A Nice Quiet Chat..Nope Make That A Not So Quiet Chat

• • • This happen in the Ferravale Jail Cells a little chat between Bandit and Scioto, a couple guards are there, things start out calm and then end far from calm..enjoy ***

Scioto comes into the area of the cell and looks inside as he stands there arms folded behind his back and a couple guards with him, one on each side and they are armed, as is he.

It's been a bad week for bandit. First he was stabbed by a cat in the leg. Then he got lost in the woods trying to find those slavers. Then he was assaulted by a bounty hunter. And no he is rotting in jail for slavery of all things. He sits in the corner eating from a bowl of stew. His meal for the day.

Scioto clears his throat," I need to speak to you fox, your name is Bandit I have been told and do not lie to me, lying will result in pain. There is much against you showing your one of the slavers causing trouble"

The pudgy brown furred fox pauses in eating. Calmly he sets the bowl down next to him. "Really? That's interesting. This is the first time I've heard about it though."

Scioto narrows his eyes, "First heard of what? I sent a guard of mine to the abbey, over half said your a slaver, and that you helped the cat Aster, who is also a slaver. I do not like slavers in or near my village"

Bandit's ears fall flat. His tail droops. "They...they all think I am a..." The fox looks devastated.

Scioto doesn't look happy as he has had several beasts tell him of Bandit, a couple weasels even mentioned him a couple days before his arrest, "A slaver and I repeat I don’t like slavers, I hate them..HATE them, I have dealed with slavers before, one even tried to take over my town, failed fairly quickly"

Bandit responds with anger, "I’m not a slaver! I...I don't even know how I even got the title!" The fox flails his paws in the air. His eyes become pleading, "I don't know why you think I did...this. But I swear. I'm not a slaver." Pirate, merc, rebel, spy yes. Slaver...not so much. Well there were those ships he boarded.

Scioto says, "You will explain yourself to me, I know your name and what I have been told, been recently told someone else is a slaver too so as you can tell I am FAR from happy"

The cat's stern look reminds Bandit just how much danger he is in. Ferrevale's hatred for slavers is legendary. "I...I don't know why I was accused of slavery. Last time I was at Redwall I ran into the cat you mentioned, Aster..."

Scioto is listening to every word, "Go On" He says sternly as he listens, the guards stay beside him as he speaks.

Bandit gulps. "I um...like I said, I've ran into aster twice. Once when she, she shot down a sparrow, and once again near the abbey. She tried to trick me into helping her get slaves. I knew it was a ruse but...I tried to use it against her. She sent me to go talk with a badger and a couple of squirrels. Unfortunately..." Bandit takes a deep breath. The memory is not pleasant for him, "I failed. I tried to warn them but before I could Aster jumped us with her own beasts. I think the badger got away but the squirrels...." He lowers his head in shame. "I should have just gone for help."

Scioto asks, "What is this of you being asked to get the slaves for her?" He watches the fox movements, "And what proof do you have of not being a part of this slaver group? Do you know of anything else?"

Bandit opens his mouth once or twice in shock, how does one prove they are not a slaver? By not...slavering? The fox realizes that he really has nothing that comes to mind to prove his innocence, "I...no...I don't know anything else. I can't prove that I’m 'not' a slaver but...I have no motive. I mean I've fought to defend Redwall. Once as a spy the other time I was up on the walls defending the abbey from Marek! Why would I do this?!"

Scioto blinks at the name Marek, "You helped defend against Marek?..I remember him, he blew up my tavern and even keep me captive a couple weeks, power hungry stoat...me and him did have one thing in common, he hated slavers as well, other than that he was evil. He wanted to take over Mossflower, charge taxes and own a lot of land...the one whom Aster and others, possible you..work for is a slaver and seems worse than Marek..the name Nightfur mean anything to you?"

A glimmer of hope surfaces in the fox's heart, "I've met him once, a long while back when he was trying to kidnap Starlight. Before all this slaver nonsense." The fox looks away and chuckles, "Heh, I always thought Lee was crazy for believing Nightfur was a threat against moss flower. Thought he was looking for someone to blame for his daughters disappearance. Any more...I don't think he is so crazy."

Scioto takes in all that’s said, he hmms when Lee is mentioned, "The head guard of Redwall knows you?"

Bandit blinks. Then blinks again. "Lee? Lee is head guard of Redwall? Since when!?"

Scioto answers, "Recently, seems the hare left to go back to that long patrol place without telling them and now Lee is head guard, what of it? Is he and you friends?"

Bandit remembers what he said before about Lee's missing daughter. It was practical, but not so nice to say about his friend. In the end it was easily twistable into an accusation that he was a...Bandit's eyes widen. His mind implodes as he puts two and two together. "No way..." The fox gasps in shock. No, it couldn't be. Could it? Safana couldn't have...no, that's not possible. The fox sits their dumb founded. Finely he comes out of his trance, "Wha...? oh Lee? yeah. Lee is a friend." He hopes he still is.

Scioto asks, "What else couldn’t be? Explain."

Bandit chuckles, "I just realized that I HAVE been accused of slavery before. By a cat named Safana."

Scioto is quiet and then growls loudly, the guards get a little worried when he goes to draw his sword and..will he kill Bandit? The guards?..No he kills the chair that’s beside the cell with the sword and kicks the now pieces of chair into the wall, the guards decide he can handle this on his own and leave quickly, he growls again and grips his sword and takes a few deep breaths in and out looking at the floor.

Bandit whimpers as the cat leaves. He can only imagine what is going to happen to him. He isn't too familiar with Ferrevale punishments but he has a feeling he doesn't want to find out what the cat has in store for him if found guilty...

Scioto has stormed off, a door slams shut loudly and a loud growl is heard and..varies things breaking, yeah be wise not to brother the cat for couple hours.