06-25-05 1

Characters involved: Oxeye, Jarril, Miyrr, Zoe_Lang, Rothal, Colonel Bartlett, Colonel Bartlett's Lt., Loki, Daclon, Taeura, Keita, Malli, Matthew, Jonathon, & Zeraph

[There are several bits of the same event put together in the best order I could think to put them together in. Hopefully the flow makes sense. The RP in the square and the RP in the tavern are happening simultaneously but in separate rooms, until the two groups join together later on in Halyard. Hope that helps some.]

Salamandastron: Dining Chamber

Author's Note: Please excuse rusty OxSpeak, it's been a long time since it's been used. That said, enter Ox. With the familiar grim air sported upon the emergence of a potentially dangerous and dire mission. Ox'll be playing In-And-Out, since Diplo ain't exactly this buck's best suit. As such, Oxeye is lightly armed with a pair of javelins, one strapped loosely across his back and the other in one paw. Being examined, currently, by Ox's lovely dark eyes, hidden beneath those heavy brows of his. Outfitted in well-loved and well-worn uniform gear, Oxeye takes in the current status of those gathered. A half-dozen hares are similarly outfitted, though it's far from a fully-armed battalion. There are also the unarmed-types, of course. Or covertly-armed. However it is those playing with diversionary politics are armed. Yes.

Entering quietly, Jarril pads in but keeps to himself, the major not having much on him at all apart from a very basic runner items on him. Looking about, he moves to the wall of the dining room and quietly waits there as he leans against the stone wall with arms crossed about his chest. Keeping out of the way from the others, yes though perhaps keeping away from certain hares in the mountain and staying low for the while with the mindset of just getting the job done, no matter what it is.

Miyrr pads in quietly and takes a seat. She is wearing her runner in training uniform as to be expected. She looks confused at what may be happening and sits quietly.

( As beasts move about, Colonel Zoe is as ever in the forefront of things, shouting orders and organizing things - even though she's not going on this particular mission. Jumping up on a table at one point, she shouts for everyone's attention. "A'right, folks! Every beast goin' as part o' the delegation! No weapons showin', save fer those playin' "guards". Othah than that, only small blades, eh? Hopefully ya won't need 'em!" She then turns to the other side of the room, where the covert rescue types are preparing. "You all... head out when yer ready. We'll see ya when this is all ovah - along with those captives!" She then address the whole room. "Now... move out!" )

Rothal enters soon after Miyrr, as quietly as possible, not wanting to attract undue attention. A short dagger hangs from his belt. No sooner does he enter, then the order comes to leave, and he hurries to join his group.

Oxeye takes one last glance at the uniformed types, and then shoots a similar look at Zoe. Not to get her attention, just... Well. Good luck, or something. Rolling his shoulders, Ox raises a heavy paw and beckons the covert-types. Might as well take charge on this level. He'll lead the In-And-Out. And without another word, Oxeye trucks out the door with the small little covert squad. Woo!

Halyard Village: West Square(#93069RJA)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Halyard Village ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Surrounded on most sides by short, squat buildings, none any higher than two

levels, the main square of this small, sea-side village is covered in a fine

layer of dirt, which mostly covers the old cobble stone beneath. Many of the

buildings lining the square are homes, though some are places of business -

and, of course, there are the obligatory pubs. However, pubs are not the only

staple of a small village, especially not this one. Scattered here and there

upon sidewalks and in front of stores, various fishing nets and traps lie

about, most considerably worse for wear. It's obviously a fishing village.

Beyond that, a dirt road runs north and south from the square, with a small

scattering of homes, and behind these, a backdrop of trees. Meanwhile, beyond

the trees lies the shore.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Visible Exits:

[A]ntique [S]tore [S]outhern [R]oad

[H]alyard [T]avern [N]orthern [R]oad

[K]nick-knack [C]at [S]hop [M]ain [S]treet

[B]ack to [D]irt [P]ath

The delegation of hares begins its slow, and guarded, walk into the western square of Halyard Village. At the head of this group walks a rather stocky but dignified looking Colonel - Colonel Bartlett. Just to his right is a young lieutenant, who keeps looking back to the Colonel expectantly. None of the hares speak while they are being escorted, most likely on orders from the Colonel.

Loki and his small group of vermin instantly go to meet the hares, checking just to make sure that none carry weapons. Undoubtedly the hares have already been checked, but this is just a precaution.

Rothal walks a rank or so behind the colonel, looking nervously at the vermin. He has never liked vermin to much, and the march into the village has been a worrying one for him.

Any blades that were possessed have indeed been taken - they were only small blades, anyway. Colonel Bartlett raises a paw for a halt when he decides they've gone suitably far enough. Clearing is throat, he looks to the vermin and... waits. For a greeting, perhaps. It's only proper, really.

