Redwall MUCK Forum

SCENE:  On the island of Terramort (known to dolphins and other sea creatures as the Island of Death).  In the castle of the wolverine Gorax the Bloody. 

LOG:
It has been about 2 and a half days since the dibbuns have been placed in the cell alone, guards came to look at them but no food or water yet,plus its really dark and hardly any light in here. Footpaws are heard that stop at the doorway.  Ciana whimpers now.   

Isa was comfortable in the dark but after two days even she was uncomfortably hungry. She'd found a muddy puddle in the corner and had been guarding it with her life, hiding it behind her when the guards came and sharing it with the others but cautious that no one have too much for fear it would vanish entirely.   

Most of the Dibbuns are dispirited, afraid, and losing all hope. Squirrelbabe has been doing her best to keep their hopes alive, even sort of disobeying the Spirits of Triss and Martin and telling them all that help was on its way! Many of the Dibbuns just argued with her. The Ringleader doesn't know what else to do, especially since she, too, doubts the words of Redwall's guide and Warrior. And so now they sit in the dark, some of the more frail Dibbuns a little sick to their stomachs from the mud in the water the kitten found. At the sound of the footsteps, just as she has every time someone has come, Squirrelbabe gets to her feet, ignoring the dizziness lack of food and clean water has started in her. Shaking a fist, she hollers, "Let us go! We wantsa go 'ome!!"   

It's then...the door opens and two monitors at at each side of the wolverine Gorax.  He is wearing his otter fur cloak, his silk tunic and pants of purple and blues as he smirks "You are home and you shall begin working today. You belong to me, I hold the power of life and death in my paws."

Mud, diseases and cat fluff! As when she hears the guards coming Isa hides the water with her tail. If there was literally anything else to drink they would. She glares at the wolverine when he appears, or at least near him. She doesn't like looking directly at him. She makes a noise, scoffing at his words but that's all the fight she puts up for now.   

Squirrelbabe stomps her foot, but her tail and ears are quaking with fright. There's just something about the wolverine that terrifies her. "Dis no' home! Wedwall is 'ome! An' we wantsa goes back! Now whewe Leigh? She gonna go 'omes wif us!!" Most of the Dibbuns shrink back, huddling together on the floor, when the wolverine enters the room. They are absolutely cowed and broken. The ferret Dibbun, however, along with a couple otters and a mole, take cues from the Ringleader and stand, although they're shaking with fear worse than she is. "S....s....send us back to Redwall!" The ferret manages to squeak out, the otters and mole nodding along with him, even as they huddle together against the back wall.   

Gorax smirks, he looks "Leigh?" He tehn smiles coldly"The shrewmaid you mean..so she has a name or "He is slient "She...had a name" Of course he didn't get the update he sort of failed, course none of the vermin or others, least on the island main land...knows the shrew is very much alive.   

Meanwhile there is tunnels and they are hidden, an old hamster watches for any signs of where the new slaves are, it seems he saw Gorax go inside and ducks down as a guard passes and frowns, he will have to wait till they come back out of the bulding where a couple cells are.   

Isa's fur bristles a little at Gorax's words and she glares at the spot next to his feet "We get it, y're evil an' y're too lazy t'do yer own work. Leave us alone" she grumbles, a little quietly because she's not feeling as bold as she's trying to sound.

"Had?" Some of the Dibbuns start crying -- the murder of Burfy made them understand death much faster than they should have. Squirrelbabe stares in shock, then she shakes a fist at the wolverine. "You lying! She....she okies! You just twyin' t'scawe us! Bwing 'er back!!" The ferret and the others who had been standing along with the Ringleader lose all their courage, and they, too, start crying.   
Squirrelbabe feels everything slipping away from her, so she does what she usually does when she's losing control: she gets mad. She gathers up whatever courage she has left and shouts, "YOU LYIN'!!" and tries to attack the wolverine. She's so scared this may be the only time she'll be able to do this for a while, but she is trying by making herself be angry.   

Ciana wails now as Gorax grins, he then nods "Chain them, het them working and.."He will get very close to the squiirrel "I don't lie child...I dislike any sparks on my island, maybe yu need to find your place or"He smiles "I be happy to show you where the shrew is"He backs off "Get them working now!"

Leigh is alive, but staying in mostly the tunnel as she follows a mole now, she frowns as it points up and so she climbs the small edge and peeks out showing a view if the grounds, she keeps low and quiet letting weeds and some rocks help hide this entry   

Isa takes it as fact but she's been getting pretty used to the idea of caring adult figures being dead. She assumed they'd never see Leigh again the moment she was gone. Besides, he's evil, they do that sort of thing. She looks a little alarmed as Squirrelbabe tries to attack the wolverine but nothing bad comes from it yet so she stays quiet, waiting to see what terrible thing is going to happen to them next.
   
When he's close, Squirrelbabe tries to scratch the wolverine's nose. "My place is 'ome in Wedwall!" All the other Dibbuns cry and sniffle, but they don't put up a fight as they're chained up. Squirrelbabe, however, goes to kick and hit and claw and bite at the monitors, although a single look at her face would tell anyone and everyone that she is absolutely terrified. "No! No, no, no, lets us go 'ome t'Wedwall!!" She screeches as she fights, even as all the other Dibbuns cooperate, thoroughly defeated and afraid.   

