Difference between revisions of "2161/The Badgermoles"

Latest revision as of 20:16, 7 May 2015

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
It's a bright, sunny day in Dún Reáltaí, with brilliant blue skies and the occasional fluffy cloud passing by overhead. The weather is pleasantly warm, which might explain why there are a lot of people outside, pulling wild barley and wheat, working the earth with hoes and other tools in preparation of planting. They're not far from the base of the stone spire the village and castle perch atop, in a gentle rolling low point.

Bedivere himself is right out there with the others, wearing commoners' clothing – simple tunic, and simple leggings and boots. The tunic he's since pulled off and tied around his waist, baring skin just as pale as the rest of him, criss-crossed in roadmaps of scars. No stranger to battle, is Arturia's marshal.

Right now, though, he looks pretty content to be working the earth alongside the villagers, preparing a decently-sized field for the spring's planting season.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
A bright, sunny day indeed. A perfect day for farming and preparing the fields so the inhabitants of Dún Reáltaí can start their work on planting their crops. A certain earthbender had promised to help out, didn't she? But even so, the fields are large. And why not get some help?

As the villagers work, they might hear something at first. A faint rumble. Did the earth just shake? Must be their imagination. But again the sound repeats itself, and the earth shakes again, a bit more this time around. There's no denying that there is something going on, but what? The earth is shaking constantly, and is some of the earth by the fields moving?!

There's no further warning as some of the earth bursts up, and something enormous emerges from the ground. A large beast the size of a bus, with brown fur, marked with white and black like a badger. On its paws are claws as large as swords, pretty easy to spot as its paws slam down into the ground. It lets out a bellow, sniffing the air as it turns its head. Then more of them appear, springing out of the ground like big furry daisies.

Large they are, but they do not move, do not advance on the villagers as they seem to sniff the air and inspect their surroundings. All in all it appears to be about six of them. And they are not alone.

"Out of the way!"

The high pitched voice of Toph can be heard, and soon the young girl launches herself up from the big hole the large beasts made, landing on both feet as she crashes into the ground. "Sorry to keep you waiting!" she calls over to Bedivere, jerking a thumb in the direction of the badgermoles. "Had to stop by Gaoling and pick these guys up first. And Jarvis doesn't want me going there on my own, that big worrywart."

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
The earth just shook, but earthquakes aren't a common thing here. Villagers gradually stop what they're doing and look at each other in confusion; many of them look to Bedivere for obvious guidance (which is probably the easy way to tell he's Not Just Another Villager). Some of them grip their tools more like weapons. Bedivere does the same with his hoe; but the way he takes it in hand suggests he knows how to wield it as a deadly weapon if he had to.

Large beasts completely unfamiliar, with sword-clawed paws and very loud. Yep, sounds like an attack to any sane person.

Bedivere raises one hand and shrills a piercing whistle, followed by a shout. "Kepas, to me!"

Out of the distant woods bursts an ice-white form, streaking across the plains for all the world like a big greyhound – but Kepas is no greyhound, massive enough that he's bigger thana ny draught horse, and fleet as the wind. His face is like a skull, furless and bone-white, with tiny yellow lights hanging in the empty sockets of his eyes.

The fey-hound bellows his own challenge, even as he reaches the villagers and the lord, lanky limbs slowing. He bellows again; a terrible sound, a sound of winter and howling winds and death.

Villagers cower behind them, and with good reason. Kepas is almost always silent. When he gives tongue to a cry, it usually means the beast is enraged, and usually it means something's going to die very soon. Gone is the adorable, puppyish nature of Dún Reáltaí's protector; it is here today in the aspect of the guardian, wroth that its territory would be threatened.

Most notable to Toph, it feels like the kelpie did – somewhat skeletal, and far too light for its mass; insubstantial, somehow, although its every footfall is very much real, and its voice is a terrible, unsettling thing to behold, at least to go by the reactions of the very villagers it protects.

