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

[Ashleg]

"D-deserve? Bracklew..." Rapshade smiled disarmingly as he unsheathed his sabre and got up. His tail flicked crookedly as he approached the young squirrel--he seemed reluctant, if almost unwilling, but he went at it with words anyway, desperately trying to fill the role of a fearsome captain once more.
"You owe me, y'little whelp. I helped y' fix yer paw, so yer indebted. You can't kill me, but I can kill you..."

Deciding not to let any more time flee his paws, Rapshade took a swing at him, but it was topheavy and he went stumbling as to not fall flat.
The ferret huffed, flicking his eyes back to Bracklew as he suddenly jumped at him with a much stronger attack, cleaving the blade through the air and at the squirrel's ears.

--

Roscoe fled just then, smirking as usual as he stepped onto the fresh snow with a new relish.
The Redwallers were winning and the horde was nearly defeated.
He felt no loyalty to either side, no obligation to join back in the fight for anything but amusement like he had with Aver.
Now, where to?
"It's up t' me. No more Alfyhild callin' to come home." Roscoe answered himself. His pace quickened to an excited run. "Ha! Roscoe the Rogue is back at it again!"

--

Fangfang chuckled.
"Huh, sure, guess y'ave a point, Petu. Lead th' way..." He grinned sheepishly and stepped behind the rabbit. There was no way he was going first.

--

Duncan snuck back inside after knocking a few more vermin out of action for the time being.
"Anybeast in here need help?" He called, padding down the hallways with his sword poised.

OOC-
Ay Sand, I think the more we get in now until Fardan's death the better it'll be.

[LT Sandpaw]

Ducking beneath the saber Bracklew heard the blade sing past his head, the razor blade slicing through the tufted fur at his ear tips. Gritting his teeth the young squirrel rolled away from Rapshade, jumping to his footpaws and readying his sword.
"I don't owe you anything Rapshade, you murdered Chrysanthe and Mixy and so many others. Its time you pay." A slight twinge in Bracklew's stomach made him wince, but he pushed the guilt aside, determining that Rapshade's actions that day was nothing more then a cheap trick. It was the kind of thing Rapshade would do.

Lunging forward Bracklew attempted to knock Rapshade's saber to one side so he could stab the ferret through the stomach.

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

Following the sounds of the struggle Petu glanced inside each room as they passed, occasionally looking to see if Fang was still following. A sound a little ways away alerted the rabbit and he raised his sword.
"Whose there?" He called boldly.

[Ashleg]

Rapshade found himself focusing on their verbal exchange rather than the fight, and he was late to dodge and block the blade that Bracklew jabbed towards his middle.
He whacked it at the last minute, diverting it away from his stomach but still letting out a shattered scream as it struck true in his side.
Clawing at the bloody wound, he swung at the squirrel, pushing the pain down beneath him.
He had to survive long enough to kill Alfhild. He could hurt later.

--

Fang tensed. The shadow on the wall was growing closer....he felt his paws tighten around his sword.
At last the unknown creature spoke. It was a familiar voice.
"Petu...?"

[Hickory]

Neatly sidestepping the body and Shadowmay's rush, Fardan watched as the fox missed him. The wildcat waited for her to regain her footing, than rushed in with his sword, testing her defenses.

[LT Sandpaw]

Enamored by his early victory the squirrel spun his stained sword away, parrying Rapshade's swing. Paw ringing from the vibrations of the heavy clash Bracklew leaned back on his heels winding up for a powerful blow. "Remember when I told you stomach wounds heal slow?" He taunted, bringing Martin's sword across in a round-house attack. "Well, that one I just gave you wont ever heal!"

~*~*~*~

"Yeah that's me." Petu called back, while trying to hide the fact that his fur stood on end and his voice trembled. "Show yourself please, I warn you, I'm armed."

[Groddil]

As soon as she had shoved the fox's body past Fardan, Shadomay whirled around, taking an arrow from her quiver and stabbing it towards Fardan's sword paw. Pulling the sword from the corpse would take too long.

[Ashleg]

"Why...won't it?" Rapshade's dangerous sabre shot out just in time to protect him from the powerful blow, and he even managed to push Martin's sword back and away from him long enough to get a grip on what he was doing.
Breathing through his mouth, the ferret kept his eyes trained on Bracklew. If he looked away from his target for just one moment, his focus would go back to his side wound and he would likely faint.
That couldn't happen, not yet.
"How foolish I was t' think anything good would come from that moment..." he panted, swiping at the squirrel again. Some hidden anger flashed in his eyes as he realized that he didn't deserve for Bracklew to uphold his promise. He wouldn't have.
He had to end this...

