In the Militia Camp

This is a continuation of the Militia Attack story. It makes reference to a story a while back when Derrin joined up with the militia...one I have not...posted yet XD.

Here we find Derrin talking with the leader of this particular group of Militia, Tavis, about the fate of the prisoners.

Derrin belongs to Rorgan. Everyone else belongs to me.

Derrin walks through the tent, thinking back on his conversation with Liam. He figured he would be doing the right thing when he joined the militia, but was he really? It wasn't Liam's fault that he is a vermin, but he had to be bad in some way...right? He shakes his head, ridding himself of the thoughts. Now wasn't the time. He walks towards the command tent and enters, nodding his head respectfully. "You wanted t' see me?"

Tavis is leaning forward over a table along with his other commanding officers, his eyes dart back and forth while poring over a map of mossflower. "...send the scouts to this location. Dylan's camp has to be somewhere in this location..." the mouse orders a beasts to his side before turning to Derrin. "Derrin, just the beast I wanted to see. Congratulations on your latest mission. You are actually turning into a real asset around here. Keep it up and you will be looking at promotion soon enough."

Rorgan breaks into a smile. "Thankee sir. I'm happy t' help anywhere I'm needed." he says eagerly, obviously quite excited. "Is there somethin' you needed me for?" He asks after a few moments.

Tavis gestures for the otter to follow him. He leads Derrin out of the tent as he talks, "It's about these vermin we caught." he says with a sigh, "As you saw on your first day here, not all the dangers to the Militia are bandits and cut throats. There is a small, but growing group of beasts dedicated to defeating us. We believe those beasts we caught were trying to trade swords and armor with the beasts who attacked us from before."

Derrin nods, listening intently. "Do we know where this group might've originated from or where they're based now?" He asks, his mind running through the possibilities. One thing about proving his worth was that Tavis had become much nicer to Derrin over time. It made his life a whole lot easier and made his time here much more enjoyable.

The mouse tilts his head to the side. The camp around them is bustling with about 30 to 40 woodlander beasts, hares, squirrels, mice. They all go about their business and duties, as the sergeant walks down the road between tents and and supplies, "Unfortunately our interrogators were a little...over zealous in their duties. The merchant did not survive long enough to get their location out of him." The mouse doesn't seem too saddened by the ferrets passing. "You were in one interrogation Derrin. Tell me, what do you think of these prisoners? Do you think they know anything we need?"

Derrin shrugs. "If the pine marten we spoke with is t' be believed, then none of the beasts aside from the merchant knew about the weapons. The pine marten said he was a simple traveler, and he said they were goin' t' redwall."

Paws folded behind his back the mouse nods. He suspects the pine marten would say anything not to meet the fate of the merchant but he has actually come to trust the otters judgment, "Pity then, We will have to find some other way to deal with our enemies later." Tavis shrugs, "Good work soldier, I think you have earned a reprieve for all the work you have done for us. After you dispose of the vermin feel free to take a few days off from your duties." The mouse says simply, not a hint of emotion or remorse over what he just told the otter to do.

Derrin smiles and nods politely to the mouse. "Thank you sir. I'll make sure they don't bother anybeast ever again." He makes as if to go, but hesitates. "Ah, but there is one...small question."

Tavis nods and gestures for the otter to continue. "Go ahead, speak freely."

Derrin fidgets nervously. "W-Well among the group was an otter, a-and this otter...well, I've told you about him before. He's the one who battled ageless twice and nearly killed him the second time."

The scarred mouse gives the otter a neutral expression. His eyes narrow and he says, "Go on." in a way to convey that Derrin can still speak freely but should tread carefully.

The otter knew exactly what this tone and expression meant, and he instantly got nervous as a result. "H-He's me mate, and he means a lot t' me. I wanted t' see if there was any way we could spare him."

Still regarding the otter with a neutral expression Tavis raises an eyebrow, "You...know this otter." he nods his head, considering what he says next, "Admittedly the otter is a good fight, under normal circumstances, I might be tempted to try and recruit him." Tavis takes a deep breath, trying hard not to let his anger get into his voice, "But he killed one of our own while taking those vermin. I can't let that slide."

Derrin winces. "Admittedly, that can seem bad, but he was doin' his job as protector. The pine marten told me that's what he was hired t' do. You have t' at least respect him fer followin' through on what he was charged with."

Tavis growls deeply, an impressive feat for a mouse, "Do I also have to respect the fact that I now have write a very apologetic letter to that squirrels family? That his friends will be mourning his loss? The fact that you are down one companion?" Tavis nearly hisses.

Derrin looks at the ground in defeat, barely caring enough to be frightened by the mouse's rant. "Right...I understand sir. The prisoners will be gone by morning." At this point, his voice has now lost its usual cheerfulness and has defected to a flat monotone.

The mouses face softens for a brief moment, he too knows what it's like to fight the ones you used to know. The moment though is fleeting at best and Tavis quickly returns to his normal neutral expression, "We all made a choice, a choice to defend Mossflower against those evil, or those who support it." The mouse tilts his head to the side, "I won't fault you for wanting to protect your friend. I won't force you to kill him off either. I can promise you that his end will be...as quick as we can make it. As for the other vermin, you can use them for snake bait for all I care, just make sure they are delt with."

