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

[Groddil]

Damien gave an unsettling chuckle.
"So that's it? Just gonna leave me here? All 'o ye? Yer no better than that fox! I 'ope you all die with 'im! Hear me? I'LL SEE YOU AT THE DARK FOREST'S GATES!"
The squirrel bashed his head into a tree trunk, then vaulted onto a branch and disappeared through the foliage.

*****

Meanwhile, the three companions were close on the tail of One-Ear and the remaining Vigil soldiers. Rivertail was scouting ahead; the burly otter prodded at the carcass of a hare, torn to bits and still clad in the remnant of a Vigil tunic. Rivertail motioned for Charm to join him, and she obliged. The female otter looked at her brother worriedly.
"He's still warm."
Rivertail turned to look at Asher, when a barbed arrow shot down from the trees and thudded into the otter's neck. Rivertail gasped, gave two short steps, and collapsed on top of Asher. Two more shafts struck the otter's back as Charm screamed in pain. The female otter was locked in combat with a large, grizzled rat. The rat growled as his rusted blade sliced open his enemy's leg. Charm stumbled backwards, kicking out at the rat. She threw her spear, which pierced the rat's paw. He dropped his sword and jumped upon Charm. More rats emerged from the bushes and dropped from the trees. One rat drew his bow and loosed a shaft at Asher.

[Hickory]

Like chain lightning Asher dodged the shaft and slung his knife, burying it deep in the vermin's chest. He counted fifteen of the rats in all, far too many for him to fight. He had to get Charm out of there as soon as possible. Quickly felling another rat with his own bow, the squirrel loosed his knife and worked his way over to Charm. Slaying the rat assaulting her, he assisted her up and hurried into the woodlands. "Can ye still swim?" He asked urgently. She nodded, glancing fearfully at the slain body of her close friend. Asher's tone softened as he wiped away a tear from her face. "Alright. Those vermin'll be coming after us, so get in the river and go the ford of the path and the river. We'll meet there."

The squirrel sighted the sparkling water and pushed her towards it, nocking arrow to string as he turned to face the approached vermin. "Ssss'death!" He yelled, the twang of the weapon music to his ears. The rats charged blindly, flailing about with tooth and claw, until they realized that Asher had disappeared into the trees and Charm the river. Cheated of their prey, the band decided to camp down and nurse their wounds.

Further into the wood, Asher slapped a pawful of bankmud and a dock leaf on his wound, a rat had gotten him with a spear. Grunting in pain, the squirrel continued to the ford.

[LT Sandpaw]

Waiting until the Vigil had fully left the Abbey Bracklew strained heavily on the heavy wooden gate. Pushing it closed he bent down to recover the wooden spar. His left paw still curled close to his chest and throbbing in pain the squirrel wrapped his entire right arm around the spar and lifted with his knees. The task was difficult for a healthy two armed beast, for Bracklew it was downright impossible.

Reaching out his left paw Bracklew steadied the wood biting his tongue as his paw stung in protest. Rushing the spar forward Bracklew deposited it clumsily locking the gate to from any unwelcome beasts. Sinking to his knees Bracklew clutched his heavily his damaged paw tears springing unbidden to his eyes. Hastily rubbing them away Bracklew stood and tried to move some of his claws. It was no use, he'd need Rayne to check up on it again.

Cursing Damien the squirrel trudged across the frozen grass as a few snowflakes landed on his red fur.

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

"No, that matey is wot 'appens when ye drop yon glass on ye footpaw. Now old still n' clamp ye jaw." Rubbing his paw across Rapshade's footpaw Aver soon discovered the nearly invisible glass shard. Securing the thin piece between his foreclaw and thumb the otter jerked it out sending a small spray of blood out of the wound.

"There not to bad eh? An look'it th' size o' that beauty, ye 'ad half a cup shoved up yer leg Rappy."

[Ashleg]

"This is your fault," Rapshade whispered as he tried to wipe the blood off his paw. He had had just about enough of this otter. As Aver was inspecting the wound, the ferret leaned over and grabbed a heavy pan from the pile, aiming to smack the otter hard on the back of the head with it.
"It's Rapshade, not Rappy!"

[LT Sandpaw]

Opening his mouth to yell Aver was cut off by a loud clang. For a moment the otter stared at Rapshade opened mouthed before his eyes rolled upward and he slumped over looking as if he had fallen asleep.

[Ashleg]

Rapshade grinned and laughed tauntingly, plopping the pan in the sink before staring down at the unconscious otter. "Ye poor thing, falling asleep on th' job. Well, that leaves me t' be in charge of meself, okay? Aw, but y' can't answer, can you."
The ferret snickered as he picked up one of the smaller shards left by the broken cup and tried picking the lock on his chains. A few minutes passed before he heard a satisfying little click and the chains slid off.
Holding his injured leg off the ground at an awkward angle, the ferret gingerly hopped around Aver, using the counter to support him.