Ciana wails loudly as they are taken away to where ever to work, likely a couple, includeing her is made to mop a hallway. Gorax just sneers, the monitor kicks at the squirrel as they are taken outside to move rocks and they are well guarded too.   

Leigh gasps softly when she sees some of the dibbuns or least the ones brought outside to work she frowns as a plan forms, maybe she could grab one if they get close or leasrt try as she is willing to risk it.   

Isa doesn't put up a fight this time. The chains have made it obvious it's not going to work. She follows with the group, sticking close as close to Squirrelbabe as possible without getting in that fight. She's ready as backup but once they're outside she's just looking around, trying to get an idea of the area with maybe a vague hope of a way to run and escape but perhaps more for the more realistic hope of food.
   
Squirrelbabe can't avoid the kick, and she collapses to the ground, gasping for breath. She is easily chained up now, and she hobbles, holding her stomach, as she is forced to go outside with the rest. Blinking in the bright sunlight, she, too, looks around, trying to get a bearing on their surroundings. As they are led to where they are supposed to work, she stumbles, falling against the ferret and Isa. She slips Isa and the ferret each a nail, whispering, "Twy....t' scape....." She continues to limp, her stomach bruised from the kick.

    Gorax grins and walks off leaving the dibbuns in the care of the vermin who work for him. Meanwhile Kash is in the tunnels and frowns, he then sighs its no good to try and warn her "Be careful"He whispers to the shrew maid.   
   
Leigh waits till the ferret is made to go to the side, she frowns thse vermin are trying to seprate the dibbuns, she takes a chance and goes to grab the ferret and quickly disappear before a vermin passes.   

Isa quickly moves to help Squirrelbabe back up and in the process ends up taking one of the nails with a little frown but hesitates. Thinking...and then deciding. She quickly glances around at the guards, making sure they're not looking before she quickly goes to jam it in to the lock of the ferrets collar and roughly shove it around. She doesn't really know how picking locks works "We are gettin' everyone out and gettin' out t'gether" she mutters very firmly to Squirrelbabe. With great surprise something in the collar breaks and releases it from the chain. She's so surprised that she pauses for a moment, then quickly steps away, gesturing desperately for the ferret to run for it as soon as there's a change. She looks quickly back at the guard and by the time she glances back again he appears to be gone, leaving her with no clue that Leigh got him.   

The ferret squeaks as his collar comes undone, but he nods to the kitten and darts away...only to be grabbed by the shrew! He shrieks before he realizes it's just Leigh, and then he goes to cling to her and cry with relief. Squirrelbabe smiles slightly, but she's in a lot of pain from the kick, as well as having a headache and mild lightheadedness from lack of food and clean water. She closes her eyes and goes to lean on the cat. "Togevvew," she mumbles before she faints. Looks like she needs some help from a Healer. The rest of the Dibbuns start to work as they cry.

Ciana is inside mopping and outside it seems the vermin did not see the ferret grabed, though a couple monitors breifly fight over...something and then go back to watching the captives. Gorax stays inside and...well does evilish things   

Isa smiles slightly as she can't see the ferret any more and the guards don't seem to have noticed. One dibbun free. Plenty more to go. She moves to help Squirrelbabe along and to work when she's lent on. There's no hope of healers to help now but perhaps there will at least be food later.

~*END*~

Thanks for reading!

SCENE:  Salamandastron Infirmary

LOG:
Julia has been trying to be good. She really has. But she also really misses her sister, and she is bored OUT OF HER MIND with school and class and just being a model haremaid. She has made new friends out of the visiting badgers, and so she decides that sneaking away from the Caretakers just to say can't be all /that/ bad, right?   
And so now she is leading almost all of the leverets in Salamandastron to the Infirmary. Her goal is for them to visit Xander and cheer him up! But first they must distract the Healers and get them out of the way. She nods to a pair of leverets nearby, who set into motion her PLAN. They tip a pair of boxes over the edge of the top stairs and scream as loudly as they can, then scurry away and hide around the corner with the others as the Healers come dashing out to help! When they have left the room, Julia leads her cohorts into the Infirmary and close the door, shoving a doorstop under it to slow down the adults' return.   
"But, /Julia/, 'ow dey gonna gets backs in 'ewe??" The Ringleader rolls her eyes. "They be fine. Grown ups cans open doors whot 'ave doorjambs under 'em. Stop y'worryin'!"   
   
Grace is also bored and missing her dad and her own bed because she has to stay with the caretakers. They're there /all/ the time and they don't let her get away with stuff like her dad does. It's like being in class /all/ day while not even having Dom to play with. She was seriously bored. Bored enough that she's tagged along with the escaping leverets despite Julia leading them. She keeps to the back of the group though, not trying to cause trouble.   

Oz has..escaped! All thanks to Slaw who was supposed to help get the cub back to the caretakers, he of course sit the cub down and started arguing with Cole, the two start slapping each other as the cub looks on and whimpers, he then just starts crawling...down a tunnel when he hears voices and stops by the infirmary door and giggles a little.   