"Stay—"

—Back. Bedivere doesn't have time to finish the order to the badgermoles, only to stare as Toph comes hurtling out of the earth itself behind her six stripey charges. And he blinks, owlishly.

Even Kepas cocks his head in silence, something about him speaking of obvious confusion. He doesn't whine, but one could well imagine an ordinary hound doing so.

"Toph?" Bedivere turns to the earthbender, brows furrowing as he gestures to the badgermoles with his improptu polearm. "What... what are these things?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
When Kepas comes rushing towards them and leets out that bellow, the biggest of the badgermoles turns sharply, rumbling in a low tone that is a clear warning. It keeps its weight low, and it looks ready to do something should the ghoulish beast come too close. Fearless seems to be a trait of the large creatures.

But Toph does look like she doesn't like the fey-hound much, her face scrunching up. "Great... is that a cousin of the lake terror you guys got or something? It doesn't want to eat me too, now does it?" she asks Bedivere, pointing at Kepas with a suspicious look on her face.

When the lord of Dún Reáltaí points to the badgermoles however, Toph straightens up where she stands. "You are looking at the best animals in the entire multiverse, of course!" she states firmly. "I thought you ought to meet them, especially since I met the most horrible one last time I was here. These are badgermoles, the original earthbenders and the ones who taught me."

The largest one shuffles over to Toph and pushes his snout against her side, making a snuffling sound. The blind girl in return reaches out and scritches him between his eyes, earning a content rumbling sound from the large creature who could easily crush the little girl if he wanted to. But no, it appears that there's genuine affection there. Especially when he licks the side of her face, and Toph even smiles a little. "They aren't dangerous unless you threaten their territory or their young. You guys can come on over and say hi! They are here to help you guys with your fields today!"

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"Badgermoles?" He's familiar with badgers, and he's familiar with moles, but Bedivere has never quite experienced badgermoles. The fauna of his world aren't quite the same mishmash of the fauna of the Avatar's world. "I am unfamiliar with such creatures."

Once it's clear that he won't be savaging anything into tiny pieces, the fey-hound plunks down on his haunches, jaws lolling open in a tongueless doggy grin.

The kelpie has a certain gravity about it, a deadly coldness that suggests it can and will drown anything it can get its teeth around... but this creature is cut from a similar, but at the same time very different, cloth.

"This is Kepas. He is a guardian creature, born or created of this land; as the land's lord, he obeys me absolutely." Bedivere reaches out, patting short, sleek white fur on the creature's shoulder. "He is loyal, and also clever, although how clever I have not yet worked out."

In other words, he's smart, but he's also reeeeally kind of stupid. It might be obfuscating stupidity, but the jury's still out on that. Maybe it is. Those lantern-eyes are still focused on Toph, moved in their sockets just enough to indicate it's watching her; she can't see that, but she can feel the stillness of his posture, which suggests rapt attention.

Villagers look at each other dubiously. About half of them back away in a distinct 'nuh-uh' way, while half approach cautiously, dubiously offering hands to sniff or trying to pat the enormous creatures.

Even Kepas gets up and his head tilts toward them, in a way that suggests he'd be sniffing if his skull-visage had a nose. Maybe he's still sniffing. Maybe he just doesn't work that way – there's no telling how the creature actually functions. But he seems friendly in a way the kelpie isn't; even play-bowing in front of one of the badgermoles, whip-thin tail lashing from side to side as his jaws hang open. If he were a puppy, he'd bark, but he's entirely, eerily silent.

Bedivere approaches the badgermoles, offering one hand, the other holding the hoe; that show of bravery seems to galvanise the villagers, a few more of whom approach to make nice with the big scary critters. He turns his head aside to glance at Toph, although his peripheral vision is still on the badgermoles, perhaps not quite trusting that he's not about to have his hand ripped off. "You learned earthbending from them...?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
"Oh, they are very common around the Earth Kingdom," Toph explains. "These are from the hills north of Gaoling. I first met them when I ran away from home when I was six." She focuses on the big badgermole beside her, though she is well aware of how that strange dog-creature is watching her. She might not see it, but she can certainly feel that it seems to have its attention on her. "So... no drowning me and eating me. Good." Because she has better things to do, and Pepper has enough to worry about with one person of her family gone!

