The death of Zolomon A.G. Anderson - Long Patrol 12/22/21

Ol'random · 2021-12-31 04:48:12 PM

The Long Patrol:
Lord Ciocan;
Officers: MJR(Cpt) Varus Swiftbuck, LT Redford Mosswood, MSGT Terrence Cadwallader;
Enlisted: PVT Rhonwen Caddel, PVT Cole Cherrywood, PVT Flowerheart, PVT Zywie Mcbrim

Other: Zolomon Anderson (Deceased)

There was some drizzle of rain, the rocky clearing wasn't too far from the shoreline and also fairly close to Halyard still. A lone figure sat on one of the larger rocks, a bandage made of cloth on their leg and seemed to be fairly alert for the time being. It was also mid morning.

Zywie is along as a healer, with her a sling just in case and she keeps her eyes and ears open for any sounds.

As now with the sergeant being injured, Terrence had moved back into the field. His left paw is still wrapped - missing parts of his ring finger & pinky - and the bandages around his torso are visible. But right now he's the only sergeant on duty, and he sure as hell wasn't trusting anyone else at the moment. He'd heard a report of what Felicity did and he wished to avoid a repeat...
"So then, is that the spot?" The group is a good while away from where the former sergeant was last spotted. "For sure?"

Rhonwen looks around and frowns "He... was here, yeah. I don't think he could of gotten too far, then gain never know."

Varus has "taken charge" of this little expedition, the Major still believing himself to be a Captain, and with Gregorian nowhere in sight... Well... "Rhonwen, y' best be damned sure, then. We can't afford anothah screwup. Remembah, we're attemptin' t' take the buck alive. No foolish 'eroics, got tha'?"

Zolomon moves with a limp and pulls his hood up as he looks towards the shore, tilts his head as he listens and then snorts as he mutters to himself. "Idiots be only ones ta be.... near."

Zywie frowns,"Take him back?" She asks a little concern "From wot heard he is.... ummm, well insane sur"

"Fat chance of him coming quietly, sah- captain." Terrence murmurs, hefting his burrowed sword. His spadone was lost to the snake - the lighter weapon he now held was for cutting, a single edged blade. "Be prepared to kill him if he resists. M-captain Varus, I suggest either you or someone of your choosing to take half the hares and circle around north, to surround him. I'll try to draw him and get him to surrender, if I can, but we want arrows at the ready."
He lets out a long sigh, glancing at Zywie. "No doubt he is, but he's still one beast in the end. I don't want anyone getting in reach of him - ranged weapons only. Bows, slings. Nets if anyone brought them - he'll be easier to wrangle than Dom was." Dom. He wished that big hare was here to help...

Rhonwen frowns "Nets? I didn't think of maybe a net... and doesn't he have ranged weapons too?"

Varus looks hard at the younger hares besides Terrence. "This is a recovery mission... Not a rescue. Every single one a' you tha' still thinks o' Zolomon as a friend... Give tha' up now." He looks at Terrence. "Good suggestion, Sahgeant. Rhonwen, yahr wi' me, Zywie, yahr wi' th' Sahgeant. Undahstood?" He points to several more privates, selecting them specifically to go north around the clearing.

Zolomon jumps down from the rock he was on and narrows his eyes, oh yeah he has some arrows. Like 3 aarrows so not too many as he tries to keep an eye on movement.He lost the saber but he does have a dagger if needed. He snorts as he aim his arrow and waits to fire till someone decides to get a little too close.

Zywie says, "I never really liked him." She nods at the directions and goes carefully to do what is needed, also doing her best to stay alert.

Rhonwen stays close to varus, at least it wasn't in some dark hard to see space,though wide open space wasn't that great either.

It's with a sad jolt to his stomach that Terrence realises that out of all the hares present, he's the only one who knew Zolomon particularly well; those who worked and trained with him were either injured, like Felicity or Konner, or dead... Like Reuenthal or Greenhill or Slaw. He grits his teeth, shaking his head. Zolomon would face those three soon enough no doubt, and he wondered what that meeting might be. Perhaps then the fool will see what he's done, finally.
"Very well then." He raises his paw. "Forward. Keep low and to cover - don't be seen. His crossbow can get off one shot, and if he shoots it - shoot him first. It takes half a minute to load, so be quick and don't miss."