Julia hears the giggle and quickly opens the door just a crack. "Oh, hi, baby! C'mere," she opens the door, kneels, and holds her paws out to him, smiling. The Healers are still at the bottom of the staircase -- those empty boxes actually ended up hitting someone. Oops. Sometimes PLANS don't work out quite right.   
One of the leverets has found the bandage rolls and have pulled one out. Holding it out to Grace, he giggles. "Lookit." The other leverets are milling about, looking at things and opening drawers since their leader is busy with the baby. One of them finds some sort of powder. It makes her sneeze, which gets powder everywhere. She looks like a little green ghost.   

Grace doesn't realise that someone get hit already but she frowns slightly at all the wedged door, the draws being pulled open and the dibbuns all getting in to everything. She's trying very hard not to speak out in case it causes a fight but she can't quite help it "I don't think yah should mess with tha'...it's all medicine an' stuff in here. Yah know tha' stuff is icky" she says to the dibbun getting some mystery powder all over the place.

Oz giggles and babbles something as he makes his way inside. Meanwhile a blackeye each Cole and Slaw have stoped fighting, it's then Slaw notices "Where the cub?" ..."Wot I am not the watcher of the cub you are".."Am not!".."Are too!" And....there they go again fighting, Slaw knocks Cole out and dusts off heading down a tunnel "Here kid..hallo...kid, where ya at...elllo?"    Jun 30, 2020 at 8:06 p.m.

The leveret who is now covered in powder smells strongly of mint now, which must be what the powder was. She sneezes again. The leveret with the bandage goes to poke Grace, getting a little belligerent. "LOOKIT!!" He sticks the rolled-up bandage in her face, fumbles, and chases after it as it drops to the floor and rolls away from him, unwinding as it goes.   
Julia goes to hug the baby badger and close the door, forgetting to block it again. "'I, baby! We gonna visit you daddy! I bet 'e gonna be so 'appy t'see us, wot!" She sits there for a minute, though, happy to see the cub again. "Ev'rybeast, this is /Ozzy/, an' 'e a really sweet baby, so makes sure t'be nice, wot wot!" she informs the rest of the DABers in her most imperious voice.   

Grace frowns and pushes the bandage out of her face "Stopit! Wot? It's a bandage!" she doesn't get what he was wanting to show her with it before he's off and chasing it. She looks around when Julia introduces Oz to everyone and she tilts her head at the little badger, curiously coming over "I nevah seen a tiny badger afore..." after a pause she tries waving at him "Hi tiny Ozzy"   

Oz tilts his head and giggles, then a voice is heard on the other side of that closed door, its Slaw.."Hey open de door"The cub whimpers a little, ok so he dislieks Slaw it seems.   

In their defense, most of the leverets are younger than Grace and Julia, and so that one had probably never seen a roll of bandage before. He has finally caught it and is now trying to wrap it back up again, which is an epic failure considering he's not very coordinated. The little doe who's covered in mint dust is wandering around, leaving a trail of dust behind her as she and the other leverets start opening low cabinets.   
Julia gives Grace a hesitant, suspicious look, but then decides to be nice. "Yeah, me, neivvah. I fink 'e's jus' th'cutest!" She goes to hug him....then all the leverets gasp and freeze as they hear the sound of an ADULT! The Ringleader tries to guide the whimpering badger away from the door. "It okay, Ozzy," she informs him, smiling to try and calm him down. "We jus' wi' play o'er 'ere! No, put dose back!" The startled DABers jump and drop a glass jar full of dried bay leaves. It shatters on the floor. Loudly. The trio who dropped it start to cry.   
   
Grace's mother had been a healer, she may have an advantage in knowing a little extra about the infirmary. She may also have a little more respect for it not being a playground either. She grins when Oz responds to his name "Yeah, he's cute" she says before her ears perk in alarm as the sound of an adult at the door. She glances between Julia and Oz quickly before she yells back at Slaw "Are yah hurt?" if he's hurt she has to let him in. If he's not then it's fine. At least fine until glass breaks and she flinches and quickly hurries off that way "Nonono, yah can't break stuff here. It's ok, it's ok, just don't touch it" she says quickly as she tries to shoo the others away from the glass while trying to also stop the crying.   

Slaw frowns "Wot broke...open the door right now or.or I will make you!" He is not an expert with young hares, oh he could...lie "I have sweets...let me in and you get them"   
Oz is meanwhile helped to the other side of the door and ooooh look the unrolled bandage looks neat to play with as he giggles more.

The trio flees the scene of broken glass, letting Grace deal with it. The tiny buck pulls the bandage away from the babe badger. "No, it mine!!!" Julia tries to placate the little hare. "'Ey, you cans /share/, 'e no gonna do any 'arm--" "NO SHAWE, IT MINE!!!" The mint-powder-covered doe sneezes again, sending up a cloud of green dust as her head and shoulders jerk forward. A set of twins blink and smile at each other. "Sweeties??" The bound over to the door and open it, eager to get the treats the older hare is pretending to have. They probably will not be amused to discover he was lying...   

