Redwall Abbey

  Cooper the wildcat was not pleased with his captain.  He despised the ways of Raven, and he wanted to leave.
  Sitting down on a barrel aboard the ship Lashkeel, Cooper thought over his plan.  Let's see, he thought.  I have a ship, some vittles, weapons, a map, and...  He pondered what he was missing.  Ah!  A first mate, that's what I'm missing.  Now Cooper wondered who would make a good first mate aboard his ship.
  Standing up, Cooper made his way up to the main deck.  He looked around, searching the Lashkeel for a suitable beast to take with him.  He needed someone he could trust.

"What're yew doin'?" Birata snapped, striding over. He enjoyed bullying the crew at every opportunity, making life harder for them. His cutlas bumped against his leg and his cloak billowed, "Don't yew have anyt'ing to dew?" Even though he didn't hold a position of authority aboard the Lashkeel, he always waved off any objections and whacked them with the flat of his sword. They usually did what he wanted sharpish. The thought made him smile, a clever, discreet smile.

OOC: So the Lashkeel is the "bad" ship?

  OOC:  Yes.

  BIC:  Cooper glared at Birata.  "Please, otter, don't yew 'ave summat better ta do than bullyin' other beasts around?  Don't yew want to go stare at the Cap'n some more?  Try an' make 'er give yew some authority?  It'll never work, y'know."
  He moved out of the otter's way and continued watching the crew.  Who could he trust?  There was nearly no one who he could trust with his life on this ship.  The only beast he could think of was... Brielle.  He couldn't find her, however.

Brielle had spotted Cooper out on the deck from her perch in the crow's nest. The shecat had been all too happy to take the job as look out for the Lashkeel. Brielle detested how Raven took advantage of other less fortunate ships and crews. Stealing their belongings, and even killing on occasion. It was awful. She did her best to steer the ship clear of any vessels she spotted at sea.

The wildcat looked down again and saw Birata come out on deck. She didn't like the otter, especially as he was in league with the captain that she detested. Harsh words floated up from below and Brielle quickly made her way out of crows nest and down to the deck. She came and stood near Cooper, offering hi support with her presence. She was done with the otters bullying them.
__

Captain Raven Brinewater was in a foul mood. She could feel unrest brewing in her crew and that was never cause for celebration. She paced about in her chamber, sometimes stopping to study maps, other times taking sips from a glass of red wine on the table. Raven's heart had turned dark. She no longer remembered the days of being part of an otter holt and tending the land. She had taken a pirate's vessel one day at the tip of her cutlass, and now ruled that same ship was cruelty. She smiled thinly, yes, even those who admired her were afraid of her.

Take Birata for example. He was a handsome otter to be sure. Covered in barbaric tattoos and making mean sport of other crew members. Yes, he was a type that could become close to Raven's heart. But, it was better to have him afraid of her. Perhaps they would become close someday, but she would always be the Captain of the Lashkeel!

The pirate captain strode from her chamber and moved quickly up to the main deck. There before her was Birata and a couple of wildcats. Cooper and Brielle. It was time to make an example of trouble makers.

"Lazing around my decks again I see eh Cooper? And you Brielle, shouldn't you be in the crows nest doing your job?"

  Cooper looked away from his captain.  "No, Cap'n, just gettin' back ta work."  He knew how cruel Raven could be, and he hoped he could get off lightly for what he'd been doing.

  OOC:  Just curious, Brook, are you wanting to have the Lashkeel at a port, or out at sea?  I'm picturing it at a port, but I'm not sure if anyone else is.  That's just how I was planning to make an escape.  Cooper sees a ship at the port and commandeers it.

OOC: Could Phillim be a prisoner if it's at sea? Or if not, she'll be at the port.

  OOC:  I suppose it's Brook's choice, whether it's at land or sea.  She is, after all, the captain of the Lashkeel.

  BIC:  Cooper cleared his throat.  "Well, Cap'n, Ma'am, I'd better be gettin' back ter work."  With that, Cooper turned and tried to stay as far as possible from Raven.  He picked up a mop and started cleaning the deck.

  OOC:  Okay.

  BIC:  Cooper tried to catch Brielle's eye as he walked up to her.  Making sure that no one was watching them, but still trying to remain casual, he whispered to her,  "Psst!  Meet me below deck."
  After saying that, Cooper slowly meandered his way below the deck of the ship.  Right before he stepped below, he looked towards the land.  There were many other ships docked at the port.  Cooper hoped that there would be at least one that was a good ship for him.  Then he headed down.

It was a fine day to be alive! Phillim Torsorem had acquired a hefty fish, with a great deal. Just some crops she had gotten from a field near the edge of town and she had a beautiful supper. She past the docks and watched some commotion going on. Looked like an otter giving a stern talking-to to a wildcat. As she watched, another wildcat and otter joined. One of the otters seemed to be in charge, she was pointing at the crow's nest and getting herself into, what looked from here, a rage. One of the wildcats picked up a mop and started mopping the deck. Were they slaves? Phillim was no stranger to slavery. She had seen the looks of beasts who had lost hope. Wait...one of the wildcats had gestured to the other and indicated to go belowdecks. That wildcat, just before he went below, had looked at land in a wistful sort of way. Were they planning an escape?

OOC @Wonwill: I think Phillum should join the crew Cooper and Brielle are starting. Looks like you're already posting in that direction anyway...   ;D

BIC:
No, Cap'n, just gettin' back ta work.

