The Recruiting Sergeants

[DanielofRedwall]

Character: Thorn
Location: Barrow

Thorn watched as the ottermaid stood to attention. She learns fast, he thought to himself. Reaching in to his pocket, he pulled out a piece of parchment and handed the ottermaid it and a quill. "Before you leave, please sign this. 'Tis not much, just saying you pledge allegiance to the Patrol an' all that." He stood back and waited for her to sign, while watching the other beasts of the town to catch anyone approaching. He noticed his companion Dougie had finished with the young hare, and he secretly wondered just how cut out for the Patrol the hare would be.

[Tiria Wildlough]

OOC: Sorry for the OOC but when will I be recruited?

[Myrkin]

That's exactly like me, Walnut thought at what Furff said. The difference was in the fact, that she had already seen more of the world than he had, since she had visited Redwall in the past. He will have to ask her about it sometime, but first they had to decide where to go: to Redwall or to Salamandastron? He thanked Furff for berries and ate them, thinking about her question. Walnut wanted to see both of these places, but they only could visit one at the time.

"Hmm... Why don't we go to Salamandastron first and after that think what to do next?" he said to Furff.

[Calaron]

Bruntil was surprised and very unhappy with Corgan's response to the new rat.  He had never seen his friend act that way before.  He moved to him swiftly and placed his heavy digging claws on the mouse's shoulders in restraint. "Gurr, you get hold of eeself!  We bain't seen nuthin', an' thurr's no need fur gurt anger.  'Soides, bain't fur usns to do aught wid ee Longen Patrolers 'erebowts." He had intended to speak quietly.  In his excited state, he did not.

The mole kept hold of Corgan and nodded to Dimitri, unable to tug his snout.  "Are you'm injured, maister?"  Bruntil turned to Brigg, saying, "Yurr, Brigg, 'elp ee ratten oop wot o' ee durt."  The mole took a closer look at Dimitri.  He seemed shifty, and had the look of one who had seen a rough life.  Bruntil decided to reserve judgement until he saw an action, though he also decided he wouldn't leave any belongings out in the open if they were of value.  Just in case.  He glanced over at the Long Patrol recruiters.  Had they not noticed the small crowd growing?  Were they really to do nothing?

He priced the crowd himself.  He released Corgan, fervently hoping the mouse had calmed down to the point of reason.  He set about trying to disperse the watchers. "Hurr, moind ee own buziness naow, goo on!"

[redwallgurl]

Malti took the quill eagerly and signed. Now she was officaly with the patrol. Handing back the parchment for the hare to take it she smiled inwardly. Deciding it would be best to thank the hares she curtsied saying,"Thank you sirs!" She waited to be dismissed not leaving straight away as that would be rude. She also wanted to know where they wanted her in the morning. Malti wasn't going to ask, she didn't want to seem nosy or too eager.

[W0NWILL]

Furff nodded, "Less go, Oi'ved heared o' smallish toawns'n'such on ee way, 'haps we'm cudd stop there fur eats'n'such?" She looked anywhere but her companion, promising that she would lose him as soon as possible. He might be like the fox, pretending to be nice and considerate, and was really waiting to enslave her.

[Myrkin]

"That's a great idea, Furff. What's that town called?" Walnut took his bag off his shoulder and started to look for something in it. After a moment he took out a large roll of paper, which turned out to be a map - an indispensable tool for any traveler.

[W0NWILL]

"Et's called ee Burrow, you'm have a map? Oi doan't, Oi jusk go wurr Oi feels loike." Furff stumbled a bit.

[Myrkin]

"i'm new to traveling, so that's why I have this," Walnut said, studying his map. Burrow, Burrow... There was no Burrow near their position on the map. Wait... There was a Barrow though. Furff probably had meant that place. "It isn't far from here. We should get there before dinner." He rolled the paper and put it back in his sack.

[W0NWILL]

"Thets good." Furff sped up a bit, tripping on a root. She got up, dusted herself off muttering, "Clumbsey me, Oi always tripped on stuff, affer ee fosk." She froze, realizing what she just said.

[Something Horrifying]

Character: Dmitri
Location: Barrow, Village Square



You just had to get a closer look, didn't you? Idiot. Ignoring Brigg's outstretched paw, Dmitri rose from the ground with as much dignity as he could manage and dusted himself off. He gave the other rat a slightly spiteful look, as though the blame for the collision rested on him. In reality, Dmitri was actually quite surprised and somewhat glad to see another rat in the village—it meant they might not judge him so harshly on first sight.

The rat was just opening his mouth to brusquely inform Brigg that he was perfectly fine when an angry mouse appeared and interrupted him with some ridiculous shouting. The mouse flung a rock at him, and Dmitri barely dodged it, startled. Knowing he had only a moment to decide what to do, Dmitri quickly weighed his options. He could deny the theft, obviously, but if anyone had seen him or they searched his bag, it would be difficult to recover, because he'd already be labeled a liar. No, better to confess outright and play for sympathy. Already he had a couple creatures on his side, it sounded like.

Instinctively moving towards the other rat (who seemed the most capable of defending him, if the need arose), Dmitri suppressed the loathing he immediately felt for the mouse that had attacked him and gave Corgan a beseeching look. "Wait! Please, sir, you don't understand..."