Grace huffs irritably as the trio runs away. This must be what dibbun sitters feel like. She grabs a bowl and starts carefully putting bits of glass in to it. She doesn't believe the promise of sweets for a second and believes that's an obvious lie so of course she's not looking when some of the dibbuns fall for it and open the door. She doesn't realise until it's too late and looks around when she hears the door opening, bit of glass still in her paw "No! It's a trick!"   

Oz babbles something and giggles and of course....Slaw has nothing as he smirks "Ha...fooled you, and now your all in trouble oh wait till I tell the General or...well someone I will tell someone and your all be...well something for..for weeks!"   

The twins' ears droop, but then they slam the door shut behind him, suddenly angry. "You lieded to us!!" The pair is joined by most of the other leverets, obviously not amused at the fact that he tricked them. Julia's eyes widen. "Wait, no, we gonna gets in trouble--" "GETTIM!!" The DABers leap at the adult hare, trying to tackle him and pull him to the ground! One of them snags a pair of bandage rolls to tie all his paws up with! Julia groans. "Dis isn't whot I 'ad in mind..."

"Wait! That's...that's" Grace sighs faintly. She couldn't really have thought of another way out of this anyway. She gestures to try and stop the tying up at least but stops when she accidentally cuts her paw with the glass in the process "Ow!" she quickly drops the glass in the bowl and holds on to her paw. It's not that bad, just a scratch though it's bleeding. It distracts her long enough so when she looks back the others are already set upon the grown up "Really?...This is pretty much wot I expected tah happen" she says to Julia as she's watching the dibbuns wrestle with Slaw. It's not like it's the first time they've been discovered and tied someone up.   

Slaw screams as this...horde of dibbuns tackle him and he yells for help as bandages suddenly tie him up "Acks no...somebeast!!!" All Oz does is clap his paws, this is funny to him.

Julia scowls. "Well.....I jus' meant foh us t'cheeh Xandy up. He was sad..." She smiles at the cub and claps with him. "Yay! Baby no' cryin'! Yay!" The other leverets have successfully tied up an adult. They now turn to look at the Ringleader. "What we do now?" Julia just stares at them. "Uumm..."   

Oz giggles...Slaw meanwhile looks....well peeved "You...pests are in so much trouble ..so much...trouble..." He then is muffled as an old gross sock is suddenly in his mouth.   

Grace stares at Slaw on the floor as she's thinking of any way out of this "...Run? If they don't know who did it they can't punish us all?" they can and will punish them all and one of the dibbuns will probably tell on them anyway but it's pretty much the best option she's got.
   
Julia thinks for a few moments. "Y'know, tha' sounds like th'best idea, wot!" She stands, but before she can even take a step aaaalllll the other Dibbuns have fled the scene. "'Ey, wait....grrr...." She looks down at the badger and goes to pet his head. "But whot 'bout Ozzy? We can'ts jus' /leave/ 'im..." she thinks for a minute, then stomps over to the adult and gets all up in his face, trying to (VERY VICIOUSLY) twist his ear. "You won'ts tells /anybeast/, or else all th'DAB will fill you bed wi' sand an' crabs an'....an' yucky garbage from d'kitchen! We make you CRY, wot!!" He may tell, but at least she tried. She then walks over to the badger and smiles. "'Kay, baby, le's go! You no walk...hmm..." she looks at Grace. "'Elp me carry 'im?"   

Oz blinks as Slaw just, he cusses and looks ready to punch someone, and in comes "Wot in the seasons...whoa..."He is almost knocked over and looks at the only dibbuns left..Grace,Julia and Oz, he looks at Slaw.."Wot was that Private?" He takes the sock from his mouth and puts it back after he hears Slaw better say the word"FOrget I asked..."He looks again at the dibbun hares.

Grace looks a little surprised at Julia's threats to Slaw but she is not objecting, it's quite imaginative really. She flinches as she hears someone else coming and sees Zolomon. It's probably too late now, they've been seen but still "Run for it!" she hisses as she quickly goes to help carry Oz and get out of there before Zolomon can get them in to trouble right then.   

Julia gulps. Another grown up! But she nods to the other leveret. "Aye, fast as th'wind!" She goes to also pick up Oz, sharing the weight and burden with Grace, and she leads them to the door! Hopefully they're fast enough and sudden enough that they'll be able to escape with the badger and postpone their punishment for a while...   

Zolomon frowns and looks to Slaw, he crosses his arms. "Ok stand up...let's go report ta General Q...march chap"

~*END*~

Thanks for reading!  This was sooooo much fun xD

SCENE: On The Ship of Valour, on the deep blue sea...

LOG:
It has been long enough on their voyage that land was far out of sight, yet Terrence still tends to look back in were he assumes the hare disappeared. He hasn't quite gotten that good at telling were he is without the sun and shore. Clutching the railing the sergeant keeps his eyes on the horizon, trying to ward off the inevitable sea-sickness that has been threatening to take hold of him since they got to deep water, but he figures its mind over matter. Forcing a smile at the passersby, the bespectacled hare has kept close to the edge of the boat not daring to go under deck even during the night. It was warm and pleasant enough today, which was a pleasant bonus, but still. "Damn...Can't believe not even a day in and I'm already wishing fo'h solid ground..." He mutters to himself.   