Raven's muzzle held a thin smile as the wildcat male responded to her bidding. At least the crew was quick to jump to it when she was around. The dark furred otter captain turned to look at Birata. They would be leaving for the sea again soon enough, the store rooms aboard ship were already nearly replenished. Raven did not like coming into port, preferring to keep the open ocean under her paws. However, there were matters that needed attending.

She walked by Birata, her whiskers coming close to his ear. "Meet me in my quarters Birata, I need to have words with you."
______

"Psst!  Meet me below deck."

Brielle's ear twitched as she picked up the words. It sounded as if Cooper might be planning something. She nodded discreetly and then made her way to the riggings that lead to the crow's nest. Why the captain wanted her up there when they were at port was always the question. However, she was a crew beast an followed orders... usually.

Once the captain and Birata had moved off the main deck Brielle shimmied back down and went down the steps into the underbelly of the ship. It was dry enough below decks. Captain Brinewater ran a tight ship. Everything was in order. Ship could smell the new fresh bread stored in the larder not far from where she was.

Then she spotted Cooper. She went to the wildcat, a smile forming on her lips. She spoke quietly but playfully to him. "I'm here. What's up wildcat?"

"Meet me in my quarters Birata, I need to have words with you." Whenever a crew member was called to the quarters, it was not good for the crew member. Last time, there had been screaming. What did the cap'n want? Was she punishing him? He racked his brain for anything he had done recently that would give Raven cause to be mad or suspicious. Nothing. Was she giving him a promotion? That was as unlikely as him jumping off the ship and flying. Was there something that he had done against the ship's rules? He fought down panic as he walked stiffly toward the cap'n's quarters. He raised a paw and paused, before knocking. Without waiting for a response, he went in. Pirates had no common courtesy rules among them.

"Cap'n, I didn't dew anything! I promise, I'd swear on me life!" He nearly held up a paw in protest as he stammered, but didn't, since the cap'n might chop it off. He kept on stammering of his innocence, inwardly cringing.

-----

Elay padded into the port town, bone-tired. She would of been an easy target for robbers, a short rabbit with her paws dropping off and a haversack of food. At a loud splash her head swirled, pinpointing the noise. Rabbits don't have their large ears for nothing. Water droplets danced onto the dock, it looked like someone had fallen off a ship. She ran over, "Mi koi nahlay, natal-li!" (You have blindness, empty-head!) A black hare looked up at her pleadingly.

-----

Well, if the wildcat slaves were planning an escape, it was up to Phillim to stop them. She scampered up the plank that led up to the ship. Her paw hit a patch of water. That water happened to be slippery. She couldn't help letting out a scream as she hit the plank, bruising her pelvis. She lay there, gasping for breath, her heart thumping in terror. She slowly tried to stand up, but that pesky patch of water prevented her, again she went down, though not toward the plank. The sea had never looked so intimidating. When she would look back on this moment, it was a blur. She had looked up and seen a hare, or was it a rabbit, looking down at her. The rabbit had turned and darted away.

  Cooper smiled at Brielle.  "Brielle," he said, looking around to make sure she wasn't followed.  He looked back at the beautiful she-cat.  With her sparkling eyes and soft fur, she did truly look beautiful.
  "Brielle," he said again.  "Do you wanna escape?  We can leave this ship right now, just the two o' us!  We could steal another ship an' start a crew o' our own.  I already 'ave some food."  He gestured to a sack, which lay close by.  It was packed to the brim with food.

"Cap'n, I didn't dew anything! I promise, I'd swear on me life!"

Raven had just sat down at her writing desk as the male otter entered. The knock at the door had sounded and then Birata had burst in. He had startled the Captain and caused her to spill red wine on the maps upon the table. Trying to quell her anger the dark otter stood and came quickly towards Birata. She slammed the door shut and then used her paw to cover the otter's blabbering mouth.

"Shut up you fool! Shut yer gob this instant!"

Something about them fact that Birata was terrified of her made Raven like him even more. She was fairly sure he could be trusted, especially since he knew the consequences for crossing captain Brinewater.

"Don't say another word." She spoke the word flatly and removed her paw from his muzzle. She then strode to her desk and held up a map, shaking it to rid the parchment of red wine. it would stain but it would still be readable.

"Listen close Birata. I need slaves. We don't have enough crew beasts to properly run this ship. We will soon be setting to sea, making for the far eastern islands. I want you to go and capture slaves for me. Hard working creatures that can pull oars and scrub a galley. Do this for me and there will be a promotion in it for you. What do you say?"

As she spoke she leaned in closer and brushed her paw over his shoulder.
_____

Do you wanna escape?  We can leave this ship right now, just the two o' us!  We could steal another ship an' start a crew o' our own.  I already 'ave some food.

Brielle looked at the wildcat before her. He was handsome and strong and she could tell he was taken with her. She spoke quietly to him.

"Yes, let's leave this place!" Of course she wanted to go. She hated the captain of the Lashkeel and everything Raven stood for. If she left she could be with Cooper on their own ship. A good ship with a good crew. Yes she wanted to leave! "But we'll have to go quietly. Tonight?"

  Cooper smiled his handsome, charming smile.  "Sure.  Thankee for doin' this, Brielle.  Now," he said, turning, "we'd best be gettin' back ta work.  Don't wanna let the Cap'n notice anythin' out o' order.  That'd ruin our plans."
  Cooper stepped back onto the deck, breathing in the salty air.  He picked up his mop and got back to work.

