Redwall MUCK Forum

CAHARCTERS:  Xander, a male badger; LilyMoore, a female mouse; Quickbeak, a male Sparra; various spoofed characters.

LOG:
Xander is sitting in caverm hole, right now alone and he sees to like it better that way as he can think.He been away from the abbey a couple weeks and has now sliped back to the abbey, not finding whom he wanted to he just sat down in the large chair in this room.   

High up on the rooftops someone had noted the badgers return. Word had travelled not long after he'd left and the sparra had been waiting to see if he'd come back. It took a little time to rouse the increasingly ancient Kingsparra Quickbeak from his nest but nothing stirs the blood like anger. A single sparrow spots the badger in Cavern Hole and then flies off, replaced ten minutes later by a small group of them following one considerably older sparra with a little crown on his head made of woven twigs and colored glass. Quickbeak doesn't fly across the room or jump along like the others, he awkwardly walks to preserve strength "You'um stripeworm Kingsparra seek, yes?"   

Xander he blinks and stares at the bird and frowns, "I..seek...wot?" He frowns, why are the birds here, what do they want?" Can I umhelp you?" Ok he isnt good at sparra talk.   

Quickbeak is used to the blank stares of the wormfolk. He speaks slower than the others but even so he's still fast and chirpy. The rest are basically making indecipherable chirping but they seem to be talking angrily among themselves and over each other. Quickbeak ignores the others an focuses on Xander. With some quick flapping that sends a few loose feathers flying the old bird makes it up to perch on the back of a chair, trying to be taller than Xander "You'um stripeworm cooka, eata sparra? Eata sparra witha other stripeworm anda verminworms?!" he gets angrier as he talks, his chirping words turning in to screeches. Somewhere the message got muddled up and they heard he was eating sparrows though.   

Xander understands some and speaks "No....I don't eat sparrows..."He sighs and clears his throat, being honest is always good "Wood pigdion...is wot I ate sir..I am..sorry and yes I ate with ...a weasel, and...but I didnt tell her wot it was so dont be mad at her...just be mad at me"   

Honesty in this case doesn't seem to make it much better. Quickbeak spreads his wings "Stripeworm admit'um eata birdfolk!" he yells, the other sparrows taking up the traditional angry chant of 'Killee Killee Killee!'. Quickbeak points an accusing, if shaky, wing at Xander "Stripeworm issa verminworm! Killee birdfolk! Eatee birdfolk! Alla stripeworm issa verminworm!" he yells before suddenly stopping to chip quite calmly at the other sparrows "Exceptum nutstripe" there's a few chirps of agreement before Quickbeak angrily yells again "Allum stripeworm foe of sparra exceptum Nutstripe!"   

Xander tilts his head "Who is Nutstripe?" "He sighs and tries to calm them "Badgers are not bad...ok...please...."He fronwns "Ok I did something...clearly very bad, but no oen else did...ok"   

"Nutstripe makeum nuts" one of the younger sparrows replies as if, duh, everyone knows that. In reality they were a badger who gave Quickbeak so many nuts she earned the title Nutstripe and basically became a legend because the younger generation only know what the old Kingsparra told them about her. Quickbeak narrows his eyes at Xander "Verminworm killee birdfolk. You verminworm. Murderer of Birdfolk!...You takeum alla blame? Takeum all punishment?"   

Xander gulps a little, oh boy...sparra and a fair amont "I...ok ok I killed the wood pidgion, and...yeah ate it, brougt it here, no one else killed it and ya know wot"He shakes his head "I got slaped and my mate avoids me now cause of this....she is not...bad trust me, far from it..it was my fault I offered her ..something and didnt explain it..so yes its this"He points to himself "This..badger's fault, all his and only him..no one else."He does feel tears but could care less, "I'm...s...sorry"He says softly, maybe it will help and maybe it won't help, he could say no violence but the Sparra were never really part of the abbey...not in thier minds and he knows that.
   
