The Undecided

[Ashleg]

The rat gave a high pitched yelp and stumbled back.
He tore away from Marshall and spat bitterly. "Yeah, like th' sight o' you scared yer mother when you were born. Scatterbrain, I had got that all under control."

[The Skarzs]

  Darrin smacked Twisty upside the head before getting in front of him again. "Don't mind my friend here," he said with a smile. "We're just travelling through and want to rest. We saw your humble abode and wanted to see if you could let us stay!"
  He looked over Raleigh's shoulders. "Ehh, how long till we can come in, then?"

[Ashleg]

"Not soon enough," Twisty muttered, covering his head.
The frowning rat's gray gaze still lingered on Raleigh.
Stupid ferret's makin' me look bad in front of her! he thought. "Ay, 'urry up."

[Dannflower Reguba]

       As soon as Twisty made his way to the front whilst speaking, Raleigh blinked. Everything went dark and silent, this moment always dragged, even though it was a mere fraction of a second. Her eyes opened wide, though the rest of her demeanor kept it's cheeriness. She mentally saw the rat's underlying muscles and bones, assessing both his body, and the bodies of the next 3 closest vermin. Thankfully, a fox stepped in before the miscreant had any chance to try anything. The squirrel's head twitched as her piercing gaze reverted, "Hm? Oh," chuckling lightly, she replied with a quick roll of the eyes, "I've seen worse than that, don't you worry... Though I'd advise hiding your hat while you're here." Her eyes mellowed for the briefest moment as she locked them with Marshall's, not as a threat, or command, but simply to denote that she was giving serious advice. Raleigh's attention was immediately Darrin's when he started to speak, who's smile she warmly returned while speaking, "It's not up to me, but I'm pretty willing to bet the Abbot'll let you join us, you couldn't have picked a better time to show up either!" She took a moment to ponder before answering, searching a couple nearby clouds for a clue, "Weeeeell, hopefully the Abbot and Elijah are already making their way here now, though I couldn't tell you if they'll be held up... Not too long I hope, I'd like to head inside myself!... Oh, and you back there, if you keep acting so impatiently I might forget to consider fixing your paw."

[Ashleg]

"C-consider fixin' me..." Twisty snickered and nudged Marshall.
"Eh, y'ear that? Then who're ye gonna call Numbpaw, Numbskull?"

[The Skarzs]

  Father Gerard had only just finished serving his plate with food when Ruff hurriedly whispered something in his ear.
  "Eh? What's that? Oh, bother. Come along, @Elijah, looks like Raleigh needs us two, for whatever reason. Don't worry, the food will be here when we come back . . . At least I hope so." The mouse quickly stuffed two scones into his wide sleeves to eat on the way to the gate as he and the abbey warrior walked around the many tables in Cavern Hole and to the big abbey doors.
  "Ruff said Raleigh told him there was company at the gate. . . Don't know why she would need us to greet them. Any ideas, my friend?"

OOC: I would like to mention that some PPing is allowed as long as it doesn't permanently change things and if the player it is done against is fine with it. So to get things moving, I might assume Groddil won't mind if I move Elijah into an action I assume he would take anyways, like above. I think it just helps others know when they are wanted, and leaves openings for further posts.

[Groddil]

Elijah pushed open the Abbey door.
"I can think of two reasons. Maybe they need to speak with you, although I don't see why they couldn't meet you in the Abbey itself. Don't know why I would need to be there. Besides, why would they need to see you, unless they had something for us... Or we were in danger."
The otter waited until Gerard was through the door before he let it swing shut.
"Or... The more realistic option? The reason I need to be there? Whoever they are, they're not friendly. Vermin warband, one o' the more vicious otterclans, like the ones from out east back when I was younger, or just a couple o' madbeasts who can't take life out'n the woods."

[The Skarzs]

  "Well, in that case, it would have made more sense to have more than just you and me come along. . . no offense to your skill, of course." Maybe we should have brought someone else too, the abbot thought. Oh dear. "Let's hope for the best!"
  They walked the rest of the expanse across the lawns in silence, every step bringing them a little closer to the gates, and Abbot Gerard kept trying to make out the figures through the squirrel-sized opening in the gate. Finally they were close enough to speak, and he called out. "Raleigh? Who is it?"

[Groddil]

OOC:

* Elijah has the sword.

[The Skarzs]

OOC: Edited.

[Gonff the Mousethief]

Marshall nodded at the request to remove his raccoon skin hat. He felt a bit enraged at such a rule, but knew it would be better to obey and be served then to refuse and go on hungry. His two torn blue tipped ears sagged down upon moving his hat and tucking it away. The many years foraging still left its marks.

As he heard what Raleigh had to say about Twisty, Marshall cracked up.
"I doubt ye could fix both his mind and his paw Miss. Guess ye would have to take up the Numbskull name Numbpaw."

[Ashleg]

Twisty reeled, teeth bared.
"Well don't'cha say, Marshall, ya barrel-bottomed, loud-mouthed excuse fer a fox! Oh...oh my."
The rat brought his good paw up to his mouth, hiding a smirk.
"A blue fox with floppy ears. Ne'er 'ave I seen a sight funny as this..."

[Dannflower Reguba]

"Raleigh? Who is it?"

       "Oh! Sounds like they're getting here now." Raleigh turned around half way; she was concerned about the vermin, but didn't want to sound harsh about it, "We have guests I thought you'd like to meet." She was more than happy to relinquish her position at the gate, opening it slightly so the Abbot and Elijah could speak with the band unhindered. Her neck had started to sweat, and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief when she was safely out of their line of sight. Most of them seemed decent enough, but if history was anything to go by... "No," she berated herself with a firm shake of the head, refusing to count them out before they'd even had a chance to prove they were different.

[LT Sandpaw]

  It turned out that Hacklaw wasn't all talk and could find and follow a trail rather well. The stoat, along with Darktooth and twenty other paw-picked warriors had gone ahead of the main army, circling in ever widening loops until Hacklaw rediscovered the suspected trail of Darrin. Allowing the score and one creatures to rest, Hacklaw sent a single loyal beast back the way they'd come to lead the horde on and follow behind. Hacklaw and his guards would press on, the stoat reasoning that Darrin's continued success in evading him was because his full army was too slow.

Dipping his footpaws in a shallow stream, idly casting pebbles at passing insects and occasionally calling out boasts and jokes as they passed the time Hacklaw allowed himself to relax. He could get used to this country, and not being constantly surrounded by dullards who couldn't tell a good joke. Maybe he'd find some place to settle his army, and rule both the Southeast and Northwest and all the land between in a fine castle. Who would challenge him? But first, business.

"Once ye ladies feel up for the walk we'll move out on the double." Hacklaw informed his followers, snatching up his boots and halberd. "And what I mean when I say 'when ye feel like it' is right now. Up on the old footpaws the lot of ye, we're wasting daylight."

[Gonff the Mousethief]

"Well Numbpaw seems ye should pack up some day an' move out to my country. Great deal of oddities up there ye know; ye could fit right on in!" Marshall replied with a smirk. His blue head felt so naked without his hat. But rules are rules. He looked on behind their greeter and saw the two approaching. His posture straightened up, and his toothy grin abroad.