They Thought Redwall was Safe! (Is Redwall as Safe as they Say it is? Part 3!)

[Hickory]

Groddil thought for a second. "Loud and clear. We've 'eard reports of 'im and 'is sidekick. Lost a few good warriors, too. Is Charm plannin' on putting and end to it?

[Ashleg]

OOC-
Forget about Rusk?

[Groddil]

"Oh, aye, that she is. Quite a brutal plan if you ask me, but from what I've heard, it's well-deserved. Apparently, she had intel left over from the time o' the Vigil, suggested that there were three ways into their 'ideout, and two were blocked up. When she found the third way in, it was hard to hold her back. Her an' Saul, the 'ead o' our carpenters, 'ave had their heads pressed together all winter, plottin'. Anyway, they left some ways before dawn with a cart full o' timber an' rocks. Should be back before lunch, I'd presume."

[LT Sandpaw]

 Unable to resist the temptation Bracklew snorted in laughter alongside Maxy, the only problem being his mouth was full of green-sap milk. The squirrel choked, his ears standing a little straighter and his tail rigid as he coughed furiously, trying to regain control of his breathing. Some of the liquid even escaped out of his nose making the warrior squirrel shake his head and squeeze his eyes shut in protest.
"Foul play you two," he wheezed once he could talk again. Easing his gruff voice by downing a beaker of water. "I nearly died there, and my muzzle is on fire."

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Oo," Laclin mouthed in understanding, lowering her voice. "So you're from Riverblue, I live near there. But what's a cave gonna do to Riverblue?" She'd seen the town a few times in passing, and though her colony warned to stay away and mind her own business, she'd always wanted to visit. Perhaps these creatures were a bit strange, but they seemed well-intentioned enough.
"I'm Laclin," she continued. "Though just about everybeast calls me Lin, hey that looks really strange. What're they doing with those things?" She pointed at the odd assortment of wood and wheels joined into a rectangular shape.

[Ashleg]

OOC-
I feel ya, Bracklew. That happens to me all...the hecking...time.
IC-
"Anybeast seen Petu?" Fangfang trilled from the doorway, blue cloak resting on his yellow fur.
He took mental note of the food.

Maxy had only started laughing harder when Bracklew began coughing.
He wiped tears from his eyes, finding it hard to catch a breath as he addressed the rat.
"No...aha...I haven't."

[LT Sandpaw]

"If I had to guess he's in the kitchens." Bracklew advised, taking a few deep breaths through his nostrils to try and rid them of the stinging pain. He gave the rat a inquisitive glance. "Or in the workshops with Aver, though he isn't one to miss breakfast. What do you want him for?"

[Groddil]

"That cave is a hive. There's scores o' creatures in then, mostly hedgehogs. All of 'em are blind, evil, an' completely insane, worshipin' an' ol' Redwaller an' 'is stoat friend. For fourteen seasons, they've been murderin' anybeast they come across, or kidnappin' 'em and convertin' 'em 'round to their way o' thinkin'. We're gonna put a stop to that."
Charm watched as the first log disappeared around the back of the hill.
"That contraption they're makin' there is designed to launch those boulders at the cave. Few good hits should loosen the entrance, an' seal it up. The logs'll be set alight and dropped down t'make sure they can't get out."

[Ashleg]

"Eh, I dunno. Say, 's that a bottle of strawberry cordial? Mind if I...?" Fang held a paw out.

"Sure," said Duncan, passing it over there.
The Abbt glared at him but said nothing.

[Hickory]

"I can wait."

Gruddil hopped over the side of the logboat, and onto the shore. "Any other troubles aside from Muddle?"

[Groddil]

"Not that have come to my attention, anyway. The usual minor problems. A small band of vermin here, rowdy otters there. No real concerns since mid-winter. A few shipwrecked corsairs came up the river a few days after your last visit, but they didn't have the numbers nor the training to do anything. So, all in all, it's shaping up to be another good season ahead of us. Crazy hogs are being dealt with, local vermin numbers are relatively low, and we've got more crops than usual."

[LT Sandpaw]

 Not noticing the glare, Bracklew shifted his attention to Maxy. "Got any plans made for the rest of the day Max?" He asked, while pointing at a platter of buttered scones. "Pass those over would you?"

At that moment Petu entered the Great Hall from the main door, wheeling the otter Aver with him. The handicapped otter and rabbit were whispering mysteriously together, and though they noticed the small gathering of friends at the table, found a secluded spot for themselves, seemingly to engaged in conversation to socialize with the other Redwallers.

~*~*~*~

Laclin's eyes widened in horror, at the soon to be execution of beasts, who were supposedly blind and demented. It seemed a bit unfair to her, fighting blind creatures in such a manner, but considering how serious the otter was about it, perhaps they were more dangerous then they sounded.
"So they'll starve and die down there..." She said, a bit subdued. Laclin shuddered at the idea of being trapped underground. It wasn't a pleasant thought. She watched the cave entrance with a new fascination, until another question came to mind. "How'd they catch anybeast, or much less find anybeast if they're blind?"

[Ashleg]

Maxy passed the basket to Bracklew before tilting his chair back dangerously.
"I was thinking about exploring Mossflower, maybe trying to catch a big fish and bring it back here. And don't tell me it's dangerous! I'm pretty sure I'm old enough to go out by myself now."

Fangfang narrowed his eyes when Petu and Aver burst in.
"Antisocial frogwives, two can play at that game!" he blurted, turning and running out.

Duncan looked up.

[Groddil]

"Heightened senses. They rely on other ways to find their prey. Hiding, holding still for hours, then overpowering their foes with superior numbers. Smell, good hearing. That's why I  freaked out so much when you showed up. They seem to be quiet at the moment, although no telling how long that'll last. And if you're feeling sorry for them, don't. I don't know exactly how many are dead, or mad, thanks to them, but the number is counted in scores."
She grinned as Saul waved from the hilltop, where one log had been placed just over the cave entrance. The carpenters disappeared again, on their way down, as the other members of Charm's group finished construction of their device. The large bowl had been attached to a long piece of timber, which connected to the frame on a hinge.There were several loops scattered around the frame, and a strange wheel mounted to one side.
"For the rope," Charm explained, as a mouse stared at them curiously. The carpenters soon arrived with their wheels, ready to haul a second log to the hilltop.
"Okay, the device is ready. Start hauling the resin and oil up the hill. Saves the carpenters some more time. The sooner we're done here, the better. You want lunch, we'd best hurry it up."

[LT Sandpaw]

Taking one of the scones for himself, Bracklew passed on the basket on, a roughish smile on his face. "I'd say so," he told Maxy. "How old are you? Seventeen seasons, heh, I was running all over Mossflower and fighting battles when I was a season younger then you." A faraway look appeared in Bracklew's eye and he chewed slowly on the scone. How fortunate would that have been, to live a normal life like Maxy.

"Just make sure you ask Duncan and Abbot Grant, and that somebeast knows where you are."

~*~*~*~*~

Laclin shivered again, though the weather was warm. These beasts sounded like a nightmare come true, she was glad her colony had never come across them before, or had they? One of her colony members had suddenly disappeared only a few seasons before.
"I'll... Help out." she offered, picking up one of the resin jars. Being a woodland squirrel she was used to carrying heavy objects through the trees, and scaling the small hill would be no different.

[Groddil]

Stumbly, having entered the hall, stood behind Maxy and snatched a scone from his plate.
"You could always come with me an' Shadomay. We were planning on heading out again anyway."