As the villagers approach the large creatures they seem a big curious as the humans draw closer, and Toph gestures towards them. "Come on, they aren't going to harm you!" she tells the badgermoles. And that seems to make the five other badgermoles lower their heads, sniffing curiously at the humans as they offer their hands. And behold, there's no aggressive sounds nor behaviour, though they do not seem to nudge or lick them either. Kepas they seem a bit wary of, but not threatened. For the most part it seems that the badgermoles ignore the fey-hound. The largest badgermole however seems a bit curious about Bedivere, turning its massive head as it takes a deep whiff off of Bedivere. And then nothing else.

"Yeah, I learned by observing them. Which is why my bending is different from other earthbenders'. I learned to use earthbending as an extension of my senses, not just for fighting. Just like these big guys. They are blind too," Toph explains, patting the large badgermole's leg. "Anyway, all humans should get out of the field so you won't risk getting hurt by accident! We gotta clear the earth and get out all the rocks and stones, not to mention get the deeper earth up so your crops will get proper nourishment!"

With that Toph steps forward, clapping her hands and letting out a slight whistle, which catches the attention of the badgermoles, who turn and head towards her with a rumbling sound. The blind girl sweeps her foot a bit before she stomps it down, and a sizable rock shoots up from the earth. "Like this!" she explains to the creatures, then repeats the motion, digging up another rock as she shows the badgermoles what she wants them to do.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
Bedivere reaches his hand out, letting the badgermole reach it without the creature needing to strain. He has a way with horses, although badgermoles are something else entirely; still, he's not uncomfortable around animals. It shows in the way he keeps his voice level and soft, and the deliberate, purposefully smoth motion of his hand.

He seems a little uncertain, but he's not actually afraid, well-controlled and without the kind of panicky, racing-heart terror that most people might have in the face of sudden enormous creatures like that.

The multiverse must finally be rubbing off on him.

"Back to the berms," he calls, in the almost sing-song measure of his native Gaelic. He speaks differently than Saber or Gawain; looser, more liquid, with a sing-song quality more suggestive of song than speech. "Wait there. You'll need no more digging done after this. Away with you," he calls, with a dismissive wave, "and rest for the day. Watch if you like, but we'll work no more."

His eyes turn, then, and he backs away until he's out of the way of the enormous creatures. He watches, though, never quite taking his eyes off of them; curious, perhaps, to see what they can do for this fast-reviving earth.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
Large they might be, but it should be pretty clear right now that the badgermoles are non-violent and content to follow the cues of the young earthbender whom they have known since she was little. Likewise, the humans of Dún Reáltaí have not done anything to distress them. No, the villagers are allowed to move about, and the large beasts seem content to focus on Toph as she demonstrates what she wants them to do. And the largest of the badgermoles picks up the cue first. With a low rumbling sound he lifts both his front paws, then slams them back down into the ground. In response a large boulder rises up through the ground, landing roughly. Toph herself smiles at this, then walks over and reaches out to scratch the side of this face. "That's it, Boss! Continue doing that."

And within seconds, it seems that the other badgermoles have caught on too, as they all rise up on their hind legs before slamming their massive claws back into the ground, the entire area shakings slightly as more rocks and boulders rise from the ground. Perhaps they see this as a game, but soon enough the six badgermoles start making their way around the fields, repeating the motion of slamming their paws into the ground as more and more boulders are dug up with what seems to be barely any effort at all.

Days of work seems to be something that will be done within the hour.

