Tiwaz groaned as he came to, the light aggravating the weasel's already splitting headache.

"Urrggg…", he groaned softly as he opened his eyes. What in hellgates happened?

He saw the he was laying on the bank of a stream, its waters babbling gently against the weeds and stones.

The weasel tried to get to his paws, only to discover he was bound by his wrists to stake secured firmly into the ground next to him.

Alarmed by this revelation, he held still and carefully began to take stock of his surroundings.

Turning his head, he noted otters, three in number, huddled around a campfire along the bank.

Stream dogs, Tiwaz thought darkly. On our land.

He continued surveying his surrounds, noticing his bow and quiver laying just out of reach.

It would seem they didn't search me too well, the weasel thought, his mood brightening as he found the knife he keep concealed under his kilt for emergencies.

He stealthily drew the blade, slowly slicing away his bounds.

Just as he finished, the largest otter, a graying dog, noticed he was away and strode over to him.

"Vermin.", the otter growled, striking Tiwaz across his back with the haft of his javelin.

Let's see how you handle a beast who can fight back, the weasel though as he freed his paws.

He leapt upon the otter, sinking his knife into the back of the otter's neck.

The other otters leapt to their paws as Tiwaz shoved his vanquished foe away, taking his javelin in his paw.

He drew back his arm as the otters loaded their slings and hurled the spear at his closest opponent, a young female.

She shrieked in pain as the javelin sunk into her side, sending her tumbling to the ground.

Tiwaz dove for his bow, seizing and loading in one smooth motion as a sling stone whizzed past his ear.

He aimed for the remaining otter, drawing his bow as the river dog loaded his sling.

Twang!

Tiwaz's powerful bow sprung forwards, loosing its iron-tipped payload.

The stood there, staring briefly at the weasel, an arrow protruding from both sides of his skull.

"Waahh!", a shrill, high-pitched voice cried out.

Tiwaz swiftly seized his kukri from under his quiver, unsheathing the curved blade as he whirled around to face the direction of the voice.

The sound came from near the female, Tiwaz approached with caution.

Spying a small covered basket, he knelt down and carefully pulled the blanket from over it.

"A otter whelp.", the weasel said to himself as looked down at the squirming little babe.

Tiwaz slung his bow and quiver over his shoulder and knelt down to pick up the little otter.

"Hold it vermin!", a voice barked out.

Startled, the weasel looked up, clutching the little otter to his chest.

Great, Tiwaz thought grimly, seeing two angry looking squirrels with drawn bows and a timid little mouse grasping a blackthorn stick.

"Careful rodents.", the weasel said, gesturing to the babe in his arms. "We wouldn't want any further deaths would we."

"Put her down now vermin.", one of the squirrels ordered threateningly.

"No, I don't think I will.", Tiwaz replied. "Now me and fuzzy here are going to walk away from here and…"

"I don't think so scum.", the other squirrel snarled, loosing his arrow.

Tiwaz sucked in a breath as arrow narrowly missed him, barely nicking the otter pup instead.

"Whaaaa!", the otter cried loudly as blood began to flow from her wound.

"What are you thinking!?", the other squirrel shouted, berating his companion for injury the babe.

Tiwaz took advantage of their distraction, clutching the little otter to his chest and fleeing into the forest.

"After them!", one of the squirrels shouted as the woodlanders began pursing the fleeing weasel and his lutrine captive, eager to slay the vermin.