The pirates barge in

[Turtlebeak]

Turtlebeak, still clutching Tsunami tightly, pushed open the castle doors. She stalked over to where the key tapastry hung and ripped it off the wall, revealing the large, crudely cut hole she had hacked earlier. She climbed through the hole into the passage. She whispered a short message in her turtle's ear.

"Do you still remember this? You'd better, or I'll use you for turtle stew. Go. Make me proud." And with that, Turtlebeak set Tsunami down on the floor.

However much she threatened him, Turtlebeak knew she would never hurt Tsunami. As she watched the turtle glide smoothly and quickly along the passage, she was reminded once again of why she had gotten him in the first place. Companionship.

[Whisper Wind]

Oh great. Now a turtle is showing us the way? Tetra sighed inwards as she quietly moved through the darkened dungeouns. She held her belowed knife between her teeth, ready to grab it and strike at any moment.

[Bella]

Right through the front door? They would be noticed for sure. But there was nothing Ratskull could do about it once the mare flung open the heavy oaken things. Rainbows d**n her if she wasn't getting on his nerves more and more as the night went on.

"I thought I told you no secret hallways?" He said quietly but gruffly as she tore the tapestry off the wall and revealed the hole. He hated secret hallways. There was always the chance of panic and then you were lost forever in an underground maze. Frowning, he had no choice but to follow reluctantly, although he should have known the Dreamers wouldn't simply store their most valuable treasure in the normal vaults. The world had learned alot from Course.

When nearly there he stopped them and whispered, "I need half of ye to get to the main vaults. They should be straight down this hallway to the left, according to the map. Steal as much as you can carry and get it back to the ship on the double. You, Turtlebeak, and you, Orivy, come with me. We are going to be quick and we are going to be silent."

Figuring Orivy would know what to do, he turned pointedly to Turtlebeak, "You're going to cloak yourself and then I'm going to hand you the knife. Kill the guards, scare them and run them our way, I don't care what you do, but get them away from the locket and bring it to me. And if you go a disappearing with it I can have the whole of the Coursian and Dreamer armies searching for you for the rest of your life." Perhaps he was bluffing a little, but most of the crewmates knew of his friendly relationship with the Queen of Course. And Dream Valley would be more than happy to know who stole their locket if the mare and the locket turned up missing.

[Turtlebeak]

Turtlebeak gave a slight nod and cloaked herself, then held out her hoof for the dagger. Finally the real challenge began. Then a thought struck her. She looked nervously over to Tsunami, whom she was about to leave with a gang of pirates she barely knew. They'd better not hurt him.....

But she didn't say a word. If she even brought it up, it would be a welcome invitation.

[Orivy Assassin]

Orivy's blood rose slightly with the promise of killing. She turned to Ratskull, annoyed that he was giving that duty to Turtlebeak.

"I'll take the guards, she'll take the prize." She wouldn't do the thing halfway; scared guards could raise the alarm. The only way to take care of them was to surprise them with a knife across the throat. She could take at least five of them down on her own if need be. And it would feel good to be in the assassination game again, if only for a moment. This was her expertise.

[Bella]

Ratskull turned casually as Orivy spoke, took her in, and nodded. "If you can get in without being seen as well as she can, be my guest. It just seemed appropriate that she spook them our way so we could do the majority of the killing as they came through the hallways. That way our little green gal here doesn't have to get her hoofs too bloody."

(I didn't mean Turtlebeak was green in color, I meant she was green/new in experiance, just so you don't think I'm calling her the wrong colors! )

[Orivy Assassin]

Orivy narrowed her eyes for a moment, then turned to where she thought Turtlebeak was. "Are there multiple exits? Will they be able to raise an alarm? If they can, death comes first, fear later. They may see me but they can't stop me.

"If there's one door, and the Captain insists, fine. I'll be behind it."

[Turtlebeak]

Turtlebeak, hearing Orivy, ran to Tsunami. She knelt down close beside the turtle and murmered in his ear, then streightened up. She headed back to Orivy and nodded.