The ancient KingQuickbeaksparra listens but his glare doesn't soften, if anything it gets worse. He barely leaves the nest area most days now, he couldn't fly off for the winter but this was important enough to rouse him. He beckons Xander forward with a claw, still perched up on top of a chair. He's also still wearing his old battleclaws because much like the crown on his head they'll have to pry them off him when he's dead "Stripewormvermin comeum closer, take'um punishment foree killee ofa Birdfolk"   

Xander is very unsure of getting closer to the old bird, ok why is he afraid of a bird..a sparrow for? He is not sure why but he goes edge a little closer anyways, slow but this bird is starting to freak him out.   

"What is going on in here?!" LilyMoore si standing in the doorway of the kitchen, paws on her hips. "We are in Redwall, and under no circumstances is anybeast allowed to punish anyone else or cause a fight, unless the Abbot or an Elder say it's okay!" The Bellringer marches over and stands between them. "I was asked to come in here because I can understand birds. So could somebeast please explain what y'all's problem is?!"   

Quickbeak glances at LilyMoore with a glare when she tries to interfere "Issa Sparra business!" he screeches back. A little gesture of his beak to the group of sparrows with him and three of them break from the group to get in her way. The biggest and angriest of them all we'll call Husknut, grandson to the Kingsparra "Stripeworm murderer ofa Birdfolk! Notta up to worms, worms hadda chance! Worms notta punish! Stripeworm notta banished, notta killee! Worms notta care murderer Birdfolk!" for at least a moment LilyMoore has distracted them and paused things.   

Xander frowns as he looks at Lillymoore and then the old Sparra, he gulps and speaks "Its..its ok..Lillymoore...I will be fine and wot happen is totally my fault, only I take the blaime."   

LilyMoore is more angry than almost anyone has ever seen her, more furious than she has been in many, many seasons. "I DON'T CARE!" She goes to shove Husknut out of her way, not heeding the danger the birds' claws and beaks possess. "YOU ARE WITHIN THE WALLS OF REDWALL AND OUR RULES OF PEACE MUST BE OBEYED!!" She stamps her foot and tweets in perfect imitation of a sparrow, quoting the line from Redwall's charter about harming no creature unless it is self-defense. "If you don't desist, I shall be forced to get Abbot Benar and see what he thinks about violence within his walls!" She glares at the King. "/I/ do care about the death of the birdfolk! /I/ care about all living creatures -- why else do you think I don't even eat fish and shrimp? But there is nothing I can do, not to Xander and not to chaneg the minds of the beasts who rule here at Redwall! Now, please, be reasonable, like I know all birds can be, and not break the rules of peace we observe here in the Abbey!"   

Husknut snaps back with his beak as he's shoved but thankfully misses and he does get a warning screech from the King. The other sparrows do at least crowd around to block access to the King as he stays perched on his chair and looks down at her. He sounds irritated but reasonably calm "Abbotworm notta boss ofa Kingsparra. Sparraloftnest issa here! Kingsparra makeum rules foree loftnest, foree sky! Have'um let worms boss ownself but Stripewormvermin take'um Birdfolk fromee sky. Notta right just as worm does murder outside Abbeyhouse walls. Abbeyworms notta punish. What would mouseworm have sparra do? Forget'um killee?"   

Xander just stands quietly, he speaks as he stands up strighter "Then we can go outside the gates...ok King?" He bows and looks at Lillymoore "Please I want...no one else hurt, espcailly..Krisha, I love her...tell her I am sorry"He is not sure what is going to happen, a painfull headache and scar, or death, he seems oddly willing to let the old bird punish him, take the blaime and get the Sparra to have a form of...peace or least a form of punishment given and he is free from being hated, and maybe thier way of forgiving?
   
LilyMoore scowls darkly at Hustknut, having not missed him trying to peck her. "Yes, but Abbot Benar can have every entrance to the loft sealed, effectively banishing the Sparra from Redwall!" She takes a deep breathe and straightens up, smoothing down the front of her tunic, getting the distinct impression that she is talking to royalty. "I agree, 'twas the same as murder, nothing less. But overall Xander is a good creature," she glances at the badger, obviously unsure if this is still true. "I can not stand by and let you kill him. Flogg him, perhaps, but never kill him. And you can especially not do anything to him while within the walls of Redwall." She swallows, looking a little afraid. "If you did, I...I would have to escort you out, even if it meant a fight."   

