Ratty Driftwood

[Faclan]

Hello everyone! If you wish to join or see the general overview please check here;
http://redwallabbey.com/forum/index.php?topic=11304.0

But we are happy to have more Crewbeasts or Woodland/Coast Residents to greet the Pirates and Corsairs :>

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Tulian
Clinging to driftwood
Approaching shore

Its good to have a plan in case of evacuation. Even having practiced it a few times with roles and everything. But when the fires are raging and you are trying to pull your bleeding shipmate out of the clutches of some snarling Fox plans tend to go out of the window.

At least the brush ship had been ignited as well?

Not that it mattered much in the end. A Pyrrhic victory as both vessels were lost now. Sizzling in the ocean and collapsing if they had not already broken down. A certain rat struggling to even remember who had ordered the attack first. Had the foxes swooped down to try and steal loot or slaves? Or had the rats snuck up on the celebrating foxes and stole an attack on them? Feebly spitting out water Tul opened his eyes enough to see that his claws were still stuck in the wood he was clinging too before he returned to the stupor of exhaustion.

He was supposed to get on the jollyboat with the Captain. But in the screaming and fire he had been grabbed as he tried to enter and thrown over the side by a larger crew rat. Floundering and trying to swim after the small boats as they rowed to get away from the blazes. But they were long gone. It was all the rat could do to swim and kick as hard as he could to escape the sucking of the water as the vessels listed and started to sink. He knew several were not as lucky as he. Stuck in rigging or pulled into the cavity. His shivering had been done already though.

It was a shame that he could not keep his eyes open as he would have seen that the shore was approaching. The gentle waves carrying him as well as other flotsam was carried toward the shore. It would have given him hope that he would live. Until he spotted the smaller transport boats already almost there. Hopefully they would be from his ship!

(Up to you others if you wish to have the landing point be near Salmandrastron or we all just landed somewhere on the Mossflower Coast .)

[shisteer of nothing much]

Captain Mharbrow glared at his reflection, the annoyance radiating from him openly.

Things had been going so well: The village they'd raided to stock up on provisions had turned out to be wealthier than he'd estimated and he'd been well rewarded for his efforts. True, he'd lost two or three rats while he was storming the gates but, on the whole, it had gone perfectly according to plan.
The ship was loaded with fresh food, gathered weapons of the defenders and a solid oak chest, its lock rusted and flimsy. It had been the work of a moment to break it open and the contents were well worth his hard work and planning. Jeweled beakers, precious stones and, best of all, a beautiful longsword, thoroughly decorated and razor sharp. Mharbrow had buckled it on and felt its weight, well balanced, though not perfect.
They'd sailed away, further enough to be safe from pursuit of the few surviving beasts they'd left behind. Then they'd broken the wine casks and begun to celebrate their victory, laughing with each other over the events of the battle.
Early on in their victory feast, one of the beasts on watch had called out the news of an approaching ship. Everybeast immediately got ready for battle, despite my suggestions that we not engage. The majority vote was to fight though so I got ready also. The other ship clearly had inferior fighters anyhow so it couldn't do too much harm, even if Bladewave's crew were a bit tipsy.
Everything seemed to blur together after that and Mharbrow now found himself in the skiff with only a few crewbeasts around him, the image of his favourite ship on fire flashing before his eyes like some phantom. He'd newly acquired sword had sunk to the bottom of the ocean inside some rat's chest and most of his crew had been killed.
Keelteeth.
The name of the ship who'd caused all the trouble stirred in his memory as he changed the direction of his gaze to the other skiff on the waves. He'd kill every one of the other ships crew, and he'd draw their deaths out as slowly as possible. It would serve them right for what they'd done.

[Kade Rivok]

Firestripe ignored the cold waters worming their way through his thick fur as he and two other vermin, a ferret and another fox, slowly made their way to shore using a large piece of flotsam as cover.  He'd been one of the few sober beasts on the Bladewave when the other ship had been spotted, and he'd been one of the few beasts to board the Keelteeth during the chaos of battle.  His plan had been simple: slay the enemy captain.  He knew very well how fast a crew could fall apart once their leader was dead, and he knew that his own crew was at a disadvantage in the battle.  To him, it had been the only logical choice.  What he hadn't taken into account was how much damage the two captains were willing to let their vessels take during the course of the fight.  Near the end, as everything literally began to fall apart, he'd grabbed the two surviving crew beasts that had boarded with him and jumped into the dark waters. 

Now, they slowly made their way to shore, stealthily following the jollyboat that the Keelteeth's captain rode in.  The ferret with him whispered, "Are ya sure dis is a good idea, Firestripe?"

Firestripe gave him a sidelong glance. "There's nothing good about this at all mate, but it's the best idea given the situation." 