Phillim flailed around in the water, sending up large splashes. She might of been screaming, but everything was background noise. She would drown, the only beast that could of help her had left...

Elay searched for something to pull the hare out of the water with, though not hurriedly. Beasts died every day. She grabbed a hefty pile of rope and lugged it back over to the dock. Quite a scene was made, it would be nigh impossible for  crew member on the Lashkeel to not see them. She dropped the rope in the water, "Hraray!" (Quick!)

The rope struck Phillim in the head, but she managed to grab on and held on tightly as Elay pulled her up. They both collapsed in a heap, panting.

Birata stiffened as Raven's paw brushed his shoulder, was she holding a dagger? There was no scars, so she wasn't looking to kill him...yet, "Aye, yew can count on me!" He turned and exited the cabin, a slight swagger in his step. As he passed Cooper he snapped, "Cap'n wants slaves, yer gonna catch em wi' me." He looked around for any other beast to take with him.

  Cooper's head snapped up.  "Wot?"  He hadn't been expecting this!  This would ruin the escape plan! Then again, he thought, maybe we could still escape.  I don't think Birata's going to leave right away.
  "When're we leavin'?"  He hoped that Birata would say tomorrow, and not today.

"Soon s'possible." Birata replied. He head snapped up when he heard the splashing. He grinned upon seeing to two exhausted creatures, " We got our first target, yew get the black'un, I'll get the grey'un." He advanced and tackled Elay.

Getting tackled by a large sea otter was not what Elay had in mind. When Birata attacked her, she had rolled over with him on top of her. He was whacking at her head and face, trying to beat her unconscious. She did a fairly good job of defending herself. Her feet were kicking powerfully at him, giving almost as good as she got. Almost.

  Cooper didn't want to do it, but he didn't want to be used as an example.  He ran up to the black rabbit and pulled out his scimitars.  He prepared himself for attack, saying, "If'n yew don't attack, ye won't be 'armed.  Yew attack, an' yer gonna get 'urt.  Surrender!"
  He hoped that the rabbit would surrender.  He didn't want to have to hurt the rabbit.  It looked in enough pain already.

"we'd best be gettin' back ta work.  Don't wanna let the Cap'n notice anythin' out o' order.  That'd ruin our plans.

Brielle nodded and half light, excitement pulsing through her. She had to contain herself until tonight. Then they could escape and start a new life. A new life, with Cooper. She had always been fond of the wildcat and it seemed he was fond of her too. She out a soft breath, a purr rippling through her body.

"Aye, let's get back to work. Our time will come soon enough." She turned around and went back up to the crow's nest to wait until evening.
_____

Raven stayed in her quarters below decks for a while. She hoped to have the new slaves soon so they could get back out to sea. She studied her maps and charts, pin pointing a location far to the east.

"Treasure..." The word cam softly from her lips as she circled the spot on her map with charcoal.

  A sudden pity for these two hares came over Cooper.  He glanced at Birata, making sure that he couldn't see what Cooper was about to do.  Cooper lowered his blades slightly and leaned closer to the hare.
  "Psst!" he whispered urgently.  "Run!  Go far from 'ere!"

Instead of heeding that Phillim remembered the training her old uncle Aticaus had given her, never let your guard down when fighting vermin, never trust them, "Nice try, vermin, wot! Torsorems know enough to not trust your kind!" Phillim threw a punch at Cooper's nose, "I'm smart enough to know you're tricking me, wot!" She whipped the knife out of her belt. It was simple and effective, a leather-bound handle and a keen double-sided blade, "The only good vermin is a dead'un!" She backed away quickly, never turning her back. When she got far enough away that the cat couldn't leap on her. Then she turned and ran.

Elay wasn't so lucky, Birata had clubbed her unconscious. Birata, had got a fight, his lip was bloody where Elay had punched him, "Yew let yer's away!" He accused, "I'll bring dis'un to the cap'n. Yew look fer more."

  Cooper groaned, clutching his nose.  "N'kay," was all he could say.  He stumbled along, his nose paining him.  He tried to follow the trail of the rabbit.  Where had she gone?
  It felt strange to walk on land, after being so long on a ship.  Cooper found it hard to walk, seeing as he was injured and the ground wasn't swaying.  He pulled his paw away from his nose.  It was still bleeding.  "Blasted rabbit broke me nose!"  He was regretting letting the rabbit go, but he didn't want to capture it now.  He was too afraid of this creature!

Brielle had watched the capture begin from her position in the rigging. It seemed a simple enough job, Cooper had dealt with much worse and fared fine. Plus, he with Birata. Though the otter was mean and demanding of Cooper and Brielle, he was strong in battle and would have no trouble bringing down a rabbit.

The shecat did wonder what Cooper would do to the rabbit he was dealing with. He had never been quick to take a life, at least not from what Brielle had seen. She also knew he was not one for taking slaves. Ah! She watched him relent on his quarry, pulling his swords away to let her escape. Then the rabbit attacked, punching Cooper and drawing a knife. Brielle slid quickly out of the rigging pulling her own knife as she went over the railings of the ship and into the shallow water. She made her way to Cooper as he began to follow the trail.

He was bleeding. Brielle torn a piece of cloth from her undershirt and handed it to him to staunch the blood flow.

"Should we just let her go?"

