Redwall MUCK Forum

WHO:

Zolomon-Sargeant, Archer, Runner in LP

Rufus- Sea Gull

4 Other Sera Gulls- spoofed

LOG:

Zolomon enjoying some relaxation and had on some normal clothing right now.He had yet to get his new Sargeant uniform and was given a couple days to rest before he was back on duty.   

Rufus was out digging at sand crabs, nearby a flock of sea gulls seemed to watch him, he ignored them for the most part but kept an eye and ear open to them   

Zolomon had yet to see any sea gulls, he was just staying close to he mountain entrance and seeming to decide whether to go to Halyard or not, but Ciocan's words of staying watch made him stay put as a just in case he missed it sort of thing.   

Rufus just walks along when suddenly the other sea gulls circle him and yark loudly, he of course yarks something back,what ever it was it seemed they didn't like it and start dive bombing him.   

Zolomon ear picks up noise as he sits up and scans the sands.He then frowns and right away gets his longbow and notches an arrow.He takes careful aim at one of the flying gulls and the arrow is fired off.
   
The arrow holds true and hits one sea gull that was attacking in the chest and it falls,the other 3 seem to start to panic which gives Rufus time to get away enough to fly up and peck at one of them. Course they peck right back, and a lot of featehrs fly all directions.   

Zolomon frowns and has another arrow notched and ready to fire but he doesn't want to hit Rufus with an arrow, just the other gulls.   

Rufus gets a tail feather pulled out and has clawed one of the sea gulls, he has a couple feathers out of place, some missing but luckily not important ones.He yarks loudly as the other 3 gulls fly off, one a bit lopsided.   

Zolomon quickly walks over "You ok Rufus? Wot in de...why were they attacking you fer?"   

Rufus fixes a feather and tries a couple others and gives up for now as he looks at Zolomon, "Hate Rufus they do..."He flaps up"Stand back...back"He gets room and takes off, does a couple circles and lands, "All good..wings ok....ya ya"   

Zolomon nods as he backs up, he watches him fly and land "Well that's good your ok, but still odd fellow sea gulls don't like ya Rufus, why dont they like you as you never said"   

Rufus hmmphs"Rufus not knowing...ess bigger....not like attacking other beast unless reason...not like Halyard docks like others...no eat...dead things on sand like others"Yet he will kill a fish but thats different."No like rufus cause...Rufus know lot common speech....they not, not suppose talk to non feathers...Rufus not care...Rufus has bunnies as friends and the Lord of Bunnies Ciocan"
   
Zolomon chuckles "Thats Badger Lord...."He smiles though "SO now ya got friends so who needs the other gulls"He grins "Ya?"   

Rufus nods "Yeah...no need...have bunny friends and...friend Ciocan..."He tilts his head "He is leader over bunnies not badgers"Yes correct the hare he figures."Rufus like freind Zolomon too"   

Zolomon just smiles and lets it go, it take all day to explain more than likely"Anyways...where is your home,...ummm nest?"   

Rufus has to think "Nest...need nest, is cliff close maybe there or on mountain top, is good place thar too ya ya...and be close to friends"
   
Zolomon shrugs as he sits down "Maybe, there is some places on the crater you could try and some areas avoid rain even, not all of it of course.I say long as others know your thar, should be ok"
   
Rufus perns a feathers as he slowly fixes them back in place, the last one he just yanks out and smooths the area out "Rufus will look ya ya...be near friends and Rufus likes the food in stone burrow, esss good good"   

Zolomon nods, he scans the area and stands "You could help be a look out, Ciocan said company was coming but he didnt know when and that someone is gonna need a healer and maybe its more than one someone."
   
Rufus tilts his head and nods "Ya...look for beasties...both good and bad ones..bad wil get hurt plentygood"He yarks loudly and digs up a sand crab.   

Zolomon says, "Well if you do see someone let me know and I can let Ciocan know, he said get him first..then let healers know. He is making something and I think it has something to do with...well something"Ok he is thinking too hard, "I need an ale"

Rufus asks, "Where ale be maybe? what ale....find in Halyard at the tavern, tavern is ok...docks not ok"   

Zolomon hmmmmmms "Too far" He is lazy right now and smiles"Rec room...good ale thar and no blooming walking" He also has a blister on one foodpaw that should be ok in a couple days but more walking any distance would be torture.   

Rufus nods "Rufus will fly up to crater...and then go...go where?"   

Zolomon smiles "Same floor as his Lordship chambers is....like down the hall"He heads inside"Meet ya thar!"   

Rufus nods and flies up to the crater, he will meet the hare inside, again likely an odd sight seeing a sea gull just walk in but hey...maybe these bunnies need to get use to him, he's here to stay you all!

Who:

Zolomon-Corporal, Runner, Archer in The LP

Rufus-Sea Gull

Ciocan-Badger Lord

LOG:

Zolomon walked along the sand, oh it felt good to be walking in the sand again and he didn't care it he got sand all over him when he sat down to rest and smiled seeing Salamandstron in his view now very clearly.   

Rufus stayed by the hare and perned a feather or two as he spoke "What like sand for, sand is everywhere is not always good"   

Zolomon smiles "I missed the sand Rufus, I am almost home and I am glad, course it means back to work and training"He groans "Seeing Privates Cole and Slaw.....good grief"   

Rufus asks, "Esss not liking them? ess not friends?" He glances around and finding a sand crab he picks it up and eats it."Friends are good ya?"   

Zolomon nods "Friends are always good to have.I have few that are true friends and one lives in Mossflower.hmmms I wonder how he is doing,maybe I can get time off and pay him a visit...course be more like a season he lives 3 weeks away"
   
Rufus says, "Ya YA....and Rufus is friend yes?" He hopes anyways the seagull clearly has no friends "Rufus has no friend...even own kind hate"
   
Zolomon stands and dusts off his uniform.The uniform needs seriously cleaned "Why would other seagulls, not like ya Rufus and...yes "He grins "We are friends,why not you have helped me and helped me not get too down on the way home"
   
Rufus would smile but birds..well smile in their own way but he seems happier now himself"So..we get thar and go inside?"   

Zolomon hmmms softly "I...sure, besides your with me,it should be alright and we both need some good food not rations and..whatever you like"   

Rufus says, "Rufus like crabs and fish, but other things good too."

===Dinning Hall===

Zolomon grins as both agreed, get home and get much better food than he has had in the past...what 2 and a half weeks he been gone.He adjusts his pack and heads straight to the dining hall as he is a hare on a mission.   

Rufus stays close to the hare and gets some rather curious looks, one younger hare seems a bit afraid of the gull. The gull yarks a couple of times and just follows Zolomon to the dinning Hall and looks around.
   
Zolomon just waves, it's hardly busy right now and the few here just stare at them, the Corporal just nods and waves and goes to get some food. There is salad, pastries, soup, some veggies and fruits. There is rolls and some cordial as he loads up his plate and sits down with a large grin" I missed good food, I truly did"   

Rufus is curious of a lot..he samples some sort of fruit pice and decides on a veggie pastry,a roll and some sort of cherry fizzy stuff.He does get help from a recruit who then decides he is gonna report this strange bird and leaves   

Zolomon smiles as he munches away and slides something at the bird" Apple pie, won't have much of that again till fall, good with a dash of cream my good chap"   

Rufus samples it and smiles quickly eating the pie piece and chuckles "Yark yark....Rufus could get use to bunny's food...esss very much better than fish and crabs"   

Zolomon chuckles "I would say so....one can only eat so much fish and rations are de worse...seaweed....nope that was an awful idea on"He frowns now "Private...Robert....he liked it though"
   
Rufus looks down as the name is mentioned, "He was a brave bunny, brave and shall be remembered.Zolomon was very brave bunny as well and Rufus is glad to call him friend"   

Zolomon says, "Yeah and...I need to still report wot happen to a commanding officer and also give his Lordship the herb packs for wot ever he needs it fer..I am actually a little early on getting em' back so maybe that will be a good thing"
   
Rufus asks, "Lordship is bunny in charge?"   

Zolomon finishes some salad and a pear tart" He is a badger chap...very tall.His name is Ciocan"
   
Rufus nods"Badger yes.........sounds good, badgers be honorable beasts and strong"   

Zolomon nods "My best friend is also a badger by the way. His mate is Badger Mother of Redwall " He doesn't know of the cub yet.   

Rufus nods "Maybe go with Rufus will if go see friend, so have company"   

Zolomon nods "Not like I am gonna see him any time soon though, Long Patrol needs all us hares here and we would only leave for something important and things been really calm lately, even Halyard is calmer than it normally is"   

Rufus nods as he nibbles some soup, a bit messy but he gets the idea "Rufus maybe be friend to other bunnies too, think so?"
   
Zolomon says, "Sure, though some don't like being called bunny just so ya know"   

===Badger Lords Room==

The quarters of the Badger Lord, the sun is streaming through the massive window and illuminating the glass pipes, tubes, beakers and other alchemical equipment on the large workbench. Various things are bubbling, a cauldron is steaming gently with hot water and Ciocan is sat looking out the window at the sea.   

Without looking around from the open door and the two guards standing put outside he speaks in that deep rumbling voice of his, "Come in Sergeant Zolomon," He holds up one hand holding a scroll that unravels, ribbons and wax seal at the bottom catching the light.   

"I have been expecting you, you were successful?" it is less a question, more a statement, "I have been watching you in the dreams and you have more then proven yourself." He turns around in his seat, "I trust you have brought what I need?"   

   
Zolomon walks in and nods and stops at the title, wait did he say...Sargeant?He then clears his throat and nods as he lays out 3 packs of very carefully packaged herbs,"Yes sur" He smiles a little but lets the badger speak. And of course, he does salute when he enters.He is still curious of all this but...well he doesn't ask.   

Ciocan stands up and ignores the packs and presses the scroll into one of Zolomon's hands, he then reaches up and removes the rank insignia from his collar and carefully picks up a new set from the small forge against one wall. He pins it into place, "Thank you, Sergeant," He says formally, voice soft and quiet and then he smiles.   

"What you have brought is more important then you can realize.... Redwall will thank you from the bottom of its heart as will those who need these the most."   

He then opens the packs and starts removing those rare, difficult to find ingredients and starts to use the, dropping them into the cauldron, crushing them together in pestle and mortar and mixing them into the concoction bubbling in the largest glass beaker.   

"I have another task for you, when the injured arrive you are to come and find me at once. Get healers, get them up to the infirmary but come and get me."   

Zolomon frowns "Injured?" He stands still and nods after the pin is placed "Someone from..the abbey is coming? Why and why would they be injured?" He is of course curious as visitors are nice but this visit seems something else,"I can always be on watch sur, when I see them I can get you right away before they fully arrive, and then get any healers needed."
   
Ciocan smiles, "I do not know who... or when," He turns to look at the bubbling cauldron and scoops it up and pours it into a tube. The liquid pours through a tube then starts to drip into the beaker and the liquid inside it turns from a strange green to a bright vivid blue. "But they are coming and they will have injured... it could be soon or it could be in the Autumn... but before the summer truly ends."
   
