[Killroy's]Eeek, those be rats. RATS!(Antar)

[Bob Barton]

Try his hand on what? What was Antar trying to tell him? But as he was interrupted, so was Bob. The chittering noise from the last rat he missed out could be heard from the side. Bob could see it getting up now from its side but it was a little bit far away and in the open. No one knew how many more of these vermin was around. So Bob did not want to risk doing anything overly brave.

The door was a better friend than Antar would be, so Bob decided that he would stick by its side. Bob went behind it to put it between him and the rat again to defend himself. As for attacking, he still had his trusty sharpened stick. The one which wasted so much of his time to retrieve until the rat was able to recover.

What Bob did with the last rat was simple. Everytime it came forward, Bob spun in place so that his back would be leaning on the door while he pulled it forward. Which caused the rat to follow and strike at the door with his tail or claws. And everytime Bob heard the sounds of its attack hitting at the door, he took it as a signal for himself. He spun back in place, leaning on the door again. But this time with his head peered over to look at the rat and his sword prodding out from the side.

This continued on until Antar made his little taunt. Bob's only way of attacking was to push on the door towards the rat which would cause it to back off while stabbing wildly and blindly from the side of the door. Mostly he missed because a lot of his strength was used to control the door. When he did attack the rat, it was only strong enough for a shallow cut causing the rat to get annoyed and coming back forward for retribution.

The last time he switched back to defence was when he faced Antar to answer the taunt. "No? You like to kill so I was saving this one for you." the answer came through the wild chittering.

[Antar]

"Cheeky little bastard. Just hope he keeps it occupied long enough." Noth muttered with a curse, as he considered his options. The rat was scratching at the door and bob kept using as a shield. Pretty soon the pounding on the door might cause it to break if this didn't end quickly. Antar couldn't use reimancy... because bob was there (though honestly this was a secondary concern compared to not wanting to foot a bill for a burning building). So he opted on the next best choice.

Sticking the gladius in the dirt, he drew his bow from his back and lined up a shot as Barton continued his little game of bash and slash with the rat. Taking an arrow from his quiver, Antar knocked it to the string, and drew it back. Aiming using the point of the arrow he slightly corrected for his wobbly stance due to his injured leg he released the arrow towards the creature. It imbedded in the rats side, piercing through it enough to anchor it into the wall. But left it skewered there for a moment, thrashing and still gnashing it's teeth at Bob. Cursing a bit in pain, he looped the longbow back over his shoulder and pulled his gladius to the ground. "Cut the bloody head off while it's pinned Bob! Quick!"

Unsure if Bob would actually do such a thing, the archer started hobbling towards the injured rat. Ready to finish the job himself if for some reason Bob decided not to.

[Bob Barton]

Bob did not know what happen next since he was hiding behind the door. He did hear the sound of the rat crashing on the wall and Antar's command to cut off the head while it was pinned. Pinned? Bob peered over the side of the door only to see that the rat was skewered by an arrow to the wall beside him. He was already so used to what he was doing he attacked the rat another way.

He held on to the door in front of him tighter and held his sword pointing downwards at the door to where the rat was. In a moment of insane ideas, Bob pushed on the door swinging it at the rat. The force and weight built up until it was enough to give a satisfying "THUNK!" leaving a patch of blood behind the door. Good for Bob all the same was that since he only had to push the door, he could concentrate on keeping the point of the sword on the rat and it pierced the rat and like the arrow pinned the rat's body to the wall.

"I am not cleaning that up." he didn't even want to go near that mess. Bob made a scene of trying to pull out his sword and kept jerking his arm backwards before turning back to Antar. "Think you can help me out and get the sword out?"

After that he heard some familiar voices coming from behind the stables. Bob looked back past the doorway only to find the two missing attendants. Looking closer, he could see some dark stains dripping from their clothes with a trail leading from the back. It didn't take much for Bob to figure out where they were hiding while they left Bob and Antar to do the dirty work. "Hey you shykes. Nice to see you getting acquainted with your own kind while you left is to do the dirty work." then Bob pinned his nose with his fingers to try and add insult to injury "But I see now that our job was not as dirty as yours" If they were going to hide, Bob could think of better places than where they kept all the doggie doo doo.

[Antar]

Noth cursed a bit and hobbled over towards the rat and grabbed the hilt of Bob's cane sword. With a bit of a tug he pulled it loose. He barely heard Bob mouthing off to the two other attendants. But when he heard the words "shykes'' and the two came out of the kennels towards them both, it was readily apparent they weren't covered in mud. Antar coughed and almost wretched as the smell combined with the stink of the dead rats. "Hey... *hack* why don't you two just stay inside the kennels and guard them till things are clear. Alright?"