The buck isn't the only one. Groans and moans can be heard from a number of the creatures on the ship, and DoraRose, one of the beasts suffering, stumbles above deck, clutching her stomach with her free arm as Felicity and Matilda support her. The mouse goes over to the railing on the port side of the vessel and leans over, sounding a bit like she's dying. As the hedgehog tries to give the mouse some special tea, Felicity, not looking miserable in the slightest, makes her way over to her fellow Sergeant. "Seems like most everybeast is 'avin' some trouble wi' th' sea," she remarks, seeming worried. Ciocan is at the helm, steering the ship and doing captainy things.   

"Indeed." Terrence manages, smiling again in a way that seems more like a grimace. "I suppose that's what we get fo'h nevah having naval training o'h whatevah one calls it, eh?" With a quirked eyebrow he examines the Redwallers. "I suppose it might be worse fo'h them, eh? Living in the middle of a forest like they do..."   

Felicity shrugs. "I dunno. Matilda seems t'be fine, but Ms. DoraRose is 'avin' it pretty bad. I wondah if age makes a difference -- Ms. Rose isn't quite old enough t'be m' Mum, but she's also not as young as we are, eithah." She leans on the rail, watching the rise and fall of the ship on the waves. "I'm doin' pretty well. 'Aven't felt sick once. Y'look like y'not doin' too well, though."   

"I really am not." Terrence smiles again, unconvincingly. "And I know that at least half the privates are doing worse - they keep complaining to me about it all." With a laugh the sergeant turns back to look out at the sea. "I've heard that keeping you'h eyes on the horizon tends to help, though."   

"Mmm....y'look like y'swallowed a bad fruit," Felicity remarks, looking at him, obviously not convinced by his smile at all. Matilda seems to be directing DoraRose to look out at the horizon, but so far all the mouse has done is rest her head on the rail and moaned. The auburn-furred doe turns to face her fellow Sergeant, leaning on the rail beside him. "Kinda glad we got this mission togethah, y'know? 'Tis nice t' 'ave more time t'chat." Since everything got even more hectic than usual in the Long Patrol recently.   

There's a moment or so before Terrence answers. "Yes- yes. Glad." He begins, partly deflecting the conversation. His voice drops to a whisper so that the mouse and hedgehog can't hear. "I daresay though, well, I'm nervous about what will happen when we reach the slavahs - if we evah do. I know we've fought toads before, but I feel like these slavahs will be hardah to deal with. Especially with the wild cards that are those Redwallahs. They might be able to fight, but I'm not certain on how well they'll mesh with the patrol..."   

Felicity frowns, but she tries to be logical instead of just jumping straight into defending the mouse, who she really looks up to.   
The doe says, "But maybe tha's part o' th'point, Terrence. They're not like th'Patrol, they 'ave their own way o' fightin', and may'ap tha's no' a bad thing. The way we fight an' battle isn't th' only successful way t'do things. Many, many times o'er the seasons our ancestors lived through, th'Patrol an' Redwallah's an' their Mossflowah allies banded t'gethah successfully, an' while they didn't 'mesh'" she makes quotes in the air with her fingers as she says that word "with th'Patrol, they still worked t'gethah jus' fine, an' came out victorious in th' end."   
Now she allows her hurt to show. "An' are y'really gonna be so focused on battle tactics an' tryin' t'force our allies int'bein' like th'Patrol tha' y'can't enjoy us bein' on the same ship f'r 4 weeks? Y'said y'liked me, y'took me out on a date, then y'practically ghosted me. I undahstand we've been busy, but I can't 'elp feelin'...I dunno, kinda 'urt an' ignored."   

Terrence stiffens, keeping his eyes on the fair off horizon. "I-" He starts, in a quiet voice doing his best to turn and meet her gaze, "I'm sorry about that. All of it." He waves his paw vaguely. "I didn't mean to ghost you... not at all, no..." Taking in a deep breath (either to calm his nerves or try and settle his stomach), he continues. "I've just been - bah." Shaking his head he looks back out to sea. "I'm scared. I've been scared, fo'h a while now." His voice is louder now, more firm. "I don't think the patrol is quite ready fo'h a fight again. I know death is unavoidable in ou'h line of work, but even so - well. Well, I don't wan't hares to be killed, no mattah what." With a sigh he lets out what he's been holding in for nearly eight seasons. "If hares are going to die again, I'd much rathah it be because of the patrol's blundah rathah than some abbey-beasts fault, if that makes since. I mean, I don't want them giving ou'h hares orders, no mattah how they do things. They have thei'h own way and we have /ou'hs/. Even if the badgeh lord himself ordahs me to hand ovah command to any of them I'd refuse, because frankly-" With a nervous looks around he drops his voice again to a hiss, "I don't trust eithah his o'h the redwallahs' judgement in battle, not after what happened last time we helped them."   

