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

[Hickory]

A sharp rap on his jaw from the hilt of Asher's dirk made the weasel wince. "Hey, either you stay captured 'ere until you die from starvation, or you do what we ask of you and you might 'ave a better chance 'o survivin'. Then agin, there's a bigger chance of you dying. I would think it's a good deal, aye?"

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Lessen up on the powerplaying, please. That goes for you too, Grododile.
Remember how in part one we'd ask before PPing?
IC-
Roscoe flinched and glared up at Asher, flattening his ears.
He tried to talk despite his smarting jaw. "Really? I'd rather starve than have my eyes ripped out. Tough luck gettin' me on your side. It's a horrible deal. What kind o' Woodlander are you, anyway? An' I thought you guys had honor...or that you at least liked me a little, Asher."

[Groddil]

OOC: Okay.

BIC: One-Ear growled.
"No honor among thieves, Roscoe. You go out there and draw out Muddle, you can go free. Otherwise, we throw you straight back into the pit, and you can die down there with Damien."
The fox nodded to a mouse, who opened the wooden grating over the pit.

[LT Sandpaw]

 Glancing over his shoulder as he slipped the Woodland Greater into the oven Petu nodded sagely. Using his large back foot he closed the over door and then went over to stand next to Duncan.

"Aye sir, you can't ask for anything much better then that." The rabbit winked at Duncan and slipped a tomato slice off the salad and into his mouth. "Mm, sweet and juicy, this Abbey sure knows how to grow its food. Though this salad could use some shredded cheese, and maybe some crushed acorns. Don't you think?"

[Hickory]

OOC: I didn't think that that was too much powerplaying, but I'll stop and ask. (Detente y peinsa!)

BIC: Asher looked away. "That was a long time ago. Honor ain't the right thing. Remember that ferret Rapshade? He was supposed to die, but those Redwallers kept 'im alive. He jus' tried t'escape today. An' that's 'ow 'e pays back mercy from woodlanders? Yore sorely mistaken. If you wanted honor, ye should've gone to Redwall."

Brush and Applelad approached Asher. "Sir, we couldn't 'elp overhearin' your conversation," said Applelad. Brush continued. "We thought that the section of the path that goes into the woods would be the ideal place to ambush Muddle."

"Very well. Harnam, go over there with the other two and start setting up for a stakeout. Charm an' I will follow up."

Asher didn't lock eyes with Roscoe as he spoke. "Ye'll 'elp us, lessen ye find it easier to roam the woodland constantly on the alert fer a crazy hedgehog an' a stoat."

[Groddil]

Mortembell appeared in Fangfang's doorway.
"Lying little Dibbuns, aren't you? Morning, Fang."
Stumbly giggled at Mortembell and skipped past her down the hallway. Maybe they could find something in the kitchens...

*****

Drubble was bringing more drinks up to Great Hall when he heard strange sounds coming from the side cellar. The hedgehog sat on a cask near the door.
"Err, zurr Rappy, are yurr alright in thurr?"

[Hickory]

Stumbly was dwarfed by the huge figure of Ava. She blocked the Dibbun from entering the kitchens by simply standing in the doorway. The badgermum put on her best Dibbun-humbling frown and glared down at Stumbly. "Where might you be going, eh?"

[Ashleg]

Roscoe went back to chewing the ropes.
"Uh-huh, Foxie, keep spewin' rubbish. I'm a thief, but you're a murderer." He looked up, eyes glimmering tauntingly. "You could technically be considered a thief too, y'know, 'cept the difference 'twixt us is that I steal objects an' you steal lives and objects--like my dagger over there."

He turned to Asher when the squirrel replied, sneering.
"Guess I don't matter anymore. It was too long ago."

--

"Oh, I bally well do think!" Duncan giggled, throwing open the doors to the pantry.
He ran inside and came out with a small block of cheese and a bag of acorns, setting them down on the table.
"I'm pretty sure there's other good stuff in there, too. Why don't we just make a mix of everything we can find? I'll call it the Petu-Duncan Delight!"

--

"No, Imma 'onest squirrel." Max said, smiling innocently before bounding after Stumbly.

Fangfang chuckled and padded up to Mortembell, pushing down some fur that was sticking up on his head. "Hi? What's goin' on, are you an' the little ones tryin' to prank me? There's not even a window in here. I don't know where 'e got that from... Sounds like somethin' I'd say."

--

Rapshade lifted his head when he thought he heard Drubble's voice outside the door.
Had he been crying that loud? Angry with himself, the ferret called in reply, "I don't know why you even care!"

[LT Sandpaw]

Rubbing his paws together Petu grinned mischievously. "Excellent plan sir, maybe some onions, and chestnuts, and watercress, then we can mix a topping of honey and oil." The rabbit vanished into the pantry and reappeared with his arms filled with a random assortment of food items. Stacking them along the counter he produced two freshly sharpened knives and offered one to Duncan.

"Your sword sir, shall we bring battle to these vegetables?" Bracklew who was watching half interested from the sidelines raised an eyebrow at the odd collection on the counter. But held his silence wanting to see the outcome.

