Grey Areas
Characters: Kevarr, Amesthyt
Location: Redwall Abbey
RW Abbey: Open Ground
Kevarr leads the way, though she goes slow enough so as not to make it difficult to follow her. Once she reaches the bottom of the stairs, she breathes deeply, and there's something a little relieved in the way she does it.
Amethyst follows the marten outside without much trouble it's wasn't take long ago when she'd last been out here but this time she wont be picking strawberries with the dibbuns. She hopes they're among the ones that 'disappeared'. The rat breathes in the familiar scents of early morning. She knows it's nearing sunrise as it's slowly getting lighter out here and by the squishy sound her sandals make on the slick dew covered grass.
For a few long moment, all there is the sound of the two beasts breathing. Then the marten turns and reaches for one of Amethyst's ears--she's firm about it, but surprisingly doesn't pinch with her claws--"Listen carefully," she whispers. "Are you an Abbeybeast? Nod your head yes, or shake it for no."
Amethyst shakes her head. It's true she is Not an abbey beast. She may have a slight fondness for the dibbuns and maybe one or two of the others but she mostly came here for the ale and feasting.
Mainly the ale.
Another soft breath, a little harsher this time. "...Are you a friend of theirs?"
You say, "Not especially ... Why do you ask? I am of little use to you other than to heal your wounded. The Abbey healers are bound to heal your wounded because that is how woodlanders are. I am /not/ a woodlander."
Kevarr sighs and releases Amethyst's ear. She sounds disappointed. "One last question, then. Are you pleased with what happened today?"
"Would you be if you were in my place?" the blind rat asks. She wants to ask what side the marten is on but that could go very badly. Vermin known for being trustworthy. Amy should know.
Kevarr murmurs, "That's not an answer."
"I wasn't pleased with how I was treated. .... Didn't you want a tour?" Amy asks hoping either the marten will give something away first as Kevarr has the advantage over her to a degree. "What would you do if I was with them?" Amy can tell that while it is getting lighter isn't light enough for an able bodied beast to be able to see well yet and she does still have her staff and healer's knife on her.
"Aye," the marten agrees, and she does begin walking again, though her course is meandering towards the bell tower. "Do?" she repeats after a moment. "I wouldn't do anything. I'm not sure what they would do, though, and I wouldn't go telling them."
"And how would I know that is so, Miz marten?" the rat asks not knowing the other's name yet.
Kevarr smiles slightly, even though the other beast can't see it. "Doubt you can know for sure, not unless you're really familiar with more recent Abbey history."
Amethst says, "I know they have a white fox as champion. .... I don't live at Redwall I was just here for the food an drinks as I said."
Kevarr purses her lips. "So if I was to find a way to open a door for you, would you run?"
"Where to?" the rat asks, "and how long til someone thinks to fill me with arrows from the walltops? Horde beasts aren't known for being very bright."
The marten considers this for a moment, and then asks, proddingly, "Would you /want/ to run?"
Amy rolls her blind eyes, "Where to? I am blind and this place is well guarded no doubt. Running would not be very wise."
"Would you?" the rat asks having noticed the marten isn't getting upset with her for her boldness to talk back so far. Rather suspicious the rat thinks.
Kevarr says very quietly, "No."
"Why?" the rat prods. The role reversal isn't lost on her. "Are you on your chief's side or the Redwaller's?" she asks quietly. The marten seems to be 'good' but then again she could be a very talented actress as well.
Kevarr studies Amethyst, one eye narrower than the other. "I'm not a Redwaller," she states, at last, though it seems as though there's something unsaid on the end of that.
"Nor am I," Amy says firmly. ".... Most woodlanders aren't either," she adds almost as an after thought.
Kevarr gives a rough sort of laugh. "Do I seem like a woodlander?"
Amethyst smirks, "I wouldn't /dream/ of accusing you of /that/."
A deep breath. Then another. "I'm going to say something," the marten says, after another long pause. "And if you tell anyone, if you even insinuate to anyone that I did, they /will/ kill me."
"Say it," 'Bluefin' says then holds up a paw, "But first. Is there a black fox called Anba Hor among your chief's number? I heard the name Anba and wondered if it was the infamous fox. And we are nearing the bell tower. .... It should be empty."