The ferret was about to say more when Firestripe quickly held up a paw for silence.  A ways to their right he spotted the figure of an un-moving rat loosely draped across some floating wood.  It looked to be dead, but it was better to be careful; it was imperative that he and the two vermin with him remain undetected.  Firestripe could almost feel the hate-filled looks he was sure his captain was throwing towards the enemies from his skiff; there was sure to be a bloodbath once they reached land.  Because he was sure that this turn of events would occur, his plan was to follow the enemy boat to shore and catch them in a pincer attack once the fighting started.  This, of course, relied heavily on not being noticed. 

Quickly and quietly, they trailed after the Keelteeth's crew.

[Faclan]

Tulian
Clinging to driftwood
Washing up.

Barely able to feel his soaked through footpaws touching the sand with Keelteeths navigator could barely bring his chin up to see that he was now looking at sand. Twitching his claws that were stuck into the water logged wood as he made a tiny woo. Before slumping forward again. Sleep is what he needed after that ordeal. Give him the energy he needed to actually rise from the cold sea. Get his claws out of the wood and into some food. Take stock of everything. Survive.

That was the goal at least. But a wave shoving against his back made him groan and work on rolling himself over. His claws scloping out of the wood on his left before he tried the other side. And then painfully crawling over his life saving chunk of wood to be at least slightly above the tide line. Patting around his belt as he nodded to the sand. He still had most of his stuff. And he was out of the sea. Finally smiling the rat would flop over onto his back. Looking up at the warm sun that started to dry him off. The quiet calls of gulls a slight warning but at least he was ashore and alive. The rat sighing contendidly as he lay on his back on the sand. Baely able to hear anything as he tilted his head back to let his ears slightly sink into the sand to help warm them up.

[shisteer of nothing much]

Mharbrow finally pulled his eyes away from his enemies, turning to assess the remainder of his crew. Belladonna was with him, along with several rats, a couple of weasels and a ferret. He guessed that others would have clung to pieces of driftwood and headed for shore, but they might not catch up until the action had subsided, if at all.
Nine in all, counting himself. Not a full crew, by any means, but enough to manage, provided they didn't hit too much trouble. Thank Fate they had landed this far from Salamandastron. Two days' march was a bit too close for comfort as it was, any closer would likely be fatal. Those infamous badger lords didn't exactly have a soft spot for corsairs.
Mharbrow gave a cunning smile as his gaze fell upon Belladonna, sitting calmly on the bow post and watching the nearing coastline. Nothing seemed to worry the red fox and Mharbrow was glad she was on board. She could be very persuasive and he might find need of her skills. Conditions weren't great and tempers had the habit of flaring at the wrong time. He didn't have the numbers to be able to end arguments with his usual... methods. Yes, Belladonna was a useful beast to have aboard, especially when it came to a fight. She wielded her katana with surprising efficiency and had the skills to help the wounded as well, plus she knew some things which he needed to discuss from time to time but couldn't reveal to uninvolved parties.
Mharbrow stood and made his way forward, silently crouching beside the other fox, eyeing the ever-approaching shore for the best place to land.
He extended his paw to the right slightly and gestured to an outcrop of rocks.
"There."
The two weasels, who were rowing, saw his outstretched paw and changed direction, heading for the outcrop.
Mharbrow smiled, genuinely this time. He appreciated it when his crew did what he wanted them to do without having to be told the details. He had trained them well.

[Ebantu the Kararehe]

Belladonna glanced sideways as her captain crouched beside her. His keen eyes scanned the shore and the vixen swept her gaze over the remainder of Waveblade's crew. Firestripe was missing, she saw. She wondered briefly if he had survived, then shook the thought aside. There were more pressing matters at paw.

[shisteer of nothing much]

Mharbrow jumped into the water as he felt the prow of the skiff scrape sand, pulling the small craft up onto shore, helped by two of the rats, who'd also jumped out to bring the boat ashore.
The other beasts all disembarked and they dragged the boat well above the tideline and behind the cover of the large rocks so it would be less noticeable. Glancing at his severely depleted crew, Mharbrow noted they all had some form of weapon. The ones who'd made it to the skiff were the ones who'd been on the sidelines of the fight so they weren't too exhausted either.
Mharbrow grinned savagely at his crew, jerking a paw down the beach at the other skiff which had just landed, its crew too exhausted to even get out and pull their vessel ashore. They would be easy to finish off. Perhaps too easy, even.
"Right, get some rest. We'll give them what for tonight, probably just before dark. Make sure weapons are ready and sharp. We might take prisoners so bring some rope. Webneck, you take first watch. Look out for any other beasts that land ashore clutching bits of driftwood and alert me, but stay hidden. The rest of you, do whatever you have to, as long as it's quiet. We don't want to attract attention."
His orders given, the Phantom Painted one settled down and started scheming. The crew of Keelteeth would wish they'd died as babes by the time he'd finished with them.