Daclon glances at the sun, then at the ranks of hares. He waits for them to come closer, then eyes the colonel. "Yer late, hare. You were supposed to be here awhile ago." He scans the ranks of hares, nodding. "No weapons, I hope." Walking up to a pace or so from the officer, he runs his hook idly along his chin.

Time to move out. There's none better at sneaking than a hare. Okay, possibly such superiors exist, but none better at the moment. A small group of hares, six or seven in number, have slipped past the usual security measures, fanning out in two or threes through the well-known alleyways and side streets of Halyard. Easier to avoid spotting, in such thin numbers. After a moment, the unspoken conclusion is to approach the tavern. One scrawny little guard is no match for the gnarled fist of Lieutenant Brightlance, who then steps back and ushers the rest of the small group forward. Into the tavern. "In an' h'out," mutters Ox quietly, as a reminder.

Miyrr stands motionless in rank..waiting and watching.

Jarril moves silently himself, the major stops and listens, hearing another sound of someone being drunk. Looking back slightly to the two others he has, the one eyed hare begins to make silent motions with his paw, giving signals of what he expects. Catching up with the others, he stops and waits quietly again, looking at the knocked out guard and nodding his head.

Loki steps back, the unarmed vermin stepping back as well, although several of them look big enough that they don't need to be armed to hurt somebeast. Loki decides to let the leaders talk, meanwhile walking along the ranks of hares and glaring at them.

Looking vaguely offended, Bartlett lifts a paw to the hook and, with a pincer grip, he directs it away from his chin. Brow-quirk. He then turns and leans over to murmur something to his lieutenant, who then steps forward, looking extremely nervous. However, his voice is surprisingly loud and can be heard throughout the square when he speaks - which is probably why he was chosen for this particular job. "Excusin' yer pardon, vermin type sahs, but the Colonel would like to request that the propah etiquette fer a diplomatic meetin' o' two forces be upheld."

Rothal recognizes Loki from an incident on the shore, when the vermin where first sighted. He averts his head, hoping the weasel will not notice him.

Daclon points the hook at the younger hare, glaring darkly at him. "I don't need ye to talk fer him, hare." He turns to Colonel Bartlett, temper flared slightly as he polishes the paw-marked hook on his not much cleaner tunic. "Don't make demands of me, captain, or whatever ye are."

Miyrr's eyes dance back and forth between the two who are speaking. She shifts her weight.

Loki notices Rothal, paw going involuntarily to his nose, which was almost broken by the hare awhile before. He growls slightly, half-tempted to go and start a fight with the hare.

Bartlett looks at Daclon long and hard, snorts softly to himself, and... proceeds to lean over and address the now-shaking lieutenant, again. The lt. takes one small step forward, but so that he's just short of the hook. He stares at it as he speaks up - nearly choking on his nervousness, at first. "Vermin-type sah, Colonel Bartlett, if ya please, is havin' a bit of a sore throat t'day, and so /kindly/ requests that ya honah the propah etiquette o' diplomatic meetin' and..." He pauses, before continuing. "And... kindly asks that ya leave off with the hook, vermin-type sah." Beads of sweat drip down the sides of the lieutenant's young and ashen face.

( One of the fighter bucks further back in the ranks give a brief, but audible, snort of laughter at this request. With a frown of displeasure, the Colonel cranes his neck around in order to give him a long look. The buck quickly salutes, and lowers his eyes to the ground. Erhem. )

Daclon half-raises the hook, thinking better of it at the last moment, and lowering said hook. "Fine." Hostility almost seems to be radiating out of him, as he glares first at the colonel, then the lt. "So, what do ye want? Or did ye just stop down fer a mug of ale?"

Again, with the whispering. The lt. looks a /bit/ more sure of himself now that the hook has been lowered, but the radiating hostility coming from Daclon keeps him subdued. "Colonel Bartlett," he pauses and gestures to the Colonel uselessly, "'e says: The Long Patrol has come t' discuss the release o' the captives, and request t' know what mannah o' exchange would be satisfactory t' yerselves."

Daclon takes a deep breath. "Why would I want to trade away one of my bargaining chips? The trick is to hold all the cards, and in this case, I do." He grins slightly. "So, colonel, the question is, what will ye give me for the captives?"

Rothal grimaces. Loki has obviously noticed him, but there's not much he can do about it, either by breaking ranks or speaking out, so all he does is remain where he is.

Bartlett makes a disagreeable noise, and turns to the lt., speaking a bit more heatedly this time, though still too softly to be heard. The lt. looks a bit shocked, at turns, as he begins to speak. "Colonel Bartlett would like t' remind you o' the Fire Mountain 'n' all that it entails, vermin-type sah, and would like you t' re-evaluate yer belief that ya hold all o' the cards. He also says t' remind you that comin' in a diplomatic fashion was at the mercy o' said Fire Mountain, 'n' he'd suggest ya be diplomatic about it, s'well." This is clearly not verbatim, because Bartlett's occasionally scowling at things when the lieutenant gets things wrong.