Quickbeak does wear a crown, he made it himself with twigs neatly woven around a few shards of colored glass. He leaves the actual work of ruling to his kids these days but they went off for the winter with most of the sparrows, just leaving a few to keep Quickbeak company as he just can't fly like he use to. Quickbeak's feathers puff out angrily at the threat of the abbey banishing the sparra "Abbotworm notta make war witha sparra!" he looks quickly back at Xander at the suggestion of going outside and then Lily when she's fine with him being flogged. A little pause and the King chirps his agreement. As Xander's close he goes to hop up to the badgers shoulder, going to perch there and get a ride instead of walking. He gestures a wing at the door "Sparra anda worms go outta abbeyhouse walls...Abbeyworms notta care ifee outside" he eyes LilyMoore again for a moment before reluctantly adding "Punish, notta killee"   

Xander lets the bird on his shoulder and then slowly walks outside, ok well least its not a death march it seems but still there is punishment, so he might need a healer, but if this causes less....things later, he is happy as they head outside, likely being stared at by some beasts from the abbey walls, oh wonderfull just what the badger needs.   

"Don't break our laws of peace within our walls and Redwall won't be at war with you!" Is LilyMoore's snippy reply. She anxiously follows the badger, worried about if the king really will keep his word. DoraRose peers down at them from her watch above the Main Gate. "Lily, what's going on?" "Um....I'll tell you later, Momma. But we'll probably need a Healer." "Well, okay," the Gatekeeper looks worried. "Just take my sword if you're going outside the Abbey, alright?" "Okay, Momma." The Bellringer grabs her mother's sword and hurries to catch up with Xander. A guard has headed to the Infirmary to get a Healer. At DoraRose's order, the guards let the strange group out through the Main Gate.   

The little group of sparrows follow along afterwards, hopping through the snow. Hushnut hasn't stopped muttering angry chirps since the King agreed not to kill the badger. Quickbeak ignores his grandson and quite enjoys using a badger as a mode of transport and all the attention. He puffs up importantly but looks more like a molting mess. He waits until they're outside before he leans over, tilting his head at Xander. His eyes narrow as he considers a fitting punishment which won't kill him. Finally he moves, going to try and perch on top of Xander's head instead and spread his wings wide "Stripewormvermin killee birdfolk, eatee birdfolk. For murder of'um birdfolk shall know'um with new name, Murderstripe!" he strikes, going to take off and at the same time claw deep scratches with both sets of talons on the badgers stripes "Shall know'um by stripes of blood, shall wear'um crimes foreverdays and alla birdfolk will'um know!"   

Xander just waits so what is going to happen.....the pain,oh it burns pain! He screams as those claws hurt and they go deep! Luckly they don't find some main vien but oh the pain! Ok if it helps the birds have thier revenge? Peace? Better this than have them harm say Krisha or some other badger, he shivers and drops to the ground as the pain is a bit much and the white snow is now getting red in places as this new mark will SCAR! And will be needing checked a lot at the infirm, he whimpers and just lays on the ground.   

LilyMoore gasps and covers her mouth with her paws. Nissaya comes with the group of 4 otters who help carry badgers. "Oh, my...." the albino otter Healer rushes forward to the unconscious badger, pulling out bandages and herbs. The otters all work on the badger and go to take him to the Infirmary, Nissaya giving the Bellringer a 'we will talk later' look as they pass. The mousemaid crosses her arms, her anger unclear as to whom it's directed to. "Well, I hope you're satisfied. He will carry those marks with him forever. Now if you'll excuse me....I'm probably in trouble with my mother and Nana for letting you do that." She turns and heads back inside to face her own fate.....although it's not as painful as what Xander just went through....

~*END*~

Thanks for reading!

Continued here: http://forum.rwmuck.org/viewtopic.php?id=1531

How long has it been since the MUCK died?  I don't remember the last time that happened, to be honest. 

But it happened today!  So.  Yeah.

I emailed Otter.  Now we're just waiting to see what happens next....