"There is one exit. but only one. Doesn't seem too harmful to me, but whatever you think is best."

[Whisper Wind]

The main vaults. Tetra was slightly annoyed, but decided to take the lead and head towards the main vaults. She wondered if there would be many guards there.

[[GTG]]

[Orivy Assassin]

Orivy nodded once. "You scare them out and Captain and I catch them at the door, or be an invisible diversion and we come in and nick them behind their backs." She looked expectantly at Ratskull for his choice of plan, knowing she was on the verge of stepping on his authority.

[Bella]

"I like you."

This mare was alot like Jack. A little more sharp at the edges where Jack had become soft towards him, but the sharp edges were what drew him to her way back when they had first met. A too-long look at Orivy accompanied a nod and he turned back to Turtlebeak, "destract them if you can and we'll do the rest."

[Turtlebeak]

Turtlebeak nodded.

"Right. Okay then." She trotted down the hall, led by Tsunami, eventually coming to the room with the guards. She grinned. Her trick with the capitan could be used for more than a joke.

But some joke... She thought, sobering as she tenderly touched her throbbing ear. She picked up Tsunami and circled around the room to where the only other exit was and stood, blocking it. She took a deep gulp of air, leaned in close to the guards, and shreaked. This one was much worse than the one she had used for her prank. High pitched and loud, it pierced the bored silence that had settled in the room. Every guard shot up, swords ready.

Turtlebeak continued her long, breathless scream as she ran and threw Tsunami towards the startled guards. They didn't stop to think, rushing up the corridor. Orivy and the capitan would do the rest.

Turtlebeak grimaced, knowing what bloody a fate lay ahead for the guards.

[Orivy Assassin]

Orivy did not catch the Captain's look; her blood was pumping pleasurably at the prospect of killing. Trenchcoat breezing behind her, she skimmed down the hallway after Turtlebeak and paused with her back flat against the wall next to the doorway and her gold dagger poised ready in front of her.

With a wince at Turtlebeak's horrifying shriek, 'Ivy braced herself.

She caught the first guard with a slice to the side of the neck as he galloped through the doorway. Blood splattered the walls as she seized his body and threw it to the side, and in one fluid movement, speared the next guard between the ribs with the dagger in her other hoof. This body she shoved to the opposite side of the hallway, clearing the doorway for the rest of the panicked guards.

A group of them pushed through the doorway and she threw a look at Ratskull before leaping silently onto the back of one. Her trenchcoat flapped out behind her as she sprang, and she slammed a hoof down when she landed, breaking his spine. As he fell forward, she shoved her blade up through the back of his skull. The spurting blood sank into her crimson coat and disappeared.

She skidded off his back as his body landed, and turned and crouched, ready to dispatch the next nearest guard.

[silverfall]

(I am Stevie the red-eared slider with no eyes! Yeah! Anyone else getting that banner? Right up there with Darkland chinchilla ads...)

Bala followed up to the big doors, clearly surprised by Turtlebeak's bold move. Bold, but stupid. His eyes were everywhere, looking, searching to be sure they were not being followed. Again he felt a sense of hesitation that told him not to go in, but the captain was already in the tunnel. And then there was a screaming, such as Bala had not heard lately. He felt the blood rush.

[Bella]

(lol, Turtlebeak has such an impact here )


Standing back from the first few guards to pass, Ratskull watched Orivy, to see what she could do when given the chance. Seeing her in action, he felt that this was most certainly the correct move in hiring her. She came in very very handy.

As she jumped on the back of the nearest guard, he finally jumped into action. The majority of the guards had moved towards his side of the hallway as they saw Orivy leap out from the opposite side and he took the advantage to run the next three through quickly and silently. Finally, the last half dozen or so got the idea and started back towards the crazy shreaking dagger and the object they were sworn to protect. Ratskull started after them yelling for Turtlebeak to cut them down and trusted Orivy to fall in behind as he went for the locket.