The young rat looked down with shame, and continued guiltily. "I would have starved. I'm sorry, I know it was wrong, but I didn't have any choice. I was so hungry, and lost, and I found your beautiful village...but I was too scared to approach anyone, and ask for anything. I hadn't seen any rats here, and I just...I thought you would see me and make assumptions, and chase me out, or even kill me."

Turning to Brigg, Dmitri clutched one of the rat's paws with both of his own, pleadingly. There was a desperate, almost fearful look in his eyes. "You understand, don't you? It's difficult for rats like us, when everyone expects us to be criminals. And now I am one...but I promise, I took nothing but food, and never more than I needed! I was just trying to survive..."

[Myrkin]

"Are you alright, Furff?" Walnut asked with concern. When he heard the last sentence, he shivered slightly, remembering all the stories about foxes he had been told in his life. His father used to say: 'Many of them are dangerous, some of them are harmless and most of them are untrustworthy.' Judging by Furff's reaction, that fox had not been one of the harmless kind. "What you mean, after the fox?" he asked the molemaiden.

[Flandor]

OOC: Tiria: Very soon, first thing after Dougie sorts Dmitri out.

Character: Brigg

Brigg was still quite shaken by his father's reaction to the other rat.  He watched Bruntil restrain Corgan and attempt to calm him down.  It had very small effect on the mouse, who stopped struggling but continued to glare with contempt at the smaller rat.

The rat ignored Brigg's paw, stood up, and dusted himself off.  He seemed to sidle closer to Brigg's side, and them began trying to explain himself.

Brigg found himself feeling very sympathetic towards the rat.  What would it be like, he wondered, to be on your own, with no family at all? The rat must be lonesome, as well as hungry and cold at night.  Poor fellow.

He wasn't sure what to do however when the rat clutched at his paw and beseeched him.  Brigg didn't in fact know what it was like for rats.  He'd of course heard stories, but most of the adults in Barrow had always been civil to him.  He found himself a little annoyed by the rat's pitiful demeanor and wheedling tone.

"Here now, stan' up straight an' stop that beggin'.  Ain't respectable for a grown fellow such as yerself." Brigg brushed a bit of dust off the rat's shoulder.  "What's yer name, den?"

Corgan rolled his eyes and stomped his footpaw down.  "Thief, that's what ye may call the worm.  So t' weren't my ould eyes playin' tricks when I thought I saw somebeast sneakin' about 'round the garden."  He glared at the rat.  "Don't ye dare talk to my son as if he were the same as you, rat.  My Brigg's an honest and kind boy, things you wouldn't know about.  I've known vermin afore.  They're allus the same.  They may talk pretty lies, but they're allus the same."

Brigg was shocked to hear his father speak that way.  He'd never heard the mouse speak ill to anybeast.  He looked to Bruntil for some guidance, unsure of the whole situation.  He didn't know what to do, and his father's demeanor was saddening him.

———————

Character: Dougie

Dougie smiled slightly as Resh bounded off, amused to see a young one so like himself at that age.  He tucked the contract into his haversack, staring about the square for any other interested young ones.  Commotion caught his eye, near the edge of the area.  There were raised voices and a few creatures milling around, watching something.

He strode off in that direction, ready to try his paw at policework.  Dougie tried hard to exude authority; there were no hop-skips or bounds in his step.  He pushed his way gently past the crowd, and saw a strange scene.  A scrawny black rat was standing pitifully next to a much larger brown rat, who looked the part of a farmer.  A mouse was being restrained by a sturdy mole, and a black squirrel stood near to them.

"Here now, what's all this, wot?" He nodded to Bruntil, who must've broken up some sort of fight judging by how he was restraining the mouse.  "Who're these rats?"

Dougie kept a weather eye on both the rats.  Never could trust them, even seemingly unarmed.  He wished he'd had Thorn come with him. 

[W0NWILL]

"Urr, et bain't nothin'." Furff increased her pace, scratching at the whip marks on her back. "Jusk nothin'. Less jusk get too ee Burrow." No one had ever cared! He was just trying to make her let her guard down! She wouldn't, she resolved herself.

[Myrkin]

Character: Walnut Strider

Location: Barrow


Walut hadn't been convinced by Furff's words, but he knew better than pursue this subject. He had a feeling that he was already making molemaiden quite uncomfortable with his company. If she didn't want to talk about that fox matter, then he shouldn't ask.

He didn't know how to fill the silence, that followed Furff's response to his question, so he took out the berries he had gathered earlier. He ate some and passed the rest to Furff.

It took them hour or maybe even two to reach the fields and vegetable gardens surrounding the small village Barrow. Walnut thought that it was a very pretty place to live in. And it was peaceful too. Well... It looked peaceful, but Walnut's ears could detect the sounds of some commotion going on in the village. He couldn't yet see what was happening there. For a moment Walnut hesitated to go into the Barrow, but ultimately his curiosity won. He thought to himself: The local beasts probably have a celebration or something. Either way you left home to see the world, didn't you? Then stop standing here and move forward!

He just looked briefly at Furff to make sure that she was going in too and then he entered Barrow


OCC: I hope I didn't skip our journey too much.