Without another word the master-sergeant takes a bold step forward, marching with a purpose. Stopping just outside of what he guesses is the crossbow's range, he raises his injured paw - the white bandages impossible to miss under the sun. Perhaps it will be recognised as the symbol of parley it is, though Terrence has little hope of that.
"ZOLOMON ANDERSON!" He bellows, "IT'S TERRENCE CADWALLDER, of the Long Patrol. Don't attack - we have you surrounded. Lay down your arms and you will not die here. Please." The last word is barely audible except to the hares behind him, the voice shaking.

Varus takes position behind Zolomon with his coterie of hares, paw on his sword handle. His swiss cheese memory is famously unreliable these days, but there's something dangerously familiar about their quarry. Something that makes a long-healed scar on the older hare's chest twinge. He looks at the privates with him, a wordless order to keep silent as Terrence speaks.

Zolomon narrows his eyes, and listens as Terrence speaks. A sort of odd chuckle comes from Zolomon as he speaks "Put down... my weapons, let me think on that... Terrence." The name said coldly as he steps into view now and lets the hood on his cloak fall to his back. He doesn't look behind him as his focus is on the Master Sargent. "I... HATE you!" He fires an arrow at the hare, being slightly off balance on his footpaws it likely, if in range enough, graze the side of the hare's face or arm, or just BARELY miss.

Zywie stands near Terrence, as she sees Zolomon appear she tenses up a little, "Oh... whoa, okay..." She blinks and starts to say something to Zolomon but thinks better of it.

Rhonwen lays a paw on a spear she has, waiting for any orders from Varus on when or if to even attack or not.

Terrence stumbles back as the arrow grazes his cheek, taking a bit flesh with it. But he regains his footing, takes a deep breath to ward off the pain in his bleeding cheek, and draws his sword.
As calmly as he can he steps towards Zolomon with the blade held in one paw & ready to strike.
His mind is made up.
There's no mistaking the look in Terrence's eyes if Zolomon cares enough to pay attention: a deep painful sadness - but not anger. Pity and regret more than anything colour his eyes, clear as they are. But the buck's jaw tightens as he sucks in another deep breath, and pity gives way to determination and detachment.
Suddenly he leaps forward, still breathing deeply, lunging at the other hare with the sword brought up in a clean arc - there can be no mistake. He's aiming for the neck, to kill, and the power in his strike combined the cutting edge of the blade means that if the blow connects the former patrol sergeant will die.

And with that, Varus calls out, "Ready yahr weapons!" He draws his rapier, and the privates draw their spears, as the older hare ensures that should Zolomon turn and run, he'll meet a very pointy wall of well-trained fighters. "Hold th' line! Don't break formation! Advance!" With Terrence on the attack, Varus orders the rest of the hares to press in to block any potential escape routes.

Zolomon was not expecting a sudden lunge from Terrence, he catches movement and goes to try to avoid it when he hears Varus, that... distracts him, but he also turns slightly and the blade cuts across his collar bone, the side of his neck as he sort of gasps in shock and stumbles sideways, dropping his longbow and arrow he had left and hits the ground. He is losing blood fast as his vision starts to go dark he catches sight of Varus and tries to say something but, well... it is lost to the fact he coughs and finds he can't speak and lays on the ground kind of staring up at the sky in a odd daze as life starts to fade.

Zywie steps back a little and then seems to debate on whether a healer is needed, right now she just stays where she is, it could be very dangerous to get near anyone right now.

Rhonwen has a spear and ready to attack, but is there anything to attack as she watches closely, that looks like nothing anyone would get up from at all. She will stay still, follow orders when given of course.

Private Flowerheart has had her halberd at the ready. She prefers her father's halberd over a spear any day. But the fight is over almost before it begins. She stands there, waiting to see what happens next, a pained look in her eyes.