[Groddil]

Mortembell laughed as she followed Fangfang down the hall.
"You gotta love 'em, 'ey Fang? We were all young once."

*****

Drubble shook his head sadly.
"Thurr's no need to be saddened zurr, oi loikes talkin' with 'ee. Yurr shudd be thankful to be yurr, it bain't worse than havin' Mortybell's young 'un get 'is paws on 'ee, burr aye!"

*****

One-Ear spat on Roscoe.
"Except the beasts I kill all deserve it. Stop chewin' on those ropes, or so 'elp me, you'll be joinin' 'em, and we can find someone else to lure out Muddle."

OOC: Permission to get Charm to try and throw Roscoe in the pit. so it psyches him into helping?

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Permission Grant-ed.
Grant, granted! See what I did there? 
IC-
"Yes, wot, let's give 'em blood and vinegar!" Duncan shouted, chopping into an onion with his new 'sword'. He grabbed one of the newly sliced halves and waved it up and down, talking in a high voice, "'Oh no, sir, don't put me in that bloomin' salad!' But I have to! 'Not on my watch! Hi-ya, ya!' Aaaaaargh! That's it, I'll get you now! 'No, nohoho!'......F-father Abbot!"
Duncan's ear stood up rigidly, and the onion dropped from his paw to the bowl.

Abbot Grant stood in the doorway, looking confused and amused at the same time.
"Duncan, why were you pretending that onion was attacking your arm?" He mused. "I'll never understand you."

--

Fang grinned.
"Yeah. But I'm still young, it's you who was young once!" The rat stuck his tongue out and bounded down the hallway before Mortembell could do anything in reply.
"Betcha can't get me!"

--

Roscoe growled, "Sure. Try an' justify it. Idjit."

--

"It's cold an' dark an' it hurts, sir, please, I can't take it anymore."
Rapshade murmured, gritting his teeth. He'd never said much more than a word to Drubble in the past; their conversations had been one-sided.
Still, the ferret sniffled and wiped a tear away with an angry swipe of his paw. He wanted nothing more than what he used to have, but he knew he'd never get any of it back. His whole life had come apart in front of his eyes that day in the fall when the Redwallers came after him.
"At l-least tell Mortembell I'll work again--please, Drubble."

[Groddil]

OOC: Cheers.

BIC:

One-Ear kicked Roscoe to the ground once again.
"Fine. See how long you last in the pit while Damien bleeds on ye. Charm!"
The female otter crossed over to Roscoe's side. She rolled the bound weasel into the pit and slammed the cage door. Dusting off her paws, the otter yelled down into the pit.
"Not exactly Redwall, but its yer new home!"

[Ashleg]

OOC-
What about all your other characters? XD
IC-
"Ughh...Stupid cage, stupid squirrel. Fine!" Roscoe snapped. "I'll do yer bidding, One-Ear, but I'll do it my way. Now lemme out!"

[Groddil]

OOC: Derp.

BIC:
One-Ear shook his head sadly.
"Change your mind often, don't you? Sorry, but I have other business to attend to first. You can wait."
The fox strode off towards his tent. Along the way, he stopped at the side of a hare not much older than himself.
"Buckhorn. I've heard good things about you. How would you like to take Damien's place as Second-in-Command of the Vigil?"

*****

Drubble wiped a tear from the corner of his eyes.
"Burr hurr hurr, oi'll certinkly 'elp yurr zurr. Nobeast shudd have t'be trapped down thurr. Oi'll go talk ter Mortybell naow!"
The cellarmole blew heavily into his apron and toddled up the stairs towards Great Hall.

*****

Mortembell stopped for a breather at the foot of the stairs.
"Yeah... *huff* Fang. I ain't as *puff* young as I...used to be. Insolent young...beast, go play...with the Dibbuns. Leave...the feast...to the adults...hah hah haaaa...uuuh. Oh, 'ello Drubble. What...is it?"
The mole waved a digging claw at her disapprovingly.
"Oi was talkin' to zurr Rapshade, marm. Oi thinks ye shudd give 'im another chance to wurk, oi do!"
Mortembell dismissed the matter, taking several deep breaths and walking off.
"He's had more than enough chances, Drubble. He needs some time alone."

*****

Damien felt something thud into his back. Weakly, he reached out instinctively, groping and grabbing at Roscoe.
"Help...me!"

[Ashleg]

"Help you? Uuh." Roscoe wrinkled his nose in disgust and rolled off of Damien, snorting under his breath. "You ain't gettin' any help from me. You'd only turn on me once it's been a few years an' we haven't talked for a while. Just like Asher!" Said the weasel loudly. "You know why?! Because you'd be too busy with helping a group of jerks do their things!" His voice rose evey few words till it was fairly obvious he was talking more to Asher than anybeast else.

--

Fangfang waited at the top of the stairs, inching slowly away because he wanted to see if Mortembell would chase after him or not. When he decided it'd been too long he crept back over there. "I 'eard you mention Rapshade....Er, Drubble."