Redwall Isn't Safe Anymore! (Is Redwall as Safe as they Say it is? Part Two)

[Ashleg]

"So somebeast will end up dead and the other drunk as can be? Foolish idea. Why not try to kill me paw to paw? Or just shoot me now if you want me dead badly enough to set this all up?" Alfhild mused, grinning at Daxian. She poured the wine but did not drink it, simply running a claw around the rim of the glass.
"I see you as a coward, you know."

[Groddil]

Daxian snorted.
"Killing you paw to paw is foolish. You are far stronger than me, even without my injuries. Shooting you now still gives you the opportunity to retaliate, or alert your followers, before I can reload. The poison, on the other hand, will choke you, meaning you have no way of letting them know before you die."
He began pouring his own wine, glaring at Alfhild.
"If I was a coward, why would I be participating in this... game? The answer, of course, is because I am not. Even if I drink the poison, I still have time to let off a shot with the crossbow. If it doesn't kill you, it would at least do serious damage in the right places. You know, making an enemy of me was stupid. I was your top strategist, even now I have pulled out all stops to kill you. I was surrounded by scores of soldiers, led by somebeast far more capable in battle than me, with nobeast to back me up. Being captured, for however short a time, was the only option I had that did not involve my death. And you act as if I chose to aid them. No, I escape the fox's clutches, come back here, and am rewarded by being disgraced, having my tail cut off, and then tied up like a cannibal's breakfast for days, until you decided which death would pain me the most. All this could have been avoided... Drink!"

[Ashleg]

"If I don't drink anything and you shoot me, I could very well be injured but, just as you said, I could still alert everybeast. You do see how many holes are in your plot, don't you? I could alert them now if I wanted to. Or I could take one of my weapons and kill you with it..." Alfhild paused to savor that thought before downing the drink and grinning at him.
It tinted her teeth red.
"I think I like you better without your tail, Daxian. It's just too bad that none of that treatment taught you your place. Pity, I say."

--

Fang blinked himself awake.
He couldn't see very well even when he tried to focus in on something right in front of him, and his neck and paws felt very numb.
Truth was, Vadoma had him very heavily drugged. In the case he woke up during treatment it'd be better if he couldn't feel anything.
What's happening? I'm probably dead!

[Groddil]

"Hah! Pull out a weapon. I'll have a bolt in your gut afore Ye even draw your blade, and probably a second just before you kill me. If they get you where it counts, well... Now, you see, assassination is not easy. I challenge you to think of an easy way to kill yourself.  This way, you have incentive to go along with it. Plus, even if I die... You come with me."
The stoat downed his own wine. The flag on was about two-thirds full. He slid it back to Alfhild.
"My place? You maiming me didn't teach me my place, it tore my place from me. Your retribution against me, if it can even be called that, war disproportional. Outnumbered and captured for several minutes? Stripped of a rank that I served you in for years, helping you win so many of your battles, and maimed. I like that word. Maimed. When you're dead, I'll maim you. I'll make your bones into armor and serve your remains in the feast for Fardan when he takes over properly. Maybe then I'll get my rank back... Drink!"

[Ashleg]

"Yes, because an old ferret's bones will do you so much good as armor...and I'm sure Fardan will be delighted to find out what he's eating. I'll agree that I like the term 'maimed' for you as well, however."
Alfhild poured herself another glass and gulped it before pushing the flagon rather roughly into Daxian's arms.
"You drink."

--

Vadoma was busy mixing poisons for Fastooth and saw Fang half sit up from the corner of her eye.
She turned around and leaned against the table, a snooty look on her face.
"So you're awake..."

The rat made to speak but found the vixen clamping her paws around his muzzle.
"You know, don't even try. You were stabbed in the throat, so chances of you talking now or ever are slim--don't look at me like that, you're lucky to be here at all!"

[Groddil]

Daxian poured himself a tankard of wine, sipped it lightly, and slowly reached the flagon across to Alfhild, now half-full. A few seconds later, he finished the drink and let out a burp.
"A joke, you old fool. Ever heard of 'humor?' I didn't think so. Only joke you know is your own life. Drink."

[Ashleg]

Alfhild winked at him before refilling her glass.
"No, the only joke I know is Rapshade." She paused to take a mock-sip, secretly letting most of the cup's contents drain over her shoulder.
"But as where he's a joke, you're so hard to tolerate that nobeast could ever find it funny. Drink up, mayhaps a little hydration will make your tail grow back."

--

Fang fixed Vadoma with a stern glare (as nonthreatening as it was) and looked away, brooding in his mind.

"Everything you said after your 'accident' seemed to be stupid or worthless anyway, not to mention that high voice..." Vadoma muttered, smirking as she ruffled the fur on his head and went back to doing what she was good at.
"You should sneak back to Redwall if you can find it. I definitely won't waste any more supplies on you."

[Groddil]

OOC: Maybe we could have Asher and friends take Fangfang back to Redwall. After Daxian's body gets tossed out of the camp, of course...