Derrin takes a deep, but shakey breath, looking back up to Tavis with his eyes tinged slightly red. "Y-Yes sir," He says in a wobbly voice before turning and walking off, his normally wide shoulders slumped and his normally high head hanging along with his tail dragging along the ground. Liam was right. What had he gotten himself into?

Even though the vermin had the luxury of obtaining a tent to be tied up in, the militia had viewed Rorgan as a...special case. True to Derrin's prediction, everybeast in the militia saw Rorgan as a traitor to woodlanders and so gave him a punishment that was significantly more harsh, even for them. In the center of the camp, Rorgan stands tied to a post. His armor and weapons and even his nice underclothing had been stripped from him, leaving him only with dusty brown pants to wear. His body is cut and bruised from creatures throwing various items at him, and his head is hanging with his chin touching his chest.

( A trio of beasts stand next to the otter, two mice and a hare. The brown furred hare seems to be to talking with the otter in a hushed tone. Finely he throws his paws up in discust. Shaking his head as he walks toward Derrin he says out loud, "Bleedin scoundral...I've never seen an otter so stubborn." He turns to Derrin, "Afternoon chap. How goes your day wot?" )

Holding back his own emotions, he waves to the hare. "My day's goin' quite fine actually. Tavis told me I can have a few days off after I deal with the prisoners. Speaking of that, what are you doing with him?" Despite how he feels, he does a surprisingly good job of appearing indifferent.

The hare shakes his head, "I am supposed to be askin the blimy widget what he knows about the weapons in that cart, blasted riverdog...er, no offense, hasn't said a word to me though." Rubbing a paw through his head fur he says, "A lost cause I tell you."

Derrin chuckles. "Well maybe I can get somethin' outta him."

The hare shrugs, "WHo am I to complain? Go for it." He gestures for the mice to take a step back.

Derrin steps forward towards Rorgan, leaning in to whisper, "Rorgan, mate. It's Derrin. Listen, I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, I'm goin' t' try t' get you out of here, but I need some time." As he whispers, he completely fails to remember that the two otters, standing very close together, are almost impossible to tell apart aside from the clothing.

Rorgan barely moves, but he whispers back without moving his mouth. "Come back t'night. You have some explainin' t' do Derrin." He says coldly.

Derrin winces slightly, but stands back, pained to see his friend in this condition. Looking at the hare, he shrugs. "Said he doesn't know anything, which fits what the pine marten told me."

The hare chuckles, "Well that's quite a lot more than he told me!" Shaking his head he says, "Has Tavis said what we are to do with the vermin yet?"

Derrin hesitates for a moment before answering, hoping Rorgan could still hear them. "H-He told me t' deal with them, and t' do so by t'night."

The hare smirks while folding his arms across his chest, "Well, it was certainly nice of em to pass along the buck, wot?" The hare shrugs, "So how do you plan to deal with dem beasties?"

Derrin shrugs. "Not sure yet, but I'm sure I'll think of somethin'." He says, looking back at Rorgan, studying his friend's beaten body.

The hare nods, "Capitol. Heh, I remember the time when the lads would take unwanted prisoners out into the woods and toss them into ol' Ageless's pit. Good Times, Good times. We didn't toss every vermin in there...and in retro spect it probibly wasn't the best idea considering how he escaped. I wonder what ever happened to that old snake anyway." The hare shakes his head, he looks up to see that the weather has once again taken a turn for the worse. "Lovely time of year, ain't it."

Derrin nods, looking up at the sky. "Aye, it is." He says before looking back the hare. "Though if you want t' find out wot happened t' ageless, you can ask him," He points to Rorgan, reasoning that maybe if he can get enough militia members to revere Rorgan, then maybe it'll be a bit easier to get him out.

The hare scratches at his head, "Oh! So that's the otter that beat up that snake, heh, I thought he would be taller."

Derrin shrugs. "He may not be that tall, but he's quite the fighter." After a moment, he realizes what he said and corrects himself. "O-Or so I've heard that is."

The hare chuckles, "I'll believe it when I see it." The hare salutes Derrin, "I would love to stay and chat but, I have my duties to run. Catch you later, wot?"

Derrin nods, waving to the hare. "Right, well I'll talk t' you later then." He says. Once the hare is out of sight, he looks to the two mice. "You two staying as well?" He asks.

The mice nod, "Tavis's orders. He wants this one under a close eye, never mind the fact we are in the middle of a camp." The mouse shakes his head. "We are guarding the otter more from others than preventing him from escaping. Lot of beasts want to have a piece of him after he killed McGreggor.

Derrin winces, nodding. "Aye, I would think so. Well don't let them rough him up too bad. I've got business with him and the rest of the prisoners t'night."

The mice laugh, "Oh we won't let them rough him up /too/ bad. Right?" The other mouse nods with a chuckle. "Riiiiiight."

Derrin lets out a nervous chuckle. "Right, funny...well I'll be back t'night fer a final interogation, so keep him alive till then."