--

Duncan stepped out from around the corner, flashing grins.
"Flippin' fires, Petu, aren't we all armed? You're okay! And Fang, too."
He wiped a gray paw across his brow. "What a relief."

[LT Sandpaw]

"Because I'm going to kill you!" Bracklew yowled, stumbling back to regaining his footing. The young squirrel was about to lunge again when the saber slashed out at him. He dodged away, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid the blade entirely and got cut on the shoulder.
Wincing Bracklew felt his sword arm grow weaker. His good arm, a lucky blow for Rapshade. "That single act meant very little after you betrayed me, leaving me to Fardan and Alfhild's mercy. Then you joined them and attacked my home, again!" Leaping forward Bracklew delivered a kick, following up by slashing towards Rapshade's wound.

~*~*~*~*~

"We're fine, me and Fang just thought he heard somebeast in trouble down this way and came to investigate." Petu explained, lowering his sword and stepping closer to Duncan. "How's the battle going?

[Hickory]

The arrowhead caught the paw guard on the sword and jerked Fardan's  paw away. A minor annoyance at most, but the wildcat still found it frustrating. In quick succession, he made a diaganol strike at Shadowmay's legs and another one at her neck.

[Ashleg]

Rapshade withstood the kick in order to be able to deflect Bracklew's more vicious attack.
"I know what I did," he spat through gritted teeth. "But who will kill Alfhild if you kill me?"

Taking an uneven step around the squirrel, the ferret watched, hoping soon Bracklew would tire.

--

Duncan's ear twitched proudly. "We're winning, we're bally winning. Th' only ones left for the most part are the leaders."

Fang flinched noticeably but didn't say anything on that, instead nodding down the hallway.
"'S somebeast walkin' around or somethin'?"

[LT Sandpaw]

Warily stepping in time to Rapshade's footfalls, Bracklew kept a close eye on the saber. His own sword remained out, the tip wavering a bit as his arm grew tired.
"Why would you want to kill Alfhild?" He questioned, wondering if this was another trick intended to make him lower his guard.

~*~*~*~*~

Snapping back to being on alert, Petu raised his sword once more, challenging the shadow that Fang spotted. "There's three of us, who are you? Come out now and show yourself." He felt much bolder now that Duncan stood beside him. The Salamandastron hare was a trained warrior, capable of defeating any odd vermin.

[Ashleg]

Rapshade shrugged mutely.
He hesitated and then aimed a downward cut at the squirrel's sword paw, not bothering to continue engaging in the conversation.

--

Nobeast stepped out of the shadows, but a crackly female voice rose in laughter.
"Silly Bunny!" she boomed. "I could be casting false images for all you know...throwing my voice...oh, but the one thing that's certain is that I won't come to you. You will have to come to me."
The lanterns flickered and the shadow vanished.

"Alf'ild." Fang breathed, finding an unhappy wail start rising in his throat.
"Oooooohhhh, Petu, why'd y'ave'ta go an' start this?"

[LT Sandpaw]

The sword's guard protected his paw, and Bracklew followed through the successful, albeit lucky parry by stabbing towards Rapshade's eyes. If the ferret wasn't going to answer the question, there was no reason for Bracklew to press the issue, and his suspicious were more or less confirmed. It was a trick on Rapshade's part.

Behind them Rayne watched in fascination, inching her way around the duelers to reach the door.

~*~*~*~*~

"Because we gotta finish it, we can't let her get away." Petu answered, surprising himself with his sudden spark of courage. "C'mon Fang, stay behind me and Duncan." The rabbit pressed forward, stopping suddenly, lowering his voice. "Err, Duncan, what's the plan here?"

[Groddil]

Shadomay weaved to one side, narrowly avoiding the first strike, but moving directly into the second. Fardan's rapier whizzed past her head, leaving a thin slice across the left side of her face. Weaponless, the vixen desperately looked around for a way to defend herself. A mouse charged the wildcat, spear in hand, but was quickly cut down by a weasel. Shadomay snatched the spear from the fallen soldier and ran the weasel through, before turning back to Fardan. The vixen lashed out with the spear, aiming for Fardan's chest.

[Hickory]

Fardan attempted to dodge the blow, but the spearpoint drew blood from his chest, leaving a fresh wound. "Hmph," said the wildcat, adrenaline lessening the pain. He carved a semi circle in the ground with his rapier, daring the fox to try again.