"There is," the marten says, and she doesn't bother hiding the distaste in her voice. "And he's really damned fond of theatrics." She puts her paw on the cooling stone of the bell tower, and then leans over. She doesn't grab Amethyst's ear this time, but she does whisper right into it.
Kevarr whispers, "To honor and protect our friends and brethren, only raising paw to do battle when our life at Redwall is threatened by treachery and the shadow of war; at these times every Redwall creature should show courage, fortitude and obedience to the Father Abbot. Albeit the taking of another life must always be justified and never carried out in a wanton manner." to you.
"That fox was here before ... several times," Amy says quietly nodding toward the tower. "You should have been more careful," she adds showing she also bares no love for the fox. ".... also the squirrel with the injured foot may warrant some watching," she says lowering her voice and turning her face toward the rose garden, though one ear stays back to take in the marten's words.
"Tell me about him?" the marten asks. "And why's that?"
Amethyst shrugs, "There's a song that can't be sung anymore. As for the second, you're a big girl. You can figure it out on your own."
Kevarr mutters as she steps into the bell tower, "I need some help."
Amethyst follows keeping alert should there be anybeast about. "I doubt you'll find a couch in there. Or anything else to sit on for that matter. Floor's kinda hard ya know."
RW Abbey: Belfry
The Belfry of the Bell Tower is an open, airy space, four
great stone arches look out over the abbey grounds and
the woods of mossflower to the north, south and east. To the
west one looks across the threshold of the abbey and out over
the flat lands to the west.
The stairs leading up are made of wood and stop at the stone
ledge around the outside of the tower. Dug deeply into the
stone a great oak beam stretches across the centre of the
tower. It holds up the Matthias and Methusaleh bells, both
attached by thick ropes to support their weight. Above the
bells the roof supports can be seen and the underside of
of the red tiles.
Kevarr runs her single paw over the stonework as she continues further inside. "...Damn, this is eerie." This time, she sounds as though she's talking to herself more than the other beast.
Amethyst leans against a wall and softly sing to herself. Very softly, "In the lea lay a fox so wicked and cruel what killed beasts so much greater than you. He was a great plague to our lives every day and was killet not once nor twicenor thrice but four and yet returned same as before. But we needn't fear for listen and hear. Do you hear the bells at the Abbey? Listen and be still. For th fox is locked up in the belfry and will dwell in the meadow no more. Listen my friend, listen closely. Hear the bells? Do they ring? For the fox is locked in th tower of Redwall and no more shall he roam cross th woods and our homes." The former victory song she'd made up seasons ago doesn't sound very happy this time around. Stupid fox ruined it. "Do you happen to have a name?" the rat asks after a moment as she never did catch what this beast was called.
"Several," the marten replies as she peers upward at the bells, then wraps a paw lightly around one of the bell ropes. "Grey is what I go by these days."
Amethyst nods, "So I heard. He's good at not dying. Shameful really." The rat runs a claw along the wall, "... 'neth th rowan an alder I vigil I'll keep every moment that you are away. ..." The rat sighs a little. "Grey is it? Better than what I got stuck with. .... So on with th tour or has there been a change of plans?" Amy asks.
Kevarr mms. "Well, I think it's a little obvious I probably don't actually need a tour." She gives the bell rope a slight tug, not nearly enough to actually make a sound. "The plan is that I need help, and I'm going to ask you whether you feel like getting involved with something dangerous or not."
Amethyst asks, "What kind of help ... and what do you know of a place called .... Moledeep?"
Kevarr's ears perk. "Moledeep? Not very much. It was...somewhat active when I was here more permanently, but I'm not sure I ever actually went there. I wasn't very welcome and..." She makes a face. "And there are certain things about it that didn't appeal. As for what kind of help, the kind of help that might help Redwall's new guests not stay too long."
"What did you not like about it?" Amy asks, "And do you like swans?" A vague plot is starting to form in her mind though the swan part would be hard to do.
Kevarr shakes her head, again despite Amethyst not being able to see it. "Oh, nothing to do with the moles. I'm just not very fond of tunnels. And...swans?"
"Moles?" Amy blinks then chuckles, "It has been a long time for you. There aren't any moles there. Haven't been for a long time. I'm not too fond of the rules there but it's not a bad place. Not easy to find either. ..... What did you have in mind to deal with our guests?"