[Kade Rivok]

Even with the waves lapping at his prone figure, Firestripe was grateful as he finally felt sand beneath him.  Still using a large piece of flotsam as cover, he and the other two had followed the enemy skiff to shore, circling a ways around to the side the Bladewave skiff had not landed on so they could pincer the Keelteeth's crew.  He signaled to the others to stay prone; they were a fair distance away from the skiff, but he wanted to be sure that they wouldn't be spotted by anybeast when they moved across the beach.  After examining their surroundings for a few minutes, he gave the signal when he was sure nobeast would see them and the three sprinted low across the sand and into the cover of nearby foliage.  His bad leg ached from all the action from earlier followed by a long distance swim topped with a sprint to the finish line, but he pushed the pain it out of his mind as he watched the Keelteeth's crew.  They hadn't fared well, that was for sure; everybeast seemed completely worn out.  Smiling to himself, he turned to the fox and ferret that had followed him and spoke in a low whisper.

"This might be easier than I thought, mates.  Rangfur," he said, gesturing to the fox, "I want you to sneak around to where our crew is and let Cap' Mharbrow know that we're here, ready to pincer if he plans to attack.  Come back after that; we'll be keeping watch from here."  Normally he wouldn't risk sending somebeast out in this situation, but Rangfur happened to be pretty good at sneaking.  Plus, with the shape the enemy crew was in, he doubted they'd be able to spot him even if he ran out in the open while singing.

[shisteer of nothing much]

"Cap'n Dyemhar, three beasts just landed on the beach."

Mharbrow stood up and climbed up to Webneck's vantage point, following his outstretched paw to where the last of three beasts was vanishing behind some shrubbery, casting a quick glance over the beach before he went to ground.
Mharbrow grunted and kept watching, seeing small amounts of movement as the creatures presumably struggled into more comfortable positions.
"Good work. Keep me posted if anything changes and keep looking out for other beasts drifting ashore."
Mharbrow turned and climbed down, then stopped as Webneck's voice reported further details.

"Cap'n Dyemhar, one of the beasts has broken cover. He's heading toward us, skirting Keelteeth's boat. I think he's coming to us."

Mharbrow sighed and drew his twin blades with a hiss of steel on leather.
"I see. Come down and ready your weapons. We'll leave the other beasts asleep. We should be able to take care of one beast."
Webneck obeyed and Mharbrow positioned him behind a smaller rock, while he stood ready in the open.
"When the beast appears, don't kill him. He may be one of our own."
The weasel nodded silently and they waited.

[Faclan]

Startling awake from his sun warmed nap Tulian sat up quickly at a rough scream from further up the beach.

"Keeneye! You dead mate?!"

Shifting around enough on his sore limbs to face the large rat Captain looking down at him swinging his mace idly in the other hand the navigator shook his head.

"N...nay Cap'n! Wus jas' uhh...rast'n!"

The larger rat eye rolled before he pointed up the beach toward some tall dunes. "Well go do something useful! Go figure out where we are and report back! Others are already looking for food and useful scrap to use and seeing of those paint tails landed here or elsewhere. I want their tails carved from their corpses and made into a lovely cloak for what they did to my ship!"

A few other crew beats were near the captain as Tulian nodded and hauled himself off. Half limping as he got the feeling back into his legs. "A'e a'e Cap'n!" He responded with a wobbly salute as he started to walk off toward the high dune. He did know a lot of land marks. So if he managed to get up there and see the big ol mountain he would be able to tell the marooned Pirates just how totally screwed they were! How fun!

(Feel free to meet up with him along the way seperate from his crew, either as a Fox to hold him at weapon point or a friendly ships doctor )

[shisteer of nothing much]

Mharbrow grabbed the beast by the collar as it came round to his side of the rocks, then quickly released the fox as he recognised him, giving the still damp creature a rough scan to assess his well being.
"Rangfur. I'm glad you survived the fight. Who else is alive and why didn't they come with you?
Webneck, get back on watch."
The weasel climbed to his former position as Rangfur reported, still listening to the conversation.

"Cap'n Dyemhar. Firestripe an' Cutsnip came ashore with me an' are 'idin' in those there bushes. Firestripe is stayin' where 'e is in case you wanna attack Keelteeth's crew, or what remains of it. 'e thought we could trap 'em in a pincer movement."

"Cap'n, a rat just stood up an' is heading for that big dune. He's one of Keelteeth's."