Having closed his eyes after he felt the blow connect, he forces them back open when he hears Zolomon stumble and fall, bleeding out. Terrence's eyes cloud over - he'd hoped to simply behead the other hare; a clean and relatively painless death. Not like this...
For the second time that day his jaw sets and his eyes clear. He can't leave Zolomon to suffer like that. Taking another deep, calming breath the master sergeant sets the blade edge against the gravely wounded hare's neck. Raising it with both paws he murmurs something only Zolomon could hear.
"I'm sorry it ended this way. I'm sorry."
With those words said the blade glints in the morning sun as its brought down swiftly.
The cut followed by a loud thud in the sand is unmistakable.

Zywie stays to the side and frowns, well it was over. She is silent and then speaks "WO... wot now... sur?" She should check the graze wound on his cheek but it should be okay she decides and maybe its wise to not bother the sergeant right now.

Varus's jaw is set grimly. He'd have preferred there to have been a different way to handle this. Once the deed is done, he sheathes his weapon, and approaches Terrence, grabbing his right shoulder. "Y' 'ad no choice. Don't dwell on it. 'E made 'is own bed."

Flowerheart stands down, resting the butt of her polearm on the sand. Leaning on it, she waits a few minutes before speaking. "I wonder how Sergeant Rosinbloom is going to take the news."
After it was done, Terrence had dropped the sword, recoiling from as if he had held a serpent. When Varus his paw on his shoulder, the master sergeant nods.
"Be that as it may, it does not erase who he once was..." He shakes his head. "No, it will not do to forget, lest another hare follows him."

Letting out a long sigh Terrence turns away from the body, sparing a glance at Flowerheart as Zywie checks his cheek. "That's the sergeant's business, and does no good to wonder. We'll bury him here-" The buck looks at the major/captain and anyone else who might object with a fire in his eyes, "Regardless of what he did, it's done and finished now, and he was a patroller once, and doesn't deserve to be left to the gulls."

Zywie nods, she steps closer "I... I will help bury him, maybe we can place a like... stone later"

Flowerheart gives the Master Sergeant an unreadable look, then lays her halberd on the ground. "Where should we bury 'im?" Once the spot is pointed out to her, she starts to dig.
Varus nods. "Aye, let's staht diggin' now," he replies, "So we'll be done before sunset. Sahgeant Cadwalladah... Do yah know whethah this hare 'ad any fam'ly or not?"

"Not that I ever heard. That badger Xander was perhaps the closest thing he had," Terrence shrugs, kneeling down and helping the grave digging, "But that badger's death is what kicked off this long trail. Besides, I doubt the Redwall beasts - Xander's family or no - want anything more to do with him..." For the first time since Zolomon death he forces himself to look a the body.
"Someone, get a sheet to wrap him in - then we'll bury him."
A couple privates do step forwards with a sheet and then help who ever is burrying the hare.

Zywie sighs, she stays nearby and seems to just want to get back to the mountain as yes, the ex-patroller is dead, a threat gone but it's still a little depressing right now some reason.

Varus nods his head. "Well... I'll tell Lord Sebastian that wot's done... Is done." He turns to help with the digging so they can speed up the process.

Once the body is wrapped in the sheet and placed in the hole (good thing they have shovels), Flowerheart starts tipping the soil back in. She is quiet, and once the deed is done she finds a piece of driftwood and sticks it upright in the sandy soil. Then she picks up her halberd and waits for the order to head back home.

When the last bit of earth covers the body Terrence rises, silently nodding to Varus. He walks back to the patch of blood where the execution blade still lay and bends to pick it up - holding it at arms length as if it were something unclean. Which it was; the blade is still scarlet.
Not making a sound he walks off, bringing the sword to the edge of the sea.
Then, with a mighty roar he hurls the weapon into the distant waves. After a moment or so staring into the ocean, he turns his back and returns to the hares. Not a word comes from him as he sets off back for the mountain.

Varus turns to the rest of the hares. "Right, forward mahch back t' th' mountain. No dawdlin', eh wot!" He gives Terrence all the space the younger buck needs.