Daclon chuckles. "Interestin' diplomatic technique, colonel. Threats, is it? Why don't we go inside, sit down, and have a drink, and talk this over like civilized beasts?"

Ahhh... Bartlett flickers a glance towards the tavern, and then leans down for s'more whispering with his good pal the lieutenant. "The Colonel kindly declines, good sah. He's t' be meetin' a- a- a-..." He stumbles over the next bit, going a bit red in the face as he too glances towards the tavern. "A pretty young lass fer tea, and simply couldn't show up with ale on 'is breath. He asks yer good self again - what would be satisfactory exchange fer yer good self?"

Daclon grimaces. He's thirsty himself, and his black fur does not make the warmth outside more comfortable for him. "Let's just go inside, then. It's no shame to step out of the heat for awhile. Besides, if the colonel is meeting a lassie, than he wouldn't want to be sweaty, eh?"

Looks like they hadn't expected... that. A few more hares begin looking in the direction of the tavern, and shifting their weight uncomfortably. Bartlett speaks to his lt., at length. At one point, the young buck holds up a paw and asks the Colonel to repeat something, and then, frowning, asks him to repeat it /again/... They go on like this for another minute or so, as more of the hares begin looking uncomfortable. Is it just because of the lengthy silence? Perhaps. Fiiinally, the lieutenant speaks. After a few seconds of looking rather discomfitted, he concludes with, "The Colonel, ahh.... declines the offah, sah. 'Twouldn't be... suitin', apparently, t' hold such a discussion in a bar."

Daclon frowns, noticing the anxiety of the hares. Suddenly he smiles a little as a theory comes to mind. He nods to the colonel. "Well, surely ye wouldn't mind if my captain here went and got me a drink." He motions for Loki to do so, whispering for him to bring an ale.

Loki nods, walking towards the tavern to retrieve the drink for Daclon. As the weasel goes, he decides he might as well bring a drink back for himself as well, and waves to a rat to follow him.

Miyrr fidgets while standing in rank. She tries to relax her shoulders and her legs but standing here is jsut tightening her up more...

The Colonel blinks at this sudden turn of events, but with an inward wince, he finally looks directly at Daclon, and shrugs, as if to say, "Do what you want." Hopefully, they've given the others enough time. After the shrug, he leans down to the lt. The lt. speaks, briefly, and with a nervous grin. "Jolly good, sah."

Daclon smiles. "Thank ye for your permission." Several vermin have begun to drift out of houses around the square. "As for the release of the captives, what I'd like is..." Loki meanwhile, had returned quietly and whispered something in Daclon's ear. Daclon's eye narrows, as he glares at the hares. "I thought this was a diplomatic mission, colonel."

"Hm - what?" Finally, /Bartlett/ is speaking, in his surprise. And his voice doesn't sound sore at all, really. With a blink, he remembers to turn to the lieutenant and whisper quickly to him. "The Colonel would like t' know what ya bally mean, sah...?"

Daclon takes a step back. Provision had been made for something like this. "There are hares in the tavern, colonel. Freeing the captives, if my captain is right. This treachery is inexcusable." He raises his good paw, and several windows open, vermin archers peering out, arrows on string. Several with shields and swords rush to block the hares exit.

Turning pale as the exits are all blocked and the arrows are aimed at them, the Colonel nevertheless sounds the command for the signal to be called out for the tavern-going hares. On command, the ranks of hares call out loudly, "Eulalia...!" As if on cue, a stream of guards stream into the tavern from the main door. With a small shake of his head, Barlett rubs a paw irritably at his temple and waves off the other hares as they crowd around him, asking about a counter-attack. At this point, it would be... useless. As the vermin move in, he puts his empty paws up in the air and, though reluctantly, the others follow suit. Thus concludes the capture of the Diplomats.

Miyrr sighs as she raises her paws in the air. Shock, fear or just an expression of oh no this isn't happening plasters itself on her face.

The sounds of a fight come from the direction of the tavern - behind it, anyway. Bartlett and his lieutenant look in that direction a bit glumly, especially as the vermin move in and begin herding the small group of hares towards and then into the tavern. Time to lock up their new captives. XD

[And onto the tavern part of the RP. Again, this all started at the same time as the RP in the square began, and the two groups will meet up a bit further down.]