Mharbrow frowned thoughtfully at the news from both his crewbeasts, his lips pursed into a savage grin.
"Ah, good. You'll have to stay with us, Rangfur. The element of surprise is too valuable to risk by sending you back to Firestripe. As soon as we start fighting, take Baretail and Grunt and support him. Until then, he'll have to manage on his own. Webneck, watch the rat and, when he gets to the bottom, tell me and Tornpatch. I assume Firestripe and Cutsnip have weapons?"

(OOC) What is the situation with weapons and such, Kade? Are Firestripe and Cutsnip ready to fight? (taking into consideration their energy levels too)

[Ebantu the Kararehe]

"What's the situation?" Belladonna asked softly, brushing her tail against the captain's footpaw to gain his attention without the others noticing. She had approached in time to hear what Mharbrow had said to the other fox, but had missed all other information. From what the vixen had heard, Firestripe was alive, somebeast was sneaking up on their position, and Captain Dyemhar was planning an attack.

[lass of something much]

The sun was shining, the waves slapped sleepily up to the shore, Chiptooth had been sent to hunt some food with two other vermin.
"'ey Chip and Skut get over 'ere"
Not again! Chiptooth thought, This was the third time Flatnose had called him over to "see" something.
"What is it this time?!" He asked in an irritated voice.
"this bet'er be a good'un, not another crab or someth'n!" Skutlip growled.
"'ey, you're not-"
"Just get on with it!" Chiptooth snapped, clearly frustrated.
"Er... well" Flatnose stuttered "erm ther's a stream up that hill, yonder" he stuttered again "it'll 'ave fish in it" he looked at his ship mates who were staring at him as if he had just said that there was ship on his head "what stream?" Skutlip  said half to him self.
"and what hill? Stop playing triks on us ya pig headed buffoon!?" Chiptooth snarled.
"over there" the now very upset ferret screeched, pointing to a large bramble bush.
that was one mad ferret, the heat is getting to 'im!
"Hoi! their be a fox yonder 'ahind that there rock!"
"yore just seeing things mate, there ain't no fox, just ye'r mind." Skutlip said firmly.

[shisteer of nothing much]

Mharbrow spoke quietly to Belladonna as the other beasts hurried to obey his orders.
"Firestripe and Cutsnip are waiting behind some rocks on the other side of Keelteeth's crew. One of the enemy's rats is heading up that dune alone.
"Listen, when we start fighting, I want you to try and disable as many of the Keelteeth crewbeasts as possible, but don't kill them. Make sure they're well secured."

"Cap'n Dyemhar, a weasel just made land on our side of the rocks. He's spotted us and is heading our way."

Marbrow assessed the approaching beast and gave a grim smile of recognition. He was one if his crew and would prove useful in the fight to come.

"Cap'n Dyemhar, three enemy beasts have headed off, away from the rest of the group."

Mharbrow considered this information for a while, then called softly to the weasel.
"How many are left with Keelteeth's captain?"

"Er... about four, Cap'n, including him. They look a bit shabby and exhausted."

Mharbrow smiled thinly, his mind working quickly as it sorted out what was going to happen. He knew just the punishment he'd give these beasts. That captain was a fool for separating the remainder of his crew.
"Belladonna, take Grunt, Baretail and Fanggrin. Catch those three beasts and bring them back here, preferably unconscious. Rangfur, you take the rat twins. Tornpatch, go get that rat climbing the sand dune. You can take Sliteye when he finally gets here. I want as many of the enemy as possible alive. Wait for my signal. Webneck, come with me."

Webneck hurried down from his position and followed Mharbrow, copying his captain's smooth movements as they both slid, unnoticed, across the sand.


(OOC) Just so you know, Webnech and Tornpatch are weasels, Cutsnip and Fanggrin are ferrets. Grunt and Baretail are rats.

[Ebantu the Kararehe]

  Belladonna grabbed a coil of light sail rope and slid away, followed by Grunt, Baretail, and Fanggrin. She circled round behind the three foraging beasts and paused behind a bramble bush to listen. One of the three, a ferret, had spotted Rangfur, but the others didn't believe his claim and were trying to convince him that he was seeing things.
  The vixen signaled to her companions that they should knock the ferret and the sea rat out while she took care of the mink. They nodded and she held up her paw, three claws raised. One by one she folded them down, whispering to herself as she did so.
  "Three, two, one. Go!"
  Belladonna leaped forward, dagger in paw, and landed on the mink's back, knocking him to the ground. She held the blade to his throat and hissed at him.
  "Move and you're a deadbeast!"
  She looked up and bared her teeth in triumph when she saw Baretail and Fanggrin tying the paws of the now unconscious ferret and sea rat. Grunt sitting on the ground, holding his upper leg. Apparently the rat had managed to cut at him with a knife before Baretail thumped him on the head.