The two missing attendants just looked at him in a daze, as they blinked at him, wondering who he was. Raising his voice and shaking Barton's sword in one hand. Noth's eyes bored into both of them. "Hey listen up you petching gits, don't make me repeat myself again! Get some pitchforks and keep an eye on the kennels. Or if you really want to get killroy made go cower in the stables with the rest of the attendants. I'm sure they'll like your damn company with the way you two are. More likely then not they'll drown you in the horse troughs to get rid of the smell. Poor horses won't be able to drink for a week."

That gave them got the picture enough to grab two pitchforks and take two steps for the kennels before Noth stopped them both. "Hey, what the petch are you doing?"
"You told us to get to the kennels! DIdn't cha?"
"Yeah but you really should go at least tell the other workers your safe and where you're going. Hell we're going back the stables now and so are you... just stay at a moderately safe distance for my nose. Alright?"
Cursing loudly the two attendants wheeled towards the stables as Noth and Barton hung back a little. Turning the hilt of the cane sword towards Bob to pick it up. Noth spoke a bit as he shuffled painfully towards the stables. Placing one hand on the man's shoulder, Noth spoke quickly "Bob I'm going to need a clean bandage and I know killroy keeps some of them around for tending to well to do customers paying for the treatment of injuries to their horses. Get me enough clean bandages for my leg... and a bit of honey for a balm for the wound." Uncharacteristically being nice, he uttered one word he normally didn't venture in Barton's direction before continuing on. After all he didn't want to be on the receiving end of another midget enraged shin kick when he was already injured so he forced out a rather grating,"Please."

Sighing in exasperation Noth went a step further to vent his irritation, "If the owner petching complains after I just helped save all his horseflesh and dogs and attendants I swear to the gods I'll give 'em hell for it."

[Bob Barton]

When the two came towards the front, Bob stepped back. No way was he going to get near them. He raised the palm of his hands towards them "Yeah, stay in the kennels and guard the kennels. Don't worry. You smell just like the dogs." Bob said with a venomous grin. The rats probably don't want to get near them too, no matter how hungry they would be.

Bob clapped his hands at the way Antar got the attendants to do what he wanted. He just has to try that next time. Drowning in a horse trough sounded really bad. Actually, Bob had an experience with that once so he will add to Antar's statement for their benefit. "You might like it since its the middle of the hot summer. So we would hire two akalaks to dump you in the trough and keep you down." That would not actually make any sense to anyone other than Bob. But there was always a method to his madness.

A clean bandage and honey? Bob could do that. He had seen his Uncle use them a lot last time. But there was a shiver down his spine when he heard Antar say the word. Please? That was completely unexpected especially from someone like Antar. That kind of request from such a wicked person would probably mean that an innocent is suffering somewhere out there now.

Bob followed Antar to the stables. Walking fast on his feet so he can keep further away from the two behind him. Now where was the medical supplies? He knew that the brushes and the food were behind but would the medicine be at the same place. She would know! Bob went straight to the group in the stables and asked the one in charge "Where is the bandages? And yeah I am not getting paid enough for this so I better be getting a nice bonus. Like him!" Bob said pointing at Antar twice. Once for the bandages and once for the bonus.

After getting all those in order, Bob brought the stuff to Antar. "Don't worry buddy. I've seen my uncle do this so many times already." he said opening the bandage across. Bob grinned as he dramatically went closer with the bandage towards the wound. Only to be stopped by Antar before he could wrap it up. "Fine! Then you can do it yourself!" Bob said angrily as he tossed the bandage towards the wounded man and glared to him thinking "Fail, fail, fail!" so he would change his mind.

[Antar]

Sighing loudly and rolling his eyes at the man, Noth shook his head a moment." Bob you really are a petching 'git sometimes. You know very well I have to ensure there's no leather fibers in the wound and clean it out before there's any petching bandaging. Worse, once it's clean you know to wrap the wound tight enough to keep pressure on the wound without having it fail while I'm moving is going to need two people. So stow the attitude a bit. I'd rather do this right than have any trouble later and I'd do the same for anyone I get through a fight with. Just a way to make sure that they would stay patched up enough to help in the next fight.."

Gritting his teeth, Antar pulled up on his pantleg , bringing it about two inches above his knee to inspect the wound. The gash had pierced the skin, two clean lines that weren't very deep, about a quarter inch, but still long enough to be a problem as the laceration wrapped around the side of the leg for a good five inches. Besides that, it was still weeping blood.