Zolomon nods "I will make sure to keep watch sur"Of course he will this is important, he is worried though "Something...has or...is gonna happen soon isn't it? I mean...why would anyone and injured be near here from Redwall." He will make sure Old Major Pete tells him of any travelers even, though that old hare is always grumpy it seems but he is also the main hare on watch duty or the one to tell who to go on watch duty.
   
Ciocan says, "Do not exhaust yourself by being on watch constantly, just brief the watch and only do your duty. Just make sure they know to summon you and me the moment anyone turns up..." He glances out of the window and frowns, "Something... something is coming.... I cannot see it all but Lord Russano has given me instruction and the runes tell me more."   

Zolomon nods again, he then smiles at an idea "I can have Rufus keep an eye out for things"Oh yeah he should mention the bird, he speaks "Umm..a sea Gull I meet,no worries he is a friendly chap, says other seagulls hate him and I sort of made friends with him on my trip"   

Ciocan says, "Good they have arrived," He turns back to his window and looks out at the sea, "Have them come and see me, I would like to meet them."    

Zolomon nods "I can mention it when I see him, is thar anything else sur?" He will head off but only after he makes sure he is not needed here right now.   

Ciocan says, "No nothing for now Sergeant, go and celebrate and let your patrol know..." He turns around, "Quinten will be able to give you any extra information you may seek on being a Sergeant."
   
Zolomon nods,he salutes and exits the room letting the badger get back to whatever it is he needs to get back to.   

Rufus is wandering the halls of the Mountain"Is way go? What way?"

Zolomon smiles at the bird and motions for a recruit to help the bird "His Lordship wanted to see Rufus"

===Few Morments Later====

**Zolomon had went..well somewhere, probably to sleep but I got the chat from logger and added it as looked important **

The Badger Lords room is large, roomy and currently filled with a whole mixture of strange medicinal scents coming from the large alchemical kit sat on the central workbench. Ciocan is standing next to it, adjusting the equipment as several liquids slowly drip into a large beaker full of bright blue liquid that is bubbling quietly over a flame.   

The window is wide open and looks out over the mountain and the sea and the door is wide with two guards on the outside. The badger working away diligently on whatever it is he has been mysteriously making for the past few weeks.
       
Rufus has been inside, likely spooking a couple of hares as he walks around.He has decided the hare's food is much better than fish or crabs on the beach, though he will eat those too but the food inside this stone burrow as he calls is so much better. He also is a tad..lost till some slightly nervous hare shows him the door to the badger lords room since the badger had wanted to meet him, he watches the hare leave, likely some recruit or private.He perns a feather that's out of place.   

Ciocan asks, "Hello my friend," Ciocan says without looking up from his work, "You would be Rufus I take it? Please come in, take a perch," He nods to a nearby stool, "I have been expecting you."
   
Rufus tilts his head at the badger but he does come in "Why leader of bunnies expecting Rufus? Rufus be....friend, friend to all good beasties"   

Ciocan looks up at last and his dark eyes fix on the gull, "Because, we have been expecting you for a very long time Rufus. You are welcome here in the mountain but I wanted to meet you myself."   

Rufus still is very curious "Someone tell coming?" He nods finally"I ess Rufus..meet couple bunnies in swamps, swamps ess no nice place be, no wanna visit there"   

Ciocan smiles softly, "Hares, not bunnies, but you are welcome Rufus and yes... the spirits, the prophecy of the badgers told me to expect you." He smiles, "I do not know why yet... it is not clear but I was expecting a bird of the sea."   

Rufus nods "Hares...not bunnies"He repeats more to himself than the badger"Rufus live by sea...big water, but not being much friend to fellow gull, no like Rufus"He seems to not really care.He is slightly bigger than other gulls also "Need Rufus stay around? Rufus can....can help new badger friend"
   
Ciocan says, "I am Ciocan," He holds out a paw and smiles, "And you are welcome to stay with us here Rufus, it has been a long time since I had a bird friend..." He then takes the beaker off the burner with his other hand and pours it into a large clay flask.
   
Rufus nods, well he can always shake a paw with a...wing he supposes and would smile but birds, well can sort of smile. He watches the mixture being made" Is mixing herbs, Ciocan know lot on herbs?"   

Ciocan says, "Not really," He stoppers the flask after shaking wings with the bird and smiles, "But I got instructions on how to make this, I am mostly a sailor, a fighter and this is my mountain." He takes the flask and puts it in a chest and shuts it then locks it and tucks the key into a pocket before starting to put out the burners, "I guard the Western Shore against all who would harm others."
   
Rufus says, "Is good then, maybe mixture come in handy one day then. I like this burrow...."He rethinks "Mountain ya...some hares seem scared of Rufus, others not scared...esss sorry scare anyone,Rufus is good bird"

Ciocan says, "Well I will have word spread that you are my personal guest Rufus," He stares at the bird for a long moment, "I may have to make a trip soon... I do not know where yet, but I would ask you to potentially join us, I fear we will need your help."   

Rufus nods "Rufus can join ya..making trip soon? Who watch home while away?"   

Ciocan says, "I will leave some of my hares here, my General Quinten will stay behind with the home guard"   

Rufus nods "Rufus shall come help friend Ciocan then...Rufus will stay near Mountain ya.bunn.....hares can find if need" He looks out the window now, likely gonna fly off soon.   

Ciocan says, "Ok Rufus, you are welcome back any time," He tilts his head, "I will have word passed around that you are allowed to come and go as you wish. If you ever want to talk please feel free to fly up to my window."
   
Rufus nods "Ya ya...will do. I be back later"It's not clear when later is but likely not more than a couple of days, he gives a nod and uses the window to fly off, well that has to be intresting to see if anyone was looking, a sea gull flying out of the badger lords window.

**Ciana came in later but still got all of Log***

Who:

Ciana-Dibbun Hare

Keldorn-2nd in command of Slavers

Mistclaw-Leader of Slavers

Leigh-GUOSIM healer

Isa-Cat Dibbun

Squirrelbabe-Dibbun

-Some other slaver and dibbun spoofs

LOG:

Kurgan has decided to visit the captives, he doesn't have the badger cub with him today though as he makes his way down the steps and looks back and forth at the captives, he grins at one and makes them cry."Hope you enjoy yourself...actually no I don't, hope you're having a horrible time.We are almost to the shore, then we will be on our way to your new home"   

Leigh looks up as she sees Kurgan and frowns, she then clears her throat as she speaks "Where is Oz at, ya best not harmed him."   

Isa had been peacefully sat trying to comb the growing amount of knots out of her fur with her fingers when Kurgan arrives and she stops to glare "Yeah well I 'ope you're miserable too" she mutters irritably.   

Squirrelbabe is feeling better than she has been, although she still is suffering from a concussion. When the ferret enters, she stands and shakes a fist at him. "Yeahs, wells..." then the kitten steals what she was gonna say. Cat! The Ringleader continues after a second's pause. "I 'opes you's misrable, too! Now where baby Ozzy at??"   

Kurgan smirks "So...rude...I just don't want you all having happy thoughts"He looks at the squirrel "None your business" he walks close to Leigh and kneels down "Not your concern anymore slave. He doesn't need someone to latch onto "He grins "He will learn to come to me for troubles, for problems...I shall protect him, he is my son after all"   

Leigh has decided she is not going to back away from the ferret any more, she glares at him as he is close to her, she then takes a risk and goes to slap him across the face!   

Isa just continues her glaring but snorts at the ferret's words "Y'know I'd be sooooooo sad if y'jumped off the boat and drowned. Y'should try that" she says sarcastically. She perks up in surprise when Leigh goes to hit him though and she quickly gets to her feet.   

Ciana looks on as the others talk to Kurgan and frowns, she sniffs and looke near tears " I...I want my daddy"   

Squirrelbabe sticks her tongue out the ferret. "You stawted it, shtoopidhead meanieface!" She tries to get over to the shrew's side, but her chain won't reach that far. Growling, the Ringleader shouts, "Dat's da way! Wip 'is EYEBALLS out!!" The ferret Dibbun scoots over to Ciana and goes to give her a hug. He's terrified, too, and it shows.   

Kurgan was not looking for the shrew to slap him so it's a bit unexpected as he growls and goes to grab her by the throat, she could move perhaps but quick enough? He is far from a happy mood now as his cheek and nose now bleeds.
   
Leigh glares "You de----"She is then gasping for air and trying to pry the ferret's paw off her neck. It maybe helps some that there is a slave collar on her but it stil hurts, it still makes breathing hard as she kicks at him with all her strength.   

Isa hisses when Kurgan fights back and she pounces forwards. This time she has enough chain to reach and she lands behind him, going to try and grab his tail with her claws and bite down hard on it.   

Ciana whimpers and starts crying more now, she knows no one on this boat expect maybe a mouse that was caught about same time she was.Why won't her dad just come back, he promised and its been so long.
   
The chain being pulled helps Squirrelbabe reach farther, and she goes to grab the ferret's leg and try to pull him over! She avoids the shrew's feet and goes to stomp on the ferret's toes! "Let 'ew go, you--" and Squirrelbabe gives air to all the bad words she knows. She also doesn't use a couple of them properly. It's a good thing this is a slaver ship -- the adults back home at Redwall would be washing her mouth out with soap right now! The ferret Dibbun sniffles and huddles down next to the leveret, but a number of the older Dibbuns follow the Ringleader's example and go to pounce on him, trying to pull him to the floor!   

Kurgan is focused on trying to slay the shrew "Say..goodbye...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"His grip is loosened but only cause the cat bites his tail that he yaks on so likely loses a tuff of fur! The other dibbuns manage to pull him down, he kicks, punches and grabs one dibbun by the throat and tries to slam them into the floor.He growls, "Off me brats!!"

Leigh groans and falls to the floor, her neck is gonna be seriously bruised but she is alive at least, but unconcious now..Alive thanks to the dibbuns in fact,other wise she she would surely been dead.   

Isa keeps a tight grip and is rewarded with her very own tuft of ferret to keep an a very satisfying yell of pain from Kurgan. She doesn't stop trying to claw him as he falls but she panics when he grabs one of the other dibbuns and she moves, trying to claw on to the arm he's holding the dibbun with.   

Ciana screams and backs up " I want daddy...where daddy, daddy"
   
The mole Dibbun barely has time to scream before he's grabbed by the wicked adult and slammed into the deck. A sickening crack is heard, and the mole goes limp, head bent at a strange angle. The other attacking Dibbuns, some of whom are nursing bruises from getting kicked, pause in horror. Squirrelbabe even stops her attack. "You.....you killded 'im!" Some of the Dibbuns start wailing, adding to the leveret's din.   

Kurgan pulls hiself free of the mess of dibbuns and growls "Good!" He does quickly unhook the dibbun and backs up he yells something and a weasel comes down "Ya?" ..."Place this on the shore..." The weasel obeys and sprints up the steps as the ferret glares "Mess with me as I said I control life and death ya brats!!" He is bleeding on his nose, his shoulder has a claw mark, his tunic is messed up now as he backs out of reach.   