Brielle looked over her shoulder wondering if Birata, or possibly the Captain were watching them.

  "Well," Cooper whispered, taking the piece of cloth and pushing it against his nose, "if'n we want to make our escape, now would be the perfect time."
  He continued walking, happy that the blood wasn't flowing as freely as before.  He turned to Brielle.  "Do ye wan't to leave now?  We don't 'ave vittles, but I'm sure we could find some."

Do ye wan't to leave now?  We don't 'ave vittles, but I'm sure we could find some.

Her stomach dropped at the thought. Now! In broad daylight? How would it be possible. Wouldn't Birata notice when Cooper didn't return to the ship with him? She looked over her shoulder again. Nobeast was watching them. They could leave. It was possible.

"I'm not worried about vittles Cooper, I am worried about a ship... and getting away without anybeast noticing. Can we do it?"

  Cooper shrugged.  "We might be able to do it.  Y'never know until ye try!"  He continued walking away from the ship, making sure his back was turned.  He didn't want anyone to see their conversation!
  Brielle had asked him about a ship.  Cooper had been pondering this for a while, and he had only recently come up with the answer.  He looked at her.  "We steal a ship.  We can stay on land 'till night, then steal one o' the liddle ships."

We steal a ship.  We can stay on land 'till night, then steal one o' the liddle ships.

She supposed it would work. The shecat didn't really enjoy the thought of stealing a ship, but she would do it to get away from the Lashkeel and the cruel captain. She nodded ad turned to walk with Cooper. She felt safe when she was around him.

They walked on until they were in deeper woods. Brielle looked about in the half light. Her green eyes glittered as random rays of sun showed through the trees. 

"Where do you think that rabbit got to? It's too bad she attacked you. It looked like you were letting her go free."

  Cooper laughed a short laugh.  "Ha!  I was!  She 'it me, though, but at least she got away.  I wouldn't 'ave ever forgiven meself if she got captured."
 Cooper sat down on a stump and rubbed his face with his paws.  He groaned.  He was tired!  Looking up at Brielle, he said, "Maybe we should stay 'ere fer the rest o' the day.  I don't know where the rabbit went, an' it don't look like we got much of a trail to follow.  We 'ave nothin' else to do 'till night, so why not just stay 'ere?"

  OOC:  W0NWILL, if you could walk in sometime around now, that would be great.  Or, if you have a better option, you can wait until then.  You might want to run into me and Brook soon though, if you want Phillim to go on the ship.

Birata had gone strait back to the ship, lugging Elay. He hadn't looked back at Cooper, expecting the cat to look for more slaves then coming back. He dragged Elay to the door of the captain's quarters and knocked, being sure to wait this time. Raven hadn't looked happy when he had burst in.

Phillim had ran until she was in the woods. She had stopped to rest against a tree. She turned the knife over and over in her paws. She had never taken a life, never been in real battle before, and was startled how intense it was. She had only fought a couple minutes, and was terrified. Would she of taken the cat's life? She smiled at the fond memory of acquiring this knife.

The older hare smiled at the younger one, "You say you want to go roving? I went roving as a young'un." He went to a dresser in the back of the room and rumaged in the drawer. The room was made of near black stone, with a window overlooking a garden filled with many fine, edible plants. He turned around and showed her the knife. It had a black leather-bound hilt and a keen double-sided blade, "I had no weapon on me, I got caught by some cannibals. The last creature expected saved me. A vermin. However, most vermin aren't like that. Never turn your back on one or they will kill you. Use this knife to defend yourself, or kill when the time's right." Phillim nodded at her uncle and grabbed the knife that was now hers. Silently, she swore to herself never to take anothers life with it.

Phillim got up and stowed her knife back in her belt. She wouldn't kill somebeast with it, but that didn't mean she couldn't play charades. She crept through the forest. It wouldn't hurt to try to save that rabbit's life. That rabbit had saved her life, after all. Unwittingly, she walked right past Brielle and was staring right at Cooper. She couldn't reach her knife in time. I'm going to die

  Cooper still sat on the stump.  He pulled the cloth from his nose, happy to see that his nose had stopped bleeding.
  He started trying to get some of the dried blood off of his nose, but stopped suddenly.  There was the rabbit!  "You!"
  He stood up and started walking over, trying not to appear threatening.  "I'm sorry I scared ye earlier.  I wasn't tryin' to 'urt ye, I wanted to 'elp."  He stopped a few yards from the rabbit, holding his paws up.  "Don't 'it me, please.  It 'urt the last time ye did that."

We 'ave nothin' else to do 'till night, so why not just stay 'ere?"

The shecat breathed a deep sigh of relief. It would be nice to stay here in the woods for a while. Since Cooper was near by she felt safe. They could relax and talk, maybe even plan where they would go in their little ship.

The cat's thoughts snapped back to reality as the hare entered the area they were sitting in. She stayed where she was, opening her paws to show she would not try to cause anybeast harm. She willed Cooper to take things slow and easy. Perhaps the hare would come to understand they had no intention of hurting her.
____

Raven's head snapped up as she heard the knock on the door. She quickly swept the map she had been working on under a pile of parchments. The sleek otter captain cleared her throat and spoke. "Enter."

Birata came through, dragging the limp for of a rabbit. A not so large, female rabbit. Well, she could do a days work or two in the galley if she was not fit for harder labor. Casting her gaze through the door Raven knew there would be no more slaves coming. Still, having this one would be better than nothing. They needed to leave soon.

