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oz

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Registered: 2016-11-20

Posts: 1,659

Patch Is Full Of Surprises-Ferravale Log

Who:

Patch- Tavern Owner, Spy, Ale maker

Blisa-Chieftain of Ferravale

LOG:

The village of Ferravale has been a hive of activity ever since Redwall's Dibbuns were stolen. Blisa has doubled the guard, telling them that there are rumors of slavers and pillagers in the area. No one is allowed to enter the village without the permission of the Chieftain or the Head Guard. And all the children have been hidden away on a camping trip into the depths of Mossflower. There aren't very many, but Blisa is taking every precaution she deems necessary.   

Right now, the Chieftain is sitting in the tavern with Ferdinand and Valerie as the trio eats dinner. The cat is working on her regular paperwork, pleased with how well the village is doing. They executed a slaver (unrelated to the ones who took Redwall's children) just this morning, and the slaves are being integrated into Ferravale until such time as they can be taken to the Abbey. The cat thinks her guards are doing an exceptional job keeping the village safe.

   
Patch is busy serving drinks as he goes from table to table and then sits about cleaning off mugs and plates as a ferret gets orders for meals   

Blisa glances up at the rat and raises her paw. Their teapot is empty, and her ale is, too, and she would like a refill! She also wants a snack -- being Chieftain is hungry work! The tavern owner would do well to be keeping an eye on her table. Upsetting her is usually a bad idea.   

Patch nods and has a worker get more tea as he walks over "So how are ya tanight chiefie, any news ta share?"

Blisa cocks an eyebrow. "Well, I'd like some scones, and some more ale. As for how I am.....well, that slaver we caught was thrown in the river this morning, so hopefully other slavers will hear about it and not try to come through Mossflower again." Her tail swishes back and forth. "Redwall was attacked almost a week ago. One of my birds came and reported that nearly half of the birds I sent were injured or killed. The defenders of the Abbey managed to drive the attackers away. I need to write Benar a letter and ask how else we can help....I'm not sure I trust any of my other guards or blackbirds in Redwall...."   

Patch decides to not ask what happen next, he assumes the slaver is dead cause...duhh she said so.He nods and gets scones, and there is the tea and some more ale.He nods "Here ya go..also, I have this new recipe may try...a peach ale with a hint of cherry"   

Blisa smiles slightly. "I would like to try your new ale, Patch. That actually sounds good." Ferdinand and Valerie are reading as they drink their tea, but they are still on the alert for danger to the Chieftain. The cat shuffles some of her papers, then grabs a scone. "What's been happening recently, Patch? Anything I don't know about?" She asks as she bites into it.   

Patch shakes his head "Just been normal stuff recently, maybe a couple fewer woodlanders around the village, not been in shop areas" He grins "De ale should be ready and ya can be de first to try it chief" He knew of the rats and who hasn't heard of the one slaver.   
Blisa smiles still. "Thank you, Patch, I would like to try it." She pulls out the piece of paper she was looking for. "Ah, yes.....you still need to pay your taxes for the tavern for last month." She waves the paper in front of him, which is a note about how he is late paying his taxes. "Please make sure to get that to the treasurer in the next few days."   

Patch takes a deep breath and will not dare roll his eyes at her, he simply nods "Of course chief, in de morning be good?" He likes his money, after all, why part with it    .

Blisa nods. "Yes, you can bring it by in the morning....just make sure to bring it by, Patch. Wouldn't want to have to close the tavern because the owner refused to pay his taxes, mm?" She has a pretty good idea of how much he likes his money, and she's not going to put up with any nonsense about him not paying.   

Patch sighs and nods.He excuses himself and slips off to the back, he has decided to just give it to her now, cause he will forget knowing him "Did stripy have ta pay this too?" It seems the badger didn't mention this or he did and Patch didn't listen too well.   

Blisa sips her ale and eats another scone. Ferdinand and Valerie don't interfere with the conversation, letting the cat do all the talking. "Of course he did, Xander. And Marek before him. Everybeast who owns a business or a house here in Ferravale pays a tax of some level. Markalaway is the only one who doesn't." Partly because he's so creepy. The Chieftain refrains from mentioning that she has a sliding scale tax thing, with the poor within the village paying less than the rich. And Patch gets his own special price because he's obnoxious.
   
Patch nods, well its paid , for now till the next time "of..course..."He shakes his head to clear it and sits "I wonder where he is and de others, any news on that?"   

Blisa accepts the money. She WILL get the ENTIRE thing to the treasurer tomorrow morning, bright and early. Shaking her head, the cat eats another scone, making a face at Valerie as the vixen moves the plate away from her. "Let us have some!" The Chieftain rolls her eyes, then answers the rat's question. "I haven't heard anything about the group that left to hunt down the slavers. I'm not sure if Redwall has, either. Sorry, Patch. I can imagine how concerned you must be for Xander."   

Patch snorts "Me..concern he is just a badger"But he hides a frown as he looks around and to the fighting pit.   

Blisa raises an eyebrow. "Yes, but he is also your friend, Patch. Don't lie to me." She is a dangerous, semi-crazy creature. Don't lie to her She reaches for the scones, then scowls as Valerie and Ferdinand keep it away from her. "You already ate half!" "Maybe you thould get dinner." The cat sighs.   