Leigh groans weakly as she starts to come too and lays there semi conscious. She has no idea what has happened yet.She starts to come more awake and then just lets the need for serious rest over take her.   

Kurgan glares at all of them, the hare he grins "Your daddy is dead brat! But he was ever so helpful"He then goes up above deck before anything else happens.   

Isa recognizes that crack and the fight is instantly gone from her as she gives up her clawing and falls back to the ground, landing with a little thump near the mole. She stares, unable to look away, tears starting to form. When the weasel comes to take the mole away she's alarmed "No!" she tries to attack again to stop him but there's really nothing she can do and just like that he's gone and she's sat staring at the door.   

Ciana sniffs and sits up.She speaks " Meanie....head." She is upset her dad seems to not be returning though.   

The Dibbuns fall back from the door, huddling together around the leveret, crying and whimpering, terrified about what just happened. Squirrelbabe just sits where she is next to the kitten, eyes wide with horror. After a few minutes, the Ringleader reaches out to touch the cat's shoulder. "Wha' jus' 'appened?"

Isa is silently crying too and shaking slightly as she just stares at the door for a long time. When Squirrelbabe touches her she tenses right up and her fur stands on end. She blinks but can't deal with it so she gets up and starts to walk as far away as she can get towards the other end of the ship "He's dead" is her only answer to the question.   

Ciana is still very young so, " What dead mean...who dead? "   

The Dibbuns who weren't crying before start doing so now. Squirrelbabe just sits there, stunned. She actually understands what she saw, she just wanted to make sure it had happened. She curls her tail around herself and hugs it. She can't even cry or come up with words right now.   

Mistclaw has missed what happen it seems and comes down the steps to feed the dibbuns thier...well it's food anyways some sort of hard bread, some apple slices and some sort of fish stew.A weasel helps her "What's with all the crying?"She asks, having no clue "Your getting dinner."   

"It means they're gone forever" Isa replies to Ciana but she doesn't even acknowledge Mistclaw coming in. She just sits as far away from where the mole died as her chain will allow and faces the other wall as she curls her tail around her and hugs on to it too.   
Ciana frowns, she looks at Mistclaw " Where daddy?" She wants to know.
   
The Dibbuns whimper and cry and huddle down more when the vixen arrives. Squirrelbabe looks up at her and feels a deep anger rising up within her. She stands slowly to her feet, shaking from fear (foxes terrify her), but determined to be brave. "You let dat shtoopid Kuwgan down hewe, an' he killded Burfy! Lookit!" The Ringleader picks up the now-empty collar and shakes it at the fox. "'E hitted him on da floow, an' now he dead, an' it YOU FAULT!!" The squirrel throws the collar at the vixen, not caring if it misses or not.   

Mistclaw first replies to the hare dibbun"Your father is not coming back...ever, your mine now...."She arches an eyebrow at the squirrel"Who?" Not like she knows their names and the only reason she knows the badger cub's name is Kurgan keeps mentioning him.She sidesteps the collar and her eyes flash battle fire as her ears flatten and she mutters some cuss word, ohhh a new cuss word for the squirrel! She mutters and then clears her throat "I don't control what he does"But she is thinking more and more on leaving him behind.   

Isa's fight is gone for now and she sits quietly, barely even paying any attention to the others. She'll probably stay that way for a long time now.   

Ciana starts to cry"Why..why daddy no come wanna go home"
   
Squirrelbabe stamps her paw on the floor, hard. "Burfy! 'E wanted ta be Fowemole someday, an' now he can't 'cause he's DEAD!" She is furious, and it's drowning out her fear. "You say we /youws/, but den you don't keep us safe fwom Kuwgan! IT TOTALLY YOU FAULT!" She stores the new cuss word away in her head. Maybe she'll use it against Kurgan later.   

Isa sniffs quietly while Squirrelbabe is yelling, the knowledge of Burfy's dreams just makes her feel more guilty and she sinks down to curl up on the floor, hide in her tail and just quietly cry for a long time.   

Mistclaw snorts, she looks at Ciana "Oh shut UP!" She yells and speaks"He was sent to the dark forest...ok"She tells Ciana" I care not Kurgan killed the stupid hare, he likely would of told the whole abbey what happen as soon as we left..."She glares at Squirrelbabe "You do NOT talk back to me slave....now excuse me I need to talk to Kurgan,killing a slave was not part of the plan"She cares less about Jet...the mole dibbun....that lost her money and ohhhh if he tossed it to shore and those....foolish woodlanders find it,like they need more issuees, she can only hope the stream rats slay the so-called heros of the Abbey. She storms up the steps.   

Ciana blinks and curls up in a fuzzy ball to sob. She shivers and wails and is just a sad mess right now   

"I TALKS DA WAY I WANTS!!!" Squirrelbabe hollers after the vixen. The rest of the Dibbuns have quieted down. The Ringleader sits down and hugs her tail. Everything just got worse...

****None of my characters are in this but no one was ale to log so I said I would cause it's important so here ya go *******

WHO:

Dorarose

Caleb

Xander

Keldorn

Wilson

LOG:

Our intrepid heros have been traveling down the river .As they continue on their way, they eat their lunch in the logboats. DoraRose is in her element making yummy food from their travel rations. They have delicious biscuits with cheese and jam, and a simple salad topped with chopped nuts and dried fruit. They have cold tea to drink. The Gatekeeper looks very pleased with herself as her friends all get their food.   

Xander has been mostly quiet today as he has gonna use to log boats, doesn't me he likes them.

Caleb would be taking up the time to break and much away on his lunch. The mouse seemed pretty happy with d.r's cooking, enjoying the biscuits especially. He had to admit that since coming around, this has been some of the best times he's had. Once he was free to, the mouse would sure his hands were free before he wrote something down, showing it to them all. "So, what is on the plan for today? And Xander, are you alright? You've been quiet today."   

DoraRose shrugs after reading the other mouse's note. "Keep travelin' on down the stream, I suppose." Matilda, the great and mighty Champion and plan-maker, is busy, um, planning. The Gatekeeper glances at the badger. "Aye, do you need to talk, Xander?"   

Xander sighs and speaks " No...not on any plans I..have..." He grows quiet and snorts. He then speaks, " Another matter...another matter though...."   

Caleb seems to be worried for his friend, whimpering as he writes some more down. He's more than happy to listen to Xander if he really needs to talk. "What is the matter you speak of, friend? Please, do not be afraid to speak your mind."   

DoraRose is much calmer about it. Cocking an eyebrow, she finishes her lunch, picks up her black battleaxe, and starts to polish the blades. (This axe has never been so clean and sharp in its LYFE.) "Can we help you with it, Xander? Or do you need more time to think about it?"   

Xander shakes his head " Not...all of my thoughts..too.." He snorts, relax and just breath.He then looks at Caleb " Its..a question for Caleb achally"   

Keldorn looks over at them quietly but doesnt intrupt what ever it might be if its important.   

DoraRose just listens, and eventually her thoughts turn back to the Dibbuns and controlling her anger. She'll make supper when they stop for the night. Pasties, more salad, and fruit scones. Seriously, she's spoiling them with really good camp food...   

It's obvious that Caleb is a bit caught off guard from the sudden query. What could Xander want with him. He would just sit in and listen to them.   

Xander manages a smile as he thinks, and talk of some thing else is likely welcome." I..been thinking Caleb, course its up to you not me.." He is unsure weather to ask, then he does " How would you like to be..adopted by..me and have a mother too, even a little brother?"   

Keldorn listens quietly and smiles, seems a nice idea to him but then its Xander asking of course,he keeps an eye on the land as they paddle along down river.   

Caleb is suddenly struck with a face of surprise. Did... Xander really just ask something like that? Something that he's never thought of since he had left home... a family. The mouse would feel a tear come to his eyes as he doesn't know what to do... he actually tries to speak and no words come out which makes him cry more. It's hard for him to write it but he manages. "You... mean that you want me to be your son? Be a brother to Oz and son to Krisha? Y... You really want something like that?"   

Xander looks at the note and smiles warmly. A true smile and not forced like he has a couple times after being asked how he was ect ect ." Yes..I mean it.." He smiles as he speaks another word "Son"
   
Caleb would only be crying more and more. It was true that he missed his mother and father. Yet there was something about it that just made him feel right... to be called son again just hurt. He would only move to hug Xander, making sure they were close enough to do so. Once he was settled down a bit more, the mouse nods rapidly and writes down, "I... gladly accept, father. I would be honored to be called your child. I... do hope Krisha doesn't mind."   

Xander hugs Caleb as well and smiles " I sm sure she will love the idea"   

"Heh... Oz is going to be surprised to have an older brother as well. I know now that I have you as my father that I can achieve anything... thank you." He just hugs tigher and doesn't let go, shaking a bit from the tears of joy.   

Xander smiles "And maybe I can teach you dome sword moves, if not that's ok too." He grows quiet and speaks "
We will get Oz back...and the others and get home."
   
Caleb would smile and then write down something after having released Xander. "I actually would love to learn. There's stuff I have yet to learn... plus it could possibly give me a position at the Abbey instead of just being some wanderer."   

Caleb would smile and then write down something after having released Xander. "I actually would love to learn. There's stuff I have yet to learn... plus it could possibly give me a position at the Abbey instead of just being some wanderer."   

Xander says, "your live at the abbey son. No need to wander, you could be a wall guard even a member of the Defenders, through thats sort of...well there still is a group sort of"

   
Caleb would nod and writes some more down after having paddled for a moment. "You haven't really told me of the Defenders. What are they like? And a wall guard... does that mean someone up on the Abbey wall, What is that word?"

Xander nods " they watch the walls yeah....and mossflower defenders well...defends mossflower.."
   
"Do you lead the Defenders? I kept hearing of them when I was at the Abbey before we left." While the mouse pawx talks, he makes sure to continue paddling. He doesn't want the others to have soo much work on them.   

Xander nods " I am leader yes..its a small group of beasts and have a couple memebers elsewhere. "   

Caleb would nod as well, continuing to paddle. He was glad to have had some food in him. Meanwhile, the mouse would write some more down, nodding towards the others if directions were given. "It sounds lovely dad... that is going to be hard to get used to. Thank you though, still... to be called son is wonderful."   

Xander nods, he has picked up on paw language also when its used." Yeah all get home..have a feast"   

Keldorn has paid attention mainly to the land, very close attention in fact and mutters something.   

Xander looks at Keldorn " Keldorn?" He rarely hears him mutter.   

Caleb is just happy to talk with them all, proud of all the things that had been happening. However he'd look to Keldorn with concern and sign to them. "Keldorn? What's the matter?"
   
Keldorn seems concern"Maybe...nothing...But he catch movement he was sure of it, they would be stoping soon then he could look and check it out,"I though..." He then narrows his eyes and stands,almost falling as he did see something a ferret stareing back at him from the bank,he grips his rapier and looks ready to not wait for the log boat to go to shore he will go to shore on his own!
   
