice.

"I have been thinking that that's not too great an idea."

"What's wrong with it then?"

"Well," I say, "after thinking about it last night and sleeping on it, I don't want to go to the caves."

"Him!" Rayvon points to Linger. "He changed your mind for you, didn't he? I heard him last night telling you that he didn't like the idea of the caves. Well, too bad for him and too bad for you. That is where we are going! We already decided on it and you should stick to your word."

"It's not a matter of sticking to my word. It's a matter of where we can be safe. I now believe that we should avoid those caves at all cost."

"Again, I ask why?"

"We could get trapped in there. Looking around down by the river, I also saw a lot of tracks there; tracks of thugs and the like. We don't know what is out there, but I am almost sure that they are heading for the river; maybe even those caves, if they know about them."

"That's ridiculous! Where would you suggest we go then?"

"Well, I had in mind to check out the woods. At least there we could defend ourselves should we be attacked."

"No! It's the caves!"

Bristle tries to restore order. "Ladies, please. Let's all cool down and calmly consider all of our possibilities."

"No! I am going to the caves! If any of you have any smarts you will come with me!"

"Rayvon," says Bristle, "You won't get anywhere by insulting us like that."

Rayvon stands and says, "I intend to get somewhere, with or without you lot. I am heading for the caves! I refuse to submit to this sissy and her orders! I am leaving now."

"Oh, no you are not," I say. "You have something that belongs to me and I want it back. That crossbow you hold is mine and so are the bolts."

"Fine! You can have this piece of junk anyway!" She flings it at me, but I manage to dodge it. The bandolier of bolts follow it. "I hope I never see any of you horrid creatures again!" She stomps to the edge of the clearing and turns to watch us. "It might interest you all to learn that I have a lot of important and dangerous friends. You will be sorry you treated me this way! I hope that they give me the chance to get my revenge on all of you! If I were you, I wouldn't sleep so soundly at night from now on! I will be out in the dark waiting for my chance and my chance will come!" With this final threat, Rayvon crashes through the brush and heads toward the river.

"Wow, dat was spooky," says Linger.

Bristle says, "I think I liked it better when we knew where she was, but I guess this was bound to happen."

"Bris," says Icy, "I'm scared. I am really scared." Bristle goes to comfort her and hold her tight. I bend down and lovingly pick up the crossbow. How could she treat one of my treasures like junk?

I caress the crossbow and say, "There, there, everything is going to okay now. Yes, you couldn't help doing what she had you do. It's good to have you back again."

I limber up my crossbow and notice that Rayvon has once again lied to us, it is not loaded. I put on the bandolier of bolts and look toward the others. "Well, should we strike camp and head for the woods then?" They all agree and we set out for the woods. Before I leave the camp, I take the skin of the rabbit and its bones. I can't return the rabbit to its loved ones, but I can make sure that his bones are cared for and given a proper burial. I can't help wondering where Rayvon is and what mischief she might be up to.

One thing for certain, we can no longer count her as a friend. Linger takes the guide's position, followed by Bristle and then Icy and finally I bring up the rear. I sincerely hope that I have made the right choices. Can't help wondering if there was anything I could have done differently. Perhaps if I hadn't been so sensitive, maybe Rayvon would still be with us. Nevertheless, as we head to the woods, the hairs on the back of my neck are standing straight up. It is a creepy feeling, but I somehow push these troubling thoughts to the back of my mind.

Noone knows what will happen tomorrow or even in the next hour.

Since I edit for Sassy's handler (Rick), I got to see this long before it was posted. It was already something special, but it was so focused on Sassy and Ryvon (understandably) that the others got ignored. I mentioned that to Rick, who redid it, with the results being what you see above. (I felt it especially important that if her old friend Bristle was there, he would defend her.)

Icey needs a bit of developing in my opinion, but I am really impressed at how strong and distinctive Sassy has made Linger, Rayvon and Bristle already. I'm hoping they all get more roleplay time in the future to develop.