"Come closer to me Birata. Leave the rabbit there." She waited, beckoning the other otter towards her. She kept her demeanor light, coaxing him into trusting her little by little. He was a handsome creature, but she didn't need to tell him how much she fancied him right then. There would be time for that later. Now it was time for business.

"You've managed to bring me a new slave, so now I shall uphold my end of the bargain. I would like to promote you to first mate. You will answer to me and me alone on this ship. Everybeast else must obey you. Also, I would like you to watch over the slaves aboard our ship. I believe there are around a score of them. Put that wildcat Cooper in charge of the daily needs of the slaves and keep an eye on him. I don't trust that one, or his friend Birelle."

She held out a paw to the tattooed otter and smiled. "Do we have a deal?"

Birata tried to nod, puff out his chest, shake the hand, and salute at the same time, "Aye, cap'n! I'll get the cats workin' hard!" He strut from the cabin, looking for Brielle. He kicked at a nearby rat scrubbing at the deck, "Scrub harder! That deck ain't clean 'nough!"
The rat wrinkled his nose at Birata, "Yew ain't the cap'n. Yew ain't even above me!"
Birata deliberately stepped on the rat's paw. His voice got dangerously low, "I'm the first mate, so if yew ain't scrubbing at the deck, I'll smash the other paw."
The rat nodded, tears pushing at his eyes. He went back to the deck, using every ounce of strength in his other paw.
As Birata strode away, he suddenly turned on the spot, "On second thought, tell the crew that I'm yer first mate. Show 'em what'll happen if'n yew don't foller me orders." The sudden power had gone to his head, Birata was the equivalent of a madbeast.

____

Elay was starting to stir, she groaned, "Nahlayzorn u Inlé."(Sickness to the devil.) She raised her head gingerly. A bomb went off inside her skull, a mole dug at her nervous system, all in all, she had an ear to ear, cracked-egg headache.

____

Seeing as the cats hadn't attempted to kill her yet, Phillim took the time to draw her dagger. She held it in her shaking fist, trying not to let the fear show.

  Cooper slowly took a step back, seeing the rabbit's dagger.  "Whoa, easy!  We ain't gonna 'urt ye.  Me name's Cooper, an' this lovely miss is Brielle.  We're escapees from the Lashkeel.  Lissen, I'm sorry about earlier.  I was bein' forced inta tryin' ta capture ye."
  As slow as he could go, Cooper took out his scimitars and threw them on the ground.  "See?  We mean ye no 'arm."

Brielle watched Cooper and hare, wondering how she would respond. The shecat hoped the hare would not attack Cooper now that he had no weapons. She readied herself to come to his aide if needed.

Phillim didn't drop her knife, but she lowered it and pointed it at the ground, "You attacked me, then you don't?" She asked, evidently confused, "Cat's are vermin, bad beasts, Aticaus always said." She frowned, "Except for a few, he would add. Are you two of those few?" Her body tensed like a spring, ready to make a move if a cat were to try to attack her.

  "Well," Cooper said, "I wouldn't say that we're bad.  We don't wanna 'urt ye.  Don't judge a beast by 'is or 'er species.  Did ye think that all woodlanders were peaceful?  Ye should see the Cap'n o' the Lashkeel!  She's an otter!  Lissen, Miss, we ain't gonna 'urt ye.  We ain't like any o' those pirates.  We're escapin' an' startin' our own crew."
  He looked down at his swords, wishing he had them in his paws.  He didn't feel uncomfortable with the fact that he was unarmed, facing a rabbit who had a knife.  Sure, he was pretty good at fighting with his paws, but he still wanted weapons.

"I've heard worse ideas." Phillim said, half convinced. She set her knife down, "Don't get any more ideas, I learned boxing from Aticaus." She narrowed her eyes, "So, who are you?"

  "Thankee," Cooper said, glancing at the knife, which now lay on the grass.  "My name's Cooper, an' this is Brielle."  He stuck out a paw in greeting.  "Wot's yer name?"

Phillim looked at the paw, but didn't take it, "I am Phillim Torsorem, daughter of Hlina Torsorem, granddaughter of Leiern Torsorem."  She made a fist with her right paw by her side, "And I ain't afraid to fight, wot!"

Brielle came forward a little as Cooper spoke. The hare had put down her weapon and was shaking paws with the wildcat. That was a good sign. They just needed to convince Phillim that they were not going to try to hurt her.

"Lo Phillim. As Cooper said, we aren't bad beasts. We're actually trying to escape some bad beasts."

She held out her paw to the hare.
______

Nahlayzorn u Inlé.

The Captain looked over the heap of a rabbit who was still nearby. She had ordered Birata so quickly that she had not told him where to put the new slave. The evil otter smirked and walked over to Elay. She kicked the rabbit lightly with her booted footpaw to see if it was conscious. The captain kept her guard about her, knowing woodlanders often played tricks to get away.

"What are you mumbling woodlander? I hope you like the look of that deck.
You'll be spending the rest of your worthless days scrubbing it."
________

Churrup flew from Redwall, making his way back to the coast. His flight was a little lower and slower than usually owing to the seedcake he had eaten. Still, he wanted to get more information quickly and get even more seedcake! The robin's sharp eyes spotted the two wildcats and the hare in a clearing. Apparently there was no fighting going on. However, Churrup was quite convinced the wildcats would attack the woodlander. He alighted in a nearby tree, unseen by the wildcats or hare. There was nothing he could do to help and so he watched to see what would happen.