Halyard Tavern: Main Room

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Halyard Tavern ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Warmly lit by torches along the walls and lanterns set upon the many tables

scattered around the room, the main room of the Halyard Tavern is an often-

populated area. One corner of the tavern is taken up by a stage, about a

foot or two higher than the rest of the floor, where live entertainment

performs, while circular tables, both large and small, are set up in front

of the stage, spreading out into the center of the room. Meanwhile, around

the perimeter of the tavern, booths are set, and, of course, the obligatory

bar rests against the far wall, a bartender or barmaid always on duty.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Visible Exits:

[O]ut to [E]ntrance

Taeura picks up a rag out of the sink and begins wiping up a mess on the bar top. She trys to move to get at it from a better angle and tips over her leash, sprawling face first onto the floor. "/UGh!..omph!/" She sits up and shakes her head. "Derned confouded contraption!" she stands back up and brushes herself off with a sigh.

Keita is loitering around at the bar - not that she has much choice, being tied to it. As far as she's concerned, it's just another regular day playing the captive. She serves the one or two vermin horde members who've wandered in for a drink, but other than that, she's just looking rather... bored.

Taeura sighs once more and walks down the bar to where Keita is standing. "Slow day..." She says still straightening out her clothing.

Keita looks around the awfully quiet tavern, and nods, with a small frown. "... 'Tis. Wondah what's up. Usually we're full o' drunken vermin by now."

Taeura shakes her head, "Well at least they's not all in here botherin us."

Taeura puts down the rag and grabs the mop. That sure was some spill. "You know something, that rat that was in ther other day giving me such a time, a hare made for the door and she hid under the bar like scared dibbun."

Keita takes a glance at Malli and grins, as sympathetically as she can. After all, she's just tied around the neck with a rope. She's lucky. The doe glances to Taeura, "True 'nough, I s'pose, though it does make me wondah if somethin' ain't goin' on out there... And knowin' that lot, whatevah it is can't be good."

Malli looks toward the door and listens very hard to hear somethin

Matthew says, "ya ok i saw ya fall down"

Taeura nods, "Yeah, I only bruised my dignity."

Matthew says, "oh"

Unfortunately the windows have been boarded up, otherwise Keita would be doing her best to see out one of them. As it is, she merely frowns. Displeasure, indeed. "I rathah hate the waitin', s'all."

Matthew says, "ther is somthin goin on"

Matthew then falls down on the floor because he went to far with his chain

Keita looks to Matthew incredulously, wondering how he can know that. She quirks a brow, "Yes, well, 'm sorry if I don't share yer... extra sense." Heh.

Taeura sighs and grabs a bottle from under the bar. She takes a glass and pours about a half-shot and knocks it back. "hope ya don't mind..." she says to Keita.

Whether Keita minds or not, she's too distracted to really say anything reprimand-ish to Taeura anyway. She merely rests her chin in a paw and tugs at her rope tether with the other. The guards sitting by the door are eyed with fair dislike. Not as if they could tell them what's going on, or anything. Nooooo. Well, that'll be watered ale for them, then.

Operation Goshawk. Honestly, it needed a cool name. And while peregrine falcons are more renowned for their dives, their close cousin, the goshawk, sounded infinitely cooler. So in short, this is a 'dive'. Minimal time wasted, Ox hopes for. In, kick butt, take back hostages, and out the door again. That's the plan, anyway. Oxeye takes over, since the sneaking is put on hiatus, and the butt-kicking is about to become the primary drive. He halts the small group on the other side of the back door, out of sight. He holds up four fingers. One drops almost immediately. Three. The buck cracks his neck by tilting his muzzle to one side. Another finger drops. Two. He loosens the second javelin from across his back, catching it in his free paw just as another finger drops. One. It's game time. Stepping back, Ox allows a younger hare to shoulder the door. It opens without much protest or noise. And into the tavern stream six or seven hares. At least four head directly for guards, knocking them out with javelins or fists or footpaws. The others move towards the captives, to begin working on the ropes and chains. Ox himself bounds towards Keita. A brief nod, and a glance at the other barmaid, Tae. Hrm. He flattens one of his javelins on the barcounter and works on Keita's binds.

Taeura exclaims, "What the..." as she watches the scene unfold around her seemingly frozen at the shock of it all.

Malli looks at the hares and growls at them

Grin! Keita /almost/ lets out a whoop of joy at the sight of the hares bounding into the tavern, but she thinks better of it for the sake of... not tipping the other vermin off! As Ox nears, the doe drops Ox a quick wink. Fortunately, all that's tying her up is a noose around the neck. Some of the others - chained - are another story. Of course, the first thing she says? "What th'ell took ya s'long?" Hehe.

Malli says, "that they did"

Taeura watches the hares go to work on freeing the other and turns to her own chain leash around her neck. She tuggs at it frantically trying to regain her freedom. "get this derned thing off me. " she growls.

