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

[Ashleg]

OOC-
No, Liam was.
Also I'm kinda waiting on Groddil to post so you guys can go ahead.

[Groddil]

OOC: Sorry guys. First aid courses and all that.

BIC: Damien Branchsnatcher hurried to the gates, flanked by Charm and Rivertail. The squirrel nodded to Asher and began to speak in a low, but slightly mocking tone.
"Another one; a vole this time. Your creatures are still gettin' killed; you need t'do somethin'. Mount wallguards, get the Guosim to patrol the nearby woods, I don't really care. If you keep sittin' here feastin', sooner or later every liddle band o' vermin from here to the Fire Mountain is gonna try to get in at some point. Lookit 'ow ye dealt with Rapshade, surely a liddle concern fer your own safety'll help. Our job is t'protect Mossflower, but fools who do nothin' to help themselves are dead to eyes o' the Vigil."

*****

Drubble Cellarmole sat quietly in a corner of Great Hall, testing drinks with Stumbly and Max. The cellarmole waved pleasantly as Mortembell and Duncan approached.
"Gudd mornin' to ye zurr, an' you too murm.  What can oi do fer ye?"
The vixen took a quick drink of strawberry cordial offered to her by Stumbly and looked at the stack of casks.
"I take it you're ready? Need us to lend a paw?"
The mole shook his head.
"Oi brought up everything, murm. All 'ee drinks 'ee cudd need tonoight, all 'ere."
Mortembell nodded with satisfaction.
"Best just make sure that these two don't drink everything before the feast even starts. Come on you, go play outside."
Stumbly nodded. She tapped Max and ran off giggling. Mortembell whispered to Duncan.
"Bless 'em. I 'ope they don't 'ave t'go through the same things we 'ad to. Hope they stay innocent."

[Ashleg]

Grant flattened his ears and shook a paw at the squirrel, taking a step or two forward.
"Now Damien, don't go calling us fools!" He snapped. The mouse frowned and narrowed his eyes, clenching and unclenching his forepaws in annoyance.
"A vole this time, you say? And what is there for us to do, besides keep everybeast inside? Nothing! Just like you said, you protect Mossflower...and all of this is not happening here at Redwall, it's happening just there; Mossflower." He scoffed and began walking inside, shutting the gates behind Damien and Asher so no unwanted visitors would happen to stop by.
It angered the Abbot each and every time the Vigil members told him of a new death.
"And what is this nonsense about vermin bands coming? We haven't had any problems with that since Rapshade, and I'll say, we took care of him greatly. I'm not worried about vermin bands coming to Redwall."

--

"What are you thinking, sending two Dibbuns outside in weather like this? Mortembell." Duncan clicked his teeth and ran off after the two young ones, skidding to a halt in front of them.
"On second thought, Mortembell wanted you to go wake up Fangfang. Isn't that right, Mortembell?" He looked up and winked in her direction, hoping she'd take the hint.

--

After watching Aver a while more, Rapshade chose to speak.
"I have a name, you know. It's not "ferret"."

[Groddil]

The vixen shrugged.
"Yes, of course. Go on."
As the two Dibbuns ran off once again, Mortembell rolled her eyes.
"They wouldn't have done what I told 'em to anyway. That Stumbly'd just turn around soon as I couldn't see, raid the kitchens, then go annoy Ava. And it really ain't that cold, stop worryin'."

*****

Damien kicked the gates in rage.
"FOOLS! DITHERING IDIOTS! DON'T LISTEN TO US, STAY WITHIN THOSE WALLS AND DIE THERE! I MAY OT APPROVE OF ONE-EAR'S METHODS BUT BY THE GATES OF THE DARK FOREST, WE'RE TRYING TO HELP! THROW IT ALL AWAY!"'
The squirrel bared his teeth and stormed off into the woods.

[LT Sandpaw]

OOC: I think that the Abbot closed the gate when Damien was inside.

BIC:

"Oh aye ferret, but th' name Rapshade sounds to cap'n'ish fer ye don't ye think?" Aver had finished his soup and slapped the empty earthenware bowl down by the wash drain next to a massive pile of greasy pans and pots.

"Right matey there be a lake an' a half o' grease here that needs scrappin'. Friar don' like idle paws, ye clean em off, I'll wipe em dry. Step to it mate."

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Yeah, Damien and Asher are inside.
Unless he's just raging inside? Because in that case, Grant will be laughing...And so will I. XD
IC-
Duncan sighed, watching as the two ran off.
He clutched his paws together and glanced at Mortembell. "I have a reason to be overprotective, you know," he said almost blankly.
"Anyway, Drubble, wouldya mind letting an old hare like myself test the drinks, wot wot?"