Flowerheart nods, falling into formation and following the higher ranking hares home. Once they arrive at the Mountain, they will find that Ciocan is in the forge room, working on some hare weapons. Once whoever goes to make the report arrives, they'll see Felicity is there, too. She's sitting off to the side, working on some paperwork. They're in the middle of a conversation, too.

Terrence makes his way slowly inside the mountain, not speaking to anyone. There's certainly a commotion as the hares return, and the rumours start to spread like wild fire - not helped by the grim expression many hold, especially the master-sergeant as he brushes past many to get to his bed in the infirmary, the wound on his paw having opened up again and the bandage stained red. He'll be fine enough soon, but for now... He shakes his head.
"I'm on leave, dammit." He mutters as he throws his face into a pillow.

Zywie goes to the infirm to tend to Terrence's open wound, if anyone is there to help that be good to. She then goes on infirm duty.

Varus doesn't argue with Terrence going to the Infirmary, so he heads to the forge room. When he gets there, he knocks, and announces himself with a gruff "Ahem. Lord Sebastian, sir. A report." If only he could recall that name right.

Cole is in the training room when the group returns, he watches them come in and goes to follow Varus, a frown... should he correct the, what is Varus now anyways... "Ummm... sur... he is, umm... that's Lord Ciocan." Too late, he corrected him, he tenses up for possible harsh words from Varus.

The conversation trails off at the sound of the knock. Ciocan's deep voice can be heard. "Enter, Varus." Felicity glances at Cole and smiles in a welcoming manner, although it is sad. She has been melancholy for weeks now, and while she has been doing her duties with her same dedication and excellence, her sorrow is still affecting everyone around her. Ciocan pulls a chunk of iron out of the forge and begins hammering it on the anvil, flattening it. "What is your report? Is all well?"

Varus salutes the badger. "Sah, we found Zolomon. Rhonwen's report was correct." His eyes glance toward Felicity. He doesn't wish to be indelicate, having been somewhat filled in on details he only half-remembers. "'E was holed up in a clearin' about a half-mile from Halyahd, Sah... Th' hare known as Zolomon... is dead, Sah." He pauses gravely. "We buried 'is body in th' clearin'." He declines to mention just who landed the killing blow yet.

Cole walks in, a salute is given and he enters and just... well he sits down. He listens as Varus gives the report.

The steady chunk, chunk, chunk of Ciocan hammering the iron piece continues as Varus speaks, but when he gets to Zolomon's death, sparks fly as the Badger Lord brings the forge hammer down heavy on the iron. CHWUNK! Ciocan places the iron in the water barrel, staring at the rising steam, his eyes heavy with sorrow, anger, and regret. Meanwhile, Felicity gasps and claps a paw to her mouth, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Is his grave marked?" Ciocan finally asks. "And was it one of my hares who did the final blow?"

Varus frowns, and clears his throat. "We marked it, Sah." He glances toward Felicity, before continuing, "Sahgeant Cadwalladah, Sah. It was self-defense. Zolomon was beyond reasonin' with..
Varus room-pages, "Hit enter too soon, but I was only gonna add a quotation mark, so letting it go as is.".

Cole seems, a mix of glad...a mix of sad and..confusion, he just stays quiet

Glancing at Felicity, Ciocan says softly, "Felicity, you are excused from duty for the rest of the day. Dismiss." Felicity nods, stands, puts the paperwork she was helping him with in her seat, and dashes out of the room, choking out sobs. She runs and hides in the catacombs for a while. The Badger Lord sighs heavily. "I expect a full, detailed report from each member of this expedition on my desk by tomorrow morning. Why was Terrence on this mission when he is on leave due to his injuries?"

Varus has no idea why, admittedly. The Master-Sergeant just seemed to push himself into it. The Captain-Major may have a memory like a sieve right now, but he's also shrewd. "At mah own request, Sah," he lies, "I knew Terrence 'as the most experience wi' this Zolomon fellow. I weren't expectin' everythin' t' come t' blows, Sah. Mah plan was t' bring th' offendin' beast in alive to face 'is ultimate fate 'ere at th' Mountain."