"Had t'wait until th'wind carried ye stench upwind an' away, dahlin'," Oxeye counters in a low grumble, wrinkling his nose for show. "Bloody ovahwealmin', eh. One o' meh bucks fell victim two blocks east o' here. Ain't meh sistah tellin' ye t'bathe?" Hohum. Noose loosened, Ox chances a small grin at Keita. Grim, as always. And then the buck moves on to Tae, to help alleviate her bonds, whatever they may be.

Free of her bonds, Keita gives a very... /quiet/ woop, and moves on to Malli, to undo her bonds. "Jus' a lick 'n' a jump, 'n' we'll outta here, eh riverdog-y type?" The doe reaches out to pat her on the shoulder.

Jarril wrinkles his nose and looks back with a hushed voice. "Could we at least wait for the chatter until we get back ta the mountain?" The major clearly a bit annoyed at the moment but isn't going to pull rank, not his mission afterall. Moving about quietly, does he slowly and carefully continue to help out. Bending down, the runner slips a small thin blade from his pocket and carefully begins to work a lock open on a chain.

Taeura is frantically still pulling at the chain when the buck moves over to assist her, "This derned chain i think one a' the guards has the key." she says not wanting to waste any more time the necessary.

Jarril looks at Taeura for a moment and nods, moving quickly over to the guard and searching it for the said key. Nodding his head he comes back and mutters to the vixen. "I thought all vermin stuck together so what ya do ta end up chained up?"

( Ox isn't about to snark back at Jarril. Shouldn't have fallen for Keita's seductive charms, anyway. He closes his trap, eyes narrowing slightly. But the buck isn't all stone. He again allows a slight smile, for Tae's sake. "Key? Bouldah tha', ma'am." He keeps his voice hushed. What Ox can't handle with brute strength alone, Ox can handle with his fire-hardened javelin. Inserting the tip into the lock, Ox gives a few quick jerks. "Shoddy craftsmanship, eh." Pop. There goes that. The chain is loosened, and Ox tosses it around his own shoulder. Should this mission fall through, the vermin'll need to get new chains. He's taking these ones with him. Clever monkey. Er. Hare. )

Taeura rubs her neck as the leash is undone, "I's stuck a dirk inta two of the vermins...soft spots. when they took the town. I'm a resident here." she says looking for the best way out.

Jarril nods his head as he unlocks the last of the chains from Taeura. "That's all I needed ta know." He helps the fox up and looks about. "Ox, we need ta get moving, I don't like ta be in such enclosed spaces here. How long?" He moves over to the door and opens it ajar slightly to peer out.

Having released Malli, Keita steps quickly over to Jarril, and indeed she has smelt better in previous days. "Sah, I know Halyard like the back o' m' paw, if'n that'd be any help in gettin' the lot o' us outta here." She salutes rather irreverently, what with not being a patrol hare and all, and grins. Widely.

Malli turns her head lettin it breath

Oxeye raises his voice now when he speaks - still a coarse whisper, casting a glance over the gathered captives. The spoofy crew are all standing by their downed guards. Ox steps away from the bar, sheathing both of his javelins. "Ah h'ain't done yet. Ahlrigh', crew, remove all weapons an' standard equipment from t'guards. What ye can't break, take with ye. Ah dinnae know how many o' us will get out o' here, but we'll cripple 'em as much as we can." He himself strips the closest unconscious guard of rope, keys, and two rusty knives. "Then out th'way we came. Captives in th'middle. Take point an' sweep, boys."

Jarril waves a paw slightly at Keita and sniffs. "Less of the bally saluting." He says quietly. "Just get yaself armed, just in case."

Jarril looks at Keita a bit more. "Anyone like have a map of this place in here or did they take it out. I remember there being one when I was last here with Neville." The major looks at Keita. "Just in case we get split up mind. I like ta know this place a bit better myself."

Taeura moves to where she's told to go. She knows she's most likely going to have to run and tears off a portion of the lower portion of her dress so her feet might not get tangled up on something.

Keita makes a face at Jarril's short response, and turns, "Righ', righ'... armin' m'self." She toodles back over to the bar and hops behind the counter, and, pulling at a drawer, peers at the dagger Ripclaw handed off to her this morning. Perhaps he was in on it? Who knows. She picks up the thing and looks at it with a decidedly noncommittal air and returns to the group. At Jarril's question, she hms, and looks towards the wall, where an artist's rendering of the village hangs in a frame. "... That, I s'pose." Though she doesn't look pleased at the prospect of it being used as a map, of all things.

Jarril shakes his head as he looks at it. "Doesn't matter." He nods at Keita. "We follow ya lead, just make sure ya pick the fastest way out of here that's all." Looking to the side, the major spots a guard slightly coming to, bends down and lifts the head up before knocking it down on the floor again. "Okay, Ox. I don't care if we're ready or not. I think we've outdone our welcome here, doncha think?"

