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

[Groddil]

One-Ear followed Asher, not relenting.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN ACTING LIKE EVERYBEAST IS AT FAULT?! I just want information! My. mother. is. dead. Just tell me something. ANYTHING! Don't give me this attitude, either show some respect for people you just sprung news on nonchalantly, and LOOK ME IN THE EYES WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU...or the gate is that way. Who. did. this. Surely you would have at least seen WHAT they were. So tell me. What. were. they?"

*****

Clambering roughly out of the whole beneath the log, the badger shattered the rotted wood of the tree, hauling himself up with his battleaxe. He looked down at the now completely blocked off tunnel with a snicker.
"Two down, one to go..."

[Hickory]

Asher whirled around and stared angrily at the fox. "This is your problem! You want to know why the Redwallers hate you? Well, maybe you should treat them like actual beasts, not your enemy! I joined the Vigil because I wanted to make a difference, and instead of going out there and doing what we do best, you waltz up to the Abbey and demand them to do whatever you want! Now, if it's any help to you, seeing that you need it... It was some sort of large animal. Perhaps a badger, but then again, only a badger could use a battle axe like the one he had."

[LT Sandpaw]

Shaking with barely controlled rage Bracklew was about to retort when he heard something. Dropping to the floor of the cabin, and holding up a paw to signal for silence. His tufted ears swiveling to and fro. "Shh do you hear that?" He asked in a loud whisper.

[Ashleg]

Rapshade reclined against the wall, looking smug.
He put a paw up to his ear and cupped it. "Uh-huh, yessir, I do hear that!" The ferret's voice was obnoxiously loud by the end of the sentence, and he grinned widely at Bracklew.
"Whoops, I think they might've heard us. So sorry."

[LT Sandpaw]

"I. Hate. You." Bracklew growled in deliberate fury slowly drawing his sword. He chanced a peek out the cabin's broken window ducking down quickly. "Rats," He growled venomously glaring daggers at Rapshade. Five rats had stopped outside the cabin door and were discussing what to do. The words 'Farden', and 'only scouts' came up a few times before one of the rats began banging on the cabin's door with a spear haft.

"Oy, anybeast 'ome?" The rat shouted sending the broken door off its hinges crashing onto the floor easily.

"Nope," Bracklew called back raising his sword out of sight of the rodents. "Nobeast here."

"No one 'ere mates." Said the lead rat, who was immediately cuffed by one of his larger companions.

"Ye idiot! Get in there an' drag 'Im out."

[Groddil]

"You ignorant little...Do you realize how much of your statement is off? Yes, I DO want to know why the Redwallers hate me. I certainly don't hate them. But when they start behaving like YOU are now, and we're trying to DO something...well, opposites don't attract. DAMIEN certainly didn't help either. We try to make a difference, but trying to do that in the middle of the open woods against a foe far larger than us is just a suicide mission. Like it or not, Redwall is the safest place to base this out of, and we have to work together on this one."
One-Ear suddenly went silent as Asher finished his sentence.
"A...Badger? With...an axe? No. Oh, no no no. How in Hellgates did he find us? Th-Th-This can't be happening. But if he was so close-by then...VIGIL! INSIDE THE ABBEY!"
The fox turned away from Asher muttering under his breath.
"If he finds out that I'm in here, he'll slaughter everybeast in his path..."

[Hickory]

Asher was about to counter One-Ear's shout when he saw the fox go white. He immediately apologized. "Sorry, sir, just... What does he want? The badger?

[Groddil]

"He...I don't even know his name, but I know what he wants. He was a really proud creature, y'see. Listen, when I was a dibbun, I was living in the north with my parents. There was a famine, but we still had some food. The badger, knowing this, forces his way in. Mother and father weren't there at the time, so he tried getting me to tell him where the food was. I didn't know, so he lopped of my ear. He would have done more damage, but I managed to wriggle away. Then father came in. Drew his katana and ran the badger through. But he wasn't dead, no, he was far from it. We gathered as much food as we could and ran for our lives. We spent the first five seasons looking over our shoulders in fear. It was when we ran out of food, and father joined up with Rapshade at Salamandastron to try and support us, that we let our guard down. The badger wouldn't have been looking for us amongst a horde. Well, now I guess he did. He must have sworn an oath to kill us after we embarrassed him. He's killed mother, and now he's after me. Don't believe for a second that that collapse killed him. He's stronger than that."

[Hickory]

The Vigil horde bustled into the abbey, spurred on by their leaders shouts. Asher had returned to the group and closed the gate behind them, checking to make sure no one was still outside. The black squirrel returned to One-Ear. "So if this badger is trying to kill you, how are we going to deal with him?"

