Is Redwall as safe as they say it is? (Role-play thread)

[LT Sandpaw]

The young squirrel flinched at Mixy's words, he had to he had no choice. Why couldn't she understand that? "He was going to hurt you Mix... Your my friend I couldn't let him kill you I had to say something." Bracklew left out that he had been more worried about himself at the time. Horrible pangs of guilt rumbled though his empty stomach, those two scones seemed like so long ago.

Was he even a Redwaller anymore? Would he be accepted into the Abbey after what he did. Mixy was brave, she had to live and get home. She still had a family, Bracklew was a woodland orphan, not many cared about him and he didn't deserve anything from those who did. He would get Mixy home... And then what? Life as a hermit didn't sound appeasing.

Bracklew's thoughts were interrupted by Fangfang's sudden question. He looked up at the skinny rat, but dropped his eyes down again. This rat was probably braver then he was.

Saltooth winked at the slave driver as he walked out of the cabin. "Ho there Jetty, wot did th' Cap'n say mate?"

[Hickory]

Jetfur paused to talk to Saltooth. "We're gettin' some new slaves soon. Oh, get Blackclaw, Cap'n wants both of ye in his cabin 'innimently' or sump'n."

[LT Sandpaw]

The steersrat shook his head then cast a meaningful look over to Blackclaw who was loitering a small distance away. A fox standing next to Blackclaw ambled over with him and all three stood together waiting for Jettfur to move out of hearing range.

"Yer is it be time mates?" The fox asked testing his hook. Saltooth shook his head but kept his voice low.

"Nay, but th' Cap'n wants ter speak wit' me n' Blacky, be ready if'n we call yer." The fox nodded and walked off standing close to the cabin door. Both weasel and rat sauntered up to the door pounding on the wooden frame.

"Ey Cap'n ye asked fer us?" Blackclaw shouted as the two kept their paws conveniently close to their weapons.

[Ashleg]

Fang rolled his eyes.
"What, ya think I'm gonna 'urt ya?" He dropped his voice so Jetfur couldn't hear. "I'm not...I jus' want t' know yer names."
"I'm Mixy," Mixy snapped. "Now will you leave us alone?"

Rapshade opened the door a crack, smirking at them.
"'Tis time for you to scrub the ship like I'd said earlier." The ferret's voice rang out mockingly, almost in a singsong way. He too had his paw on his weapons.

[LT Sandpaw]

The steersrat and weasel blanched at the forgotten chore. They had thought he would have been to busy with other matters to remember such a thing. Saltooth considered whipping out his new sword and fighting, with such a blade in his paws he thought he could defeat any foe. But victory or defeat such a duel wouldn't end well for him. He disregarded the idea simply nodding at Rapshade.

"Aye, aye Cap'n. We're gettin' rite ter that." Both rat and weasel tugged their ears in a salute before backing out unwilling to turn their backs to the unpredictable captain.

Once out on the deck they found themselves some buckets and brushes, and grumbling loudly began their task with little enthusiasm.

[Hickory]

Jetfur tugged the chained Mixy and Bracklew down into the oar deck. He unchained two other oarbeasts, the oldest in the line of oarslaves, and put the new woodlanders in their place. "Yew just stay there, now," said Jetfur, "as I take these wretches up onto the deck." He faced the two oldbeasts, a mouse and a hedgehog. "Yore lucky we're in a river, otherwise you'd be sharkbait."

[Ashleg]

As soon as they were out of sight, Rapshade called to Vadoma, who came rushing inside with an angry look plastered on her face.
"Vadoma. Thank goodness, I couldn't wait any l--"
The vixen locked the door and held one finger up to his mouth. "Shut up. I saw you back there, scratching away. You know you're not allowed to do that."
The ferret let out a pained sob as he tore off his coat and began scratching relentlessly at his shoulders. Thin black fur went flying everywhere.
"But I'm so itchy, Vad! And the coughing's getting worse!"
The fox healer growled and walked over, fighting to gain control of his paws so he'd stop. She ended up pinning him against the wall.
"That's because you're sick! Just calm down." She released him and slowly backed off. "If you don't stop with this you won't have any fur left. And if the crew ever finds out, you're as good as dead to me."

--

Mixy watched Jetfur take the two old slaves up on deck, to do who knows what.
Once he was gone, she turned to Bracklew, looking sad.
"Oh Brack. I don't know what to say to you right now."

[LT Sandpaw]

"Then don't say anything Mix, I'm not worth talking to anyway. I did nothing but get Brandon and Creekpaw killed, and I was to much of a coward to hold my tongue before Rapshade. Now everybeast at Redwall is in danger all because of me." His ears and whiskers drooped lower then they had been the squirrel's looked at his paws with self loathing, hating himself.