[Hickory]

OOC: Before I post with Rusk, where exactly is Rapshade?

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Still in the kitchens, thinking he's being all sneaky mainly because he either doesn't care or forgot Rusk was there.

[Hickory]

OOC: He's still chained to be sink, right? And there are a bunch of assistants in the kitchen, so he better be sneaky about it.

[LT Sandpaw]

OOC: He picked the lock on his chain, and they're in the back by the wash drains, the only time assistants would go over there would be to bring a stack of dirty dishes, or a helper to bring a bucket of fresh water. So quite often.

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Yup.

[Hickory]

OOC: I'm totally clueless, it's morning, right?

The ford was deserted. Charm hauled herself up onto the back, using her paws to staunch the wounds she had sustained in the earlier battle. Footpaws dangling in the stream, she set out her sling and pouch of pebbles, letting them dry in the soft sunlight filtering through the trees. Charm found it hard to believe that just minutes ago, she had been engaged in a life-or-death struggle with a gang of rats. A recent recruit into the Vigil, she had only been protecting the woodlands full time for two seasons. Rivertail's dead body was burned on the back of her eyelids. She would get revenge!

A sudden movement startled her as Asher dropped out of a tree, leaves swirling down around him. The squirrel set down a pile of herbs next to Charm. "There ye go. I scavenged them on my way here, we should patch ourselves up before reporting to One-Ear."

Charm bound her wounds properly while Asher mouthed pawfuls of water from the stream. The young otter was once again startled by another sounds, while Asher didn't bat an eyelid at the squirrels who had materialized from the surrounding shrubbery. There were three, all sturdy creatures with their own weapons. One carried a bow and a knife, like Asher, while another was armed with a simple broadsword in a scabbard slung over the back, and the third squirrel came with a quiver full of lances. All three nodded to Asher and waited as he stood up. "Charm this is my team. Brush, Harnam, and Applelad, our newest member. We're usually the raiding and hostage rescue party, squirrels tend to be adept at that."

He gave a wink. "Now, let's go say hi to One-Ear."

A few minutes later, Brush, the one with the bow, stood back up from where he had been kneeling over the path. As a tracker, Brush stayed ahead to keep track of the trail. Everyone else stopped as he outlined what he found. "Alright, so One-Ear was fighting some more vermin. Looked like a different band of the rats that attacked you and Charm, Asher. Tufts of grey hair, blade marks on the ground. Look, here's a snapped arrow. One-Ear continued down there with the rest of the beasts he had with him."

Asher squinted down the way that Brush was pointing. A blade shined in the sun. "That's him," said the black squirrel. The group took off toward the distant figure.

OOC: Long post is long.

[Groddil]

As Charm and the squirrels approached the Vigil, a loud cry rang out through the trees.
"VIGILAAAAANCE! MOSSFLOWEEEEERRR!"
One-Ear's vigil squad rushed out from the bushes, overrunning the rats in the trees. The fox jogged over to Asher and Charm as his troops cleaned up the remaining rats.
"There you are. We got attacked by those scum while you were away. Where are Damien and Rivertail?"

*****

Damien puffed as he dropped from the trees; He needed a rest. Under his breath, the squirrel cursed One-Ear and the Vigil, cursed the foolish Redwallers. He chuckled, they would learn their lesson sooner or later. Damien gasped as a branch snapped behind him.
"HEEEEHAAEHAEHAEEA!"
Damien shook his head.
"No. No, no, no. You're the Vigil's problem, not mine! Get away!"
The squirrel unfurled his sling and glanced around wildly.
"Stop! Leave me alone! One-Ear's the one you want, he-"
Muddle shrieked with glee as he launched himself at Damien, snatching the sling and wrapping it around the squirrel's neck. The hedgehog squeezed tightly until the Ex-Vigil soldier went limp. Muddle grinned at Begskin's emergence from the woods. The stoat drew his blade and struck Damien with two quick, rough slashes to the head. The squirrel woke instantly, screaming with pain. Muddle kicked him unconscious and giggled.
"HEEAHAHAAHEEHEEHEEHA! Begskin, grab him!"
The stoat obliged, picking up Damien's limp bleeding form. The two madbeasts and their prisoner disappeared into the trees.

[Hickory]

Asher made a salute to One-Ear. "We were assaulted by another gang of rats, they killed Rivertail with shafts. And Damien... Well, we ran into some problems at the Abbey. They think that we aren't doing our job, and that they don't need help. Damien deserted, he's probably deep into Mossflower by now. Permission to take out my team and track him down, sir?"

[Ashleg]

OOC-
It's morning, yeah.
Also, are you gonna post with Rusk? Or Mortembell could've heard the clang made by the pan, I dunno. I don't want to fall out of my own RP again.