The Undecided

[Cornflower MM]

Rowan had been sleeping uneasily, still fretting about her argument with Raleigh the day before. Sitting up, the squirrel sighed. Perhaps a cup of tea will help, she thought, slipping out of bed and heading for the kitchens.

As she passed a window, something caught Rowan's eye and she paused. It took a moment to process what she was seeing - Darrin and his group were leaving the Abbey through one of the wall gates! Rowan's stomach dropped as she realized that wasn't all. Twisty was carrying Martin's sword and ... is that Raleigh? It is!

Rowan chewed on her bottom lip. On one paw, it kinda deserved Raleigh right. On the other, Raleigh could be in serious danger. The tea forgotten, the squirrel headed back towards her room, then sighed. As much as she didn't like Raleigh, it wouldn't be right not to tell someone. So she made her way to Elijah's room. "Elijah! Elijah wake up, Raleigh's in trouble and they took Martin's sword!"

[Dannflower Reguba]

       The band started to move. Raleigh looked back at the Abbey imploringly, but it stood there, unmoved by her plight. She shuffled forward a few steps, unwilling to let her life at Redwall be stolen from her, but the presence of the vermin around her made her feel small, pressing her to run with them. They soon left the comfort of the gate and walls, promptly being enveloped by the darkness. The squirrel felt her eyes well up, she tried to stop them, but the best she could manage was to quell the urge to sob. She thought of her friends, of the celebrations, the dibbuns, the Infirmary.... And Rowan, "Is this the last memory we'll share?... I guess it's up to you now, but that's what you wanted. Isn't it?" Tears slowly trickled down her cheek as she ran on in silence, farther away from everything and everyone she knew, farther away from home.

[The Skarzs]

  Elijah woke with a start, sitting up quickly as Rowan  shook him. "Wha- Who? Raleigh? Who took the sword? What are you talking about?" Elijah said this all at once, rubbing his eyes.

[Ashleg]

Twisty, holding his healing paw near and dear to his chest as he ran, could not help but take notice of Raleigh's plight.
"Are you...crying?" the rat asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.
"Watch out, downed tree root there, don't need ya trippin' o'er it."

[Dannflower Reguba]

       Raleigh almost turned to look at Twisty, but caught herself. If she addressed him, she was sure to lose control, and that wouldn't do. She clenched her eyes shut for a few moments, redoubling her efforts to control her emotions. She opened her eyes, no luck... Would she find an opportunity to escape? She snuck a glance at the paw she'd been working on for the past couple of days, "Would I even feel right.... leaving it like that?" Raleigh knew full well what would happen to Twisty's entire arm if she left them.... But they brought this on themselves, could she really be held responsible at this point?

[LT Sandpaw]

Rousing his small army in the early hours of the morning Hacklaw moved amongst his creatures issuing orders as the horde beasts stuffed down a cold breakfast. Hushed commands, clanking gear, and muffled curses reigned as the vermin prepared. Hacklaw split his force in thirds, sending his best fighters to hunker down on Redwall's eastern border and wait for anybeast trying to sneak out, while the lesser half of his army were directed into the western ditch facing the Abbey's main gate. The final five score assembled around Hacklaw as he issued his instructions.

"War paint and gleaming weapons lads, make a good show of yerselves. We gotta convince those daft abbeybeasts we're the entire army so we gotta look the part. If we're slouching and looking like a load of dormice on holiday they'll get suspicious, and then I'll get suspicious and ye'll not like me suspicious." The big stoat looked the part of a vicious warlord himself, his fur covered in red tattoos and blue dye with his massive halberd clutched in his paw. "Now harken lads, ye score will secure the prisoners while me and Rallowan do our work. The rest of ye gather in two squads on the flanks in rank and file. Be ready in case the Redwallers sally out. A load of our mates are keeping low in the ditch ready to reinforce us just in case those country bumpkins try anything underpawed. Just remember to stand quiet and look menacing, and be listening out for any orders."

Clapping his paws Hacklaw gathered his cohort about him moving as quietly as possible onto the dirt road leading to Redwall. Dragging the seven captives with them they marched in three long lines, splitting off to their respective positions as Redwall came into view. One third descending into the muddy ditch, one third sneaking off back into the woodlands, and Hacklaw and the final third assembling directly below the main gates of Redwall, forming up and waiting until somebeast warned of their presence.

[Ashleg]

"You'd better not be ignorin' me!" Twisty snapped, an ugly frown crossing his face as he tightened his grip on Martin's Sword. He glanced away and muttered to himself. "Stupid Darrin best know where 'e's goin' to or I'm...gonna whack them both."