Elay struggled upward, "Lapine methe A, ol leeth-naylte. Layth zorn A I."(Speak lapine, of north-rabbits, I. Will kill I you.) She could understand the language of most beasts, bur could hardly speak it, "I," she searched for the word for speak frantically, "talk Lapine, like north-" Again she paused, it was quite embarassing to not know the name of her species in commonspeak, "-naylte. No commontounge. I kill you." She nodded, satisfied with her speech powers, "I kill you." She repeated, "Nahl dert-hlelt zor A." (No deck-scrubbing for I)

OOC: Sorry if it's hard to understand, I tried to get as close to possible on the translation. Tell me if it's hard to understand and I'll start using proper grammar. At least that grammar is acceptable in Lapine. :)

BIC:

"That seems what a vermin trying to kill me would say." Phillim raised her fists in a boxing stance, "And I'm in no mood for dying today, wot wot!"

  Cooper held up his paws, taking a step back.  "Whoa, we ain't gonna fight.  We don't wanna cause any trouble to ye, Phillim.  In fact, we were goin' on our way, weren't we, Brielle?"
  Cooper slowly picked up his swords and sheathed them, backing away.

Brielle sighed as the hare took up a boxing stance. Perhaps there was no talking her. As the situation stood, the hare would come to no harm as long as she didn't go back towards the docks. The two wildcats could go on their way and commondere a ship in the night. Brielle loved the thought of sailing with Cooper. It would be so good to be out at sea and not bothered by bad otters and the like.

"Come on Cooper, it looks like there's no talking this one into believing the truth."

She took a few steps back and then turned her back on the hare once she was out of range of immediate attacks.  It would have been nice to have another best for the crew but, the shecat didn't really want a beast that couldn't trust them and therefore couldn't be trusted on board.

"Where should we wait for nightfall?" She asked Cooper as they began to walk away.
_____

Churrup ruffled his feathers quietly as the exchange took place below him. He supposed the wildcats were not as evil as they might look.
_____

Raven's expression of scorn could not have been heavier as the rabbit lay helpless on the ground. She was gabbling away in some unknown tongue. When Elay mentioned she would kill the captain Raven laughed coldly and then kicked the rabbit again. This time harder. She spoke, her voice dripping contempt.

"You, kill me? Ha! That's a good one! When you are well, perhaps we shall duel? Then we shall see who kills who? Or, would you rather try the cowardly way? Slipping a knife between my ribs at night? Not likely rabbit."

She turned towards the open door. "Birata! First Mate do you hear me? Get this worthless scum down to the lower brig!"
______

The robin's keen ears picked up some sort of commotion coming from a ship out at the harbor. He took flight and went to investigate. He had to have more news if he was to get seedcakes!

  Cooper was already walking away, his back turned to Phillim.  He turned around swiftly, hearing something fly away.  Seeing a robin taking flight, he shook his head and turned back.  I'm too jumpy, he thought to himself.

  "Where should we wait for nightfall?"

  Cooper shrugged.  "I dunno, just not 'ere."  He looked around, but didn't see any area that appealed to him.  "Do you see anyplace good?"

Phillim sighed, "There's a sheltered hollow of sorts, I slept in it last night. It's actually quite big." Cats were hopeless, they always needed somebeast to look after them, like dibbuns.

_____

"I rooli!"(You coward!) Elay snapped. She was very much conscious and wriggling about, "Rah A, roo I!"(Brave/important me, coward/small you.) She had flinched at the boot, but that did not dampen her spirit.

  Cooper looked at Phillim.  "Wot?  Uh, thankee.  Where might it be?"  He turned around and walked back to Phillim.  Maybe this rabbit could be of some help after all.

Brielle sighed, not sure if the hare was worth their time. The shecat definitely did not trust the black furred lapin, however she would stand behind the decisions of Cooper. She listened intently, watching Phillim closely.
_______

Churrup landed high on the main mast of the Lashkeel. He could hear some harsh tones coming from below decks. The robin waited to see what would happen. He hoped it would be enough information to warrant reporting to Redwall.

"O'er there." Phillim bent her ears backward, "It's near a clump of heather, you can't miss it. I've slept too many nights without a roof over my head." She added in a mutter.

Birata had came at his captain's call and was standing smartly in the door, "Yes marm, I'll throw the rabbit below." He grabbed Elay's upper arm and pulled. She resisted long enough to look at Raven with an expression of utmost hate and say an old rabbit saying, "Naylte ven, naylte yen."(Alive here, alive now.) No-one really knows the origin, but all rabbits know that it means that they will not give up, they will not die so easily, they will fight.

  Cooper cleared his throat.  "Ahem, thankee."  He looked at Brielle.  "Uh, if'n ye want to take the shelter, ye can.  I'll sleep..."  He looked around, finding a low branch on a tree not too far away.  He pointed to it.  "I'll sleep o'er there.  Ye can take the 'ollow."
  Walking over to the tree that had his branch, Cooper dug his claws into the trunk and climbed.  He lied down on the branch and looked at Brielle again.  "Ye might want to get inta the hollow.  We 'ave nothin' else ta do till nightfall."
  Closing his eyes, Cooper fell asleep.

