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

[Ashleg]

"Cap'n? He wouldn't do that, he wouldn't, he's my friend!" Fang protested, standing up.
"Most of us who ran an' weren't killed came back t' help when we weren't scared anymore. I was there...I think."
"You think?" Duncan echoed. "You were there as a fact, I saw you and we fought. What, can't you remember?"
Fangfang hesitated to sit back down, seeing that all eyes were on him. Mixy glared.
The rat curled his tail around his legs. "...Yes? I don't remember most of th' fight, that's all..."

[Groddil]

The normally tranquil Mortembell leapt up, surprising the assembled Redwallers with her ferocity, especially One-Ear.
"Don't give me that excuse, RAT!" she spat, voice dripping with venom, "Threeclaw is dead because of the captain who, as you put it," she adopted a mocking tone, "Is your friend."
She prodded the rat with a claw.
"If you don't have hard answers on where this piece of filth is and how I can send him to Hellgates, I do NOT want to hear it!"
Becoming calmer, she sat back into her seat.
"I dunno, the rat COULD be useful. He could know Rapshade's weaknesses, and if that fails, well," she glanced a look at Fangfang, "Maybe we can give him back." In a sarcastic tone she addressed Fang. "I'm sure your precious captain would be SO happy to have you back after you uselessly got yourself captured."

[Hickory]

Ava set down her cider. "This is all well and good, but we can't start figuring out how to defeat the vermin if we don't know where he is and what he plans to do. I think we should turn to Bracklew and Mixy for this."

[Ashleg]

Fangfang looked hurt as he sat back down, not making eye contact with Mortembell.
Instead he glared at the table.

Grant nodded in agreement with Ava.
Mixy looked like she didn't want to talk, so he glanced more at Bracklew.
"Do you want to say something?" The mouse inquired.

[LT Sandpaw]

Bracklew choked on a large gulp of water he had been drinking, surprised the Abbot was asking him for thoughts on the matter, he stammered gibberish for a moment. Then in passed over him, like a shadow, the young squirrel's eyes glazed for a moment. After those few moments his eyes were back to their usual bright green, his voice was steady, and his smile confident.

"Rapshade is sure to come back, we were unable to learn his plans, however he seems to bide his time, doing what he does properly. It is imperative that the walls, and gates are guarded, and Redwall's supplies counted. If at all possible scouts should be sent to watch the ship, reporting the ferret's movements. Creatures that know Mossflower well, and can move silently." Bracklew sat back, as if surprised at what he had said. Shaking his head he took another drink of water, his mouth slightly dry.

~*~*~*~*~

"Aye, I'll be down in one moment. I want to make sure he is safe." Calling up a novice brother Rayne left the little mouse in charge of the hedgehog with stick instructions to fetch her if something happened. Then washing her fur, and pulling on a new tunic, before descending the stairs.

Coming into the hall just as Bracklew finished speaking she frowned in slight annoyance that the only empty chair was right next too the two foxes, one of which knelt on the ground. Slipping into the chair Rayne glanced about curious to know what was going on.

~*~*~*~

The crew didn't react to the kick putdown of the searat, however more then one looked up as Redfang ran off. "Hoy somebeast ought'a tell th' Cap'n that E's new pet stoat jus' ran off." Somerat yelled.

Most of the creatures grunted agreement, but remained where they were. As Rapsahde raced out, and the crew turned to look the other way.

"Did he kill anybeast?"

The searat on the ground grunted, and picked himself up holding his ear. "Nay Cap'n, though e' near ripped me ear out O' me 'ead."

[Ashleg]

Grant, too, was surprised that what Bracklew had said had come out of somebeast so young.
A smile spread across the mouse's features. That squirrel would be a great leader one day, and he was sure of it.
"Very good, Bracklew, I wouldn't have been able to think of that if you paid me. Mixy, do you have anything to add?"
Mixy looked up and scoffed.
"I can't add anything except that he's the type of scum that's low enough t' kill a mother!" She shot Duncan a glare before rising from the table and storming off to her room.
Thoughts circled wildly inside the haremaid's brain as she opened the door to her room and slammed it behind her as she entered. Ohh, she died from sickness, he said. He lied, and for what, to not make me sad? Why would you hide the truth from me like that?

--

"Oh, well poor you." Rapshade sneered.
"Yer ear aside, next time he does that--if there is a next time--just kick 'im right back. He's new, so he doesn't have any authority over any of you."

[Hickory]

OOC: Should Ava go after her, or Duncan?

[Ashleg]

OOC-
If you want Ava to go after her, she can.

[Groddil]

Mortembell whispered to Rayne.
"I'm not sure if that rat's going to be very helpful. He says he can't remember what happened back when Rapshade attacked Salamandastron, when Duncan's young un lost her mother. Also says the Cap'n would never do anything bad." She scoffed. "Because the Captain is his friend. I say he's lying."

*********

Vix had reached Redwall. Her eyes were glazed with thoughts of loot. She knocked twice.

[Ashleg]

Fang looked up, having heard most of what Mortembell said just because it was so quiet.
"Pardon?" He curled his lip. "What did I even do t' you? I'm not useless, an' I'm not a liar."

[Groddil]

Mortembell snarled.
"Say one more word, you wretched waste of air, and after I'm done with your Captain I'll teach YOU a lesson as well!"
One-Ear silenced his mother with a claw.
"Did you hear that?"

********

Vix knocked again on the gate. She applied another coat of poison to her dagger, and pulled her hood further up on over her face.

[LT Sandpaw]

Watching Mixy rush off Bracklew felt torn between staying at the meeting, and going after Mixy, but only for half a moment. Jumping down from his chair he chased off after Mixy, concerned for his friend.

~*~*~*~*~

Rayne's ears twitched sighing inwardly. "Somebeast is at the gate again, I'll go get it Abbot Grant." Feeling she wasn't much use at the meeting Rayne slid down from her chair, and walked out onto the Abbey lawn. Her paws brushed against the grass as she considered the last days events.

Some things, could never be explained. Marching up to the wooden gate she paused, uncertain whether she should open it or not. "Whose there?" She called pressing her ear against the wood.

[Hickory]

Ava looked at Duncan. "Stay here and help Grant with the plans, you're much more of a fighter than I am. I can go after Mixy."

[Groddil]

One-Ear tailed Rayne out to the gate. Maybe his father wasn't dead after all! He got to the gate just as Rayne asked who was there. The voice sag out from beyond the walls.
"It's Mortembell. Hurry up and let me in!"
One-Ear spat.
"That's not my mother. It's that scum that killed my father." He brandished the katana and snarled.
"Open the gate."

*******

Vix snickered. It was working. She readied the dagger and adjusted her cloak.

[Ashleg]

"No...T-take it back!" Fang, for the first time he could recall, was mad.
The young rat couldn't think of any good insults, so he snatched a fork up from the table and leapt at Mortembell instead, aiming to knock her off her chair.

Duncan merely nodded at Ava, not having heard half of what she said because his attention was on the two vermin who were taking this too far.
Grant yelped and tried getting Ava to come back.
"Bracklew already went, Ava, grab the rat!"

--

Mixy heard pawsteps coming after her, presumably Bracklew's or her father's, but she didn't go to the door to make sure. If it was Duncan, she didn't want to talk to him. If it was Bracklew, she still didn't want to talk to him.
Sniffling and wiping a tear off her face, Mixy rummaged through one of her drawers where she stored the things she found in Mossflower that were interesting to her. The hare's eyes glinted fiercely when she found what she wanted.