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

[Hickory]

OOC: I doubt that any woodlander would use an acronym like ASAP. Whatever. (REALISM)

BIC: Asher looked up from where he was restringing his bow. "Alright. Where is Gukom anyway? Haven't seen much of him."

[LT Sandpaw]

The dead from the short but bloody battle were unrecoverable. Vigil and horde soldiers alike were torn to pieces by the crows of the Krah's tribe. Grah herself having slain three more of the Vigil herself had eaten so much that her crop was too full for her to fly up into the trees. The thirty eight remaining avian creatures in her tribe suffered from similar overindulgence, resting happily half asleep amongst the bushes. A few preened their feathers and stretched while others hopped around the battlegrounds looking for breakfast.

Standing Grah strutted through the horde careful to avoid the cooking fires. Her feathers once again shimmering bright. She had spent the entire evening cleaning the blood from her feathers. Only the large beak remained stained red, but that too would be cleansed when Grah took a drink.

She closed the distance towards Farden squawking to get the cat's attention. "Creeaah, earthwalker-cat-leader, when we move? The battle was good the blood was good, the Krah wants more."

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

To his credit Bracklew had stayed awake nearly until morning. But as the golden light began streaming though the infirmary windows his head drooped and touched his chest. His breathing slowed and he slumped against the side of his chair asleep. Snoring softly the young squirrel slumped further down into his chair.
  Rayne who had also stayed awake most of the night had departed to her dormitory where she remained.

[Hickory]

The wildcat was busy giving out orders to a few horde soldiers. At the sound of Grah, he turned to face the bird. "The horde won't be going anywhere soon. We need at least a day to lick our wounds and ready our weapons. Besides, the woodlanders know that we're coming. Right now, our worry is about a counterattack by the fox. So, I've sent a few scouts in different directions to find out more about our enemy, the lay of the land, and the Abbey itself. It's called tactics," he sniffed. "If you can actually get off the ground, I'm sure that you could fish in the river or terrorize the few unarmed woodlanders hereabouts. There are enough of them for your tribe."

[LT Sandpaw]

"Creeaah! The Krah kill many fish, many help-less earthwalkers, why kill more?" Grah mused twisting her head around so one large eye was fixed Farden. "No fight, just kill to eat, no hot blood from warriors, no fun. Graaah, not good fight. The Krah rest too, wait for cat Faren. Tac-tics. Creeaah!" This declared she swaggered back to her tribe bullying some of them away from a small rain puddle, before drinking her fill.

[Ashleg]

Rapshade had flipped onto his belly sometime in the middle of the night and was sleeping contentedly. Alas, why wouldn't he? It was the first time in nearly a season where he had been allowed a bed. Slowly but surely, with the sunlight filtering in, the ferret's amber eyes flickered open.
He glanced groggily around the room and then down at the pillow, not knowing anything that happened after he'd blacked out. He looked utterly confused.
How..?
The ferret, still hurting, propped himself up as best he could. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Bracklew sleeping hunched in the chair, and then stopped to take a glance at where some of the greater wounds had been.
Bandages?
Rapshade smirked, glancing again at Bracklew. "I must be dreaming.."

--

"Ah, yes, he is...now that I think about it. He's Daxian, isn't he? Shows how much he means to me." Alfhild, fine except for a scratch or two, was munching on her breakfast as she dismissed Grenlik with a flick of her paw. Then she turned to Daxian.
"You need to be punished for being caught, Advisor or not. What to do, what to do..."

--

Abbot Grant was indeed up.
He stood out on the snowy battlements, gazing around at the frozen wonderland which was Mossflower. The mouse did not look happy, however; his eyes were squinted and he had a look of distaste on his face.
The previous day's disrupted feast was still fresh in his mind.

--

Fangfang raced Maxy through the halls, giggling and laughing like he'd just done something he wasn't supposed to. Both rat and squirrel skidded to a stop near Drubble, Marble, and Stumbly on the way. Fangfang grinned and shook paws with Drubble rapidly in greeting. "Heya, you three! Whatcha doin', eh eh? Anythin'? No? Haharr, thought so! Max an' I may or may not've jus' pranked ole Duncan an' we was wonderin' if'n yer could 'elp us hide..."

[Hickory]

Fardan cautioned Alfhid. "Let's not get hasty. He might have information on the enemy army that we could use. Not that we shouldn't punish him," he added.

[Groddil]

Charm pointed to One-Ear's tent.
"Probably over there gathering whatever he needs to take with him."

*****

Drubble turned his head to one side.
"Oi 'ave plenty o' places t'hide in moi cellars. But whoi? Wutt did 'ee do?"

*****

Mortembell put a paw on her hip.
"I need t'find somethin'. You'll help me."
The ermine glared at her.
"Oh, really? Why should I?"
Mortembell grinned.
"Does 'badgers' treasure' sound good to you?"
The ermine scoffed.
"Everybeast knows that tale is completely bogus. The mountain-"
"I ain't talkin' 'bout the mountain, Dregped. I'm talkin' 'bout a place far older'n that..."
Dregped's doubt vanished. He leaned closer to the vixen.
"Whadda ya mean?"
"Ever heard of Moledeep? Or Brockhall?"
Dregped grinned, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
"Now I'm listenin'..."