Brielle nodded and walked towards the hollow Phillim had pointed out. The shecat was surprised that Cooper had climbed the tree and fallen asleep. Did he really trust the hare that much? They had just met Phillim and Brielle certainly didn't trust her.

She opted to sit on the log, keeping an eye about the place, and on the hare. Besides somebeast had to stay on watch. She felt like waking Cooper up but figured he would need his rest since he would be leading the ship mission later.

"So, what are you thinking of doing with yourself hare? Going out to sea or do you have a home somewhere?" Brielle decided a little small talk couldn't hurt. If Phillim decided not to answer, no loss.
___________

Churrup watched as an otter hauled a rabbit across the deck. They disappeared down a hatch. He had his information now! One rabbit being held hostage by two wildcats and one rabbit on board the ship! The robin took off towards Redwall.
___________

Raven's eyes met those of the rabbit. The black otter narrowed her gaze and smirked.

"Talk all you want rabbit. Your death will be at the oars before the season in through."

She watched Birata haul the rabbit away and then followed out onto the deck.

"All paws! Make ready to sail! We leave this port within in hour!"

Phillim sighed, "I loved my great-uncle, I wanted to be like him. So, like a fool, I went traveling as he did." She drew her knife, "He gave me this before he left. He told me to kill if necessary, but how could I do that?" She sighed, "I don't know what I'm doing, telling all this to a cat." Phillim pinched the bridge of her nose, "He told me a beast he considered a friend was a vermin, but what could I do? I'm a Torsorem, a fighter of vermin, a slayer of evil." Phillim stood up, "That is why I must kill you," her voice cracked, "I have to follow the family Torsorem's tradition, I must. I don't want to." She looked at the dagger in her paws, "I swore never to kill another beast with this. However, I never swore about myself. I can't dishonor my family if I'm dead."

OOC: Wow, that was dark...

BIC: Birata drew his cutlas as soon as he threw Elay in the brig, "Yew'll stay down 'ere, chained to an oar." He backed up so he was directly under the hatch, "Some'un, get o'er here!"
A ferret answered the call smartly. She had heard the rat and seen his paw, "Wot is it?"
"Yew'll chain the rabbit, while I stop 'er from escaping."
The ferret nodded and jumped down the hatch as soon as Birata had gotten out of the way. She grabbed Elay and wrestled her by an oar. While Elay was kicking and struggling, she managed to click the manacle around Elay's paw. Before the ferret could scramble out of the way, Elay gave her shin a good kick.
"Ooh!" The ferret gritted her teeth and hopped around, holding her knee to her chest. As she did so, Birata disappeared back up the hatch with no encouraging words to his crew mate or threats to the rabbit as he would of done before his rise to power.

  Cooper was naturally a very light sleeper, and he usually heard what was going on, even while asleep.  Usually he would have strange dreams about what he had heard, or he just wouldn't understand a thing that he heard.  This wasn't one of those times.

  "That is why I must kill you," he heard.  "I have to follow the family Torsorem's tradition, I must.  I don't want to.  I swore never to kill another beast with this.  However, I never swore about myself.  I can't dishonor my family if I'm dead."

  His eyes snapped open.  What was the rabbit going to do?  He saw Phillim standing with her dagger out of the corner of his eye.  Slowly, careful to be as quiet as he could, he sat up and took his scimitars out.  Unfortunately, he slipped off of the branch he was sitting on.  He made a terrible racket as he landed on a bush.
  Being a cat, Cooper usually landed on his hindpaws.  He held his blades in front of him.  "Don't take another step, Phillim.  We don't wanna 'urt ye, but if ye attack, we'll fight back!"

Brielle took a few steps back s the hare's voice grew grave. She knew enough to fighting beasts to make herself ready to defend. The shecat pulled a long knife from her belt and steadied herself.  Though she did not appear to be much of a battler, Brielle could hold her own in a fight.

Then Cooper awoke and fell out of the tree! If it had been under better circumstances Brielle would have jested with him about the move, but this was not the time.

"Go ahead hare. Try to kill me. We'll see how far you get before this knife finds a new home between your ribs." She was done playing games with this hare. If Phillim needed to be taught a lesson, Brielle was up for the teaching.

"Don't take another step, Phillim.  We don't wanna 'urt ye, but if ye attack, we'll fight back!"

As Cooper spoke Brielle hesitated for a moment. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to egg the hare on. She really didn't want fight, but she would do what she needed to to defend herself.

"Aye, that we will hare. Sheath your blade. Now."

"I give you my word as a Torsorem, as a hare of the north, on the soul of my ancestors, you will not be harmed in the slightest way by my paw." Phillim vowed, "However, I cannot let the name Torsorem lose it's meaning: slayer of vermin. I can't dishonor my family if I'm dead." She repeated. She was in quite a predicament by her standards, family honor vs. breaking her vow of not killing a beast with the knife she held in her paws, "What can I do?"

Elay pulled at the shackle, snarling in frustration, "U zulnahlay na Frith!"(The white blindness to Frith[sun]!) Cursing Frith never ends well for rabbits, at least in the stories, however, they still do it to make themselves feel better. Already she was feeling seasick.

  Cooper tried to get closer to Phillim.  "Wot ye can do is put away yer knife.  We ain't bad vermin.  We are wildcats, an' wildcats are a vermin species, but that don't mean we're bad.  We don't wanna 'urt ye."
  He now stood just a few feet from the rabbit.  "Now," he said, "can ye put away the knife?  If ye do, I'll put away me blades.  I give ye my word."