Kevarr clears her throat self consciously. "Aye, it has." She peers out into the Abbey grounds. "I'm not sure. We can't do it singlepawed, obviously. Too many beasts. But I was thinking of an old story I once read in the library here. After I ah, learned how to read. How much do you know about Martin the Warrior?"
"Enough," Amy says bluntly as it occurs to her that she is close to mouse size. More so given the size of some of the mice she's 'seen' at the abbey. "What are you thinking, Grey? .... I know at least one beast here that would be of use to us. Maybe two. ...."
"There was a story I read," Kevarr says, eyes narrowing, "happened seasons and seasons ago. Uncountable seasons. The Abbey was invaded by an army of birds, when all the warriors were away. The Champion's wife dressed in his armor and spent night after night scaring the living hell out of the invaders. These beasts, the foxes anyway, they're followers of some god named Zorr. I don't know if that would help or hinder a plan like this. But I think the Abbey's a big place with a history drenched in the blood of idiotic vermin who thought they were more powerful than Martin's followers."
Amethyst says, "I think that's a safe bet. How superstitious is the horde and who are you expecting to dress up like Martin?"
Kevarr grunts. "The rank and file? Very? The leaders, not so much. And I think it shouldn't be just one beast. Or just dressing up like Martin. Too many chances to get caught, if we don't vary what we do." She lifts her paw. "One problem immediately comes to mind. You were betrayed by at least two beasts on the inside. Someone in /here/ opened those wallgates, and then signaled us. They could still be here, and I don't know who they were."
"I was betrayed?" Amy asks, "How do you figure that? What sort of signal was it? ...." A visual signal would be lost on the rat and she hadn't heard anything signal like from anyone other than the marten.
"Torches," the marten replies. "Had to have been two beasts. But the lieutenants were waiting for a signal, and as soon as the torch got waved on the walltop, we were moving inside.
"Interesting. But couldn't it have been luck? .... I don't have any known enemies in the horde and not many friends outside it. Not any that would be here anyway. ...... Are you sure it wasn't someone signaling for you?" Amy asks as the few supects she can think of are either counted for or unthinkable. She doesn't know Bryonn well enough to really count him and Treaglo was in the infirm. "Any idea who was on the walltops?"
Kevarr blinks. "Oh, sorry, I'm. I meant earlier, during the attack. Not right now. If someone was signaling me right now I wouldn't be standing here talking about it."
"Fair enough. ...." the rat concedes. That narrows down the list a bit and could explain why the squirrel and mouse were in the closet earlier. "You said somebeasts signaled us. Where were we when they signaled?" she asks.
Amethyst blinks, "And somebeasts signalling the horde when they were expecting to be signaled betrays me how?"
Kevarr scratches her muzzle. "Okay, betrayed the Abbey, then. That's how everyone got inside. That's why it was such a route."
Amethyst hmms, "So there are beasts in the Abbey that let the horde in? Is that what you're saying?"
Kevarr says, "That's what I'm saying."
Amethyst says, "From what I've heard I wouldn't be surprised if one turned out t be Anba in disguise ... again. Redwaller's can be very stupid. .... You never said who you were going have play dress up."
"Do they need to be mouse size?" Amy asks warily. "The squirrel I mentioned could be useful for this maybe or her mouse friend. ...." she muses.
Kevarr shakes her head. "Not at all. Just a size that's usable. Like I said, it's better if it isn't just one person anyway. And I know a few spots I could stash it for later use."
Amethyst nods, "Anymore to this plan or is that it?" she asks.
"I'll think of some things," the marten hedges. "And get the armor."
Amethyst hmms, "Perhaps we should sleep on it? .... I think we've been gone long enough to be missed by now." The rat listens before walking toward the steps to go back down to the open ground.
Kevarr blows on her paw. "No sleep for me tonight, I think, but aye, you ought to get back to the infirmary before you're missed. Keep your ears open, and try to avoid getting the attention of any of Anba's foxes. I think they're all insane."
Amethyst mutters, "Haven't met one that wasn't. .... champion included. ..." She heads down the steps and crosses the grass to the main Abbey building and disappears.
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