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

[Ashleg]

Rapshade stood back when all the chaos ensued, wheezing and yet laughing hysterically at the same time. As Alfhild walked through the crowd of milling vermin and began to take aim with her bow at where she saw Bracklew through the leafless tree, Vadoma hurried after her.
Roscoe stumbled groggily out of the tent he'd been sharing, not sure what was going on.

"Come down, Squirrel." Alfhild called up into the trees, her voice breaking through the still winter air like a sword shattering a frozen lake. "Come down and I'll make it less painful for you! If you want to fight, then by all means, fight me--but don't stay up in that tree like a wee little coward. I'll shoot you down as if you were a fledgling that hadn't even learned to fly. An arrow through the throat."

[LT Sandpaw]

 Fastooth followed behind Farden huffing and puffing, though his eyes shining in excitement. "Shall I go n' get yer bow sir?" He asked the wildcat grinning up at the cornered squirrel. At the moment he was as high as he could possibly go, his back pressed against the tree's trunk.

"You would fight me!" Bracklew screamed back at Alfhild as the tree was illuminated by the torches of grinning hordebeasts. "With a hundred at your back! And me with no weapons too, I wouldn't expect anything less from vermin like you! It must run in your family to be backstabbers!"

[Ashleg]

"My family? What do you know about my family?!" Alfhild hissed, glancing behind her at Rapshade, whom Vadoma kept staring at.
He does look a lot like... She shook the thought away and turned her eyes back to Bracklew.
"Hah! A hundred at my back? No, I'm afraid you misunderstood. I'll fight you one-on-one, sword to sword! In fact, you can use my sword, Squirrel. Because I'm that confident!"

[LT Sandpaw]

Bracklew opened and closed his mouth several times before formulating a eligible answer. Disbelieving, and thinking her offer a trap he threw a couple loose twigs down at her chattering his teeth in anger.
"You think I'm a idiot ferret? The moment I came down you'd have all your horde friends pounce on me. And even if they didn't, and I won, which I would, they'd capture me anyway."

[Ashleg]

Alfhild danced her way around each of the twigs and grinned snidely at the tree.
"I promise that it's not a trick whatsoever. I'll even tell the horde that if you win, you get to go free. I'm not scared of you, Bracklew. You're just a clueless young coward who doesn't know where to go...but despite it, I can see why you're scared of me."
The ferret's bracelets jingled eerily as she made a quick swiping gesture over her heart as if to prove her honesty.
"Don't trust me?" Said she, walking backwards slowly. She had just put two and two together.
"Long, long ago I made a promise, Bracklew. I promised my dear little nephew that our paths would cross again...and I have kept that promise. Rapshade! My, how you've grown, and you look so much like your father!" She whirled around and pointed at her relative, catching him totally off guard. He nearly choked on his own blood because of the abrupt gasp he made in the midst of his laughter.
"Do you remember, all those years ago, Rapshade, when you were weaker than this squirrel? Yes, weaker than this squirrel. You needed me. Did I not fulfil my promise to you?"

Rapshade looked more pale than he ever had.
Of course he remembered their uncomfortable farewell, and he'd been all too glad to make a snide remark and run off with his friends. But his was his doing, not hers.
But was it fate that had made this happen again?
"I fulfilled it, not y'--we came looking for you. But, Auntie, I would like to see Bracklew whip your tail around a tree."
There was a loud "Ooohhhhh!" and some snickering from the horde vermin.

[Groddil]

The underground party began to slowly trudge through the water to the bank. One-Ear clambered out of the stream and untied the rope from around his waist. He peered through a nearby crack in the wall.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I don't like this. That tunnel splits off into at least 6 or so others before y'can even lose visibility. We either have to keep following the river, or try and navigate this place. Any ideas?"

[LT Sandpaw]

Staring down at them Bracklew slammed his paw against the branches hating everything. He knew escape wasn't an option, and he couldn't let himself be captured again. He knew too much about Redwall's defenses. Death was his only option, but if he could kill Alfhild before the horde tore him apart. Then his death wouldn't be for nothing. Maybe then, he wouldn't be seen as useless by the other abbey beasts.

Had he not come here expecting to die?