Xander frowns, then he sees the Ferret and is right away making sure Keldorn doesn't jump in the river!
   
Caleb would notice the ferret after Keldorn, blinking as he goes to grab his own blade. He doesn't want Keldorn jumping in there alone but doesn't want to make a move in case this ferret may be friendly.   

Keldorn stuggles "Let go of me!!!" He just glares hate at the Ferret who just smirks and calls back "So you didnt die huh Keldorn....too bad." And then the shrew says all sorts of cuss words and spits"Wilson......your gonan be the dead beast when I get over there!"   

Xander frowns as he likely would charge but he also isnr letting a friend get hurt" we can deal with him later"
   
Caleb is just staying there, watching and waiting. The mouse grips his sword tight and is glad to know he's wearing his armor for the situation. Whatever this ferret tries to do, he'll intercept.   

Keldorn clearly wants to get to shore. It seems the other Log boat slows a little as well since this one is slowing"He killed her...let me go, just let go" He will relax..for now but he is still alert as the ferret seems to shrug abd smirks as he decides he will come to them! Likely not the best plan.
   
Xander frowns and does let go of Keldorn but only to swing a paddle at Wilson when he gets close enough.   

Caleb watches as the ferret approaches and Keldorn is released. As he gets close, Caleb swings out his blade and keeps it pointed towards Wilson. The mouse's violet eyes seemed to have a fire to them but he was doing this only to protect the shrew.
   
Keldorn scoots away and peers at Wilson as he indeed barely avoids the paddle swing.Keldorn then seems to get his energy back and draws his raspier jumping at Wilson who is a bit surprised but grabs the shrew tightly and goes under the water. A lot of bubbles and churing of water before it settles again and red shows up...that can't be good.No sign of anyone till a cough and gasp is heard and Keldorn is behind the log boat and trying to get back inside,coughing up some water but loooks unhurt...but where is Wilson?   

Xander tries too late and almost panics " Keldorn!!" He spins around when he hears the coughing and goes to help him on board, ok where is he hurt, " Where is Wilson?
"   
Caleb gasps as the two suddenly charge at each other and go down into the water. When it turns red, the mouse is ready to jump in... but Keldorn turns up coughing up water. The mouse looks down to the water and when Xander has the shrew... he jumps in, drawing a dagger in case the ferret may come at him since he can't swing his sword underwater. If there's one person who can tell them where the dibbuns were being taken, it was Wilson?"

Keldorn groans "Dead.....dying..."He passes out from sheer exhalution, as for the ferret...he may be alive, but its barely.   

Xander frowns as he lays Keldorn down gently and looks in the water, he is not the best swimmer but right now he don't care and goes in to the water to get Caleb and Wilson if he can and get back to the log boat as it looks like eveyrone decided going to shore is best idea.   

Caleb would be swimming down towards the area. He actually sees Wilson and manages to grab him, seeing that the guy was barely alive. God he wished LilyMoore and the others of the infirmary were here. The mouse looks up towards Xander as he holds his breath, grabbing up the ferret and holding on to let his father help him.
   
Keldorn is...well passed out,he will be fine but yeah they have a camp setting up now for sure. Wilson is able to gag up a ton of water and looks at them,barely alive and very likely to die on shore here.   

Xander gets Caleb and the ferret Wilson to shore and shivers, "WE...we needa a fire..started."He will help get one started and let the others keep an eye on Keldorn.   

Caleb gets up to the short and nods, looking to the others for help as they get a fire started. However, he knows Wilson is close to death... so they have to get answers now otherwise they will just be on a wild goose chase. The mouse digs through his pack and hands off a cloth to help slow the bleeding, nodding towards Xander before writing down a question. "The dibbuns... where are they taking them?"   

Wilson smirks weakly "Old...slave dock port...not towards...Halyard....other way"He coughs and shivers..."I hope ....those...s.tream rats....killyou...all..."He then closes his eyes and breaths his last, Wilson is dead but least they got a little info anyways.   

Xander listens as he helps slow some bleeding and then backs off, a frown"Streamrats?" He is a little concern and frowns "They know we are following them.."   

Caleb would be trying to focus, grunting as he watched the ferret start to take his last breaths. As Wilson dies, Caleb looks to him and leans forward, closing his eyes slowly. The mouse looks towards his father on what to do... now they know of what can be used, but this means that trouble is brewing.
   
Xander frowns and just sits beside is son and pulls him close "We will be ok...I wont let anyone harm you" He will let the others bury Wilson,he did give them some info after all even if it was very little it was a direction at least. "We also just need to be extra alert I dont like the sound of these stream rats"   

Being hugged to a badger was a strange thing... a rather nice warmth took over Caleb and he just hugged to his father while closing his eyes. He only makes sure to sign some to Xander. "Thank you dad... I think we should get some rest and warm up by the fire. Now we know where we can go."   

Xander nods as he is tried, he can check on Keldorn later, he helps keep watch on one of the watch shifts and stays extra alert as they had to be close or least he hoped they were close..

WHO:

Oz-Badger Cub

Kurgan-Evil 2nd in command of slavers

Leigh- Healer in GUOSIM

Squirrelbabe-Dibbun

Ciana-Dibbun

Isa-Dibbun

Other spoofed vermin and dibbuns

LOG:

Oz whimpers as he is in some sort of...crib made of a barrel, two weasels look down at him and each other "Ummmm...what he want?" The other shrugs and offers him wood pigeon and sea weed ale"Maybe he wants food...."   

Leigh is on the deck being forced to help clean when she sees this "You DONT give a baby that sort of stuff,are you insane?" She frowns and backs up a little, likely not the best plan to speak out to these VERMIN.
   
Kurgan comes out of the captain's quarters and walks over"Wots all this gibber...gabber?" He looks at the rats,to Oz and to the shrew, back to the rats"Why are you morons near my son?"   

Oz cries a little at the arguing, he sniffs the meat and ale and makes a face...that smells gross and so he wails loudly.The two weasels blink "Umm...its loud" "Yeah...we can make it.."One picks him up only to drop him, luckily on soft pile of rags,the cub whimpers and rolls over to crawl over to hid behind a nearby barrel.Not that he crawls too fast yet he is just learning to crawl.   

Leigh stays close, when Oz is droped she carefully goes over to check on him but keeps her distance from Kurgan.   

Kurgan narrows his eyes and grabs the throat of each weasel and looks at them coldly, he smiles coldly"Oh do speak...please explain this course of events"
   
The two weasels gulp and shiver,they know better than to try and get loose "Ummm.....ummm we..we won't do it again..c..captain" .."Yeah boss not agin we will stay clear of the strip hound.."
   
Kurgan nods and is calm, that's dangerous "I believe you, you won't do it again...but I want to help you keep that promise" He is an expert at hidden weapons, the bracers on his wrist in fact...he lets his grip on them become less and then presses his wrists against their throats, hidden daggers as he drops the ...very dead weasels and walks over to pick up Oz from behind the barrel.   

Oz whimpers some as he is found an picked up, oddly calms a slight bit when it's kurgan he sees.He looks at the weasels but is a bit young to understand they won't be getting back up.   

Leigh gasps in shock and horror but stays where she is, too afraid to move from her spot but she does keep a close eye on the ferret.   

Kurgan looks at the shrew "You...slave...follow me, I need to check on the other captives"   

Leigh has her brave times as she straightens up "My name is Leigh...not slave.And ...and ..and I hope someone stabs you one day and sooner rather than later"   

Kurgan narrows his eyes and walks over,"Your name is dead if you don't go downstairs...slave, I hold the power of life and death over you!" He storms down the steps to below deck, the shrew best follow or...well his mood is not good right now.   

Oz clings onto Kurgan and once down the stairs peeks around a little.   

Leigh gulps, she is brave and would say something back but...no she can't risk death,she follows him down the steps to the deck below and stays quiet by his side.   

Squirrelbabe is suffering from a minor concussion, all thanks to Mister Jerkface, Kurgan. She is slightly woozy, but she's been feeling a lot better than she did on Sunday. The other Dibbuns whimper as the slaver comes down the stairs, but the Ringleader gets to her feet and shakes a fist at the ferret, her legs spread wide to counteract her dizziness. "You let Ozzy go ow I bite you ovvew paw off!!"   
Kurgan smirks "No...brat, I give the orders around here...your life is in my paws and I am sure Mistclaw will thank me for keeping you in order" He keeps Oz with him, he even has made a sling for him, how.....nice?He looks to make sure the sherw is here and smiels at her, motions for her to sit down on a bench.   

Oz sees Squirrelbabe and giggles, tiny paws reach out and darn she is so far far away.He frowns now and whimpers.   

Leigh slowly sits down and watches the ferret,unsure of his plans and dosnt dare ask either.   

Squirrelbabe scowls and crosses her arms. "You a meanie shtoopidface," she informs the ferret. But then she badger, and her demeanour changes. Smiling really big, she waves at him. "Hi, Ozzy! How you? What a sweet baby!" She's trying to make sure he still likes her, in the hopes he will stay good.   

Kurgan grins and snaps a slave collar around the shrew's neck "You get to stay down here...congrats" He backs up again and looks at the dibbuns "We will soon be near a meetup place so you best behave and stay quiet or your be quiet cause your die"   

Oz smiels back at the squirrel dibbun and sees Leigh, reaches for her and then as the ferret backs away he whimpers a bit.   

Leigh smiles at Oz then gasps as the collar snaps around her neck,"W..what..."She is concerned why down here, she had been on deck above, guarded at all times and down here usually to feed the dibbuns sometimesand made to go back up.   

Squirrelbabe scowls. She doesn't really care why the shrew is being made to stay down here -- she's too young to understand that it could be because they're being followed or something. All she can think is that the ferret is being a jerk once again. "Why you no let da shwew hold Ozzy? He wants to say hi."   

Kurgan glares at the squirrel "She is not needed ...Oz is with me now, at all times..my son and I choose who helps me with him, if anyone sides...." He grins "He doesn't need to have you or the shrew as a friend, gonna teach him hate and my ways after all....when he is an adult he will only want to hunt, capture and enslave his fellow woodlanders...prehaps kill even"   

Oz yawns a little as he is tried, luckily he doesn't understand a word the ferret says yet.He can ony tell when he is moody or...well happy, if vermin can be happy.   

Leigh blinks and starts to cry, she glares at the ferret but doesn't say anything, she has to stay alive...help the dibbuns best she can.   

Squirrelbabe is shaking with fury. She's too young to understand consequences, so she acts and speaks without thinking. "Ozzy nevew gonna do dat! He a Wedwall cweatuwe, and he be good fowevew! Mawtin won't LET 'im be evil! An' one day you be chopped up inta SOUP an' Ozzy will go back to Muvvew Kwisha, an' he be good!" She tries hard to say that in a way that won't make the badger cry, since mentioning the word 'mommy' made him upset the other day.   

