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

[LT Sandpaw]

"You're insane," Bracklew murmured, clutching his head as a second wave of revulsion hit him. His whole body shuddered, but he was still awake. It appeared Asher and Harnam both had succumbed to the effects of whatever Jergle had given them. But why wasn't he?

Struggling against himself Bracklew rose to his footpaws, using his chair as support. He reached for his sword hilt, but his paw lacked the strength and coordination to draw the blade. "Asher, get up, Asher!" Bracklew hissed to the black squirrel to no avail. Looking fearfully at Jergle the young squirrel shook his head, and even though his body was recovering some, it was a battle just to focus his eyes on the mouse.
"Don't do this, please. We come from Redwall, we can give you enough food to last a lifetime. Its good food, please."

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

Fastooth attempted to match Rapshade's sneer, but it looked more like a forced grimace then a condescending smile. The big rodent grumbled as the two ferret's talked, deciding instead of listening to the discussion he would better spend his time inspecting the siege equipment Rapshade considered 'good'.

"These thing in't finished," He raved kicking the structure in condemnation, immediately regretting the act as it left him with bruised toeclaws. "Urh, theeem don' 'ave th' soaked leather staked on ter keep 'em from burstin' into flame." Fastooth did an amazing job of hiding the pain in his voice, even as his toes throbbed. "An did ye 'ear it rattle jus' now? Its structurally unsound see."


OOC:
@Groddil
Could you have Jergle move towards Bracklew, intent on subduing him or something, so that he has incentive to run?

[Ashleg]

Rapshade grinned down at Fastooth, tilting his head.
"Oh, I think it's ready. If it hurt you it's good enough for me."

[Groddil]

"Rrr, shut up! I've already told you that I'm not spending the rest of my life chewing on plants. I need MEAT!"
Jergle grabbed his cleaver and started to walk towards Bracklew.
"Forget him. I'm having you first. Hopefully it'll shut you up!"

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Oi Grodds, how bout Charm...

[Groddil]

The Vigil guard nodded, as she pushed the gate shut behind them and barred it securely.
"Good. She's down in the Caverns, just take that lift."
She pointed to the barred-off area of the lawn.

[Ashleg]

The shrews nodded and filed in one by one, chatting quietly together until they reached the ground.
The leader stepped forward, hesitated and then said, "Charm?"

[Groddil]

A nearby mouse was tossing rocks into the underground river, which still managed to flow in between the cracks of the cave-in that had blocked it.
"She's down that tunnel. Just say you're here to see 'er, and somebeast'll take you to her."

[Ashleg]

They headed down the tunnel and then tried again, seeming more tired and irritable.
"Can we just speak to Charm?"

[Groddil]

The watervole on duty let out a sigh.
"Reason for visit: Speak to Charm. *Sigh* Go right ahead, and take two lefts, then take the lift up to her quarters."
The large rockfall barrier that blocked the tunnel rose once again out of the ground, allowing the shrews passage into Moledeep.

[Ashleg]

The shrews would've been impressed if they hadn't just watched the vermin horde slay their clan.
Wordlessly they filed past the watervole and followed his directions, until each of them stood outside of what they guessed to be Charm's quarters.
Couldn't Charm just come to them?
"Hello..." Said the first shrew, glancing around. "Charm? We come from the Guosim."

[Groddil]

The otter emerged from a side room.
"Yes? What do you need? Guosim are always welcome here."
She cleared several maps and documents from the large table and motioned for them to sit down.

[Ashleg]

The shrew stepped forward and shook her paw.
"Name's Benyo, Marm." He took a seat, fidgeting with his paws as he thought of how to take a gentle approach to what he wanted to tell her.
There really was no easy way.
"These few I have with me are all that's left o' the Guosim. The 'orde invaded our camp and Rapshade killed Log-a-Log."

[Groddil]

"Rapshade? Oh, for the love of-"
She spread the map back over the table, studied it for a while. Before she could speak, Spinoraz stepped off the lift.
"We've sat around for long enough. If the Redwallers weren't so lazy that they were content to sit around and let the horde prepare...".
Charm shook her head at the Vigil Captain.
"It's too late now. One-Ear's got about twoscore of us out on mission, so we've got no chance of taking out the horde in combat."
"Then we cut off the head of the snake. Give me twenty beasts with spears. We'll find the horde, charge the leaders. While they're pre-occupied with fighting some of us off the others'll overwhelm 'em."
Charm scoffed.
"You're talking about a suicide mission."
He nodded.
"That I am, marm. That I am."
Charm let out a sigh.
"I can't let you do this, Spinoraz. But I won't stop you from doing it."
The huge hedgehog laughed.
"Good on you, marm. Good on you!"
The lift descended, leaving Charm with the shrews. She shook her head sadly.
"If they attack the Abbey, I don't know what we'll do. I can only think of one option, but it's ridiculous. Nobeast'll like it."

*****

Shadomay and Drubble sat in Cavern Hole, the remains of a platter of food in front of them. The mole sat not upon a chair, but on a small chest.
"So, Drubble. Is that it?"
He nodded.
"Burr aye, marm. 'Tis done, oi melted down 'ee few bits o' metal an' reshaped 'ee locks, like 'ee one on Rappyshade's ol' cellar."
"And the chain?"
"We 'ad plenty o' choins left over from th' prison, an' oi managed ta find a likkle more, yes zurr!"
"Okay, good. Here, we'll give you a hand with the box. Let's go lock up the wallgates."

*****

While one vixen was busy fortifying the Abbey, the other wandered through the Abbey halls.
"Fangfang?"
Mortembell spotted the rat's yellow fur.
"There you are. I need you to come with me. I've met somebeasts who might be able to help you."

*****

At the tree of the stoat tribe, One-Ear and the other soldiers with ascenders had just reached the top of the ropes fired by the crossbowbeasts. They leapt onto the platforms erected among the branches, drawing blades. Several stoats jumped at them, screeching, but the crossbowbeasts cut them down like flies. One-Ear, whirling the Governor's blade, led them deeper into the canopy. Celio motioned to Applelad and those under his command.
"Squirrels! Get up there and help 'em! Make sure nobeast gets overrun up there!"
The mouse fired his crossbow once more, dropping another stoat.

*****

Meanwhile, in the Wetlands...

Shamolt, the squirrel who had escaped Seacloak's reign of terror with One-Ear's group, sat in a tree somewhere far north of Mossflower. He stared at the huge, frozen lake, which, unlike the rivers, had not yet woken from its slumber. A shrew thudded down next to him.
"Seacloak has already left, and the guards are growing lax. Is it time?"
He nodded.
"It is."

[Ashleg]

Benyo shifted. "We have to do something. They can't just kill us like this, it's wrong..."

One of the other shrews raised her voice in a desperate little wail. "But what about us, why don't we just leave and start somewhere anew?"

--

Fang grinned nervously and started after Mortembell, wondering what she was talking about.
He halted only when he saw Duncan heading down the stairs, waving his paws at them.

"Where are you two off to, somewhere important? It's about time I get back on my paws and ready to fight, wot wot!"

[Hickory]

Holding a lance in one paw, Applelad sent a stoat screaming on his way to Hellgates. "On my way!" he replied, hopping up further. The stoats kept on coming, but the Vigil kept cutting them down.