Siege on the Mountain

[Cornflower MM]

It was mid spring at Salamandastron, and all seemed peaceful. . . . Seemed. In reality, the mountain was in dire shape. The hares had no Badger Lord, most of them had died from a strange sickness that had passed in the winter, and the worst news of all - A Wearet and his horde were coming to take the mountain! Yes, indeed, the mountain was in dire shape. Who is to save the mountain? Peaceful Abbeydwellers who barely know how to hold a sword; precious few care-worn locals; otters from Green Isle? Will they all be able to get along just long enough to save the mountain?

Most important of all is the question ringing on each and every Salamandastron defenders' mind: Where is the Badger Ruler?

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OOC: Well, I finally got it up. Come on, y'all, let's get this show on the road! Jump in!

[Lady Ashenwyte]

OOC: I'll make Mia start some distance from the mountains.

Mia squinted as she saw the silhouette of the great mountain against the sky. She looked closer at the distant place but to no avail. She strung her bow and drew an arrow. She didn't know the lay of the land, and she wouldn't be taken unawares in this strange place.

[Faiyloe]

Martha stood before the great mountain fortress Sallamandastron looking out to sea. The ocean breeze tugged at her dress and shawl while flying sand and salt stung her legs. She hugged her baby Tibben close to her and shaded his eyes from the sun with her shawl.

Even though his mother was an albino Tibben did not look like her, instead he had beautiful black eyes and baby soft brown fur.  Martha ran a loving paw through his fur and kissed him. He looked like his father, Amuse.

Martha loved Amuse and she would not let herself believe he was gone. He just disappeared one day and they never saw him again.  Some said that he died of the sickness, others said that he ran away because he did not want to be a father, and some said he was captured by vermin and taken away. But he would never have left her and he couldn't be dead, he just couldn't, besides there was no body found, but she hated to think of him enslaved somewhere far away on a corsair ship somewhere.

She heard paw steps behind her and sighed.

"Ye know you should not be out here, wot," a familiar voice said as a hare by the name of Heather Malty McCuttlely III came to stand beside her. "There are bally vermin on the loose, it's not safe for you to be out by your self with a child,"

Martha looked out into the distance over the water to the horizon, "I can't help hoping that he is still out there somewhere,"  She turned to looked at Heather, "Is it very wicked of me to wish that he is alive even if them means he is suffering terribly?"

"He is either dead or he isn't, you can't change a bally thing wishing. If Hoping keeps you going go ahead and hope. One foot before the next, left, right, left, right, chin up, don't stop till night fall and the whole wheeze. That's life an' if you stop you don't continue, so keep hoping for Tibben's sake."

[Delthion]

Degloc was in one of his moods, jovial and angry at the same time. He was furious with his captains, which he had just found out that most of his captains had betrayed him. His captain, the one he called Dai, because he never could pronounce his name, had told him of all of the plots of the other captains, how they intended to win over the horde by promises of rich treasures on the southern shores. But Degloc had been devising a plan since he had heard of this a few hours ago. He decided in the end that he should must brighten his mood entirely, by holding a duel between the mutinous captains and any who would dare oppose them, he had noticed weasel over the past week and was nearly certain that she would enter the duel, and succeed. The captains, although they commanded the respect of the crew, were not as skilled with weaponry as many thought, and any as skilled with a blade as she would succeed. He had already planned the order of combat which his mutinous captains and loyal hordebeasts were to fight. two captains would fight each other, and then the live one would proceed to the next round, where they would face the loyal beast, and most likely die. For no one who was not more skilled than the captains would dare join. He walked out from his cabin and loudly proclaimed. "Now me hearties! We're going to have some fine entertainment! There will be a duel held here! I nominate all of my captains except Dai, as you know he has come back from a rather lengthy scouting expedition and will not be able to take part in this. I will except one other person to fight, and then death will begin! The victor will be promoted and have a sizable reward of gold and the like! So on for death and plunder!" Then he walked around the deck watching the rather startled hordebeasts and watched for a volunteer.

OOC: Is this alright Ash?