Oxeye is already facing Jar and Keita, a heavy brow raised. He's done his clean-up. The other hares are falling into formation, ushering captives towards the back door. Ox merely objects on one level: "Keitah will not b'th'first one out that door, Majah." He beckons a younger hare, and points towards the door. Just in case. No use getting the... family damaged.

Jarril looks at Ox and gives a slight frown. "Did I say she be the first. No, that's my job." The major moves to the door and prepares to give it one final look. "Okay, we have ta move." He turns to Ox. "Possible enemy heading this way, two of them. Come on, out the back now."

Malli walks to one of the guards and puts it on and grabs there weopens

Keita smirks at Oxeye's gesture, and steps up behind Jarril, dagger held in paw, though the way she's holding it suggests that she's not really prepared to use it. And - dang it! She looks back towards the bar. "Bloody 'ell, I fergot t' grab m' flask o' special brew..." Mutter-mutter. She steps back out of line, and with a wave of her paw over her shoulder at anyone should they tell her to get back over there, she jogs quickly over to the bar, and hops behind. She then begins going through a cabinet, searching, with curses flying this way and that as she looks.

Malli throws a weopon to her father

Jarril gives Keita a surprised look as he mutters through clenched teeth. "What in the bally blithering darkgates are ya doing. Get back here now." The major clearly annoyed on Keita going back for special brew. Muttering. "Bally insane barkeepers...."

Oxeye's frown appears, for the first time this evening. Luckily, Keita gives suitable diversion for his frustration. As such, Ox doesn't say a word to Jarril. Instead, the buck tails Keita. He takes a surprisingly more diplomatic approach to the situation than the major. "C'mon, dahlin'. Now's not th'time. Ye know bettah..." Gruff, but quite unexpectedly subdued. He does give the doe a small prod, though. Prod.

Malli gets in line and waiting to get out

Matthew gets ibn line also and waitin to get out

Waving a paw at Oxeye's paw like he's a buzzing fly of some sort, the doe digs her head deeper into the cabinet, with various things going hither and thither as she pushes them aside. Fiiiiinally, she yells out - though rather quietly for a yell. "Ahh! Got it!" The doe grins, and begins the act of pulling herself back out of the mess, while still chattering along. "Couldn't very well leave it! Got t' have some t' celebrate with Rah with, doncha know?" Grin-grin. After what seems like aaaages, she hops up to her feet, holding the flask in paw. Then, before Ox can stop her, she grabs up a bottle from the counter-top, and unscrews the top of the flask, while beginning to walk around the bar and back towards the line of creatures. Filling the flask with the special brew, of course. Her tongue sticks out of the corner of her mouth in concentration.

Oxeye snorts softly, but shoots a glance to Jarril. Half of a Don't-Bother-Reprimanding-Keita, half of a: "Jus' get out th'damn door, Majah. Now. We know enough o' Halyard t'manage fer a few seconds." Quickpose! Yay.

Just as Keita manages to find her way back into line, a loud shout comes from outside - the pre-arranged signal to the tavern-goers should anything go wrong. Blinking, Keita turns towards the door, bottle and flask still in paw, poised to continue pouring. "What's that all abou-..." Her words trail off into dazed surprised as the tavern door suddenly bursts open, and a literal stream of vermin charge in.

Malli looks at the vermin at growls very loud at them then raises her sword

Awr, bloody hell. Ox turns, and once again assumes command of the forces. His paws spread out, arms wide, and claws flicking forward. The younger fighters look up, and then fall into formation. Stepping away from the captives and circling them in, to protect them. Ox shoots a glance back at Jarril. "Get th'door /open/, an' tell meh if'n anybeast's waitin' fer us out there!"

Malli looks at the vermin and growls at them then raises her sword

Malli puts hr sword down now

Jarril calls out. "Just drop that darn bottle for flips sake! That's an ordah!" The major swiftly falling two of them immediately with a loaded sling, just swinging the thing about as it goes thwock! Thwack! Moving swiftly to the other door, he opens it and looks out. "No, but I don't think this will be clear for much longer. Let's go, now!" The majors voice is very stern on this matter.

Keita does indeed drop what she's carrying, but unfortunately she'd already dropped the dagger earlier in favor of the flask and bottled. Brilliant, Keita! She continues to stare wide-eyed at the advancing forces, though, and for lack of a better option, she turns tail and tries to run for the door. "Outta the way, buck ole thing, outta the /way/!" This is said to Jarril, of course, as she does her best to push past him. Apparently fighting vermin with no weapon does not appeal.

Jarril nods and gets out of the door and into the alley where he turns around and see's a incoming lone vermin guard running up. Without question, he unleashes a pebble from his sling and speaks to Keita. "There's a spare short dagger on my belt. Take it, gal. Now, tell me the fastest route out of this village."

Taeura drops the cloth she had just torn from her gown as everying goes sour. She sees Keita bolt for the door and follows suit. "No way you're leaving me here!" She scurries to try to follow the hare.