The one Toph referred to as Boss trudges on, and he doesn't bother walking around the boulder he dug up. Instead he raises his right front paw, sweeping his massive claws through the earth without touching the boulder... and it is thrown aside. Toph herself steps forward and intercepts it, throwing her arms out and halting it as she turns her head slightly. "Do you want to use these rocks for something? Or should I toss them somewhere near the field?" she asks.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
The earth shudders under the badgermoles' assault, and these fields seem to grow boulders like most fields sprout weeds. Not just days of work, but weeks of work for these people, working with mediaeval tools and determination – they can skip the grunt work, now, and get straight to planting.

Most of the villagers are gaping by this point, having realised what the badgermoles are actually doing. Even Bedivere stares a little.

Kepas doesn't. He's busy taking off running and cavorting among the badgermoles, running circles around the foremole, bounding and leaping like his legs are springs or stilts. He wants to play!

...This is the thing that was just about ready to tear the badgermoles apart. Yup.

"Set them aside," Bedivere decides, leaning on the hoe he'd been carrying. "They can be used to repair the curtain walls and the keep." Indeed, the curtain walls are still in a sorry state, tumbledown and full of holes, stones eroded like so the melted wax of a candle burnt for too long. "We can chisel blocks from them to fill in the holes."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
Somehow Toph appears pleased at the reaction that the villagers display when the badgermoles begin working the fields. And they do not seem disturbed by Kepas either, though Boss does halt slightly and turns his massive head towards the fey-hound. Before he grunts and resumes working. No, it appears that the big thing isn't interested in playing.

More and more boulders and rocks are dug up, and Toph nods at Bedivere's decision. "I can always split them up for you guys too," she says. Because chiseling them might take even longer. With a quick motion of her arms an earthen spike shoots out from underneath the boulder, and it sails through the air as it lands on the other side of the field. And the blind girl moves on, walking towards the badgermoles before she repeats the motion, and another boulder joins the first one.

Suddenly one of the badgermoles seems to want to add to the 'game' it is playing too, so after it digs up a boulder it sweeps with its massive claws, and it too launches its boulder through the air so it can join the now growing heap of boulders. Most of the other badgermoles don't seem to bother though, which gives Toph something to do.

"So, what do you think of them?" the girl calls back to Bedivere, unable to contain a grin. Who needs horses when you have massive earthbending creatures like these?

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
Bedivere utterly ignores the fey-hound as it bounces around Boss. This must be business as usual for the creature; even the villagers seem to ignore Kepas' carousing with his new 'friends.'

No, the knight is far more interested in the work at hand, and the manner by which it gets done. "Is that so?" He raises a brow at her offer. Leaning against the hoe, he looks out to the field, watching the badgermoles by turns digging stones up and tossing them through the air without a care in the world. "By all means. It would be long before we could split the last of them with the tools we have, so that would be most helpful to us."

"They're magnificent." Even Bedivere can't help a grin of his own, watching the beasts rapidly clearing and tilling the field. "I don't suppose any of them would be willing to stay here? What do such creatures eat, anyway? I've never seen their like before."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
If the badgermoles and Bedivere are undisturbed by the fey-hound, then Toph sees no reason to be worried about it. Sure, it feels weird with how it moves, but at least it doesn't have that same weirdness as the kelpie had when she encountered it. Even if she didn't know why at first.

"Yeah, crushing rocks is something even a novice earthbender can do," Toph explains. "What good is there in having an earthbender in the Union if she won't crush a few rocks here and there?" After all, that is what the Union pays her salary for. Earthbending when necessary. And even if she prefers fighting, this is something that needs to be done so the people of Dún Reáltaí can get a much needed breather between all their hard work. Not to mention get far better food.