Kurgan chuckles "He has no mother...I am his father and the only other thing is an aunt"He smirks "Auntie Mistclaw"
   
Oz whimpers a little bit and yawns as he looks close to falling asleep and likely will soon.   

"Y're a jerk. Not even yer real kids would grow up t'like you" comes the angry little voice of Isa as all the arguing had woken her up not long ago. Her tail twitching irritably as she's moved enough to glare at Kurgan.   

Squirrelbabe is obstinate and brave and obnoxious and disobedient. All qualities that make her a little hellion at the Abbey, but are also making her a great little leader in this crisis. "You no his daddy, and dat shtoopid foxie ain't 'is auntie! His pawents aw Kwisha an' Xandew, an' his auntie is..." Well, neither of those badgers have siblings. But she's not stuck for long. "His auntie is DwowaWose, an' she gonna find you an' chop you 'ead off an' FEED it to you!!" Which wouldn't work, but Dibbuns don't necessarily think of things like that.   
   
Kurgan chuckles "That so...welll he won't be seeing them again, will he...he is mone now" He looks around and grins "An I suppose you all belong to Mistclaw, doesn't mean I can't boss you around though and keep ya quiet when needed." He rocks oz and smiles at him "Your say dada soon wont you"   

Oz blinks, the smile makes him smile as he makes spit bubbles as well.Another yawn.   

Isa sits up, snorting at the ferret while she tries to push some of her fluffy fur in to place as it's sticking out at all sorts of angles after sleeping on the floor "Y'don't boss us around. The only reason we're 'ere is the chains. /Yer/ doin' nothin'" she's just woken up and she's grumpy.   

Squirrelbabe likes grumpy Isa when the kitten isn't aiming her grumpiness at her! "Yeah!! You just let us out an' I SHOW you just 'ow you not da boss o' us!!" She shakes a tiny fist at him, then stumbles slightly because of her dizziness. But she just rights herself and sticks her tongue out at him in defiance.   

Kurgan says, "I am in control of yoy brats, your all going too far away for anyone ta find you"He makes a face at the bubbles and places Oz in the homemade sling he has and if any of the vernmin sidekicks laughs,they get stabed."   
Oz blinks slowly and yawns, sleep another past time he likes.
   
Isa wrinkles her nose at Oz because she at least finds spit bubbles to be gross but most of her attention is reserved for Kurgan. She is concerned when Squirrelbabe stumbles which is weird because she doesn't usually like the dibbun but she gets as close to the squirrel as her chain allows, mocking Kurgan on the way with an extra whiny impression of him "I'm in control, so in control. I gets more in control when I say it twenty times" her voice returns to normal "Shut up" she tells him.   

Squirrelbabe bares her teeth at him. "You no in control o' me! You twy it an' I bite you throat out!" Her dizziness is increasing the more she stands, and she's starting to weave a little. But Martin said to be brave and to show the other Dibbuns how to be brave, so that's what she's trying to do. Even though she has a horrible headache.
   
Kurgan growls at Isa and looks ready to slap her in fact."Ha ha...I will just let Gorax deal with you"He might just have to tell Mistclaw to slip these brats some sleeping herb when they head to the ship , yes ...that will be good.
   
Isa stands firm when Kurgan looks like he might hit her, trying to hide a trace of fear as she remembers being hit before. Thankfully he leaves instead and she gives him a satisfied smirk in case he looks back but as soon as he's out of sight she deflates, actually looks scared for a second and then brings her tail around to hold on to it for comfort. She's trying not to lose her nerve.   

Squirrelbabe shakes a fist at his retreating back. "I gonna get you someday! You see!" Once he's gone, she weaves a little more, looking distinctly unwell. But she is determined to do as Martin said and not show her fear or weakness so the other Dibbuns have someone to look up to. She turns and sees the kitten deflating, and she stumbles a little as she walks over to her. "Hey, you weally bwave. We show 'im he no da boss of us!" The Ringleader sits down. "How you doin' wif gettin' dat nail outta da wood?"   

In the middle of the slaves is a small hare dibbun, only a couple seasons old and has been afraid of every sound she hears.
   
Isa tries to hide her fear before she looks at Squirrelbabe "'e's just stupid" she mutters quietly before looking at the nail she was working on "It's not comin' out easy" she extends her claws to crouch down and scratch at the wood but she's already broken two of the claws on that paw trying..."He hit yer head funny...tha's bad" she says quietly but as if she knows what she's familiar with concussions but not what they're called.   

Squirrelbabe bites her lip. She really isn't doing very well. "I...." she tries to be strong, but she really is dizzy. Not very much, but definitely a little. "I dizzy, but I be's okay soon," she says, trying to make sure everyone sees her as strong. Pointing to the nail, she suggests, "Maybe twy diggin' da wood away, instead?" She waves to the haremaid. "You okay?"

The hare frowns " I want daddy...where daddy go."   

Isa frowns slightly "I am diggin' the wood. It's hard" she protests quietly. It would probably go faster if she was a big adult cat but her claws are not are strong. She pauses to watch Squrrelbabe for a moment then glances around, thinking before she speaks "Try puttin' the chain on yer head. It's cold. Cold stuff helps a bit" she says before looking to the hare with a small frown "Y'dad ain't here...no one's is...They'll steal us back so we can go home though"   

Squirrelbabe tries the kitten's advice and is pleasantly surprised with how well it works! She nods (and regrets it). "Yeah, you daddy ain't hewe, but he gonna come save you, just like ouw fwiends fwom Wedwall aw gonna come save us!" She has no idea that the leveret's father is actually dead. "But we twy to help keep you safe, wight, Isa?" Wow, she actually knows the cat's name! Go figure.
   
Isa knows a thing or two about getting hit, mostly from her mother though since she took the brunt of things. She nods a little at the squirrel "Yeah...we'll try" she tries to sound confident with limited success. There's a long pause where she's thinking before she mutters quietly "Wish mum was here" she takes a deep breath and starts scratching at the wood around the nail again "...We needs a plan fer when we get out...and it has t'involve gettin' Oz back"   

Squirrelbabe frowns. "Oh, uh, yeah, a plan." She's a Dibbun, they usually don't do very well in the whole 'thinking ahead' department. "Uh.....well, I fink we should wait 'til dey asleep. We can shmack any gwon ups who be's awake wif chains. I can wip da shtoopidhead fewwet's head off while you get Ozzy." She's not quite old enough to think through the consequences of the sound of chains hitting people...or about the fact that killing someone without a weapon is way harder than it seems.   

Isa just knows that outside the door are more slavers who won't just let them walk past. She looks thoughtful of Squirrelbabe's idea but frowns slightly because fighting the vermin was currently sounding scary. Suddenly she looks up, the end of her tail raising like a lightbulb (Or period appropriate alternative) just went off. She smiles a sly little smile "They made us sleep with somethin' t'get us here. Maybe they have more"   

Squirrelbabe is mad enough she kind of wants to murderify all the bad guys. But at the cat's suggestion, a truly evil smile spreads over the DAB Ringleader's face. "Oh ho ho ho ho, yes! Da's pewfect! Give 'em a taste o' dey own med'cine!" And she's had plenty of 'medicine' from Angela, so she knows how nasty it can be. "Den we can get Ozzy and escape an' no get huwt!" She then drops her chains away from her head and looks at the cat with mild surprise. "You weally smawt."   

The hare dibbun just curls up and sniffs, she falls asleep.

Isa's tail sways as a little grin starts to appear "Yeah...and then we chain /them/ up...and we take them t'the grown ups and prove we never need a bedtime again" she blinks though and is distracted when she realises Squirrelbabe, /the Squirrelbabe/, gave her a compliment. She's taken by surprise "Um...thanks"

Squirrelbabe grins, then yawns. "Yeah...an' we prove da DAB isn't /all/ bad, an' den da Abbot no make us bweak up!" But then she is thanked -- her, the Ringleader of the most feared Dibbun group of all time! "Um, us, yeah, suwe." She doesn't know how to respond to that. But then she yawns again and lays down, curling her tail under her head like a pillow. "I's tiwed. Wakie me up if dey come back." And after a few minutes she is asleep, the one place where she can escape her headache and dizziness....   

Isa doesn't have a particular care for the DAB because she's not part of the group since she's just the weird kid without friends usually but her no bed time platform is certainly in line with their cause. It gets all awkward as they're nice to each other but thankfully Squirrelbabe breaks it by getting sleepy. Isa nods quickly "Ok, sure. I will" she'll also sit up to keep an eye on the squirrel sleeping because injured heads are bad but if something actually did happen she still wouldn't know what to do.

Who:

Zolomon-Corporal, Archer, Runner in the LP

Robert-Private 1st class and Fighter in the LP

Rufus- Sea Gull, Collecter of shiny things, tracker and Fierce Fighter

LOG:

Zolomon groaned it was hot, very hot and he was covered in swamp mud from falling once and sinking another time up to his chest.He frowned as he looks around.

Robert just shakes his head"We are lost and I seen no...wormgrass stuff at all, pools of water or mud puddle..its all one large mud..nasty pool!"

Zolomon frowns "Not so loud Private...that is something else in the swamps too..toads and rather not Bally well see them"

It was starting to get foggy and it was clearly night time to make matters worse. And to make matters even worse was the sound they didn't want to hear....croaking.

Zolomon frowns and lays a paw on his longbow "Ok let's try to avoid them and if possible run"He sighs in relief as they find more solid ground.

The hares are not alone and someone else is here as well and comes sailing,then crashing downwards into the murky swamp making loud cawing noises and other bird like noises.

Robert screams and about falls backwards,a frown"What is that thing!"

Zolomon looks on and frowns as..great a toad is seen,he gets his longbow, arrow found and fires hitting the toad in the face as he tries to quickly think,he finds a long stick and reaches it to the bird "Here..grab it"

The bird look over and grabs the stick with his beck and pulls himself out, flapping mud and slime all over...its a seagull.He looks at the hares "Bunnies...help Rufus, want for bunnies 'ere...'ere is death toads."

Robert frowns "Its a gull...and yeah,duhh toads we know" He says as he tests better ground "Let's leave I am sure wormgrass is elsewhere sure but right now we need to blooming run"

Zolomon nods in agreement with the other hare and glances at the bird,"Follow us, unless you know a better way out of here?" He sighs "Yeah maybe wormgrass is further in or on more dryer land for small mud pools"

Rufus peers at them and flaps again"Wings...gross, no fly like this need wash in big water."He looks at the hares "Rufus know where mud pool be ya ya."He starts walking off.

Robert sighs and follows, but stays alert "We need to stay alert, the toad couldn't have been alone he has to have friends."

Zolomon is always alert, more so now as they follow the seagull," Very true, never is just one toad"

And of course, they were correct, there WAS more toads, about 8 of them trying to surround the 3 beasts, pitchforks and muttering that only toads could even know what it was they were saying.

Rufus puffs up looking double his size "Toads...peeeve off!!!!"He looks like a tough fighter and proves it when one toad comes at them by clawing its chest wide open with his talons and beak.