For simplicity's sake, the odds are not good for the Operation Goshawk. Simply too many vermin pour in, overtaking the small crew. Ox growls in frustration, moving to the door. Quite thankful Jar's already gone out ahead, of course. Ox looks around for Keita or the younger hares, or even that other barmaid, but the vermin are now swarming. "Bloody..." Ox curses, fists clenching. His muscles tense, prepared to spring into the fruitfulness of the brawl. And then... No Keita in sight. (She must have already slipped out ahead. Hopefully.) "Sorry dahlin'," he murmurs, and then steps out the door, too. Ears low. Shouldn'thaveleftthecaptivesbehind. Or the Long Patrollers. Mrph.

Staring at Jarril as she tries to squeeze past him, Keita finally understands what he's saying and grabs the dagger. "Righ', righ'. Go 'round the back o' the tavern 'n head straight through the two buildin's behind, 'n' there's a path righ' through the forest!" She continues into the alleyway, though she does wait long enough for Taeura to catch up. Which is possibly not a good idea what with all those verminy growly types coming nearer. Oh dear.

Jarril watches as the lone stoat just falls to the floor as he keeps moving, muttering. "Bad day, I get a telling off from Zoe if I survive this. Ah well, all in the name of duty." He makes his way quickly along the alley. Coming to a stop, he loads another pebble into the sling and takes a quick look around a corner. Turning back he gives Ox one of those looks as in, 'hurry up as we're going to get company...'.

Oxeye ignores said look, once free of the tavern. He's spotted Keita, after all, further up the alley. Indecision. He toys for a moment, almost absentmindedly loosening a javelin and laying low an archer. One javelin lost, as it was thrown to reach the window's height, naturally. He doesn't bother to undo the other, eyes set on Keita. Hrm. Finally, Ox lopes towards Keita. No use playing bodyguard, but: "If'n ye dinnae get h'out, dahlin', sit tigh' an' wait. Ah'll damn well be back. An'... watch Ro' fer meh, eh?" He pauses, looks back the way Jarril went... and then steps in that direction. "Good luck." And off Ox dashes, ears still low in self-disappointment.

Taeura ruuning after Kei franticaly gesturing her to keep moving, "Go get!, don wai' for me!" she says in a huff.

Keita catches Oxeye's look in all of the confusion, and hears his words, but before she can do more than grasp his shoulder in understanding quickly before he's gone and then head on her way - back towards Tae, at this point, because there's a vermin looking rather verminy coming up behind the vixen. "... Duck!" She tosses the dagger borrowed from Tae, as near to over the vixen's shoulder as she can manage, and whether Tae ducks or not, it /does/ manage to miss the vixen just to her right, and... thunks into the vermin's skull. Um. Handle first. The ferret stops, in a daze, and stares in a puzzled fashion at Keita and Tae before dropping like a bag full of lead. Keita grins, and jogs the rest of the way to Tae and holds out a paw, "C'mon, follah me!

Jarril pauses as he moves this way and that on Keita's instructions and lets a pebble fell another guard, Seeing more coming in the general direction, he mutters and keeps loading what he has in his pouch, falling or at least injuring some so they can't carry on. Eventually he reaches the safety of the path to the forest. He stops and hides behind a tree. "Come on, where are ya all." The major giving a frown when he just see's Oxeye coming and mutters. "Oh that's just...." BLinking as he see's what is coming a short distance behind Oxeye. "Great, hope he can run..." Giving a flash of his blade in the sun, Jarril lets Oxeye know where he is and then starts off again, doding into the forest to make it harder to follow.

Hope he can run? Heh. Ox may have been limping a few seasons ago, in a very Zoe-like fashion, but the buck's damn healthy now. Not that he /wants/ to run. Look at all the vermin. Perfect outlets for Ox's aggression. He scowls darkly, again at himself, as he doggedly follows Jarril's trail. The occasional detour is called for, to land another dirty verminy-type low with a hefty paw. And then on again. It's time to get /out/. Mission failed.

Taeura's wide eye expression of disbelief as the dagger nearly misses her. She turns her head and watches the dagger peg the vermin's skull, butt first. Tae grabs Keita's paw tightly and follows.

Jarril stops from time to time and pops up quite near some vermin in the woods as he goes THWACK! on their heads as he vanishes from sight again, the runner giving Oxeye a bit more time to get ahead as he begins to cause a bit of mayhem within the forest. "Come on, aren't ya bally well faster than. Nope, missed, try again. Nope." Thwack! The forest giving the major a lot of places to dodge and turn to vanish quite easily. Eventually he comes up to where Oxeye is and frowns. "Don't worry, we get them out... Come on, they've given up. I'll cover ya back in case some are a bit more determined than most."