BIC:

Daxian flipped open the flagon and checked it. Only one third left. He refilled his goblet and drained it.
"Heh, now you're getting the hang of it. Dri- Dr- Ugh..."
The stoat knocked the flagon to the ground and shakily, but quickly, shot upwards, the crossbow in his paws. He pointed it at Alfhild, coughed and spluttered, then pulled the trigger, loosing a bolt at Alfhild.
"Heh."
The stoat crashed to the floor, knocking his chair down with him. The crossbow slipped out of his paws as he grappled with his throat. The stoat's eyes bugged out, his throat started to bleed as he scratched at it. Then... Daxian Claw was gone.

Having heard the commotion, Grenlik ducked inside, spear in paw.
"Chief? Whats..."
The weasel noticed Daxian's corpse on the ground, stabbing him just for good measure.
"Are ye injured, boss? I'll get Vadoma."

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Poor Fang can't be trusted to do anything himself.
Maybe they could meet him in the forest, because he needs to be out of there by the time Alfhild gets in or it'll be Vadoma for dinner.
IC-
Alfhild stood clutching the table with her claws, blood dribbling down her lower chest from where the arrow had pierced.
"I can walk there, I don't need her to come to me." The ferret grunted, getting up.
She trudged slowly towards the exit, holding onto Grenlik for a moment as a stabilizer.

--

Fangfang attempted a retort but was met with only blood rising in his throat, the medicine blocking out whatever pain was supposed to come with it.
This was probably what Rapshade felt like twenty-four seven.
I'd rather be dead!
The rat shakily got up and was imminently greeted with a headrush.
Oh how he'd be cursing if he could. 

[Groddil]

OOC-
Maybe they could meet him in the forest, because he needs to be out of there by the time Alfhild gets in or it'll be Vadoma for dinner.

OOC: That's pretty much what I meant.

BIC:

Grenlik handed Alfhild his spear.
"Here, ye can use this fer support. I'll get rid of the stoat, an' be back in a second."
The weasel rolled Daxian under the wall of the tent, slung him over his shoulder, and trudged towards the edge of the woods. When he was just underneath the tree Asher and co. were hiding in, he tossed the corpse into the bushes and walked back towards Alfhild's tent.

[Hickory]

OOC: @LT Sandpaw Still want to do the whole thing with Fastooth and Vadoma and Fardan?

[Ashleg]

Fangfang slipped past Vadoma and grabbed his cloak, fumbling to fasten it as usual before he stepped outside and broke into a sprint. Things weren't blurry anymore, but it was still night and he had no clue how to get back--or if he wanted to.

Alfhild took the spear an began making her way through the snow and onwards to Vadoma's tent.
The arrow wasn't in deep, but it was still there.
She snorted and peeked inside.
"Fox! Daxian shot me. Get some bandages right now..."

"Yes, my Chief."

[LT Sandpaw]

OOC: I guess not... We'll just assume they did it off screen or something.

IC:

As he crossed the encampment heading towards the tent Fastooth came across Grenlik heading in the same direction. Falling in step with his weasel counterpart Fastooth frowned at him incredulously.
"Wot ye doin' cully? Ain't ye suppose to be guardin th' center camp?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wot could go wrong? We know better then to go out into Mossflower now, and they can't reach us inside Redwall." Petu answered Duncan confidently. "We're Redwallers, we don't lose, at least not much. Aver's otter crew an' the Vigil will keep us wounded heroes safe. I'm sure of it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Having completed their round of the small wall gates Bracklew and Gillpaw made the journey to the large main gate on the west wall. This gate had been upgraded over the winter so that nobeast could open it from the outside using a sword. As had happened when Rapshade had entered the Abbey only a few seasons before.

It didn't take a master carpenter to tell that the gate was extremely well made, and capable of holding off any attack for some time. "Well this was a waste of time." Bracklew commented prying his sword between the planks and leaning on it. They held, hardly splintering. "Any horde could spend their lives trying to batter this down, Say Gillpaw." Bracklew asked suddenly, changing tact in the middle of his sentence. "If you were trying to capture Redwall, hypothetically of course, how would you do it?"

[Hickory]

Gillpaw stared at the squirrel for a few seconds. "Well... I guess I don't really know! I suppose I'd do it now, when the Abbeydwellers are all holed up from the cold, and they can't grow any food. That'd put 'em at a disadvantage, but also fer us, right? If ye were attacking through snow, that'd hinder your efforts, right?"

The otter ran a paw over the sandstone wall. "Though these walls are pretty impenetrable. And with the Vigil all dug in the ground, we probably 'ave such a huge advantage in movement."

OOC: I'm having sooooo much trouble getting into the character of it being the middle of winter... I keep thinking it's spring or summer or fall...

[Groddil]

OOC: Same! XD

BIC:

Grenlik shook his head.
"No, rat, I was offduty when I heard the commotion. Daxian came back fer Alfhild. She's on 'we way ter Vadoma. 'Ang on, wot're YE doin'? This is the Officer's campsite."