Felicity hugs herself as he apologizes, but as he continues, she just looks shocked, then angry. "'Twasn't th'fault o' th'Redwallahs tha' so many 'ares died! 'Ave y'even /read/ any o'th'repohts?? The base camp was ambushed wi' no warnin', an' th'group whot went t'th'Abbey was vastly outnumbahed, even wi' th'Redwallahs an' their allies there!"   
She's not trying to be quiet, and some of those above deck are now watching them closely (although not the Badger Lord -- the doe isn't being quite that loud yet). "The Redwallah's weren't in command o' any o' th'Patrollahs who died, an' they 'ad no control o'er whot th'enemy did! They were stuck inside the Abbey durin' a flippin' /seige/! 'Ow could they 'ave prevented to attack on th'base camp? 'Ow could they 'ave prevented th'overwhelmin' amount o' deaths on all sides due to 'ow many o' the enemy there were??"   
She's kind of gotten in his face now, obviously very upset. "'Ave y'even /talked/ t'any o' th' 'ares who went?" Her blue eyes flash. "None o'th'Redwallah's gave any o' our 'ares ordahs, an' 'twasn't th'fault o' th'Redwallahs we 'ad t'go 'elp 'em." He would know that she wasn't 1 of the ones who went to Mossflower that time, but she's still lumping herself in with them. "Y'allowed t'be afraid, but y'not allowed t'falsely accuse beasts if y' 'aven't read th'repohts 'bout it or talked t'any o' th'survivours!"   

During her rant Terrence backs away as far as he can, shrinking away. However, there is one thing she says that cause his shoulders to straighten and he stands upright. In the moments of silence that follows, Terrence's mouth tightens and his eyes hold something that's not quite anger but are cold. When he speaks, he's still quiet but firm. "Felicity. I /know/ it's not the Redwallahs fault - not that time. I- I'm just expressing well- It was the bloody patrol and those heading it. I don't trust Ciocan-" Here, he doesn't bother with titles, "-o'h the rest of brass, let alone some fa'h off woodland ordah that seems to need rescuing every othah blasted summah." With a deep breath he turns away once again. "As fo'h survivahs, well... well. All the hares I knew and worked with /died there."/ He bites his paw. "I- I nevah read those reports because I..." With shake of his head and a sigh he falls silent once more, leaning heavily on the railing his eyes closed. After a long pause he says, in a calmer tone, "That cannot happen again. But I'm scared it will - it doesn't need to be a patrolah's fault o'h the badgeh lord's o'h the Redwallahs'. It just needs one bad decision."   

Felicity scowls. "O' course they need t'be rescued -- they're a peaceful Ordah! I think all theih best Warriohs are on this bloomin' ship!" She curses. "Redwall could be undah attack righ' now an' we wouldn't know it!"   
DoraRose is trying to pull herself together enough to come over and try to smooth things down, but all she can do is take 1 step before her seasickness rolls back over her and Matilda has to catch her. Ciocan has noticed the fight (although he still can't hear what it's about), but no one else who knows how to steer a ship is available to take over from him just yet.   
The haremaid's paws curl into fists. "If y'don't trust 'is Lordship, then why 'aven't y'left th'Patrol by now? An' if y'so scared 'bout somethin' tha' can't be prevented, then why are y'botherin' t'go on livin'??" She deoesn't mean that, not in the slightest. She's just really, really angry right now. Dora straightens up as best as she can. "Felicity...." The Sergeant waves a paw at her to shush her.   
Felicity shakes her head. "An' why th'" she knows some very choice words! "would y'not read the repohts if y'want it t'nevah 'appen again?? Tha's th'best way t'prevent things, is t'read whot 'appened in th'past!"   

Rufus flies onto the railing, luckly not near the hares, and tilts his head "What wrong with bunnies?"He asks, a private shrugs like he has no clue, a couple others look closer....ohhh an arguement.The sea gull yarks loudly "Stupid bunnies need fight bad beasts...not selfs"
   
By now even the hares who were purposely ignoring the sergeants have to take notice, with others, such as Konner, seem almost eager for the fight. Terrence, however, doesn't seem to be all that angry all things considered. At least not until the bird has the 'gull' to squad at them - earning Rufus a look that implies the buck is trying to strangle him with his mind. "Why? /Why/?" Terrence voice is raised for the first time, even as he taps the railing to do his best to ignore the seagull from now on. "Felicity I-" Nostrils flaring, the bespectacled hare shrugs. "I don't want my friends - the hares I care about - to follow fools to thei'h graves. Trust me, I left the patrol once and I've thought 'bout doing it once again. /But I haven't./ And the reports? Ha." A fit of manic mirthless laughter takes hold of him, and he clutches the railing for support. "Sure, I'd /love/ to read 'bout th'deaths of my fathah and squad and nearly every hare I was friendly with besides you and Ewan, /sounds absolutely blinkin' lovely./" He hisses, before sliding down as sea-sickness washes over him. "Of course, Ewan died latch anyway, the poo'h sod." There's bitterness in the words, and he covers his face with his paws.   

Caleb was up on deck where the others were, swabbing the floors to make sure things stayed clean. However he did look over as he saw the commotion. Having no voice was hard as he would come up and look over where the hares were fighting. He wants to try to break them up... but he's waiting if they get physical.   