[Faiyloe]

a weasel by the name of Elya Nyreenen Savota stood close behind Degloc in the shadow of some crates. She heard everything he said and she saw what he was doing. She knew about the mutiny, her ears where sharp and she heard everything that wen't on, on that ship. She had not spent two seasons of her training in complete darkness for nothing. She knew he was trying to eliminate them, she also knew that most of the crew was inept and incapable of completing the job, If some clod took the challenge out of greed Degloc's plan would surly fail, so she steeped forwards.

"I'll take yur chalange, I'll fight fur de position,"   

[Gonff the Mousethief]

Marshall followed behind the group of Redwallers and locals that were approaching the mountain. He knew something was going on, as he had been an avid visitor to both the Abbey and Salamandastron. The group assembled seemed well off, which by any means that he knew, fighting, bartering, or trading was either due. Peace was a prize and oh did the coast deserve it.

The Blue Fox stayed a good way from the group, not wanting to spark conversation, but got close enough to hear speaking, hoping to get clues on the entire battle plan (Or what ever they were mustered for).

OOC: Hope this okay. I didn't know where the group was yet.

[Lady Ashenwyte]

Daisuki watched the weasel step forward and grinned. Those mutinous scum would get what they deserved. "Now, now, look here, these so-called "brave" Captains don't have the guts to fight a doe. What a sight, I say" he guffawed, hoping to lure the captains into a trap they would never forget.

[LT Sandpaw]

"Major Blackthorn it has come too my attention that this mountain is low on current Hare defenders. Most of our forces are made up of recruits and mountain elders"
The Major said nothing holding the stiff position of attention he ad maintained since entering the room. A low sigh came from the hare in the high back chair he was facing.

"Shirrea its only the two of us, you may stand at ease." Blackthorn nodded sliding into the at ease position and coughing loudly into the back of his paw.

"Right so I'm assigning you to be in charge of recruitment training, I believe Sergeant Highear has them in formation already, probably sweating their fur off by now wot."

For the first time Blackthorn spoke his voice was rough and irritating to the Colonel's ears.

"Right sah I will get on it right away. Permission to know how many I will be training?"

The Colonel glanced at his papers slowly biting his lip. "I'm afraid were at a all time low Major, were looking at five new volunteers and one draftee, I've heard you like a challenge right Major?"

"Six, six recruits, an' one that doesn't want to be here," A steely look of resolve crossed the old hares face and he snapped back to attention staring straight ahead. "I'm willing to try sah."

"I'm serious Shirrea you don't have to do that, wotever your dismissed." The Major Blackthorn snapped a quick salute and preformed a about-face marching out of the office down towards the sand where he knew the recruits would be waiting.



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The cheers and shouts of vermin entertainment rattled in the ears of three beasts that hung back. They cast occasional dark glances at the mob but continued their gambling never the less. One of their number, a tough looking rat named Sven hadn't even looked up leaving his concentration on the game.

"What's goin' on o'er there Gimpy?" The weasel Gimpy glanced over before turning back to the dice.

"Eh chief said somtin' bout gettin' cap'n rank if'n ye fight for et, interested?"

"Not as interested as in dat gold earrin' oh your'n." The stoat Rotear laughed.

"Even now that it there's mine." Sven chuckled collecting the shiny item. Gimpy scowled, he had liked that earring.

"Ye ain't cheatin' roight?" His eyes passed over the pile of items Sven had collected from their game. Sven smiled sliding the pile of acquired junk back over to his shipmates.

"Lean in 'ere mates I got somethin' ter share with ya while that lot are busy see." Both stoat and weasel grabbed their respective belongings before leaning in casting glances over their shoulders to make sure no one else was listening.

[Eulaliaaa!]

  Maple sat high up in the branches of a tree, cleaning some dried blood off her machete. She didn't bother to glance at the body of a dead rat that lay within view, he was no different from the others that had all pleaded for their lives. A coward, a murderer, and a liar.
  The squirrel pulled the hood of her cloak up with a heavily tattooed arm, putting her machete in its sheath. Nimbly, Maple hopped down to the ground and continued on her way to Salamandastron. She knew the way by heart, having traveled near it often and stolen supplies when she could. She sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose, the shore was close enough to smell.

