The Undecided

[Ashleg]

"Oh, sure, right after yew teach me t' squawk like a bird. Gotta speak yer language, y'know...hey, outta my way!" Twist snarled, trying to get a glimpse of the Abbot and his friend from around Marshall. Upon spotting them, he let out a snort of boredom. They didn't catch his eyes like Raleigh did.

[The Skarzs]

  "I swear, if you two don't shut up. . ." gritted Darrin from clenched teeth, but he didn't go any further as Raleigh pushed the abbey door open wider.
  "Oh. Oh dear." Abbot Gerard stopped and looked at the crowd outside the gates, and he pulled Elijah closer. "It is vermin!"
  "Hallo, your lordship!" said Darrin to the mouse in a tone he hoped wasn't too cheerful. "I'm assuming you're king or something around here, and I was wondering if you'd let us come in. We've been travelling for days without rest and little food, and we need a place that's safe from. . . eh. . . the weather for a short time! A few days at most."
  The abbot looked up at the clear sky, and raised an eyebrow at the ferret, who shrugged.
  "You never know what nature decides to do next?"
  "You're not doing a good job of convincing me. Elijah, if you think they're going to be too much trouble, you have my permission to. . ."
  Darrin raised his paws quickly. "Wait! Stop! We don't want to cause trouble, we just want a place that's not out in the open. Look, go ahead and take my weapons, if you want."

[Groddil]

Elijah drew his sword.
"How come? You got that look about you, ferret. Same look I 'ad when I got 'ere. What're ye runnin' from? I can see it. In yer eyes."

[The Skarzs]

  "Well it won't be from you, if you're tryin' to scare me," said Darrin, though he did not one bit fancy clashing blades with this otter. "So what if I got some things behind me I ain't proud of? Give me, us, a chance. Like I said, we'll be gone in a few days."

[Ashleg]

Twisty smirked and blurted unwisely, "Yeah! A few days an' he'll 'ave passed us up!"

[Groddil]

"When I did the same thing you seem to be doing, there were a lot of deaths involved. So I'd like to remain cautious."
Elijah turned to Twisty, raising an eyebrow.
"And who, pray tell, is 'he?'"

[Ashleg]

Twisty's eyes gleamed as if he were some kind of evil storyteller.
"Hacklaw, th' murderous tyrant stoat with 'is great army o' hundreds!"

[Groddil]

Elijah's eyebrow rose, but his face creased in concern.
"So... You're running from a warlord? He coming this way? How long are we talking about here, before he shows up on our doorstep."

[Ashleg]

"Right y'are! Give it maybe a few d..." Twisty caught Darrin's glance and withered, grinning sheepishly. The ferret's mention of weather as a cover-up was merely beginning to dawn on him.
He rubbed the fur behind his ears as he cast a tender glance at Elijah.
"No, aha, I'm jus' teasin'. There's no warlord. I ain't never seen a warlord in me life, on me oath I ain't."

[Groddil]

The otter held his sword point to Twisty's neck.
"Don't lie to me, rat. If I needed any more proof, you just gave it to me. So the next thing out of your mouth 'ad better be information, an' it better be useful, or I'd say ye can face this warlord on that side o' th' wall."

[Ashleg]

"Information," jeered Twisty, giving Elijah's blade a meek little tap with his claw.
He gave a smirk that was bordering on fake innocence. "Heh, eh...I abode by yer request."

[Groddil]

Elijah glared at the rat.
"The word is abide. Now talk."

[Ashleg]

The rat spluttered angrily. "I know what the stinkin' word is!"
He glanced over himself at Darrin and then bent to get his own weapon with his good paw.
Stupid otter couldn't make a fool of him like this...
The rat narrowed his eyes. Especially not in front of Marshall. Old Blue would never let him live this down.
"Back off, Frogwalloper!" Twisty yowled, glaring daggers. "We come seekin' shelter an' you hop to it with a blade at my neck! Can ye believe this?" He peered around incredulously. "Yah hoppin' flea scratcher--Riverdog."

[Groddil]

"The way you're withholding information about a damned horde coming our way makes me just a little suspicious, and insulting me isn't exactly helping your case. So either you shut your useless hole and let somebeast with at least half a brain between their ears explain the situation, or you'll be staying out there to play a little game of hide an' seek with the warlord, regardless of whether or not we decide to let your friends in!"
The otter lowered his sword and turned to Marshall.
"You've been pretty quiet so far. Know anything useful?"

[The Skarzs]

  "I'm the one you talk to, not them," interrupted Darrin. "An' you know what? Yeah, Hacklaw's on our heels. So the best thing we can do for ourselves is just keep movin'." He turned tail and started walking away. "But I don't think he'd pass up a grand place like this, though! Shame to see such a beautiful home become the sitting hole for a beast like Hacklaw. Best of luck!"
  "Wait!" Gerard called to Darrin, who stopped with a hidden smile. "Here at Redwall we're supposed to help those in need, and here we have creatures who need some time to rest. And Elijah, if there is a horde coming this way, then we're in danger, and if they know anything that might help us, then we can afford to keep them for a little while."