Cole just sort of....listens, he watches Felicity rush off and seems to debate on finding her, calming her down and maybe checking on Terrence

As Cole goes into the hall Terrence blows past him with a healer on his tail. Two heavy knocks are heard on the door to the forge, then the master sergeant waits to be invited in.

The healer is acting like Terrence is a dibbun, "Get back into that bed this moment, wot is blazing wrong get up like that, the nerve of you... I will tell his..." Oh they are by the forge... "Lordship..."

Lips pursed, Ciocan gives Varus a heavy look, but before he can say anything, another knock sounds on the door. He listens to the irate Healer's voice, then calls out, "Enter." Felicity is still crying in the catacombs where few can find her.

"I am exercising my authority as a master sergeant of the Long Parol, healer Redford." Terrence hisses through his teeth in a voice that leaves no room for argument. "I will return once the business is done with, you have my word."
When the badger says enter, Terrence does, standing at attention. "Badger Lord, sah!"

Varus looks over at Terrence and inwardly sighs. When will these younger rips ever learn? He stands up straighter. "You c'n ask th' Mastah-Sahgeant here, but 'e'll corroborate mah words. I asked 'im t' join our pahty as an advisah."

Raising an eyebrow, Ciocan looks between the 2 bucks. "Even at your request, Varus, Velm or one of the other Healers should have forbidden Terrence from going on this mission, and you would have been duty bound to listen to them." He eyes the younger hare now. "How may I help you, Terrence? Varus says you were the one who did the death blow." There is compassion in the badger's eyes.

The healer sighs, he frowns "He didn't ask Captain Velm.... He just left the infirm..." Yeah the healer is likely gonna get grumbled at.

"Request? Help me?" Terrence eyes dart from the badger to the major. "Redford, take this as an order - leave, now." The moment of anger passes and the hare take in a deep breath before he begins. "Let it be known that I went of my own volition on the authority that is granted to me by my rank under you, sah. There was no other NCO capable of assisting at the time, nor did I fully trust the Patrol's ability to deal with the deceased."
He meets Ciocan's eyes, meeting the compassion with something unreadable. "I intended to minimise any risks to my hares if I could, as too many had been injured due to carelessness." He lets the words hang in the air for a moment. "I attempted to parlay with the beast, using white to single it, but he loosed his crossbow at me." He touches his scabbed cheek. "It grazed me. Afterwards, I fully admit to beheading Zolomon Anderson, killing him - though." His voice falters. "It was not as swift as I'd hoped. But it's finished now."

Renford whimpers, he then quickly leaves in a rush to get as far from Terrence as possible.

Varus looks over at the other buck. "Oy, y' don't 'ave t' protect mah poor judgement, Sahgeant," he says, blithely falling back on his mental incapacitation as a last-ditch effort. "I may be crazy, but I'm not bloody *crazy,* I sweah. Yahr loyalty t' protectin' mah current short-comin's is admirable, but misplaced." He looks up toward the ceiling. "I would take a bloody leave o' absence, but poor Gregorian is already ovahworked as is. Thank you."

A growl forms deep in Ciocan's chest. "Enough." His green eyes harden. "One of you is lying, and I will not tolerate that. When you write out your detailed reports, I expect the truth, and whichever of you is lying will face consequences." Most likely being stuck on latrine duty for a month, in addition to double paperwork, or perhaps being locked in a dungeon cell for a few days. Hopefully not too severe, but still a sufficient punishment to serve as a warning for the rest of the Patrol.
The badger takes a deep breath. "This is an unusual case, which the records only have 1 prior recording of." He is troubled that both cases of crazy, murderous hares have happened since he stepped up as Lord. But he can't worry about that right now. "As such, we are still unsure of how to deal with such treachery. That is still no excuse for going against direct orders from the Healers. Even though the Infirmary is intolerable to some, I expect the higher ranking hares in my Patrol to serve as examples of proper conduct for those under them, including obeying the orders from the Healers."
He shakes his head, sighing heavily. "However, you are correct in saying there were too many accidents, although in many cases I would say carelessness is too strong of a word. It is over now, although, again, I expect fully detailed -- and truthful -- reports from all involved in the mission on my desk in the morning." The badger pulls the iron hunk out of the water and sets it in the forge fires again, heating up again under the coals.