"Fine ferret." Bracklew yelled making up his mind. "Once I kill you I get to go free, and this horde leaves Mossflower and never returns. And stick a straight sword into the dirt next to the tree. Sound like a deal?" He didn't trust any of them to uphold their deal, but now Alfhild had to fight him alone, or lose face to her horde. Once she was dead then he would simply have to go down fighting.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"See if'n there be any badger tracks goin' down these tunnels mate." Aver suggested passing over his torch to the fox. "If'n there are, we foller them, easy enough, if no, then we continue down th' river." He looked around and spotted Asher inspecting the muddy tunnel floor.

"Ay mate, find somethin'?"


OOC: Slight PP on Asher, but I figure he's the best tracker among them, and he probably would have seen the tracks first. If you want me to change it I will.

[Ashleg]

Alfhild gestures for the horde to step back, forming a wide circle around Alfhild, Bracklew, and the tree. Glaser noticed the smug look on Rapshade's face and elbowed him.
"So yer related to the Chief, huh?"
The ferret nodded. "Yes--and I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Alfhild grinned and she handed all her weapons except two to Vadoma, and then beckoned in Bracklew's direction with her paws. "Come on, don't take forever. We don't have all season." She said, sticking a sword in the ground with an easy flick.
"Your mouth is bigger than your brain."

[Hickory]

"And your ego is bigger then your brain," muttered Fardan to himself. This fight wasn't going to be interesting in the least, but he stayed to watch.

Maybe the squirrel would have some sort of trick up his sleeve.

[LT Sandpaw]

OOC: Don't forget Asher.

IC:

Waiting for only a few moments more, Bracklew exhaled and descended the tree headfirst. Stopping only a few lengths from the ground he reached out taking hold of the sword hilt. Tail twitching the squirrel hopped down the rest of the way landing lightly on his hind paws. Raising the blade to eye level he took on a ready stance brow narrowing in concentration.

He was no swords master, but two months of nonstop one on one training went a fair ways. Taking control of his breathing the young warrior readied himself. For death and to kill. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. This time, he wouldn't hesitate.

[Ashleg]

Alfhild waited, backing up so she could get a running start.
"Ladies first!" The ferret snickered, whipping out her sword and charging headlong at Bracklew.

[Groddil]

"See if'n there be any badger tracks goin' down these tunnels mate." Aver suggested passing over his torch to the fox. "If'n there are, we foller them, easy enough, if no, then we continue down th' river." He looked around and spotted Asher inspecting the muddy tunnel floor.

"Ay mate, find somethin'?"


OOC: Slight PP on Asher, but I figure he's the best tracker among them, and he probably would have seen the tracks first. If you want me to change it I will.

OOC: The badger never came down this way, though.

[LT Sandpaw]

OOC: The badger never came down this way, though.

OOC: So do they continue along the river?


BIC:

Reacting more then actually fencing his opponent Bracklew backpedaled trying to remember everything the shrew had taught him. Their blades clashed and the young squirrel scrambled away slipping on the snow. He fell, rolling out from under Alfhild before picking himself up, making a cautious cut towards her legs as he did.

[Ashleg]

The sword barely cut into Alfhild before she jumped to dodge it.
Her paws landed expertly in the snow and she thrust forward with her blade, aiming for Bracklew's side.

[LT Sandpaw]

The squirrel parried the thrust, almost, the blade sank deep into his lower calf causing tears of pain to well in his eyes. Fighting back the urge to cry out he jerked backward, limping away from Alfhild. Blood seeped out of the wound staining the churned snow red.

Readying his sword Bracklew charged Alfhild, albeit clumsily due to his leg, his wild attack was poorly planned as Alfhild sidestepped sending him crashing to the ground. Bracklew struggled to his footpaws trying to stand on one leg, while keeping his sword in play. Crying tears of frustration he surged forward again only to have his body give out on him. He collapsed, his entire body shivering from cold and fatigue. Bracklew could hear the jeers and whoops from the vermin as valuables changed paws. They had bet on how long he would last.

Screaming he threw a pawful of bloodied snow at Alfhild's eyes and rushed her again, sword pointed at her heart.