Is that pride on Toph's face when Bedivere uses that word to describe the badgermoles? Quite possibly. After launching another boulder off to the side, Toph looks pensive at his question. "I dunno. I merely coaxed them here, but I'm not sure if they want to stay... maybe you can persuade them. You can't really force them, not easily anyway. And trapping them won't make them happy either. But if they like the food here... perhaps. And if they aren't alone, they are pack animals." If some of them wanted to stay here, perhaps that wouldn't be so bad. Somehow she seriously doubts they would be harmed here, as Bedivere is not the type who wants to upset anybody whether they are human, animal or spirit. Heck, he seemed to really loathe the kelpie, but he also respected it at the same time. Weird.

"They mostly eat bugs, earthworms and roots. Typical food they find underground. They stay there nearly all the time, though they do venture up to the surface at times," Toph says, even as she continues launching the boulders. By now the badgermoles are all scattered around, trudging around with their long, naked tails dragging behind them. "They are music lovers," she adds. No, at least the earthbender isn't opposed to the idea. But she is not about to try and force the badgermoles into staying here either.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
There's no mistaking the earthbender's pride, but the knight doesn't interrupt the moment by commenting on it. He does offer a faint half-smile. He knows that feeling. He'd felt it when he had been praised by his king, even though insisting he wasn't worth it – it wasn't the personal pride, but the knowledge that the choice he had made, to serve and sacrifice so many years of his life to her service and her dream, had been worth it.

In any case, best concentrate on the work at hand. The silver-haired knight straightens, looking over to Boss and considering Toph's explanations carefully.

Bugs, earthworms, and roots? Music lovers? "They would be welcome if they decided to stay," he comments, thoughtful. Stooping, he scratches a bit in some of the disturbed earth, pulling out a clump of roots – another delicacy that had come back with the greenery – and turning, offering it to Boss. Or any of the others that might come up and take it, when it comes down to it.

"I would not be able to trap something so large," he offers over his shoulder, "and it would not be right to keep them against their will."

Kepas, meanwhile, has given up trying to play, and wanders back over to plunk down on his haunches beside Bedivere, opening his jaws in that doggy grin and watching Toph.

Bedivere's mouth crooks in a half-smile. "Music-lovers, hmm? What do they like?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
What's wrong with being proud of such noble creatures? Toph has never tried to hide just how much the badgermoles mean to her, especially considering they are the ones who taught her how to use her bending to her full extent. Most people don't get what makes them so wonderful, but it might help now when they show off their skills by helping others and making their life easier. All while they make it into a harmless game for the badgermoles.

"I don't doubt that," Toph responds to Bedivere even as she manages to get another boulder safely to the side of the field. And then she walks over, ducking even before another badgermole sends a boulder flying right over her head to join the other big rocks.

Boss sniffs the air curiously when he realizes Bedivere is holding something out towards him... and then he begins making his way over to the knight. Sniffing some more he appears to be curious about the roots. Then he opens his big mouth, displaying large and sharp teeth that easily crush the roots as he somewhat carefully plucks the roots from Bedivere's hand.

"People have tried! Last year, or the year before that...? Anyway, once some of the Unionites ran into a Fire Nation circus who tried to capture a badgermole cub, and Boss was not happy!" In contrast the large beast seems quite content now, munching on his roots. "It's better to keep them happy anyway, they are less destructive that way." Toph can do a whole lot of wrecking and bending on her own, imagine what a whole badgermole pack can do!

Music is an easy topic when it comes to badgermoles. "Anything. You don't even have to play anything specific, a child plunking away on an untuned guqin could entertain them. Play some music and they will practically roll over and follow you happily around," Toph says with a slight chuckle.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"Certain creatures are always good to have around a place. Hawks, owls, cats, dogs. Aye, even foxes and badgers, for they keep the vermin down." Bedivere folds his arms, looking up to the massive badgermoles. "These fellows are much like badgers, only... much larger, with the claws of a mole. Curious. It it almost as though these were a chimaera of those two creatures."

Some world's creator has a sense of humour, or something. Still, there's something endearing about the creatures. Maybe it's the snuffling of that great big nose as Bedivere stands very still, holding out the roots, or maybe it's those adorable faces.