Robert stabs another toad and sidesteps one as he speaks "Sur we are outnumbered"

Zolomon fires off an arrow at a toad and even though it dies, 3 more take it's placed as he slowly puts away the longbow and grabs Robert "Run!!!!" Its ok to run at times and he is one of the fastest runners.

Rufus claws at another toads eyes and one he grabs flies a short way up and drops it on other toads before half fling, half hoping off!

Robert just sort of hangs on to Zolomons neck  as he runs,he is not a fast runner himself, lets go once and does his best to jog beside him."We..a..are gonna get..even..more..lost."

Zolomon pants and slows, he frowns "I..I know chap.."He scans the area "Where is that bird?"

Rufus soon is beside them "Bunnys in dumb bunnys to run in this yark!"He perns a feather or two and tilts his head at them"Why bunnies in swamps, not in bunny home...is not safe 'ere...bad danger 'ere"

Robert shakes his head "Well...we need this wormgrass"He shows a picture and puts the book away again" Its why needed a mud pool...wot ever that is"

Zolomon is alert making sure nothing else is around to grab chase them down."Yeah and then we need out of this foul place"

Rufus nods "Yay ya.follow me..I take you see" He goes a short distance and points at a greyish sort of muddy place , a its center is the grass they seek but the mud sort of bubbles "Is hot..mud is ya ya.."

Robert frowns "Ok...so now wot sure?"

Zolomon was not sure, he hmmms softly,his attention on the grass and where the mud bubbled"Lets see, how to be a way to do this"And not cut his paw, but he has that vile of stuff to drink from.

Rufus looks at the grass this way and that way as it figureing it out he then flies off and comes back with some bit of old clay of some sort and drops it, he finds more and its a bridge of sort but its clear it wont last too long.

Robert frowns, "Ummm....no way,not getting on that it could be deep and...its steaming!"

Zolomon braves it, quickly running across the odd pathway of clay pices and grabing some of the grass,even some mud with it and gets back panting as the clay pices sink,his boots steam a little as he slides them off and frowns at his paw, the vile he takes a couple gulps of and lays back on the dry land.

Robert walks over, afraid to touch the grass he manages to use a bit of paper to push it into its own sack and closes it.He then cleans and bandages Zolomons's paw "I...do hope thats not sore too long sure"

Rufus suddenly is in a panic"Quick quick they come, they come !" He yells as toads show up, not too happy toads either.

Zolomon nods and then "Oh...great they caught up to us......lets go"He looks at Rufus "Please wot way?"

Robert backs up, saber in paw, "DIrection Rufus...now be good"

Rufus motions to follow him quickly and leads them threw the swamp and to a bit of woods that is along the forest edge.

Zolomon follows quickly and decides its best to not look back,least he likely fail at retrea.

Robert manages, fairly well but his legs hurt from trying to go fast.

They soon lose the toads as the toads stop at the edge of the swampland and seems to decide to go back and leave the hares and sea gull alone.

Rufus walks further till they find a clear stream where he washes off his mud and slime and perns his feathers, it shows he has a lot more white to his feathers than they thought.

Zolomon cleans up as well and further upstream they can get some clean water to drink."Ok...chap...some more to go...just got to find wot ever the lee of the stone is"

Robert frowns "The wot now?"

Rufus perns and answers "Is lee....is side of stone not in wind, is shadowed..cool side, protected side some use for bad storms...why find?"

Zolomon nods and sighs "Well...right now we need some sleep, we can find it soon, likely near elm trees was a clue also." They walk till they find an area where some logs have fallen over a sort of dried up ditch, an old beaver damn makes it not flood...it was dry and shaded.

The 3 friends were alseep....but unknown to them a fourth set of glowing eyes watched them as they slept.

2 herbs down...

1 to go

Zolomon walked along and it had been quiet and him, and the hare with him was running low on supplies

"You didn't think it threw did ya?"Robert said quietly as he looked around

Zolomon frowns as he speaks "Now..Private Rob, I did, I did and it's important to find them...crypt mushrooms, we just..find them"

The other hare sighs and nods his head "Fine..."He frowns "But where are we cause ya forgot a map too sur"

Despite the weight of their mission upon their shoulders, the path ahead is quite... quaint. The sound of the sea crashing along the rocky shore is prevalent, as is the wind passing through the shrubland around them.

Wicked weather is coming. It is best to find shelter soon and as luck would have it, there is wood smoke on the horizon, just over the next few hills.

Zolomon frowns as he motions "Come on let's get to some shelter for the night then we can continue on our mission, we have 3 things to find in less than 3 weeks now." He sees the smoke "Come on..maybe we can meet someone friendly."

Robert nodded and quickly followed, seems the hare was having 2nd thoughts on tagging along with the corporal"Friendly?"

Soon the hares cross over the hill and into a small vally. There is a fishing village ahead. Tents and huts line the rocky beaches around fishing vessels docked against the ground and the small wooden pier. Their huts are made from the hides of seals and unlucky land beasts.

A few of the huts looked smashed, there is clear panic spreading through the gathering of vermin in the center of town. Mostly weasels and rats with a few foxes mixed in. 

The wind is picking up and the waves are growing larger in the ocean.

Zolomon frowns as he sees this from a distance and sighs, ok he thinks not all vermin are...evil.

Robert is a little tense and looks at his Corporal "We can go around before we are seen right?"

"I.. don't know...we can be careful come on..sides maybe they can tell us where a cave or cove is or if seen any of the mushrooms." They head towards the vermin slowly, carefully.

No one accosts the hares as they approach. No one actually seems to notice the hares as they silently join a heated debate between beasts.

"Blast you cowards! He needs our help!"

"To go is a death sentence!"

"Let him, one less mouth to feed."

"A sacrifice! The only way to fix this problem is by sacrifice!"

"Grandma, please. This isn't the dark ages. You can't fix everything by sacrificing some poor lout to a monster."

"It would fix having a disrespectful little kit as a grandson!"

Honestly, the hares could stroll right into the crowd and they wouldn't even notice them. They wear a mixture of fur pelts and cloth garments. Very few have what an army would consider 'propper' weapons such as lances, armor and swords. These beasts are armed with what ever tool they were working with before disaster struck.

Zolomon steps forward and clears his throat "So ummm...issues chaps and chapesses?" He says as he doesn't lay a paw on his weapon, not yet.

Robert stays close but his paw is twitching to grab his saber,seems he dislikes missions.

The conversation grinds to a halt. All eyes turn to the hares as if they sprung out of someone's hat. "Git lost, fluff tail! This doesn't concern you!"

"Who are you to tell them to get lost? You're not in charge!" Another weasel shouts.

"And who died and made you king to tell me what to do!?"

"No one. Because the chieftain isn't dead." A solitary voice cuts through the crowd. A white furred vixen separates the vermin. The beer bellied fox is dressed warm in an otter hide coat despite being prepared for winter by her fluffy hide. "Not yet, my mates. Please, forgive my friends for their manners. You caught us at a terrible time."

The fox gestures at the village around them, "A monster smashed through our village and took some of our kin."

"Kin, she says," A rat scoffs, "Been here a month and now we are her kin?"

Zolomon listens "A monster?" He seems wanting to help and looks at Robert and back to the other beasts" Maybe me and the Private can help, we can take a short time maybe..." He looks hopefull.

Robert says "But the crypt mushrooms sur" .He frowns "We should just go on down shore...we don't have time ta help a beast"

.."We can look for them still not to worry"Zolomon states "And the Long Patrol helps those in need"

"Crypt mushrooms?" An old weasel gasps, "What ever would poses you to look for such a thing?"

"What posesed those fools earlier to go after them, eh?" A rat snarls back.

"Why indeed," The vixen rubs her paws together, "Perhaps it is fortunate that we have been met by long patrol, for once. For all of us. The mushrooms you seek are guarded by the very beast that took our chieftain."

"Aye, and once the Keeper of the Crypts is done devouring our chieftain, it will come for us next!" The old weasel says.

Zolomon looks excited "The mushrooms....well we need some for...well no idea but its one of 3 things we need and all I know is don't eat them for wot ever reason"

Robert nods and hmms "So...wot now?"

Zolomon seems to think and nods "We get their chief back and defeat this so-called monster and get some of em' mushrooms that's wot we do chap"

Before the horde of non horde vermin speak up, the fat vixen squeezes her way closer to the hares, "If you could, we would be in your favor. I'm sure the village will shower you with gifts if you save our beloved chieftain. I can show you to the cave. We must ack quickly before the storm hits and floods it again!" She gestures for the hares to follow, away from the village.

Zolomon frowns "Floods...ok so where is this cave please?"

Robert frowns "I c..cant swim sure"
Zolomon sighs at Robert  go to follow the vixen "I will have ta remind de Lt. to do some swimming lessons"

The fox introduces herself as Elena. She moves with grace over the rocky shores despite lugging around so much extra hide. The storm only intensifies as they walk, churning the seas to their left.

"I pity the fool who summoned the Keeper's wrath upon us. I've only been here for a month and even I know better than to go into the cave." She stops and points at the gaping maw of a cave before them. It cuts right into the rock face of the shore, half above the water that is starting to pour into it. "The mushrooms are in there, deep in the belly of the caves, but beware the Keeper. It haunts these areas like a monster rather than a beast. Anywho disturb her lair end up as her supper."

Zolomon nods as he decides to be brave"Maybe it fears hares"He is concerned but tries to be brave"Come Private"

Robert gives him a look and then the two head slowly over to the cave and wade into the water, entering the cave and blinks a little.

Zolomon had flint and steel and some cloth that he lit to make a fire and wrapped it to a large stick to cast some light as he looks around...he hmmms "I don't see much...come on slowly now Private" The two walk along slowly along the cavern.

"If it makes you feel better. Sure!" The vixen chooses not to tell the hares what happened to their best warrior, or how many pieces he lays in now. She waves them off, deciding not to be brave and wonder back to the safety of the village.

The caves are wide and tall. The walls are sharp and erroded by the crashing waves of centuries. There is a path along the side with a deep crevase in the center that is quickly filling with water. One slip into the fast moving icy water and a beast would be carried off into the bowels of the earth, never to be seen again.

So of course the ground is quite slippery too.

Zolomon frowns and almost falls a couple of times, he helps Robert and looks around "We need to find the chieftain of thier's and..."It's then Robert sees the mushrooms and points to the corner and walks over.Zolomon frowns "Be careful Private," "But it's fine nothing is around...I can grab some and then we can find that chieftain sur" He goes to grab some and stuff them into a small sack , Zolomon looks back to him and around, listening its too quiet.

The quiet is so thick, it can be cut with a knife. The caverns prove to be a real maze, but with the water coming in it actually makes it easier to navigate. The tunnels that are already flooded surely can not be home to the monster, and even if they were, there is nothing they could do about it.

All the hares can do is follow the paths not flooded, steadily going higher.

"I'm telling you! It's not my fault!" Comes the soft echo of a beast. It is impossible to tell where from.

"We didn't do this. Please... I... GAH! Stop. Stop! It's not our fault! J-just ! Listen!!!!"