DoraRose stumbles forward, Matilda hurrying to keep her from falling. The mousewife goes to lay her free paw on Caleb's shoulder, trying to ignore her seasickness. "Don't...." she pauses and grimaces, trying to get her nausea under control. "There's more to this than is obvious to outsiders, and only I know about those things because Felicity told me. Let's just...." another pause and grimace. "Let them figure it out." Matilda, not knowing either of the hares involved, just shrugs, having to trust the Gatekeeper's judgement.   
Felicity glares at the gull. "We're 'ares, no' bunnies," she firmly corrects him. But what her fellow Sergeant says gives her pause, and he's down on the deck for a few minutes before she can think of a reply. "'M sorry y'Da died," she says, crouching down to his level. "I will say tha' if y'can't read th'repohts, an' if y'refuse t'talk t'any survivours, then y' 'ave no right t'be blamin' anybeast foh anythin' tha' 'appened. Y'eithah 'ave t'know th'truth, oh y'need t'not be formin' opinions." She stops for a moment, then adds, "Y' 'aven't talked t'anybeast 'bout this befoh, 'ave you?"   
   
Rufus puffs up and speaks "You..are bunnies...you leader is bunny lord.." He decides to go find some fish, he seems to debate droping it on thier heads but that be a waste of tasty raw fish, so he just eats it on a clear area of the floor, a private steps back and looks..ill, rufus tilts his head "Bunny want?" The private quickly shakes his head and backs up "ya ya,,more fer rufus" peck..peck at the fish.Yum!   

"Not even two days in, ladies and gentle beasts!" Konner calls out, trying to make things light again, "An' the poo'h sergeants 'ave already snapped! If only I 'ad made 'ares place bets-" With a kick to his shins courtesy of Greenhill and a hissed suggestion on were to place his bet from Reuenthal, Konner quiets down to slink off to do his chores.   
"No - not since the assumably when the brass told us what happened." Terrence manages, his face turning greener each moment. "And I-" His voice return to barely a whisper, "I did skim the reports, but by Hellsgates, I didn't want to look any furthah. And I wouldn't put it past this who wrote the reports--" He cuts himself off, deciding he had said enough about that. "Daresay I'm not as sorry 'bout my fathah as I should be, but that's anothah can of worms. Ompf." He shakes his head, looking very sick.   
   
Caleb was about to step in when he feels the familiar weight of DoraRose's hand on his shoulder. He looks back towards her and was going to answer but his ears fold back... the mouse just nods and waits to see if it it actually gets violent. If it were... he won't hurt anyone. He just doesn't want the crew fighting is all.   

DoraRose doesn't want fighting, either, so she watches warily, knowing how couples can get slappy when they're fighting. Matilda murmurs, "They seem to be calming down...."   
Felicity frowns and goes to help her fellow Sergeant stand upright, facing the sea. "Y'said lookin' at th' 'orizon 'elps wi' seasickness, so up y'come, laddie buck!" She shakes her head. "Then may'ap y'should ask more questions....an' talk t'beasts more. 'Tisn't good t' 'old this kind o' stuff in, Terrence." She's not so sure of that, herself, but it's the advice she's been giving Dominik, so it's the advice she'll give her other friends, too.   
Dora visibly relaxes. "Aye, I think they have. Oooh..." she doubles over, clutching her stomach with her free arm. The hedgehog supports her, but looks a little strained. "Caleb, help me get her back to the rail. She'll feel better once she starts looking out at the horizon....if she ever will." The elicits another groan from the miserable Gatekeeper.   
   
Neither hide nor hair had been seen of Dominik ever since the brief sighting of the massive hare during boarding of the ship, the buck having seemingly successfully found his own little spot to keep himself holed away during the journey. Learning about the journey, and more specifically, the reason as to why they were taking it had affected him profoundly, and he had seemingly reverted back to his more silent, unpredictable and brooding state. As the other hares go about their argument and/or discussion, the sounds of creaking boards is heard nearby, and out of the shadows of the galley steps Dom. He shifts his gaze between all those on deck, giving a soft grunt, before he heads out towards the bow of the ship. He takes a position standing there, the large buck staring out to sea with steely, hardened gaze, paws resting then tightening upon the rail.   

Rufus watches them "Why all bunnies and beasties getting ills...bad fishes?" He seems happpy the two hares are not fighting and looks at teh half eatten fish and flies over to frop it by Terrence and Felicity "Tis good fish..fresh...not get ills from"He flies away back to another railing and seems...happy, ya he helped!   

With the half eating fish being tossed in front of him, the last ounce of willpower leaves Terrence, who, having feebly let himself be pulled upright, clutches the railing and hurls what little he ate from lunch. After a long, long minute, the sergeant mutters a rather foul name for the bird, and he groans as he pulls himself upright. "I...its not good to hold anything in, it seems." Once again he tires to smile - and once again it appears more as a grimace - both at his weak attempt at his joke and how he feels. "Well...Welp." He sighs. "This was rathah a poo'h place fo'h it all."   
Konner, meanwhile, had very nearly walked into Dom, avoiding him with a squeak and a hasty "Excuse me!" As he darts around the big arctic hare, all plans of checking the rigging in the bow forgotten.   