Maybe Bedivere has a slightly skewed sense of what constitutes 'endearing.'

"I am sorry to hear that. Such creatures deserve greater than to live their lives in a cage." He reaches out, carefully, to pat the massive creature. "'Boss,' is it? Well met," he says softly, with a half-smile.

To the matter of music, he makes a thoughtful sound. "There is music here, aye. I think they might like Dún Reáltaí, if they chose to stay. There are roots, and the insects and worms are returning with the greenery..."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
"They do tend to keep predators away, since few dare to mess with them considering how strong they are," Toph agrees. "Nothing hunts them either, so they aren't skittish either." Boss finishes up his roots, then nudges Bedivere with his massive snout.

"They do deserve to be free. Most people from the Earth Kingdom respect them, and while they are used for some work, they are treated very well and mostly stick around certain places because they are still allowed to be free and do as they wish," Toph nods, standing in front of the large heap of boulders. Reaching out she places her hands on one of them... and then tears it into two as if it was a piece of paper. Indeed, bending does have its uses. Far more elegant than using tools, not to mention simpler and less noisy.

Boss seems to accept the pat and attention, letting out a low rumbling sound at the greeting. Toph herself smiles a little at that. "Yeah, Boss. He's the leader of the pack, I don't think he will want to move here considering the rest of the pack is back in Gaoling, including his latest cubs." She does look a little pensive, all before she points towards two of the other badgermoles. "But Stinky and Gnawer might want to move on and start their own pack soon, they are about that age. If I were you I would try to get buddy buddy with one of them!" she suggests before she returns to tearing up some more of the boulders.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"I think even the largest bear would not be so large as these." Bedivere cautiously runs his hand down the creature's shaggy shoulder. "No predator would be so foolish as to attack one, I think. Especially if there were more than one."

The knight smiles that slight half-smile. "I am glad to hear they are left free." It's always heartening to hear when people respect creatures such as these. Stinky and Gnawer? Well, hmmm. Giving a final pat to Boss, Bedivere stoops down to tear up another handful of roots. Kepas, meanwhile, seems to have vanished.

Lugging his prize over to the one indicated as Gnawer, he stands quietly and offers the fodder, watching to see what the badgermole might do.

Kepas, meanwhile, wanders back in, carrying something bronze and vaguely shiny in his jaws, throwing himself down on the disturbed earth to chew on his prize.

Whatever the thing is emits a soft gonging sound.

It looks like a brazen turtle, in the shape of a gong, with a little hammer for a tail that it occasionally flails around. Its little feet windmill fruitlessly as Kepas contentedly gnaws on one side of its 'shell.'

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
"Pffft, platypus bears don't even come close!" Toph snorts, tossing away some of the larger pieces of the broken boulder that she is working on. Seems that they are really getting done quickly with clearing the field now, and Toph doesn't take long in tearing up the boulders either. Most likely they will be done well before an early dinner.

Boss accepts the pats from Bedivere before he shuffles off and resumes tearing up boulders from the ground, digging a bit with his claws to look for more roots while he's at it. Another badgermole seems to have found some nice earthworms where he has dug up some rocks, and he chews eagerly on them. But the ones that Toph pointed out to Bedivere seems to pay attention when he approaches. And Gnawer seems curious when roots are offered to him as well, though he too makes his way over with a friendly rumbling sound, sniffing carefully at the knight and then the roots. Extending a tongue he licks at them, then he doesn't hesitate as he chomps down, his teeth barely missing Bedivere's fingers! Chewing happily on the food, Gnawer does seem satisfied, even leaning down to nose the knight some more.

Toph grins a bit. "That's the way to do it, now you just need an old guitar or something!" Though she pauses. "Just what is Kepas gnawing on...?" she asks, turning her head just slightly.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
"Platypus?" Bedivere looks baffled for a moment. He's never seen a platypus, let alone a platypus bear. "No, just a bear. A bit smaller than Boss, perhaps a touch smaller than Kepas, there. Very large, potentially dangerous. They eat plants, but they will also hunt live prey, as well." He gestures to indicate. "Large teeth, large claws."