[Jukka the Sling]

It had been around a day since a strange group of about four young hares and about ten other assorted woodlanders had arrived in Lora Cass's elm grove.  The squirrel had watched them from the trees, a loaded sling in her paw as the group settled down for a short rest.  Finally, Lora had decided they were friendly and leaped down from a tree in front of a young hare who looked to be the leader.  Upon inquiring what their business was in her land, the young hare, his eyes betraying the worry he felt, had told Lora that a Wearet was approaching the fire mountain and that there were very few defenders.  "We could definitely use some more beasts, wot!"

It was then that Lora had made up her mind to aid these creatures in the defense of the mountain.  Evil needed to be stopped, even if it didn't immediately concern her.

And now it was that the squirrel found herself nearing the mountain with a motley assortment of creatures (including a blue fox).  She had never been there before and had always thought of it as the "fire mountain".
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Bridget, a book in her paw, was sitting in her room, fretting over Salamandastron's state of affairs.  It was unusual for her, but she was worried, really worried about the news that a Wearet was coming.  But she pushed her glasses further up her nose and studied the book more intently, hoping that she could learn something more about battle strategy that could help her fellow hares.

[Skyblade]

OOC: Hope this is fine!

IC: Salamandastron was beautiful from a distance: a majestic pillar of fortitude, a mountain clearly outlined against an otherwise flat and unassuming beach.

Wonder what it's like from up close, a young otter thought as she stared at the destination once so far and impossible but now looming closer and closer as time went by. She had heard of this place; who hadn't? It was a place of war, honor, strength and justice. The adventurous otter had always wanted to see it. But not like this. The stronghold was falling apart, and for once, it was the most powerful ones that now needed help. That was what the otter hoped to bring.

And I'll find...vermin! she thought, baring her teeth in a smile. Life was an adventure to her, an adventure full of risks she wouldn't dare miss out on.

"Mystery, young chap?" The otter turned around as a hare called to her.

"Yes, sir?" Mystery raised her head confidently.

"We'll be arriving at Salamandastron shortly. Ready yourself, we don' know what types o' chaps we'll come across there. Bally vermin, friends, expect them all. See you at shore, wot?"

Mystery nodded and gave a smile. "Right back at you, fellow. Wot?"

The hare grinned and his floppy ears perked up into the air. "That's the spirit, chap," he said before walking away, most likely to tell the others the same thing.

Mystery looked up the sky, a smile appearing on her face. Vermin hunting, her favorite sport. Except maybe exploration. But what was she getting? Both!

Feeling a little spark, the wild one tipped back her head farther and yelled, "Waaaaaaooooooooooooo!"

She whipped back to Salamandastron, her sharp teeth glinting in a ferocious smile. The hares had chosen right, she thought. Nobody was more up for an adventure than her.

"We're facing a grand battle, chaps", the hares, two of them, both young ones, had said to her and the other beasts of Green Isle when they had called them forth. "Be prepared."

Mystery's somewhat unnerving smile grew and she started panting a little.

Oh, I always am.

[Cornflower MM]

Aiden Brushtail was sorely regretting agreeing to going to the fire mountain, to help defend it against a Wearet and his horde. Rubbing his head, he listened to the bickering of his sister, Arya, and the teenage hare, Kerpuffle. "Enough, you two!" He commanded, opening his eyes to the sight of Arya letting the poor hare go - She'd had him pinned up against a tree. "Thank you. Now, can we get on with this? I thought time was pressing?" Turning, Aiden started striding in the direction of the mountain with a sigh. This is going to be a very long journey. HE thought grimly.

[Hickory]

OOC: Have we gotten any horde-posts yet?

[Faiyloe]

OOC: Yes a few actually, Me, Del, Ash and LT all posted.

[Hickory]

OOC: Uh, ok.

BIC: Kef tested her dagger blade on a paw before sheathing it underher jerkin. She was stomach down on a huge boulder on the shore, scoping out the area. Sand, rocks, pebbles, sand, rocks, pebbles. Predictable. Kef smiled a little before hopping down off the rock, heading into the trees to rejoin the horde. The others had chosen to neglect their duties as hordebeasts and duel instead.

When she reached the encampment Kef sat down on a rock and observed the current going ons.