Captain Brinewater strode out on deck, checking over details for setting sail. She spoke orders here and there to get crew beasts moving.

"Ye call that a secured main line? Tighten it up!"

"Drop that pin one more time and I'll make ye wish ye hadn't!"

The call of treasure was increasing in Raven's mind. Perhaps when they landed on the island she could order Birata to come with her on the first inland excursion. Eventually she would tell the tattooed otter what she felt about him, but not yet.
_____________

Grimly set about making his meal for the night. He stirred a pot of mackerel stew in the modest galley of his ship. The "Rusty Scallop" was a small ship but very sea worthy.
___________

Phillim couldn't help but smile at the cat's naive nature, did he even know what she was thinking? She chuckled, "You don't know...I hinted quite strongly." Beasts like this made it seem that life was worth living, "I, however, will not sheath my blade out of pure stubbornness. If you want to wait 'till you need a stick, be my guest, but this knife is not going back in my belt."

  Cooper stared at her for a moment, considering her words.  His eyes widened as he realized what she had meant.  "Wot?  Yer gonna kill yerself?"
  He took a step forward so he was standing eye to eye with Phillim.  "Don't waste good," he said, sadness filling his eyes.  He had seen several creatures kill themselves in the past, some of them because he had met them.  He didn't want that to happen again!

Brielle stood and watch to back up Cooper just in case he needed it. For some reason she didn't believe the hare would try to kill herself. The shecat chalked it up to being dramatic. However, if she did attempt her life, Brielle was sure Cooper could handle the situation and stop her from doing so.

The sun was beginning it set, casting an orange light over the scene. Two wildcats attempting to stop a hare from killing herself. What an odd situation to end up in. It was better than being on the Lashkeel though. Brielle began to wonder if they would be able to find a good ship.

Don't waste good. Don't waste good. Cooper's words seemed to have wormed their way into Phillim's mind. Don't waste good. Words to live by. She hurled the knife with a fair amount of speed. Instead of thudding into the tree she had been aiming for, it sailed past it and landed in a bed of ferns beyond. She didn't want that knife. For the years she had traveled, she had kept it in memory of Aticaus. Now, it seemed Aticaus had given her a curse instead of a gift. She turned on the spot, and strode briskly away from the knife. If only she could throw away her troubles that easily.

  Cooper watched Phillim start walking away.  Where was the rabbit going?  Obviously his words had somehow helped, but he didn't know how.  "Where're ye goin' to, Phillim?"

Brielle was beginning to become impatient. Why was Cooper so interested in this rabbit? What did it matter where she was going? Although the female wildcat was not evil, she was not willing to chase after a creature that had, just moments before threatened to take her life. In fact, why was Cooper doing this? The rabbit was nothing but trouble, untrustworthy, and well... ood.

"Cooper." Her tone was level but loud enough for him to hear.

"Cooper come back." She stepped closer to him and narrowed her eyes. "Why?" She was frustrated and it showed in her eyes. "Why in the world are you wasting our time on that rabbit. She's crazy! Not only that... I've seen crazy beasts come back to reality before. It's wonderful when that happens! But, that hare, she threatened to kill me."

She stopped firm in her tracks, unwilling to follow Phillim. "Stop chasing after her and start thinking about how we're going to get your ship." Her voice softened. She didn't want to be frustrated with Cooper, but she was.
_____________

Churrup continued his flight, keeping a look out for the first sighting of Redwall. He was now following the inland path. The robin looked again. Could that be? There was a group of Redwall beasts on the trail!
_____________

Some time passes...
_____________

The sun was beginning to set, shedding golden hues to dance on the slowly churning water of the docks. Grimly stashed a few coins into a small sack and headed into the port side town. He had always been a beast for gambling and he felt lucky tonight! The water rat disembarked the Rusty Scallop and hoisted the gang plank up and away. Then he made his way into town. It would be hours before he returned.
____________

Captain Brinewater felt good. They were at sea! At long last she felt the sway of the deck under her footpaws once more. It had only been about five days during the port call, which equaled half an eternity to the ocean loving otter.

The black otter stood in the forecastle, studying her charts.

"Turn 'er two points to starboard and let 'er ride the swells." She spoke orders to the boatswain, a small lumpy ferret named Jibber. The ferret did as her was bidden with the ship's wheel and held the Lashkeel on course towards Raven's treasure.

The otter captain noticed her new first mate stride by. She spoke to him with a tinge of happiness in her voice. The happiness stemmed from her love of the sea.

"Firstmate Birata! Join me in the forecastle. I have words to bandy with you."

  Cooper sighed and looked at Brielle.  "I just don't feel right, leavin' that rabbit ta kill 'erself.  Ah well."  It was then that Cooper realized how dark it was getting.  He thought aloud, saying, "We'd best be gettin' to the port if'n we wants to get ourselves a ship."

We'd best be gettin' to the port if'n we wants to get ourselves a ship.

Brielle sighed, relieved that Cooper was thinking about getting a ship now.

"Aye, let's go to the port. We best go careful, I'm not sure if the Lashkeel has left port or not..."

(OOC: Let's not let this die guys  :) It's just starting to get good!)

  OOC:  So, since we're pretty close to one another, I'm going to have the threads closed and start one big one.

OOC: Direct all posts to the new Quest for Romance thread.