Caleb was still thinking of it... but Dora was right that things seemed to be dying down. He'd only sigh and look back towards his friends with a whimper as he nods and helps up DoraRose's other side, waddling with Matilda to get his mouse companion to the railing.   

DoraRose gets to the railing and leans over it, eyes screwed tight as she strives to control her body. Matilda sighs. "Dora, just look at the lovely horizon! It'll help you feel better, I promise." She glances at the other mouse, ready to interpret his signs should he start trying to talk.   
Felicity also looks a little sickened by the half-eaten fish carcass. "Um, no, thanks, we're good! Uh, y'c'n keep it." She spots Dom and decides to check on him, too. "C'mon, love. I've 'eard tha' walkin' 'elps, too. Let's go say 'llo t'Dom." She goes to guide Terrence that way, supporting him and struggling (and failing) to find interesting things on the horizon to point out to him. "Well, anyplace is battah than noplace, sometimes."   
   
Dominik merely stares out at the horizon, the massive hare seemingly having no issue at all with seasickness. He did after all work on ships back in the Northlands, and so he'd taken many a trip out onto the sea and learned the various ways to keep from getting ill. He'd just gotten used to it at that point, and so as he hears others approaching him, he turns his head to glance back at them. He gives them a nod, before his gaze returns to its previous place. Who knows what the big hare is planning in his head? For their enemies, it likely was not at all a good thing.
   
Rufus looks at Dom...that is one large bunny! He puffs up a little and goes to fly over and lands near Ciocan, he perns a feather or two back into place.He will just eat the other half of the fish beside...the bunny Lord!   

"Actually," Terrence gets out, stopping and looking /very/ green, "I might just stay by the railing here, thank you. Sorry 'bout thi-." He breaks free of Felicity's grasp just in time to make it the edge of the boat, hurling. "Bahhh." After he's finished, he looks around and heads to a more deserted section of the boat were hopeful he won't disturb anyone.   

While Matilda continues to administer to DoraRose, Ciocan smiles at the gull. "And how are you today, my friend? Seems whatever was going on between my 'bunnies'," he uses the bird's term in a polite way "resolved itself."   
Felicity grimaces as Terrence goes off and does his thing, and carries on to the other buck on her own. "'Ey, Dom," she says, leaning on the rail beside him and observing him closely. "'Ow y' 'oldin' up? I can imagine this'll be a 'ard Patrol." She figures he knows, and with how he loves children, she figures this is a really hard thing for him to be wrestling with.   
   
Dominik notices Felicity joining him there at the railing, and he doesn't speak for a few moments. He simply continues to stare out at the horizon, his jaw clenching and eyes narrowing, his paws tightening their grip on the railing. "Vil be the last mistake they ever made," he mutters in a low, dangerous tone, the buck shifting his eyes to peer down at Felicity. "Does -not- know vat they did. The second they made decision to lay paws on leetle vuns, it vas -over-. Second Dom found out, it vas -over-." He growls softly, before his eyes return to their previous location. "Dom is not responsible for vat happens to them." A chilling response, and the buck seems deadly serious.   

Rufus nods to Ciocan, "Not know...bunnys grumble...then bunnies okies again...maybe sea travel make grumpy or had bad fishes" Yes bad fish is the reason,must be.   

Ciocan nods, smiling slightly. "I think 'tis probably the sea travel, and the nervousness over what's to come. Most of my hares have never been at sea before, so this is probably a nervewracking experience for some of them. But how are you faring, my friend? Is the crow's next a comfortable perch for you?"   
Felicity looks pensively out at the horizon, carefully weighing her words. "Dom....I undahstand tha' y'want t' 'elp th'Dibbuns, an' I fully agree wi' you. It's jus'...I only ask tha' y'be careful, alright? I don't want y'turnin' int' Erg agin. I'm 'appy t' 'ave m'friend back. I don't want t'lose y'agin."   
   
Dominik gives a soft chuff, the hare chuckling dryly. "Vil be as careful as possible. Is understanding Felicity, and does not vant to lose all progress. But, as much as is vanting to, Dom cannot promise vat vil happen. Is vhy Blorg is here, vith us. He is down vith Dom, down there." He points a paw towards the underside of the ship, where he is currently situated. "Is here in case Erg is vanting to return." He glances down at Felicity. "As long as Dibbuns are safe, is only thing that matters to Dom. Vould give life to make sure is safe."   

Rufus nods "Nest is nice, will be back, always back at darklight time..watch for lands and bad beasts ya ya...Rufus use to sea...like sea."   

Felicity is not the least bit surprised the huge hare brought his skeleton friend with him. After all, he said it helps keep him sane. "Good. I'm glad y'did whot y'needed t'do. Although y'should prob'ly make sure t' 'ide 'im from th'othahs.....who /knows/ what Majah Varus might do." She goes to rest a paw on his arm. "I trust tha' y'll try, love. An' I trust you with th'Dibbuns. /Any/ Dibbuns. We'll do ouh best t'keep 'em safe, t'gethah."   
Ciocan nods, continuing to steer the ship with a steady paw. "I trust you will, my friend. I, too, like the sea....it's been too long since I've been out here on it. If you need anything to make your nest more comfortable, let me know, and I will see what we can do."

~*END*~

Thanks for reading!