Cole decides, it's important... find Felicity cause he is... NO WAY he is going in the forge room, nope. He tries again and soon finds Felicity. He sits tea by her and a scone and just sits there for company, he will make sure she like gets to bed before he goes to bed himself.

"Technically no higher authority ever ordered me to remain - they never have had to, sir." Terrence steps back. "It will not happen again. But as for accusing myself of lying..." For the first time since they were on the voyage seasons ago the master sergeant lets his anger at the badger lord colour his voice. "I have always proven trustworthy, and would have hoped my now long service in the Long Patrol - and to you, sah - was enough to prove that. If you mean the major here has said something other than what happened, that can easily be forgiven - or so I should hope. He doesn't rightly know me, or you, or himself, not really. And if a beast is to be punished for THAT."
He sucks in a breath, stopping himself.
"Earlier you asked if you could help me, and if that offer still stands," his tone is soft, wavering on the edge of emotion, "I humbly request two things: that you give me a week to myself, please, for today I killed someone I considered a friend once." He closes his eyes before continuing, "And that the Long Patrol never again banishes hares who hurt or kill woodlanders, only kill or imprison them. For the sake that no more hares turn out like Hanzi or Zolomon."

Varus steps back, falling silent. He's getting a splitting headache, as happens quite frequently anymore. The medics only say it's a leftover of his accident, something he still doesn't even remember. "Sah, mah apologies," he says. "An' if I may, I request to be excused." He looks at once exhausted and pale. "I've ovah-exerted mahself."

Ciocan stares at the Master Sergeant, his own expression unreadable, but hard. "From what Varus was saying, I doubt it was anything connected to his mental capabilities at the moment." He does reconsider what punishments might be necessary, though. Since it's just the three of them, his warning should suffice. He'd need to think of what punishments would be appropriate for the future should a more public lie occur. The badger's gaze softens as Varus speaks up. "Of course, Varus. Dismissed."
Turning back to the younger hare, the Lord's gaze softens even more, back to compassion again. He gets some paper from a small desk in here and writes a few things down. "You may have two weeks off if you wish. The order will be for a single week, but should you want another, tell me. As for banishing hares..." He sighs. "I would prefer to never go through this again. I can not guarantee anything since we do not know what the future holds. But I agree.... this must change." He turns back to his forge and pulls out the iron piece. Chunk, chunk, chunk it says as he hammers it again. "Dismiss."

Meanwhile, down in the catacombs, Felicity appreciates Cole's thoughtfulness. Her tears eventually die away, and she sips the tea and nibbles the scone. She does eventually go to bed, thanking him quietly. She hugs her sister closer than she usually does that night...

"Thank... you, sah. That's more than I could've hoped for." Terrence says with a bow of his head, before saluting and leaving exhausted. He makes an effort to find Redford and apologising when he returns to the infirmary. He figures Felicity will speak to him if she wishes, but now he's thankful he hasn't seen her tonight - he wasn't ready for that yet.
Barely getting out of his still blood stained tunic - making a mental note to burn it later - Terrence falls back onto the bed.

Varus nods wanly. "Yes, Lord Sebastian, thank you." He exits, and leans against the wall, waiting for Terrence to exit. When the younger buck does, despite his own massive headache, he follows, ostensibly to get some painkilling herbs from the Medic on duty. And while he's there in the Infirmary, he makes sure to stop beside the hare's bed. "I ovahheard. Two weeks, eh? I think y' need t' get away from th' mountain. Olivia was 'opin' y'd join us when we visit th' 23rd base." Oh, my, he knows about that now. "I'm plannin' to take a few days off, t' go there. I won't ordah ya t' come, but..."

The only sign Varus receives is a muffled groan from under Terrence's pillow.

Varus takes that as a yes.

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#1 2021-12-31 04:48:12 PM

The death of Zolomon A.G. Anderson - Long Patrol 12/22/21

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