A New Beginning

[Groddil]

OOC: Ouch.

BIC:

Fallop slammed into the trunk of a large oak, becoming wedged in where the tree split. He noticed a vermin coming towards him and lashed out with a footpaw, hooking it around the vermin's neck and dragging him closer. With his un-pinned paw, the Major took out his sling and wrapped it around the neck of the struggling vermin, who had been disarmed by his footpaw. The hare wound the sling around a thick branch and kicked the vermin outwards, holding him as far back as possible, until eventually, he slumped to the ground, suffocated. With a sigh of relief, Fallop began trying to free himself from the tree.

[Lady Ashenwyte]

OOC: How many hares are left?

Zurakh walked up to Fallop, and said.
                                                                                                                                                                      "So much for the famed Long Patrol, eh? Tell your traitorous masters that retribution comes for them! Eulalaliaaaa!" With that, he signalled the surviving members of his band to retreat, and as they did, he took the corpse of a hare from the ground and said "I must thank you for the new cloak, Major!", and retreated to the forest with his band, too fast to be caught.
               

[Delthion]

OOC: Ashe, this Zurakh cannot be a major threat later on. That role was given to Groddil, so please just remember that. Most of the hares are left, only a few were killed, or even wounded, the vermin were the losers in this engagement.

[Fatch of Southsward]

Sham had been knocked to the side by the massive creature. He glanced down at his father's sword. The old blade was still in one piece, beyond all expectation. He shrugged and wiped it on the overgrowth. The initial shock of his first kill was wearing off and he was more of himself again.

"I say, chaps. Best give our's a proper burial. Leave the vermin scum to rot." He kicked a fallen spear into the bushes - "Battle is bloomin' awful. Not at all like I imagined. Only the bally thought of that wicked creature terrorizin' farmers and families'll put me into another one, wot?"

[Dannflower Reguba]

       Brussel materialized right behind Sham and patted him reassuringly on the shoulder, "Are you starting to understand what I meant now Sham? The reasons we fight are not reasons that we should take any joy in, war is unmerciful, brutal, uncompromising... Nice job though, not too shabby for a first fight." He retracted his hand and made his way towards Fallop, "Sir, might I suggest sending Jesse after the vermin? The badger's big, but not invincible... and we've worked on a couple things for dealing with monsters like that. She should be back from the mop-up this morning shortly, and the scent those vermin are leaving is quite easy to follow. I wager she could have their leader dead by sunset."

[Delthion]

The day which had started, it seemed just an hour ago, was now dwindling, the hares would have to stop for the night and wait for the next dawn to come before they would arrive at Redwall.

[Groddil]

Fallop continued to trudge along with the other hares, when Brussel appeared. He listened to what he had to say, then shook his head.
"No. I don't want anybeast else dyin' t'day. We're close enough ta th' original camp that a quick messenger back should handle it."
He beckoned a small hare to him.
"Run to camp, fast as you can. Tell them to keep a lookout for that... monster."

<|-|>

As the sun began to settle on the horizon, the Major called a halt. He dumped his pack in a clearing and signaled to the others to do the same.
"Okay, hares. Set up camp 'ere, we'll march th' last stretch fer th' h'Abbey on th' morrow."

[Fatch of Southsward]

Sham nodded, and set about his tent.

Perhaps the major would allow them to make a fire. Some warm food in his empty belly sounded enormously helpful at the moment.

He shivered momentarily as he looked around the camp. They had practiced setting up camp many times - and the setup was always the same. For the first time, it no longer was. Four tents were missing in the formation, their owners gone and dead in the day's havoc. He thanked his lucky stars that he was still around to set up his.

Now he sat on a boulder with a sharpening stone and his father's sword. Sparks and scratching could be seen and heard as he sharpened the blade. It seemed to glow - excited by the slaying of an enemy. With every stroke Sham strengthened his resolve. One stroke for each hare that had fallen. One stroke for each foebeast who's fall had not yet come, but was coming swiftly...

[Delthion]

   The sun finally set on the hares camp, most of the hardened veterans were already sleeping, and most of the leverets cried themselves to sleep that night.

   As the sun rose, the hares were already taking down their camp, they would reach Redwall late this afternoon, but who knew what other dangers were to be met along the way?

[Groddil]

Fallop, letting out a yawn, watched the hares pulling down their camp.
"Okay, me buckoes, hurry it up now. Those who've finished 'elp pull down th' rest o' th' tents. We start marchin' afore the sun's made it 'alfway ta noon."

<|M|>

Meanwhile, much closer to the hare's original camp than would have been a good idea, Midgo the weasel shoved his way through the brush.
"Looks like creatures 'ave been this way. I'll find 'em, take 'em over. Then comes th' murder an' th' fun..."
He peeked around a tree, looking at what remained of Zurakh's force.
"Perfect..."
The weasel clambered up into the tree like a squirrel, watching. Waiting.

[Delthion]

OOC: @danflorreguba, @Lord Ashenwyte, @Rosie Willowwater, @Fatch of Southsward. I need you guys to post! You're very close to Redwall now.

[Rosie Willowwater]

OOC: I can't 

[Fatch of Southsward]

Sham, still light of breath despite being far enough along that a few of the bulkier hares were gasping heavily, let out a whoop when he saw it.

A clearing in the woods lay up ahead. The woods thinned and a winding path led to the gates. An oddly familiar ditch that had once housed Cluny's tunnel lay on their right. Up ahead, reaching into the sky were the towering walls and towers of Redwall Abbey. The solid gates were closed, yet no one seemed to be guarding the walls. This was a place of peace, not war. Far to the (east?) they could see the crumbled remains of St. Ninian's church. The arrival was fantastic. They had all heard the stories and read the tales. Now, finally, they were approaching a home they had never frequented. Despite this, Sham felt a strong sense of familiarity and he cried out cheerfully "Ho, we'll be there within the minute chaps! Last 'un there's a rotten egg, wot!"

Remembering patrol protocols, he contained himself, and helped speed the column to a brisk march.

[Delthion]

After marching for several days, the body of hares saw a tower looming up on the horizon. "Redwall!" They all thought, and their hearts were lifted with thoughts of the feasting, warm beds and the task's completion.

[Groddil]

At the head of the column, Fallop called a halt as he marched up to the Abbey gates and knocked stoutly.

OOC: @danflorreguba, @Lord Ashenwyte, @Rosie Willowwater, @Fatch of Southsward @Delthion. Don't let it die.