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

[Hickory]

OOC: What should Asher do?

[Groddil]

OOC: What should Asher do?

Either have him find a dead end or make the tunnel end abruptly going upwards (e.g. that's where the tunnel ends, at Redwall) I'll have Mortembell do the opposite of whatever you choose and they can meet back at where the paths diverge.

[Hickory]

In the dying light from the torch, Asher nearly bumped into the dead end. He felt the walls; they were dirt. He jammed the torch in a crack and felt upwards. Soft soil, he should start digging. He'd need to get the other's attention, and he certainly couldn't shout from here Asher started back down to where they had split up.

[Groddil]

Mortembell, who had found the going thusfar quite easy, cursed as she encountered a large cave-in. Looking behind her, the vixen noticed a gradual slope in the tunnel, leading downwards towards her current position. This wouldn't have been the right tunnel, it was far too low. She set off back towards the meeting place at a brisk jog.

OOC: Microskip. You post with Asher meeting Mortembell back at the end of the tunnels.

[Hickory]

Mortembell was about to ask Asher if he'd had any luck when he spoke. "I found it, plenty of loose dirt; it's wet as well. Where's Gukom? I hope it's just a really long tunnel..."

[LT Sandpaw]

OOC: Wait, WHAT? Bracklew is saying Rapshade, a dangerous criminal, can go free? Did he suffer brain damage?

OOC: Hardly, unfortunately I do not easily give up spoilers. You shall have to pry open alligator jaws to get Bracklew's motivations in word.

OOC-
Doubt it. I noticed that it was italicized...Care to explain, Sandypwa?

OOC: Nice catch.

BIC:

"I fit in quite nicely if you think about it." Bracklew shrugged and tapped Rapshade's broken leg. "I can fight, and run, and do whatever it is you need done to stop this Alfhild. So stop wasting time and say it, will you help me? And hurry, we don't have all day."

[Ashleg]

"Don't y' touch that!" Rapshade snapped, baring his teeth for a moment before sitting back to consider Bracklew's offer, and twist it in his mind so that it suited him over the squirrel.
Once he had the proper plan, the ferret nodded and flashed a grin.
"I'll help you."

[LT Sandpaw]

"Good choice," The young squirrel sprinted from Rapshade's bed over to where he had left the pile of items. Selecting three good sized pieces of wood he returned to the bed plopping them down along with bandages and a few lengths of rope.

"I'm going to splint your leg, and make you a cane so you could keep up without killing yourself. Unfortunately I'll have to touch your leg, so you'll have to get over that."

[Ashleg]

"Just don't be rough with it and I'll be fine." Rapshade said. The ferret better positioned himself and then sunk his claws into the bedsheets. "Alright...ready."

[LT Sandpaw]

Wasting no time, nor caring much about how comfortable Rapshade was Bracklew strapped the splint on. It wasn't easy having only one paw to use, Bracklew was constantly having you use his teeth as an extra grip to tie knots. It was simple enough to engineer, he simply had to add on to what Rayne had already done, making the cast more maneuverable so that Rapshade could walk.

Finished Bracklew stepped back to admire his work, holding out the makeshift walking stick. "Try that out, if you can stand easy enough we'll be in good shape."

[Ashleg]

Masking the pain he was in behind a smirk, Rapshade accepted the walking stick and slid off the bed to test his balance.
"It'll do," he said. He'd have to learn how to get about without the walking stick if he wanted his idea to work, however.
The ferret scratched at his shoulder for a moment before glancing at Bracklew.
"Got my medicine in those bags?"

[LT Sandpaw]

Shaking his head Bracklew produced three smallish bottles from Rayne's perfectly kept medicine cabinet. "Reads Rapshade's so I assume its yours. There's lot of bottles of it but they're heavy. Drink a big dose now and we'll carry three on paw." He slipped two of the bottles into the haversacks before slipping them over his shoulder. He passed the last bottle to Rapshade.

"One last thing before we go." Reaching down he unclipped Martin's sword and tossed it onto Rapshade's bed. Picking up the last item that remained he strapped on Mixy's sword, slipping the loops into place tightening his belt. "We'll leave that here its not mine to take, and somebeast'll find it and use it for its true purpose. I'm comfortable with this one, it suits me better anyway."

[Groddil]

Mortembell shrugged.
"He went down the right-most tunnel, so we'll find him there somewhere. Let's go."
The vixen led the way down the passage Gukom had taken.

*****

Weary, wet, and worse-for-wear, the hamster staggered out of the underground river. Exploration had yielded absolutely nothing, bar wet fur and the loss of his remaining scrolls. Gukom spat water and tried to dry his matted fur, muttering about his predicament. Shivering, the hamster trudged back towards the exit.

[Hickory]

Asher shook his head. "No need to, marm. It'd be much faster if I did it."

Withut paying heed to the fox, the squirrel dashed ahead grabbing Mortembell's torch. Soon, he was unable to fit through the tunnel any longer. Kneeling down, he yelled through the narrow tunnel. "Gukom?"

[Ashleg]

Rapshade quickly downed the medicine before nodding and casting a longing glance at Martin's sword. He could take it now, deal with Bracklew, and make a run for it...but the time just didn't seem right.
Sighing, the ferret handed what was left of the medicine to Backlew.