--

Rapshade took a deep breath, reminding himself that he had to be calm.
He put on an extremely fake-looking smile and snatched a rag up from the side of the sink so he could begin washing the plates.
"Ha hah...Y' know...My mother named me Rapshade. I get t' keep my name, don't I?..." His voice sounded desperate and despite the forced smile he did not look happy.
He grabbed Aver's bowl and dunked it under the water.

[Hickory]

OOC: I'm gonna wait for Bracklew to make a move.

[LT Sandpaw]

OOC: I'm not entirely sure where Damien and Asher are. Is Asher still in the Abbey? Because Damien stormed off.

BIC:

Laughing Aver picked out a ragged looking washcloth and waited for Rapshade to complete the first dish while twisting one of his whiskers thoughtfully. "I dunno mate, I suppose if'n she actually named ye Rapshade she must'a disliked how ye looked. Though if'n it tis an' insult, I suppose I c'n stomach callin' ye by it. Eh Rappy?"

[Hickory]

The black squirrel stared defiantly back at the Abbot, butting into the argument between Damien and the mouse. "Abbot, sir, I completely respect the role that your Abbeybeasts played in the takedown of the sea vermin Rapshade and his crew - a black rat's body washed up on the shore not a few weeks ago - but I seriously doubt that ye have enough warriors inside the Abbey to effectively defend yoreself. I fended off the Abbey from Flitchaye a bit ago, aye, there was an Abbot not dissimilar to you. But we had a lot o' 'elp, warriors from the woodlands like me n' Damien. Not to mention a badger."

Asher drew an arrow strapped the outside of his quarrel instead of the inside. It was a barbed tip; a vermin-made arrow. He showed it to the Abbot. "This here's the same arrow that pierced my side after that battle, a ferret archer snuck up on me. I got him right back twixt the eyes, his corpse may well be there covered in debris. My point is, Abbot, Mossflower isn't safe. Mayhaps the Abbey made it safer, but never will a beast be free to walk the forest unharmed."

[LT Sandpaw]

"Hey squirrel," Bracklew snapped spreading his arms akimbo. "Look around, nobeast is attacking the Abbey. Besides even if they were there are more then enough creatures ready to drive them off." His tail flicked as he jabbed a claw at the irate Damien.

"And everybeast knows Mossflower isn't safe, just the way it is. What would you have us do? Arm everybeast up, tell them some unknown enemy is about to attack them? If you haven't noticed Redwall is supposed to be a place of peace, its not some military base of operation. We aren't about to pick up swords and slaughter everybeast that twitches their nose wrong at One-ear. If we have to fight to protect this Abbey I will be the first to draw my sword." Bracklew's paw dropped to touch the hilt of his sword, the blade of Martin the Warrior.

"But you can't come in here and frighten poor Abbeybeasts to death with warnings of, 'there might be a boogybeast out there that will come and kill you all.' So if you have nothing else worth saying leave." Realizing he had just said more words to one beast then he had all that season Bracklew shut his mouth glaring resentfully at the older black squirrel.

[Hickory]

Asher immediately turned and pushed open one of the huge front doors to the woodland. "Well, that's that. If you feel that way then we might as well leave. Coming, Damien?"

[Groddil]

Damien glared at Bracklew.
"Coming. Let's let these arrogant beasts stay here with wool o'er their eyes."
The Vigil squirrel scoffed as he left the Abbey.

*****

Drubble brandished his mallet fiercely at Duncan.
"Don't 'ee even dare, zurr. Thurr be enough fer erreybeast, let it stay that way."

[LT Sandpaw]

 Hackles raised Bracklew stalked after Damien bending over to scoop up a pawful of frost and mud. Lips pulled back in a growl he hurled the clod of muck into the back of Damien's head splattering the other squirrel with the frozen grit. Wiping off his paw on his tunic Bracklew chattered his teeth hissing at the older squirrel.

"Arrogant? Looks whose talking, you like to talk big, and the Vigil likes to brag about their accomplishment, murdering outnumbered creatures. Why don't you come in here and face up to me, pull the wool off my eyes why don't you?"

[Groddil]

Damien drew his sling, quivering with rage.
"Brag about our accomplishments, do we? You should be grateful, because the world out there would be a difficult place for soft little Abbeydwellers like you. Want to fight me do you? I'll show you how we keep Mossflower safe!"
The squirrel snarled, fitting a stone to his sling and swinging it hard towards Bracklew's left paw."

[LT Sandpaw]

Seeing the sling coming Bracklew tried to pull away, he was fast but Damien was faster. The loaded sling connected with his damaged paw, the force of the blow and Bracklew's off balance attempt to dodge sent the younger squirrel heavily into the frosted grass. Spitting in pain Bracklew clutched his damaged paw to his chest as he picked himself up.

"Yeah, safe? Clearly, except you came here to tell us how unsafe the woodlands are. Make up your mind!" With those last words Bracklew leapt forward swinging a punch at Damien's face.