Leading the vixen as quickly as stealth can allow in the direction that she directed Jarril, Keita gets them as far as she can before... they reach the refuge of the last building corner, before the forest. Which is... lined with vermin. Ugh. With a small, fatalistic grin, Keita turns to Tae and shrugs her shoulders. "Well, we could always charge 'em, ya think?" Hehe.

Taeura glances at the wall of vermin, "Ya think we have a snowballs chance?" she says looking somewhat panicked.

Keita laughs, again with the fatalistic attitude. "Not a chance in 'ell, m'deah." Then, she waves a paw with a grin at the line of vermin. "Jus' smile 'n' wave, smile 'n' wave..."

Taeura chuckles shaking her head, "Well, at least we got to see the sun again." She smiles and waves following Keita's lead.

Keita is literally laughing out loud, at this point, as she continues to wave. Tears of humor stream down her cheek as a couple of the vermin come towards them to round them up. "Was a jolly good time anyway, eh, eh?" She then proceeds to stick her tongue out at the two vermin, who growl in reply.

Taeura puts her paw on Keita's shoulder, "Next time hun...Next time. She snickers at the does antics and makes her way back to the tavern, being prodded and poked along the way.

Keita covers Taeura's paw with her own, and back towards the tavern she heads. "Nex' time, indeed. Nex' time," she concludes, still chuckling until a spear pokes her in the rear, at which point she doubles back to full out laughing, again. Nutty old tavern keep. XD

[Here is where the fate of the Halyard captives and the fate of the Long Patrol captives join, after things have gone wrong in the square.]

Taeura sighs as her leash is re-attached to the wall and her neck. She sighs, picks up the dirty rag and begins wiping it once more..."Hello old friend." she says pulling on the chain around her neck.

Jonathon is chained to the wall and it is around his neck also and he walks to the bar and graqbs the cup and drinks it

Zeraph is chained too, then..Looking around the tavern with an expression on his face that could almost be boredom..The buck sighs a little and goes to sit.

Ducking down to retrieve her flask from the floor as they pass it, Keita almost lovingly strokes the bar-top as she is returned to it - this time with a chain attached 'round her neck. Ooh, goodie! She looks 'round the room - especially at the new additions to the captives, the LP hares from the square. Quite a handful of them, actually.

Miyrr is shoved into one of the corners of the bar she's ties with her paws behind her back and her feet to the legs of the chair they set her in. A collar is placed around her neck and tied to the other bindings. Two of the vermin are smacking her around and saying some very rude things they'd like to do to her.

Zeraph watches the others, then his attention is drawn to Miyrr. His ears pin to his head and he straightens. "That's no way to treat a lady..." He growls out at the vermin.

Jonathon gowls at the vermin also with a loud voice he chrges for him

Jonathon then falls down because he is chand up and his neck an arms are chained

Keita's jovial nature dies rather quickly at the treatment one of the patrol types is getting... Jumping up onto the counter-top, as far as her chains will allow her to go, she scowls, "'Ey, now!" Frowning, she looks around for the first thing she can get hold of - and notices the flask in her paw. Scowl! She lobs it at the head of one of the vermin.

Miyrr struggles against her bonds unable to free herself. Muffled cries are heard coming from the corner.

Zeraph jerks at his chains now, unhappily, just staring at them as if thinking about something...This will probably not go anywhere. The LP hare just sighs and looks off again.

Taeura shakes her head as she watches the new 'guests' arrive. "tis a shame, a dirty shame."

Jonathon says, "its a shame for me also im a six foot otter with a small chain on my neck"

Unfortunately, the flask merely hits one of them on the shoulder, and with a scowl, they pick it up and throw it back in Keita's direction. She ducks, quickly, and seeing that she hasn't much choice, she watches grimly.

Zeraph decides not to get himself entangled, so just watches the vermin closely, still again. One ear raises and turns in Jonathon's direction and the buck slowly glances over at the tall otter. Takes in the sight almost thoughtfully. The fighter shakes his head. He seems to be being ignored by the vermin-types, for now.

After a while longer and a few more THUD's are heard from the corner the Vermin, still taunting and joking between themselves, they decide beating Miyrr just isn't /fun/ any longer. They shuffle back out the door they came in bragging and commenting on the stupidity of all these woodfolk.

Miyrr's face is swollen and bloody, her uniform torn and her muzzle dropping as she sits there unconscious only being held upright by her bonds.

Zeraph jerks at his chains again, knowing he can't get to the young doe, but trying anyway. His dark eyes hold an angered sadness. His ears pin backward again. The young buck hates vermin even more as the days go on.

Taeura shouting out to Zeraph, "You' fight them too hard an they'll just make it rougher on ya." she says with compassion in her voice. It was a valient try she thinks to herself wishing that at least some of them could have gotten away. "An if yas get them too upset they wont feed ya either."