Shifting his weight, he's quick to pull his hands back when the teeth close down over those roots. Whoa, there. Losing most of his fingers would probably be bad. "Hello, there," he murmurs, keeping his voice softer even than usual and level. Once the badgermole isn't gnashing those teeth around any more, Bedivere cautiously reaches up to stroke that big broad snout. "Gnawer, is it? How do you like those? There are more, here, if you'd like to stay." He probably doesn't understand, but his tone is kindly, and animals always respond to tone.

His eyes flick to Toph. "I have a set of Uilleann pipes. Will those do?"

It doesn't really occur to him that she probably doesn't know what those are.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
Oh right. Just bears. Toph lets out a slight huff. "Platypus bears are bigger." Seriously, more people ought to learn about the animals of her world. Why, even the sphinx didn't know about armored weasels. She was totally right about that riddle too, silly thing.

As Bedivere does his best to get on Gnawer's good side, Toph works on tearing up the final boulders, though it seems she is getting some help as another of the badgermoles heads on ower, copying Toph as it slams its claws down on the boulders. But it's quickly done indeed, and soon Toph is standing in front of one heap of smaller rocks and gravel. That ought to be easier to fix the walls with!

Gnawer doesn't dislike the attention, and when his snout is stroked he rumbles. The soft tone Bedivere uses doesn't appear to hurt either, even if the big beasts doesn't understand human speech. It does seem that he is content to stand still and have his snout stroked though, his unseeing eyes half closing.

Uilleann pipes? Toph arches an eyebrow as she turns around and walks over towards Bedivere, wiping her hands off on her tunica. "I have no clue what those are, but as long as they don't make an awful sound I bet they wouldn't mind. Hmmm. We could probably try to tempt them to stay. Perhaps by bending them a nest. They prefer hilly areas, so... the best place would be for them under the keep itself and deep down in the ground towards the north there," Toph suggests, reaching a hand up to rub her chin in idle thought.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
The silver-haired knight is content to stroke that big velvety snout, mindful not to run his fingers over any sensitive whiskers. The barn cats in Camelot had disliked such treatment, and he can only imagine the whiskers of these great creatures must be just as sensitive.

More, in fact, if they're really blind like she says they are. It makes sense. They move a little more slowly than sighted creatures, with a certain deliberation on the surface that suggests they're feeling and sensing their surroundings more than seeing.

"I think you'd be content here, fellow. Hills to dig through, and a stone spire to nest beneath. All of the things you'd like to eat, and no one to force you or your kits into cages." Bedivere smiles, faintly. "Yes, you should be free, just like the other creatures of the wood. No creature deserves to be in a cage."

He turns to look over his shoulder, though he continues lavishing attention on Gnawer in a shameless attempt to cozen the badgermole into staying. Or, maybe he just has a soft spot for creatures. That seems sensible enough – in spite of his formidable position as Marshal of the Realm within Camelot, and tales of his prowess, he has a surprisingly gentle heart.

"Uilleann pipes? Accounts vary," Bedivere answers, shrugging somewhat. "Ask my king, and she will tell you she fancies the sound, for it is a reminder of our homeland. Ask that vixen, Kagenashi, and she will tell you they sound of some unfortunate creature being strangled to death."

He chuckles a little, perhaps at his own expense. They're a bold instrument and not to everyone's tastes. "I also have a harp, wire-strung in the way of my people, and my king is recently learning to play the recorder, a kind of flute. Perhaps those would be to suit?" He looks over his shoulder in the other direction, toward Dún Reáltaí's stone spire. "Mayhap they might. Certainly I can see they have the skill to dig any sort of lair they might fancy, far better than I would, given a week and the proper tools."