[Ashleg]

Reminds me of Fangfang, Rapshade thought, shrugging nonchalantly at Bracklew.
"The hate's mutual, Sir. Anywho, there's nothing we can do now but wait and see where fate takes us." He said, grinning cheerfully and remaining in his seat.
"I'd hate t' spoil their fun...Even if I did, I'm not allowed t' do anything without yer exact permission, Cap'n--even if it'd save us! Oh, well. I'm used t' being a prisoner."

--

Glaser arrived back at camp with a panting Roscoe stumbling after him.
The weasel walked over to where Alfhild stood and then collapsed, waving a paw weakly.

The Chief curled her lip and turned him onto his back with her footpaw.

Roscoe grinned widely, still trying to catch his breath. "...H...H...Hello...Marm...Whew......"

[LT Sandpaw]

All of the rats heard Rapshade, and while being slightly confused at what he meant, charged into the cabin anyway. The first rat fell to Bracklew's sword which pinged off his iron helm. The rodent squealed in pain falling forward and tripping up the second rat who was following close behind. Bracklew swung again this time scoring a more series hit slicing open his opponent's shoulder. Crying out the rat fell to his knees looking pleading up at Bracklew, his eyes wide with fear.

The young squirrel raised his sword to finish the rat off, his blade seemed to hang in space as he hesitated. Unable to deliver the killing blow.

"Yaaaah!" Thwak. A third rat, seizing the opportunity rushed forward smashing Bracklew in the head with his cudgel. Bracklew crumpled to the floor while the fourth rat hurried inside holding a spear to Rapshade's throat.

"Harr we gotcha." He cried in triumph. Entering after the first four, the lead rat stepped inside swishing snow from his lieutenants' cloak and looking distastefully at the three fallen beasts, who were all groaning on the cabin floor. Each one holding his head, or shoulder respectively.

"Who are ye?" He asked Rapshade pointing with his little claw. "An whose e'?" He continued prodding Bracklew with his footpaw.

[Ashleg]

"He's Bracklew t' Warrior, an' I'm Shade." Rapshade lied, not ready to give out his real name unless he knew it would have some benefit for him in the future. Many vermin would kill to get their paws on a former captain, and the Mossflower vermin were bound to recognize it if he told them.
"I'm jus' his prisoner. Nuffin' special. No need for yer friend there t' hold that spear up t' me neck."

[LT Sandpaw]

"Ain't there?" The rat lieutenant, whose name was Fastooth snorted. But he waved his paw and the spear rat lowered his weapon still glaring at Shade. "Alright then, matey, guess who jus' joined up with 'er chiefness Alfhild, we always need new warriors, gimpy or otherwise." Fastooth grinned patting Shade on the back while cruelly kicking at his broken leg. "Now les' take our prisoner back to camp eh?"

He kicked the cudgel wielding rat who snarled, but muttered.

"Yes?"

"Tie th' tree-mousie's paws, an' give me that sword, tis a fine blade." He took Mixy's sword and stuffed it into his belt. "Rest o' ye quit moaning an' get up. We got to report ter Farden."

[Groddil]

One-Ear turned back to Grant.
"I can't talk strategy right now. Gukom, Charm, go with the Abbot. These two can handle the plans and talk to me later. I need to do something."
The fox walked back over to Asher.
"Deal with him? That isn't how it works. Father knew how to keep him away, but I never learnt that. There's only one way. I need some rope, and someone to watch my back. We're going down into that cave, and we're going to kill him. Fill him up with so many arrows he looks like a hedgehog's pincushion, then separate his head from his filthy body. I already lost my father, and I'll be damned if I let that badger get away with taking my mother as well. Come on!"
One-Ear trotted off towards the Vigil's Quartermaster, who was organizing a large trolley full of supplies. The Quartermaster, a rather skinny vole, gave a quick salute to One-Ear.
"'Ello boss. What c'n ah do f'ya?"
"Rope. I need a lot of it, and two steel hooks."
The vole nodded, jumping into the trolley. Several seconds later, he emerged wrapped in rope, and holding two steel grappling hooks.
"E're yar, boss. Jus' tie th' rope through th'loop!"
One-Ear thanked the Quartermaster and walked back to Asher.
"Here, take one of the hooks and a rope. Then go make sure you have a full quiver..."

[LT Sandpaw]

 Walking over to the fox Aver tapped One-ear on the shoulder, a deep furrow in his brow as he considered the young fox warrior. "One-ear, I couldn't help but 'ear that, an what you plan to do, anywho I wanna go with ye." Aver hefted his javelin and sling to show he was prepared. "I don' know much 'bout yer past mate, but I reckon if'n a badger killed ye mum then ye'll need all th' help ye can, takin' 'Im down. But as ye might know there be two sides ter every story, an I wanna 'ear wot this badger got to say fer 'Imself, they're beasts o' honor badgers, so if'n e' lets us we'll talk, an' sort this right. Afore we get to killin' each other that is."