Ripping off a long stretch of bandages, Noth folded them carefully to create a compression pad large enough to cover the wound, using the multiple fold to grab it lengthwise close under Barton's reach. "Alright, pour the honey on the bandage, after its soaked get a good enough glob down it's center for it to enter the wound when I flip it over. Once that's done, I'll hold it in place while you wrap another bandage round the leg to hold it in place. Then we'll go do a round of the perimeter to see if there's any more rats. Don't want to leave a job half done."

[Bob Barton]

Bob looked at Antar with questioning eyes. Two people? Uncle Marny normally did it on his own. Or maybe that one was due to his experience. And he should have listened to the old coot better. The leather fibers and the cleaning was something he didn't know about. Maybe he had heard it before. But his uncle was a very boring man.

Still looking at Antar though the insult he took was lessened, Bob took the honey. The center was easy enough to find. Antar was right. This was going to be a lot easier with two people. Bob tilted the honey, letting it trickle out on to the bandage bit by bit until a visible layer started to form. He continued on tilting the jar more until honey started to trickle from the bandage to the ground when the bandage could not take anymore before putting the honey away.

"See how well things turn out when we work together?" Bob asked Antar with a mischievous voice while waiting for the bandage to be pressed on the wound. Then he grabbed the different sides of the bandage and pulled them back before twisting them round and round on Antar's leg until it was only long enough to tie around. "Over, under, here and there" Bob repeated to himself as he want over the steps to tie the bandage up tightly so it will stay in place.

Done with that, Bob looked back at the shut doors. "You mean you want to go out there. Where it is dangerous. And risk getting eaten by those things?" Bob asked surprised. Why would he want to do that? "Its not even in my pay level." And Bob just felt they got lucky earlier. He was not very good in fighting to begin with. Even if their opponents were rats.

[Antar]

After the makeshift compression pad had been soaked with the honey, Noth flipped it up and over the wounds, wincing as the natural astringentAnd antibiotic oozed its way into the wound. The liquid slowed the weeping blood in a short time, and the rate the bandage was stained red was a much slower pace then what had bled through to the leather of his pants.

Holding it steady, as Bob worked the loops of the other bandage around to secure it tightly before it was snugly tied. It still hurt, but already the wound and the liquid of the honey which would create a protective natural seal as it healed was making his leg feel a bit better. And the bandaging job wasn't tight enough to cut off any blood flow. Noth checked as much by seeing if he could slide his pinky to the edge of the skin where it was wrapped and pressed down. As soon as he stopped pressing the skin impression quickly faded from white back to its normal hue.

A few moments later, Noth felt comfortable enough to lower his pantleg to tug it back into the top of his boot and stood up. Bouncing a little on his heels to test his range of movement, he felt capable of whatever footwork ahead would be needed as the bandage didn't fall off, or tighten. Shortly after he returned his attention to bob who was making excuses about things being above his pay grade.

Sighing in exasperation, Noth spoke up. "Bob. No one likes going out into danger. Not even me, no matter how exciting it is in the thick of things... well, maybe Cade has the luxury of being without care for a fight. But there's one simple reason we have to go out there. If we don't get the nest before dark, the rats swarm will get inside and our ability to see them will be almost none existant unless you're having extremely good nightvision. So it's best to strike first, Bob. Hold yourself together for just a little longer. We'll take an attendant or two along with us to help scout where their nest might be. Cover more ground that way and thanks for the patch up. Did good."

One of the attendants covered in shyke who came to tell the others where they would be guarding spat on the ground and cursed. "Petch that, no way!"

Smiling a cold, almost ruthless smile, Noth turned towards the man with a false sense of jubilation. "Well Gollee geee Bob. Looks like we just got our first volunteer. You want to take the time to convince him it's the right thing for him to do? Since, you know, if the rat's eat the animals he'll be out of a job and probably wind up bait for any thieves in the night who might want to sell his corpse to nuits or something?"

[Bob Barton]

Cade. Bob could not help but give a chuckle at the savage's name. But seriously? He knew Antar was right. The rats have proven time and time again that they were nothing but tenacious. Operating on pure instinct for food. That was the difference between them. Right thinking people who are not Cade for example, people like Bob and the attendants would rather try and hide through this. How could Antar suggest that Bob goes against his beliefs to get one of the attendants to follow them when he can't even convince himself?