[Cornflower MM]

Rowan wrung her paws and frowned down at the otter. "I was up going to the kitchens and I saw the vermin gang leaving Redwall through a side gate, Twisty had Martin's sword and Raleigh was with them. Come on Elijah we need to go right now!"
The squirrel chewed on her bottom lip anxiously, they needed to hurry. If the vermin gang got too far away in the dark it would be too hard to go after them. And they couldn't wait until morning, who knows where the vermin would go?

[Dannflower Reguba]

       Raleigh winced slightly, trying her best to hide her face from Twisty whilst still looking forward attentively. Her ears twitched as the rat mumbled under his breath, "Them? Who else is there?" Still, where were they going? She could understand the running part, leaving before the situation at the Abbey got too heated made a certain amount of sense... But where could they possibly be going? Raleigh was unaware of any place that could serve as a functional safe-haven for miles in all directions, so what chance did they have outside of the walls?

[The Skarzs]

  Elijah hopped out of his bed and pulled on a tunic, strapping on a belt and running out the door all at once. "You're right, let's move!"
  The otter tore down the stairs, Rowan not far behind him (OOC: Hope that's okay), and ran out of the abbey.

[Cornflower MM]

OOC: Yeah thats perfectly fine. How many are with Darrin?

BIC: "Wait!" Rowan cried. "We should wake up everyone else, tell them what's going on!" While haste was important, they needed to make sure the Abbot at least knew where they were going. And there was only two of them, how could they rescue Raleigh? Plus, if Rowan was being honest, she didn't like the idea of Mossflower at night with only one other beast, in her nightgown, searching for vermin while another larger group of vermin were also in the area. What if someone got hurt? She'd need bandages at the very least.

[The Skarzs]

  Elijah skidded to a halt, looking out toward the gate, then back at Rowan. "I suppose you're right," he said. He slammed his fist into the door. "Blasted vermin! I knew we shouldn't have let them in!"
  The otter went back into the abbey, giving commands to Rowan as he walked. "Rowan, get what you need. I'm letting the Abbess know."

OOC: I don't think there is any other characters that could go with them. . .

[Cornflower MM]

OOC: Course not but it's highly unrealistic to go as just the two of them and accomplish anything of note within the story without prematurely dying. NPCs are a thing.

BIC: "Of course. Good idea." Rowan turned and hurried to her room, already planning out what she'd grab from the Infirmary in her head. I'll need bandages, and some painkillers, and a needle? Yeah probably.

She changed quickly to a tunic, grabbing a satchel as she ran to the Infirmary. We're going to need some help, but who? I need to talk to Elijah, i do wish he'd said where to meet him.

[The Skarzs]

  Elijah made his way to Abbot Gerard's room, and knocked urgently on the door. The mouse inside grunted, and sounds were heard as he got out of his bed and went to the door. He opened it and blinked as he looked at Elijah.
  "Yes, Elijah? What is it?"
  "Darrin and his band left the abbey, and took Raleigh and Martin's sword with them," the otter said quickly. "I'm going after them."
  "Elijah, stop and think!" said Gerard, opening the door wider and stepping out into the hall. "It's night out, and the vermin horde is still out there. Martin's sword may be important. . ."
  "But Raleigh is more important, Father." Elijah set his jaw. "You can't stop me."
  The Abbot closed his eyes and lowered his head. "Very well, Warrior. Go. We will wait for you."
  Elijah nodded, and went off to Cavern Hole.

[The Skarzs]

  By the time Elijah and Rowan had gotten out of the abbey, along with three other willing Redwallers, the sun was just about to rise. The otter looked into Mossflower woods for any sign of anybeast watching, and he motioned for his group to follow along. They had made it about fifty feet into the trees when Elijah looked back, and saw the guard who was supposed to be watching the gate. His back as to them, and he was apparently completely unaware of them. They must have just slipped out as he was distracted by something else.
  The warrior turned back and searched for the tracks left from Darrin. They would get Raleigh and the sword back.

~~~~~~~~~~~

  Darrin woke with a start, covered in a cold sweat. He sat up, breathing heavily, and looked around. Mossflower woods surrounded him on all sides. He had stopped his band some hours ago to rest, setting two guards while most of them slept.
  The ferret rubbed his eyes. They weren't far enough away from Hacklaw yet, and who knew what would be after them now that Twisty had. . . Darrin gritted his teeth, looking over at the rat.
  There he was, curled up uncomfortably close to his captive Raleigh, and the fancy sword he had stolen stuck in the tree above them.
  Darrin stood up and walked over to Twisty, giving him a sharp prod with his foot. "Wake up. Let's get goin'."