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

[Hickory]

Jetfur shrugged, totally ignoring the wink. "I'm inclined to believe the Cap'n mate, seeing that you was the rat who lead us of'n our course into this woodland. I don't really wanna trust you with directions again."

[Ashleg]

Rapshade nodded approvingly in Jetfur's direction.
"See, Saltooth? That's why I was leading in th' first place. You'd only get us lost. Anyway, hurry up, I might be dyin', here!"

--

"Ahh, right, mate!" Fang said, racing ahead slightly so he was in front of Duncan.
"Look, I see it, there's Redwall!"

Duncan broke into a sprint.
"Then come on, the sooner we get there the better!"

[Groddil]

One-Ear walked alongside Crysanthe. He drew the crossbow.
"Duncan, Fang! Don't go runnin' ahead, you'll walk straight into Rapshade!"
The fox loaded a bolt to the crossbow, ready to fire just in case.

*****

Mortembell turned back to Begskin.
"How many soldiers out does Rapshade have?"
The stoat attempted to count on his paws.
"Er, er...one, two, four, twenty, eleventy-three, two again..."
Mortembell silenced the stoat.
"Enough, enough. Where is Rapshade's ship?"
Begskin scratched his head.
"Dunno. No ships inside."
Mortembell grabbed the stoat by the back of his neck. She hsuled him upright and dragged him in the direction of the lawn.
"Well, I'll take you outside, then!"
She turned to Grant and Ava.
"Comin'?"

[Ashleg]

IC-
Duncan stopped to sniff the air, turning to glance behind him at One-Ear.
"Calm down. He's not around here...We may have just missed him. We'll get him eventually, but Redwall comes first. C'mon, we're close!"

--

"Yes, yes," Grant said, following after Mortembell.
"Continue, I'm coming."

OOC-
Let's have the rescue party arrive at the gates at the same time that Mortembell and the others go outside.

[Groddil]

OOC: Time for a timeskip?

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Mmm...Sure.
Let's say the Pirates just returned to the ship and the Redwallers just got inside. Fang could meet Mortembell again, etc etc.
You can start.

[Groddil]

Mortembell pushed Begskin out the gate. She poked him with the sword.
"Alright, mudbrain, where's the ship?"
Begskin stared around dumbly.
"Er, er...I cant remember, I knows it was in the trees."
Mortembell threw her paws up in despair.
"In the trews? My, my, what help."
"Er, thankee marm. I can see some other beasts comin' up the path."
Mortembell shoved past the stoat, interrogation forgotten. She drew the sword and peered at the approaching creatures.
"Who goes there?"
One-Ear heard his mother's voice.
"'tis us, mother, with an army of shrews at our back."
Mortembell caught Begskin trying to slip away. She grabbed him roughly.
"Bout time with the reinforcements, Rapshade attacked while you were away!"

[Ashleg]

Duncan felt his throat go dry.
"He didn't kill anybeast, did he?" The hare and rest raced out to meet the Redwallers.
"...Mixy's dead," he said angrily. "If any of you got hurt, I swear I'll make him sorry!"

Grant looked shocked, shaking his head.
"No, Duncan...We are fine." He led the hare over to the side for a moment and the two conversed, ending in Duncan racing inside.
"He needs some alone time," Grant commented as he returned to the group, nodding in greeting to Chrysanthe.

Fang heard Mortembell's voice and instantly froze up, letting the others pass him by.
He cast a nervous glance at One-Ear.
"Help...She's..."

--

As soon as they returned to the Shadowcaster, Rapshade parted from the others and met with Vadoma so she could treat his leg. He was shocked and even a little bit angry by the fact that half his crew lie dead on the deck of the ship, but didn't show it.
Fang wasn't there, either. Had he been killed?
The ferret tried to think of something else as he sat on his bed, allowing Vadoma to rub a special poltuice on the wound.

"That should keep the poison from doing any further harm," the vixen said, beginning to wrap bandages on his leg to stop the bleeding. She growled and narrowed her eyes, abruptly pinning him to the bed.
"And stop squirming! You're the captain of a ship an'you're telling me you can't handle a little stinging? Grow up!"

[Groddil]

One-Ear finished the sentence.
"She is very sorry for how she treated you. Mother! I believe you owe Fangfang an apology!"
The vixen nodded and trotted over to meet the rat. She dropped to a knee.
"Fangfang, forgive me. What I did was wrong, I acted against my better judgement and should not have been so cruel to you. I am sorry."
One-Ear smiled and looked at the rat expectantly.

[Ashleg]

Fang glanced around.
"...Okay. It's okay. We're good, aye?" He grinned and offered to shake her paw.

--

"You grow up!" Rapshade snapped, pushing her away.
"I wasn't even aware I was doin' that. What do you think y'are, Vad, my mother? Please." He scoffed, shooing her away.
"Get me my medicine, will you?"

[Groddil]

OOC: You forgot to mention Redfang's corpse is lying on the deck now.

BIC:
Mortembell took the proffered paw and shook it. One-Ear folded his arms.
"One thing, mother. How did you drive off Rapshade?"
Mortembell chuckled.
"We have Muddle to thank for that. I rubbed some o' that poison he put in all of our food on my sword. I got Rapshade a nasty cut on his leg an' told him about it. Fool, even if it wasn't poisoned he would still have believed me, stupid paranoid ferret. So, he hightailed it back to his ship, but he'll either be back tomorrow or dead."

[Ashleg]

OOC-
With all the other bodies, he probably didn't notice.
IC-
Fangfang's attention trailed off to Begskin whilst Mortembell and One-Ear conversed.
He grinned and waved.
"Hey, mate, 'tis me, Fang! What 'appened? An' One-Ear, can we go inside? It's cold."

--

Vadoma angrily shoved the bottle towards Rapshade's outstretched paw.
"Why're you acting so weird?" She snapped. "You're usually like this with everybeast but me. Here, drink it." With that she spun around and left, leaving him to his business.

[Groddil]

OOC: True but Redfang is a lot more...decomposed than the others. He also stinks.

BIC: Begskin spat.
"Er, er...Did they capture you as well? I was attackin' with the chief when he runs away. Salty pushed me into that vixen, an' know I'm a prisoner. They put me up in the Infirmary with some crazy hedgehog."
Mortembell cuffed the stoat.
"Silence, idiot. Get inside! Unless Fang wants t'vouch for ye?"
She pushed the stoat prisoner towards the gate.

[Ashleg]

OOC-
All he's thinking about is his leg right now.
And let's just assume Skip and Bracklew are following along.
IC-
"No, I jus' came 'cause it seemed right, I think," Fang said, watching Begskin get led inside by Mortembell.
He followed Grant and Chrysanthe into the Great Hall, casting another glance at Begskin.
"Salty's always been mean..."

[Groddil]

One-Ear followed at a distance. He kept an eye on Begskin, the stoat could try to win Fangfang over. Begskin was led off back to the Infirmary and chained in by Mortembell. The vixen shot a glance at the still sleeping Muddle, and descended back to Great Hall. One-Ear spoke with his mother.
"Apart from Mixy, we had good news at the ship. Rapshade lost 'alf his crew, and we freed all the slaves. Poor Mixy..."
The fox wondered how Duncan was coping. He cleared his throat and addressed those assembled.
"Now is the time to strike Rapshade when he is at his most vulnerable. He is weakened by poison from his latest visit here, his slaves have been freed, and half his crew lie dead. With the aid of Log a log Crysanthe and the Guosim, we should be able to take him by surprise, and rid Mossflower of his evil forever!"
The fox thumped the table for extra effect. Mortembell stood up.
"I am with my son. Who else agrees? Stand if you do."