Patch shrugs as he stares "Ok,...fine maybe he is me friend ok, one of de few I have and he could like die and never come back, and then that other badger comes here and blaimes me...and who knows who else"   

Blisa's brow furrows. "You mean Krisha? ....I guess she can be terrifying. If she comes and blames you for Xander being gone, come find me. I'll see what I can do. You had nothing to do with the slavers, you shouldn't be blamed." She finishes her ale. "Also, have you ever considered that your rudeness and attitude might be why you don't have many friends? Because I'm pretty sure that's the reason, Patch."   

Patch looks over "I'm rude?" He asks and shrugs, he then rolls his eyes "Otis....good grief ya gonna drop de tray"The ferret mutters and heads to the back as the rat looks back at the chieftain "The badgermother...seen her recently she ummm.....bad mood"His fauly totally his "She know blacksmith stuff, who ever took over de blacksmith shop in town..anyone?"   

Blisa nearly chokes on her ale. "Are you kidding me, Patch?? You are the rudest creature I know, short of my enemies!" So it's a wonder she hasn't fed him to her snake yet. "And I would think Krisha is upset -- I'm pretty sure her Dibbun is one of the ones that was taken, and her mate is off who knows where trying to get all the Dibbuns back! Of COURSE she's not in a good mood! Why on Earth would she NOT be?" She refrains from calling him an idiot, but it's hard. Really, really hard.   

Patch backs up a little "She...nevermind"He frowns "Their kid is gone too?" Ok the news of a ..what newborn? Taken gets to him?He shakes his head"All slavers should die in a mess of ....boiling rocks"   

Blisa rolls her eyes. "Xander probably didn't tell you because you're /so rude/, Patch!" She shakes her head. "I think I heard they had a baby and it was taken. I could be wrong about that, though. You'll have to wait until this mess with the horde from the South is over to find out for sure -- beasts can only enter Redwall with Benar's permission, and he specifically asked me to not send you to Redwall." BECAUSE YOU'RE SO RUDE, her gaze seems to say. Then a wicked gron crosses her face. "And yes, I agree with you about the slavers, Patch. That's why I had a rock tied around that 1's neck before he was thrown into the Moss. Glad to know you approve...although it wouldn't've made any difference if you had disagreed," she muses. "Only if you supported slavery, which I know you don't..."
   
Patch edges away, the chief is creepy right now "Slavers usually stay away and I hate slavers...with a passion trust me"He might spy on one but not help them. "I do wonder why they just took dibbuns and left...no attack or anything, odd"   

Blisa returns to her paperwork. "I think everybeast is wondering that, Patch. And why Redwall? How could they not know they would have Warriors hard on their trail?" She shakes her head. "Maybe being a slaver makes one naturally stupid, I don't know."
   
Patch shrugs "Who knows Blisa"He gets some dark ale and hmmms as he checks on that peach cherry ale he mentions, but there is a blackberry one, a small hint of apple as he walks over with that and sits it down, he sips his own ale"Blackberry with a hint of apple...could be a failure though"   

Blisa looks at the ale and smiles. "Well, I'm still up for trying it." She takes a sip. Ferdinand and Valerie hide their books under the table, just in case. They're all out of scones.   

Patch nods and watches, hopeing its good or least not too bad if its dislikeD.

Blisa nods and looks at what's in the cup. "It's good, Patch. I like how fruity it is. Although maybe add some mint." Her bodyguards relax since she's not doing a spit take, and put their books back on top of the table. "May we have thome more thconeth, Patch?" Ferdinand asks, moving the plat closer to him. The cat nods again after taking another sip. "I think you have a talent with ales, Patch. Have you ever considered swapping recipes with the Cellarhog at Redwall?"   

Patch shakes his head "I...well...maybe some time after all...this de abbot not like me much, nor the badger mother..hmms I should tell her sorry"   

Blisa and her bodyguards look up at the rat, then glance at each other. Does he have a fever? Has he gotten hit in the head? Is this his twin? Is he possessed by the Spirit of Martin the Warrior? The Patch they're used to would never apologize to anyone! But the Chieftain just smiles diplomatically. "I think apologizing to Krisha would be a good thing to do, Patch. You could write her a letter and I can send it back with the messenger bird the next time they bring me an update from the Abbey."   

Patch hmms "Letter?" He thinks on this and nods "Letter likely be safer...yeah"He can write but may not be the best paw writing.A small rare smile "Glad ya...like de ale" He gets more of the same flavor "And I do..try and make new ales...some like this, some that's like ...strong ta drink like the dragon's fire one"   

Blisa nods. "Good. They get me the letter once you have it written and sealed, and I'll make sure it gets to Redwall as soon as I can." She accepts another cup, since she won't turn down good alcohol in the evenings after dinner. "Dragon's Fire, huh? I tend to shy away from the strong stuff. Is it strong as its name suggests?"   

Patch nods "But thar is simple light stuff too....Marek had Fire and Ice...tis around still but ya don't want it...really strong that"He hmms "Also a tea not had in a while...like an ale/tea mix...old stripes like it..cept he added more ale ta his"   

Blisa has to think for a minute. "Oh, you mean Zee? Huh...I've never thought of that. I should try it sometime." She finishes her ale, then gathers up her papers and stands. Her bodyguards follow suit. "Well, Patch, I think I should head home for the night. Thank you for letting me try your new ale. I would be more than happy to taste test any new flavours you may come up with. Have a good evening." She makes sure their food and drinks are paid for, then it's home to rest....and to go to bed!

---

I play:
Oz-  Badger-young adult-Wanderer