Zolomon quickly gets to Robert and motions to walk quietly and slowly as they edge along the tunnels and try and not get lost. They finally get closer to what may be where the monster and captive is.

"Please! If you would only listen to reason-" The voice is louder now, as is the sudden thud of something wet and soft being rammed into the ground.

"There is no... reassson. Only death. Death for you... and thossse ssent to resscue you..." There is another thud. The hares have arrived in a larger chamber. It is filled with cobwebs, many exits and the remains of other beasts and their gear. There is no sign of the keeper, but a slender red fox is laying prone against the ground. He is bleeding, and his tail is bent in two places...

Zolomon frowns and stays where he is "Something else is here" Robert rushes over after handing the Corporal the sack he placed the mushrooms in and checks on the fox, it seems Robert is a healer hare."Maybe we can help him sur...this could be their chieftain"

The fox lives. He is a middle aged fox, heavily bruised. He coughs into his paw as he is rolled onto his back, "I must... be halucinating. Is this the long patrol coming to MY rescue?"

Zolomon keeps watch and walks slowly over as Robert speaks "I am Private first class Robert and this is Corporal Zolomon, we need to get you out of here sur..."

"You shouldn't have come... the Keeper..." He points to another section of the cave. There is a nest there... filled with broken eggs.

Someone... from the village did this... you will never defeat her in her own lair. You have to... escape... protect my village."

"The only esscape for you..." Comes a raspety voice, "Will be your death!" Something big, something white with black rings, drops from a hole in the cieling, jaws agape and aimed for Robert!

Zolomon lays his paw on his longbow and quickly gets it out and aims an arrow, but where and then he sees the snake..too late "Private!!"

Robert gasps and goes to grab the fox to get him out of teh way, he trips though and the snake's fangs barely miss his leg, he shivers and looks back at the snake, likely a mistake as Zolomon fires the arrow at the snakes head!

The arrow saves the hare's life, the snake hisses as the bolt sinks into the flesh of her head, but stops short at the bone. "Run!" The fox says, trying to stagger his way towards the exit

"You killed my hatchlingsss!" The snake shouts, "You will soon beg for death when I get done with you!" The snake seems distracted, for the moment, but quickly lunges after the archer!

Zolomon gasps and sidesteps in a zip zag sort of pattern,he thinks fast...stop it, stop it how as he slides and falls, grabbing an edge and almost.He  looks around as Robert races past,he gets a pawful of mushrooms and sticks the on an arrow and fires it at the snake "Here eat this!!"

The arrow imbeds itself into the flesh of the serpent. "Insssolent creature! You will... you will..." The snake shakes its head, eyes widening and dialating. "You will... die... all... six of... Your fear will tasste... tassste like... everything tassste purple..." The keeper begins to sway back and forth, foam coming out of her muzzle.

Zolomon  blinks and looks confused at the snake and then him and Robert each go to help the fox out of there as quick as they can he is not sticking around in here, they are leaveing!

The Keepers fate is left unclear as the snake collapses and twitches against the stone floor.

The way back through the caves is even more unclear. The sound of water crashing into the caves is all encompasing, with out the torch they would be in total darkness.

"This... way." The fox points, "I can smell... your trail coming from, this way..."

The fox staggers his way along with the hares until they reach the exit. The water is now as high as the stone pathway they are on. If they linger, they may be swept away!

Zolomon looks at his Private and they both nod"Hope ya can hold ya breath sur fox"And they dive and quickly go to swim if needed and do, barely...make it to the sandy beach and coughs.

Robert keeps and manages to get to the shore, ok he can sort of swim but he seriously needs lessons as he shivers on the shore.

"Welll...that's bally well...happen" Zolomon states, he at first panics and then sighs in relief, they still have the sack of those dark mushrooms, mission won.

"Thank you, thank you both." The fox gasps for breath as the villagers come to their rescue. Shouts of joy, fill the air. "These brave hares, deserve a feast! All the rum and fresh meat they can eat!"

"Uh, Chief?"

"Wha, oh, right. All the veggies they can eat, and all the meat we can cook!" Shouts the village chief, his voice turning bitter, "Starting with that traitor Elena! I'm going to have that vixen's fat hide! Her and her friends robbed the Keeper and destroyed her brood! Where is that troublesome fox!"

Silence befalls the crowd and the chief sighs, "She's gone, isn't she?"

"Left as soon as the hares went into the cave, sir. Carrying a cart with her for supplies she said. To trade for on her way to get help." Replies a weasel, "You don't think... the keeper's gold is in there, do you?"

The fox only rubs his eyes, "This, this is why you need a chieftain..."

Zolomon shrugs , he has no clue what to think of the vermin, he whispers to Robert who only nods They decide to just let the vermin argue and figure it out themselves...

The two hares walk a fair distance before they decide to set up camp for the night, they find some sea weed and eat the rest of some rice cakes, drink some cordial they have and then go to sleep.

One herb Down.....

2 to go.....

** I DO NOT HAVE AN ALT IN THIS...BUT GOT ASKED TO POST THIS BY Keldorn. *****

WHO:

Keldorn- Warrior Shrew in GUOSIM

Oswald- Warrior Shrew in GUOSIM

Matilda-Champion of Redwall

Caleb- Traveling Warrior

Dorarose-Gatekeeper of Redwall

Xander- Leader of Mossflower Defenders

LOG:

Matilda has kept the party moving throughout the woods for the past several days and with Keldorn's information that his boat was stolen she has moved them to the edge of the river Moss. The camp is basic, fire-pit, bed rolls and that is about it.   

Currently the hedgehog is out scouting herself, talking to local beasts to see if any of them saw Keldorn's boat and which way it may have sailed. But she did ask everyone to be back at Noon after sending them all out in different directions to try and find information from the locals.   

Keldorn sighs, he did look around himself and mainly it was upriver but didn't seem to have much luck, he tried to get info from a robin but the robin keep demanding candy nuts and he had none so he decided to head back to camp, keeping an eye out and ears open for any sounds of trouble.   

Caleb was wandering a bit through the river moss itself, the mouse carrying a stick in hand to wade through anything. He wasn't having too much luck either, scouting through and trying to find where the boat was relative to their position. He made sure to look through the moss and see if there were any tracks left from paddles on the boat, if they redirected.

Xander was with Caleb as they walked along and speaks quiet " You would think a boat be easy enough to find"
   
Matilda has gone across the river to the home of some squirrels she knows who live by the river and finds them out searching as well. Seems their children have gone missing as well and whilst she is calming them down and talking to them she sadly doesn't learn much.
   
As Caleb pokes around the river-bank a log-boat rounds the bend being sculled along by a shrew. He is wearing a blue coat and his thick grey fur is tied up in hundreds of small braids, each one decorated with several small bells. He reverses oars and slows his boat as he approaches the mouse, "Ahoy there... have you seen any other shrews?"
       
Keldorn is a little too far upriver to see his fellow shrew or he would likely call out.He is heading slowly back towards where Caleb and Xander is though so he should see something soon enough.   

Caleb would look up at the answer and hold a paw up towards Xander to hold that thought. The mouse approaches and holds his writing pad towards the shrew, a question written on it: "I am out with a shrew at the moment, by the name of Keldorn. His boat was passing through here. Have you seen it recently?"   

Xander walks over slowly and nods a hello, " Only he isn't on his boat,it was stolen..he is likely upriver, maybe with Matilda."   

Oswald backs water to slow the logboat, "Good, that is who I am looking for... I know where his boat was going," He sticks the oar in the mud, "Hop in, I can take us too him... if you direct me."   

He motions to Xander, "You two, though you'll have to sit up back, the boat will take you but we'll just have to go slowly."   
   
Keldorn looks up as he thought he heard something but maybe he is just worried as he walks on closer to the others and frowns as he looks back and forth.A sigh,its gonna be a long day he supposes.He is not close enough to see the others yet.   

Xander hmms, " I can follow on shore " He points on upriver back towards the bridge " Keldorn had gone this way"   

Caleb would nod towards Oswald and get into the boat, pointing towards Xander as he basically said what was needed to be said. Though he would write something down. "Keldorn is with us to help find the missing children of Redwall and the areas around here. His boat was stolen and the vermin are using it."   

"Missing Children?" Oswald says and frowns, "So that explains... damn it!" The shrew then digs his oar in and sends the log boat skimming forward, "You might have to run," he shouts back to Xander as he starts upriver as quickly as he can.
   
"What is this about... no way until we find Keldorn I can't be reading whilst rowing," He skims the boat forward and after about a mile and a half spots Keldorn. He angles his boat toward the bank, "KELDORN!" he shouts at the top of his lungs.   

"What the hell is going! I got told by a fox in Ferravale your boat was seen going downriver with Leigh on it and a whole bunch of children and several vermin! I thought you had gone mad then I got told you'd been seen with Log-a-Log!"   
   
Keldorn looks over and frowns as he walks over to the edge of the river shore "Yes..Vermin took my boat and I was with Log-A-Log he was looking for you and Leigh"
   
Caleb was going to answer but as he said he couldn't read whilst rowing there wasn't much he could do. As Keldorn approached however he was happy to see someone who could help besides Xander. The mouse does point towards Keldorn, basically making a motion of saying "What he said." God he wished one of these guys knew paw language.   

Oswald jumps out of the boat and glances at the mouse, "Whose the mouse anyway?" he asks Keldorn, the bard then lifted his hands and started signing at the same time as speaking, "Well I got told your boat was heading downriver full of children and vermin... why in Martin's name aren't we following?"

Keldorn frowns "I was knocked out, had to recover and remember...what ....happen"He frowns "They killed my daughter..and I know..briefly remember Leigh running but it seems they grabed her sadly"   

Caleb would slowly come off the boat and writes down something while Keldorn explains. He hands off the pad towards Oswald since there had to be some answer for who he was. "I am Caleb. I was born mute so that is why I write, though I understand using my paws to form letters. I am here helping DoraRose, Xander and Matilda of Redwall on finding and bring the dibbuns back."   

Xander catches up finally and nods to them   

Oswald looks shocked at Keldorn's news then embraces his brother shrew in a hug, "Damn it no... well... we are going after them Keldorn, I have my log boat, we should get a few more from camp and go after them."

Keldorn allows the hug and does let a few tears fall, "They, also took dibbuns from the abbey, all but one I heard...a goose dibbun was hiding on the pond, they took a badger cub from the abbey and killed an order sister"
   
Caleb would watch on, staying close to Xander since... well, Caleb is a stranger even if he wishes to live at the Abbey now, the mouse looking through the marsh as he thinks of what to do. He actually hopes Matilda and DoraRose are alright as well. Still... at least they found Oswald. That was all he could hope for.   

Matilda Matilda appears back out of the trees on the other side of the river. She raises a hand and Oswald glances over, "The champion... well... now we can catch up with them," he holds his paws up to Caleb and signs, "Can you help me go across the river and collect Matilda?"   