"Ah shut yer trap tree-rat, ye ain't the only one with a tragic story so suck it up n' live with it." Bracklew turned and looked over his shoulder at the slave bench behind him and Mixy. Seated there was a sleeping hedgehog and a small harvest mouse.

"Th' names Bimble." The mouse continued his voice had an edge to it that irritated Bracklew's ears. "An if ye want to last long down 'ere keep yer 'ead low and work 'ard."

"Bimble... I know that name from somewhere." Bracklew murmured. So much had happened in the last few hours.

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Some character development here...
IC-
"But I have to say something wether you like it or not...You're my friend." Said Mixy with a yawn, turning around to face Bimble when he spoke.
"What makes you think you can talk to Bracklew like that?"
--

"But--"
"Stop feeling bad for yourself and take your medicine, ferret!" Vadoma snarled. She whirled around and handed Rapshade a cup of water with some kind of herbal mixture inside.
He curled his lip at it. "You know I don't like this."
"I never asked if you liked it or not. I never asked you anything. Sit down and drink it." The seer ordered, waving her paw at the bed. Her captain quickly downed the drink and plopped down, folding his arms poutily. "You are not my mother."
"Actually, I kind of am. Who took care of you after your mother died? Me."

[LT Sandpaw]

As Bracklew turned away shamed by Mixy's insistence that they were still friends, Bimble laughed with his grating voice. "Listen little missy wot makes ye think anybeast 'as rights down 'ere?" The mouse shook his head showing his scared ears from seasons under the whip. "Ye new fishes just do wot everybeast tells yer to and ye get along fine."

~*~*~*~*~

Both rat and weasel had finished scrubbing the upper deck, and by using several cheep bracelets as bribes they had gotten some other pirate to do the forecastle. They stood watching Jetfur pull up two older slaves with interest.

"Ey Jetty wot ye be doin' wit yon slaves mate. Sometin' new fer th' cookpot? SL sure could use somtin' worth eating eh." Saltooth called over to Jetfur while slopping river water along the deck.

[Hickory]

The Slavemaster looked up. "Eh? Oh, naow. Gonna pin their arms to their sides, gag 'em, hobble their feet and toss 'em into the forest. Should be some fun, eh? Maybe we can give them a headstart - then hunt 'em. Whadda yew think?"

[LT Sandpaw]

Both and Blackclaw and Saltooth glanced at each other then nodded before turning back to Jetfur. "Sounds good mate, though wot if'n we make em scrub th' ship first." He indicated the buckets. "Th'n 'unt em."

Blackclaw laughed at the thought throwing down his bucket. "Aye mate, I'll get us some grog ferm th' galley n' we'll drink while they be a workin'. Th'n we 'obble em an' give chase. Like ye said Jetty mate."

[Hickory]

Jetfur smiled airily. "Oh, we'll give 'em some time to run. More of a challenge that way." He stepped over the bucket of soapy water. "Oh, and they'll be staying on deck, chained to the mast. I have the key. good luck cleaning the deck, you'll need it." He snickered before finishing wrapping the chain around the mast and slaves. He added the key to the large ring he had and sauntered off to the bow.

[Ashleg]

"Everybeast has rights no matter who they are or what they've done." Said Mixy matter-of-factly. She snorted indignantly and folded her arms.
"And for your information, whatever your name is, my father is a Long Patrol hare. When he hears about this, the vermin can kiss their captain goodbye! Foul kidnappers!"

--

"And I remember when you were a dibbun," Vadoma continued.
"Old witch! I'm still the one in charge, ill or not!" Rapshade growled, coughing as he stood up and waved the vixen out of his cabin. The ferret slipped on his coat and began buttoning it. "...You're here to help me and that's where it stops. I never asked for a history lesson. Begone!"

[LT Sandpaw]

"Vermin riddled backpawed scum o' th' seas." Saltooth hissed drawing his new sword. Blackclaw stayed his paw muttering to his companion.

"Old 'ard mate, give 'Im a moment ter step on th' soapy patch o' deck."


~*~*~*~*~*~

"Oh is that so little missy, so I'm guessin' yer father loves ye dearly an' e's on 'is way ta save ye right now." Bimble scorned. "We'll now, wot if'n Rapshade 'old ye up and tells yer old pa that e'd kill yer if'n e' attacks. Wot then?" The mouse pressed leaning back on his bench. Bracklew jerked up looking around at the mouse slave, then to Mixy in horror.

"The pirates, they can use us as bargaining chips with Redwall!"