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

[Hickory]

Asher pushed ont eh gate, but it was locked. Muttering insane curses, he banged on the gates. "Open up! We have an injured creature out here!"

[Groddil]

Mortembell stopped suddenly from pursuing Stumbly and Roscoe. She turned to Fangfang.
"D'you hear that? Sounded like somebeast shoutin'..."
The vixen waved to Ava.
"Hey Ava? You hear that shoutin'? Sounds like somebeast wants t'get in."

[Hickory]

Ava nodded. "I'd say. I'll go see what it is, no need to disturb the Father."

The badger ambled off to the gate.

[Ashleg]

"Stupid rabbits be ruinin' a perfectly good salad by th' looks o' it. Idjits.." Roscoe muttered, creeping after Stumbly. He kept himself low to the ground as to not be seen as he approached the window.
"Oh, yew want that? Heh heh. Consider it done, my small friend!" He quickly lunged up and snatched the pastie, then wheeled around on his hind paws and bolted out of there.
"Run!"

Duncan whirled around.
"What in the blazes?!"

[Hickory]

Friar Rusk acted quickly, he'd dealt with Stumbly before. "Quick, Duncan, get Mortembell! Everybody else, leave off your kitchen activities and start the hunt! We all know Stumbly's favorite hiding places, don't waste time."

Grabbed a copper ladle, he quickly left the room in searching for the culprits. "They're much too fast for us, find shortcuts to cut them off!"

[Groddil]

"Thanks, Ava. I'd get it myself, but Stumbly's gettin' up to mischief with that shifty Roscoe character."

*****

Marble spat some more blood.
"Ah, forget it. Go back to the Vigil. If I make it, they'll bring me in."

*****

Stumbly squeaked with glee and ran after Roscoe as quickly as her little legs could carry her. The mousebabe pushed past Mortembell and dived under the table.

[Hickory]

Ava nodded. "Not a problem, Mortembell."

With a heave of her huge paws, she lifted the bar off the gate and set it down on the snow. Opening the gate, she peered at Asher and the mouse. "I can see you're the hurt one, and that's far worse a wound then it sounded. Come in."

Asher shook his head. "No thanks, marm, I'll be going."

[Ashleg]

Roscoe darted after Stumbly, but to no avail. He let out a screech and crashed headlong into Mortembell because he wasn't paying attention, sending the pastie flying high in the air.
"Oof!"

Fang sniggered and grabbed Roscoe by the arm to pull him off.
The dazed weasel rubbed his head and then adjusted his hat snootily, staring down his nose at Fangfang.
"Er...Finally, somebeast I'm taller than!" Fang exclaimed, racing out of the room to let Roscoe deal with Mortembell himself.

"Are not!" Roscoe called after him. The weasel smiled guiltily and wrung his paws when he noticed what had become of the stolen treat.
"...I guess we can't eat that now, since it's on th' floor an' all..."

[Groddil]

Stumbly's eyes lit up with joy as the pastie splattered on the floor near her. The mousebabe leapt from under the table, diving straight into the food. Mortembell shakily pulled herself up, and dusted off her robe. The vixen could hardly suppress a smile at the sight of Stumbly practically swimming in the pastie. She reached down and quickly rescued the mousebabe, if it could be called rescuing. She held Stumbly's paw tightly and cocked her head in Roscoe's direction.
"So...why were you stealing food?"

[Ashleg]

"She put me up to it." Said Roscoe with a smirk.
"That an' I was hungry."

[Groddil]

"You know, you could have just asked...But is that true, Stumbly, you little rascal?"
Stumbly grinned smugly at Mortembell.
"Yep! I wanta to haff da pastie, so Wosco help me to get it, and he haff some too!"
Mortembell shook her head in mock disgrace at the mousebabe, who she ushered towards Max and Bracklew.
"Run along, you pestilence."
Stumbly let go of Mortembell's paw and skipped merrily away. The vixen shrugged.
"Well, I guess its fine. There's plenty of food here."

[Ashleg]

Duncan left the salad to Petu and walked up behind Mortembell. The hare raised an eyebrow at Roscoe. "Who's the weasel, Mortembell?"

[Groddil]

Mortembell shrugged.
"Some wanderer that knew the last Abbot. The Vigil took him prisoner, but he escaped."

[Ashleg]

"She's right, y'know." Roscoe curled his lip.
"The 'Vigil' is a bunch of baloney if'n you ask me. Anyway, all o' ya know my name now, but I 'ave no clue about you. So, hi, I'm Roscoe. Yew are...?"

[Groddil]

"Mortembell. I'm the Abbey Recorder, and One-Ear's mother. You've got a point, what he's doing does't please me, but what's an old vixen to do, huh? The hare is Duncan, he was a Long Patroller once. Came here after...after he lost his wife."
Mortembell dropped her voice to a low whisper, so as Duncan could not hear.
"He lost his daughter too, but he never seems to talk about it. You ever heard of Rapshade the Swift?"