*****

Daxian gave a rough cough.
"Yes, marm. Information, I have plenty. If you kill me, I won't be in any position to tell you."

[Ashleg]

Alfhild grinned and tapped Daxian on the nose, running a sharp claw up his neck.
"Of course I won't kill you, dear." She purred. "I'll just make you wish I did after you tell me everything that happened, all for your little sc rewup." The ferret backed away and paced around him, bracelets jingling eerily.
"The consiquence will be greater if you refuse. I'll rip you limb from limb....ahem! So? What is it, mm? I'm awful curious..."

--

Duncan could be heard yowling idle threats from down the corridor.
"N-no time fer th' tellin' tales, mate, tell us where t' hide!" Fang pleaded.

[Groddil]

Daxian shivered.
"W-what's what, marm? The information? Well, they scattered willynilly after the ambush, right? Impossible t'see which way was the right one. Well, I happened to see where they actually came from, when they jumped us. I reckons I can lead ye to their camp!"

*****

Drubble raised an eyebrow in concern, his leathery face wrinkled.
"Oi 'ave no oidea what it be's that yurr did, but oi thinks oi'm about t'find out. Go to moi cellar, hoide in the barrels."

*****

Mortembell had captivated Dregped with the tales of treasures beyond his wildest dreams, hidden in the ancient tree where Brockhall hopefully still resided. She took a map scrawled upon parchment from her satchel, waving it at the ermine.
"We'll follow this until we find Brockhall. You find me the way into Moledeep, I'll show you the scroll with the treasure map on it. Simple, innit?"
The ermine licked his lips.
"Sure is. Let's go."
The two creatures stalked off into the snow, their white fur blending in perfectly.

[Ashleg]

"Oh, I'm sure you can...But that isn't what I want. I'm sorry." Alfhild teased, her voice like poisoned honey. "What I do want is somebeast like you to take my, oh, I don't know... simmering anger out on? You do seem perfect for it, and the fact you got caught makes you even more available. Why, I could use you as an example! That way we'd never have a mess-up again."

--

"Run, Max, 'e's comin'!" Fangfang yelped, grabbing the Dibbun by the paw and hightailing it out of there. Just then, Duncan rounded the corner and raced up to Drubble, shivering and soaking wet.
"Why, the bally nerve! That bloomin' rat an' squirrel woke me up by pourin' a pail o' ice water o'er my head, the nerve of some creatures! Which way'd they go?"

[Groddil]

Daxian shrugged.
"Wouldn't it be better to take the anger out on the ones that attacked us, ma'am? I can help you to do that..."

*****

Drubble tried to hide his giggling, but could not contain himself. The cellarmole shakily pointed to the cellars.
"They went thattaway, zurr. They went t'hide in the cellars, burr hurr hurr hurr!"

[Ashleg]

"Oh, they did, did they now?"
Duncan smirked and ran off after them, leaving wet pawprints in his wake.
--

"This ignorance you've got going here is exactly why I must use you. Without fear, the horde will be lazy. With it, however...oho." Alfhild rubbed her paws together and whipped her sword out, positioning the tip where Daxian's heart should be.
"You haven't been showing the proper respect, Stoat. It's Chief, not "ma'am"!"

The vermin could tell by her rising voice that there was going to be a show. The most sadistic ones stopped what they were doing to watch, nasty grins on their faces.

Alfhild realized this and planned to humiliate him before beginning the beating.
"Get on all fours and say, lively now, that you haven't been showing the proper respect and that now you are the humble example...Daxian." She put pressure on the sword to coerce him into listening.
"Otherwise I'll stick ya twixt your ribs. Heehee!" She smiled pleasantly.

[Groddil]

Daxian shivered.
"S-s-ss-sorry, Ma-I mean, Chief."
The stoat gingerly lowered himself to all four paws.
"I-I haven't been showing the proper respect, chief. I'm the example of humbleness, your powerfulness...I don't deserve your mercy."

[Ashleg]

Both Alfhild and some of the watching horde snickered at poor Daxian's speech.
"He said it himself, mates-he doesn't deserve my mercy!" Alfhild announced, raising her sword high up above her head before coming down with a mighty blow to the stoat's back with the flat of the blade.
The ferret grinned happily and pressed her footpaw down on his neck. "Hmm, what should become of him, mates? I can either dice his tail into itty bitty pieces and continue the beating, or put him out of his misery. What do you say?"

The vermin watching laughed and whispered to eachother.
"Look, mates, I told ya. Th' older she gets th' more violent."
"Indeedy she is. Chop 'is tail!"

[LT Sandpaw]

His uncontrollable and slow slide out of the chair ended with Bracklew bouncing to the floor. "Wha- hey?" He grunted starting awake. He stood up quickly rubbing his tail end and glancing around the room to see if anybeast had seen him. His eyes landed on Rapshade and his ears pressed against his skull in embarrassment.

"Your awake, finally." He managed with what was left of his dignity.