Caleb actually pauses and blinks rapidly before looking towards Oswald in confusion. The shrew knew how to do that this entire time and didn't say anything. He should be a bit mad but he's not going to say anything. Instead he signs towards Oswald, "Yes, I can help with that." Getting back onto the boat, he would help them to cross the river so as to come collect Matilda.   

Keldorn looks towards Xander and shrugs "Ummm..be right back I am sure they will get another log bost we all can't fit in one after all, gonna need 2"   
   
First Oswald hands Caleb his spare paddle, "Sorry about that," he says, "It took me a moment to think to try paw language, that'll speed up trying to talk.. so have you paddled before? We'll nip over, grab the Champion then head for the Camp."   

Twisting around the shrew called out, "Keldorn, Xander, head to the GUOSIM camp, we'll need another log boat, then as soon as Dora is back we can head off, three to a boat."   

Caleb would take a hold of the paddle and nod towards Oswald signing, "I had a boat for a small time. Helped me cross a few lands." With that, he would take up the paddle and start to row towards Matilda's location, going in time with Oswald so as not to displace them. He also nods over towards Xander and Keldorn, making sure all his things were in order.
   
Keldorn nods, he can lead them to the GUOSIM camp, they could even get anything else needed and head on thier way "Well least we know they are heading down river....wait, I bet its Halyard"   

Xander quickly follows the others and waits till they are altogether as a group, he has been mostly quiet today..prehaps a lot on his mind.   

Matilda climbs into the boat once they reach the other side and listens to Oswald's report.   

Her face grows blank and she nods before settling in at the back, "Let us go to the GUOSIM camp, they have five days on us... it's a good three week trip down river from here to the shore... and they are in a bigger boat."
   
Oswald nods and hands the hedgehog a paddle, from there it is a short paddle, only a few miles downriver to where the GUOSIM summer camp is set up. Once they reach it Matilda will motion to Keldorn and Xander. "So we now know which direction they are goin, Keldorn can you get us another boat and supplies? Then we need to wait for Dora to get back."   

Caleb would help along the paddling, seeming to be glad that he had something he could do. Once they were at the GUOSIM camp, Caleb would wait for everyone to finish talking before writing down something for Matilda. "This is the GUOSIM camp? Xander made it sound like no stranger was allowed here... does this mean I'm somewhat excluded from that?"
   
Keldorn finds a large boat and grins "Knew a larger boat come in handy, we just have to figure out who is in which boat"

Matilda smiles and climbs out of the boat, "I think in an emergency the GUOSIM make allowances," she smiles, "Normally none of us would be invited inside without reason but this is an emergency."   

Xander follows and finally speaks "Yeah...log boat...thats safe right? Its clear he hates boats,he has been on one a couple times and hated it.A deep breath as he waits, a boat is...its fine, it wont sink he repeats in his mind, it will be fine, unless there is a storm...no, no its fine,so so safe.   

The GUOSIM camp is busy, those shrews who remain to look after the place whilst Log-A-Log is at the abbey with the main group are helping prepare supplies.   

Oswald glances at Xander and smiles, "A log boat is the perfect way to travel Xander, you'll be fine with us and it is the only way we are getting down the River Moss quickly."
   
Matilda nods, "Sadly so Xander, I am no fan of boats either but if they have gone downriver as Master Oswald says then we need to sail to catch them. They have five days on us as soon as Dora catches up with us we can get going."   

Keldorn smiles "I am sure we will be fine, as said 3 to a boat and we soon find out who is in each boat so its good. We check the boats often and recently did, so all good ta go sir Xander"
   
DoraRose takes this opportunity to find them! "As long as the shrews don't argue with me, I'll be fine using their boats." The Warrior watches the hustle and bustle around them. "The sooner we catch those scumbags and get our Dibbuns back, the happier I'll be. We've figured out which way they went?" She rests her axe on her shoulder, making it look as if it weighed nothing (when in actuality it's quite heavy).
   
Caleb wasn't too big of a fan of boats but he wasn't as afraid of them as Xander was. The mouse had been traveling for a while so he had to think of different ways to get around, and a boat was one of them. For now he would just stay silent, not sure where he should clue in. However he was glad that they had found a way where the vermin were going
   
Oswald motions Keldorn over to the boats, "We are ready to go, I should take Caleb and Matilda in my boat, you take Xander and Dora in the bigger boat."   

He folds his arms and glowers as one of the shrews helping load supplies pipes up, "No way! The Champion should go in the big boat with the badger! She has status and prestige!"   

"That doesn't matter," Oswald grumbles back, "I mean they are both pretty big critters we should spread the big beasts out across different boats and have a mouse in each one!" It sounds like it is gearing up to be a right proper shrew fest over who should go in what boat.   

Matilda stares at them and groans, "Oh no... Dora..." she murmurs, "Get in the big boat with Xander... we'll be here all afternoon if we let them settle this GUOSIM style."   
   
Keldorn has a boat he is in now and nods "Lets get going and catch up to the vermin so we can freaking slay them already...like Wilson, he needs a painful death!"   

Xander sighs and nods "I will be fine and yes we do need to find those slavers as soon as possible" He will get in what ever boat...slowly...and mutters a little but he is in a boat now, so they should be able to head off now and the weather is cloudly but clearing,so thats good.   

DoraRose smiles ever so slightly and just silently gets into the boat with Xander. "Stop your arguing," she says after getting settled. "I really don't feel like finishing any arguments until /after/ we've rescued the Dibbuns and I have to make the DAB stop fighting all the way home.....oh my goodness, I'm actually gonna hafta do that, aren't I?" She is now envisioning how poorly that could go. Yay.   

Caleb would just settle within the boat after gathering up his supplies, still holding onto his paddle. He was just watching everyone bicker, not really sure what to say. But the mouse was at least glad to have someone who knows paw language aboard his boat.   
   
Oswald throws some final good natured insults at the other shrews then pushes off into the water as Matilda settles in at the back of the boat and Caleb in the middle. The shrew then laughs at the rejoinder and pushes his oar into the mud bank and shoves off into the river, paddling out into the current in the centre.   

"Well Dora," Matilda calls over, "Looks like it's downstream and it's ok... once we have the DAB back I'll help keep them in order... I can terrify most of them."   
   
Keldorn leans back trying to relax as the trip is gonna be long enough as they finally head down stream.He sighs, well once this is over they are gonna need a lot of boats or just walk along the river once they rescue the dibbuns and he plans to help with just that. He grows a bit quiet as he tries to think, most of the short memory loss he had is back now as he closes his eyes as he keeps seeming to relive that dayand trying to think of any signs of possible betrayal of Wilson before all this.
   
Xander is just quiet for now, he ajusts himself a couple times in the log boat and then sighs, well this is fun or not fun, he can survive this and just fucus on the fact he will soon catch up to the vermin and maybe rip thoer heads off.   

DoraRose reaches forward to pat the badger on the back. "Hey, we'll be okay. I know you hate boats, but I'm here with you. Do you need to talk?" She's concerned he may be remembering his birth parents dying....or his enslavement to Jedrick....or something equally unpleasant. She wants to help him if she can.   

Caleb would start with helping to paddle, making sure to relax and watch out for any more signs of tracks. The mouse was glad to know that everything was now in order... except for the fact that Xander was scared. For being a badger, Caleb had to giggle at the fact he was scared of boats.   
   
Matilda settles in, the sword of Martin down by her side, the oar held in her hands, paddling in time with Caleb and Oswald, it seems she has spent time on the river before. The smaller boat scooting ahead of the larger by a short distance but not too much.   

"We must... make haste," Matilda murmurs to Caleb and Oswald, "Martin is with us but he... is also focussed elsewhere, other things are happening. I do not know who he is focussed on right now but I hope he can bring them comfort and aid. But we are all here now... at least for now. there will be others later."   
   
Xander just hums softly as his paw grips the side of the log boat, he was shaking a little but has calmed down some, opens his good eye and closes it again, just hum and pretent your not on a log boat, this was NOT a real boat...there was hardly any room. He is a mightly warrior...yet this is what he is afriad of? A possible overturned boat?He breaths in and out and ..medates? Yes he can do that.....he jumps a little at the paw touch oh its just Dora..Dora is here yes thats nice...so is the water...and the boat...log...so not wonderful.He will be like this for a short while and finally just mostly relax.   

Keldorn tries a smile at the badger and decides to not try right now, he just looks forwards and helps the boat to move down the river."We will catch up and get the children back, it also seems they have taken dibbuns from other places besides the abbey."   

DoraRose just lets the badger be, and instead watches the riverbank go by. "Oh? From where else have they stolen Dibbuns? This sounds like a bigger job than just hurting the Abbey, like in Matthias and Mattimeo's time." She knows her Redwall history! Please be impressed. She also doesn't hear the Champion's statement, else she'd be a bit irritated at Martin's ghost for not being more helpful. She gets irritated by things like that.
   
Caleb would continue to paddle but let Oswald and Matilda go so that he could sign to the shrew. Since Oswald was a translator now it would work in his favor. "So Martin is focused on someone else... what of the Abbey? Will it be safe with all of us gone? I feel scared now knowing I didn't stay behind to help defend them."   

Matilda says, "Benar knows what to do in this situation," the hedgehog smiles at Calebd once Oswald translates for him, "He will call in our friends and allies to help protect Redwall... as for Martin he is with the children..." she frowns down river, "He has... something to do there, someone to try and guide...""   

Keldorn tilts his head "To guild? Intresting..."   

DoraRose sighs, her question having been ignored. But instead of making a big deal of it, she turns her attention to the other conversation. "Guiding one of the Dibbuns, huh? Probably not Squirrelbabe...that little brat would probably figure out how to bite him." She has the DAB Ringleader in somewhat low regards.   

Caleb ponders what it means as well. Why would the warrior spirit be guiding the dibbuns? Of course... he heard that Martin had only really come towards certain people. He does make sure to sign once he knows that he's free to, directing it towards Dora. "You will have to tell me of these tales when we have some free time, Dora. I want to know more of... well, of the place that I wish to live at. Surprise... while I was still within the infirmary, I chose to live at the Abbey."

Matilda glances across at the other boat and indicates to Oswald to move them closer, the shrew calls out some orders to back oars and slow so the larger boat moves in beside them. "I am not sure who... just that he is seeking to guide someone, he doesn't speak to me directly all the time..." she frowns, then smiles at Caleb and squeezes his shoulder, "You will be most welcome to live with us at the abbey my young friend."   

Keldorn just pays attention to things on shore or in the river as they paddle along. " Letz hope the river trip is smooth going"   

DoraRose shrugs at the hedgehog's words. "Well, then I guess we'll see. Maybe he's guiding these monsters towards insanity..." She thinks that'd be funny, anyway. She smiles at Caleb and nods. "Aye, I think I can do that. It'd be a good bedtime story, actually. Inspire us with stories from the past to help us not give up in our present." Now to see if she can remember them that well...   

Matilda says, "Please Dora, it'd be nice to hear tails of home and it might make Keldorn and Oswald behave and not argue." she dips her oar and focusses on sailing down the river and listening to Dora's stories."