Giving a sigh, Bob headed up to the attendant trying to think what he could say convince him. Maybe Antar's statement was a clue. "Well my friend, I am sure you cannot deny Mr Killroy was very good in giving us this job right? If you are like me he even allows us to stay here?" even if the man pays for peanuts. "While I cannot speak for the man, maybe he would be happy enough with what we do to give us a raise, promotion or bonus?" Bob said trying to appeal to his greed. "Better for us to keep our current jobs than to waste time hunting for a less safe job in today's environment." Which was true. As easy as it was to go to Tua, it was harder to convince a new boss about anything.

But the attendant probably can tell that Bob was not convinced with all of this as well and remained adamant what he won't follow them. There has to be another way. Bob remembered how he was convinced to do this as well. Through fear of the inevitable. Thinking through, Bob headed for the door and started to open it despite the protests by the others. He peered his head through the crack cautiously while looking around. All the dead rats were there with no other signs of cannibalism. The rats already has shown that they cannot fight their hunger and without further corpse mutilation, it was safe to conclude that there were no other rats around.

Bob grabbed his sword back from Antar. "Watch my back" he said as he ran over to one of the dead rats. After he saw what Bob wanted to show, the attendant might be aware of the dangers enough to proceed. He wanted to bring the fat rat back but it was too heavy. He tried to drag it back to the stables like when he moved the two rats earlier. Grabbing on the tail and tugging on it. But the ground was too rough. The corpse only moved a little bit but for all the strength he used, Bob ended up moving to the rat more. His feet kept sliding on the ground towards the rat.

He needed it smaller. His hands went over the rat's fur brushing them aside and parting them. Looking for the lowest spot of its neck while pinching around to see how thick it was. Finally, Bob lifted his sword on the line along the rat's neck and sliced it down hoping to lob it off. But the sword only bounced off the thick blubber. Bob sent down the sword in a slice again and again. After learning it was useless, Bob put the sword right on the wound he had made sending the sword forward and back until he sawed the head off.

The severed head was held behind him when he walked back to the stables. The stupid attendant had his back turned to him. Bob annoyed shouted "Hey, think fast!" gripping on the back of the head with his fingers to his side of his own head. His other hand went to the rat's face. Holding back the force which was being accumulated with the hand behind. When the attendant finally looked at him, he released his hands and threw the rat head forward right at the man.

He heard the girly scream with satisfaction before walking up to the man. Bob stood over the man on the ground and asked with a smirk "If a dead head can scare you, what do you think you will do when the living ones come back? He stooped down to pick up the head up "Here is a hint..." Suddenly he thrust the head straight at the man's face "...you will be as dead as this one."

That should have done the trick. The man started talking gibberish as he nodded agreeing to follow. But Bob felt that he may have gone too far trying to scare the man. Oh well. He tossed the head at the other attendant "You can come too, or you can keep my trophy for me. Though the other rats might not be happy when they find you with it." Bob tried to use a lighter threat this time. But reminding him that the rats would return should do the trick instead of telling outright that they will die.

[Antar]

Inwardly laughing at the look on the men's faces as Bob started Noth factored it was time to begin the search. Wiping his gladius with a nearby cloth, Antar resheathed it and stood watch from the door, bow in hand, as Bob went to deal with the corpse of the rat. He was slightly amused by the severing of the rat's head and throwing the grisly trophy at the attendants, it reminded him vaguely of a trick he had used in the past to draw out a few targets. He couldn't help but give out a slight chuckle.

Taking a glance over to where the horse he'd brought in was still "x"-ed out in white chalk. That was a good thing since it meant he was less likely to be bamboozled after this task was completed. "Alright, I would guess since the first attacks started in the fields, and some rats came towards where I was riding into the kennels that the nest is somewhere in the fields nearby. I base this on two things, the number of rats around here, and the fact that nowhere I saw on the way here was having these problems. If we can get the nest any surviving rats will scatter, and by then, it may be someone else's problem as you are so concerned about your own hides. Rightfully so, as I'm just as concerned about mine."

'And just slightly less concerned about the money.' Noth added silently to himself. His life was prioritized over coin any day. And Bob's life? Well he'd proven himself useful so was slightly under coin, any CE member would have been slightly above, but the attendants... well the attendants were next to nothing, and if Darik was here... well lets just say Darik's would be just below nothing since Noth always enjoyed the rare moment of solitude of peace and quiet... when it wasn't boring of course.

Pressing his lips together to moisten them, Antar finished off his thoughts towards the others. "So here's what I suggest, we each remain in twos. To help ensure we're not flanked and start our search with the other group in sight at all times. Doing this, we can sweep the fields and the area beyond the fences for any sign of the nest, just going back and forth. So how about it, Any questions?"