Inside The Office Of The New Chieftain-

My monitor Ripfang has been busy and happyly serves his Master Zurrgg=

--This happens in Ferravale in the Chieftains Office--

Zurrgg sits in his chair, yes HIS chair and grins. It was easy to get back into the village when the ones who work for you suddenly turn on the village and basically let him in. Yes some run off and others stayed and joined out of fear. He was their new chieftain weather they liked it or not.

Ripfang enters the office and bows to Zurrgg "Masssssster..it seems Scioto's daughter is missing, what sssssssshould we do, your orderssssss ssssssir?"

Zurrgg looks to the monitor as he drinks an ale "Nothing, she will come to us. She will want revenge I am sure and I shall welcome it as beasts such as that lose quickly, seeking revenge and nothing but murdering the enemy on their mind."

Ripfang hisses as he listens, “What to do with the onesssssssss who refuse to obey ussssssss?"

Zurrgg grins "We give them a choice, death or a cell. Obey or death it’s simple really"

Ripfang nods "Of course massssster, I have also learned of one who still lives, though we thought him dead"

Zurrgg curiosity is sparked "And whom is this. I know Scioto is dead, they most likely took him away somewhere, tried to hid it from the other village beast on who and why they have me as chieftain"

Ripfang answers "Marek livesssssssss, he is alive and is rumored to run the tavern ssssssssssir"

Zurrgg spits out his ale and blinks before growling and throwing the mug to the wall as it breaks and the pieces go to the floor, a rat quickly sets to cleaning it up “How??!!!"

Ripfang steps back "I know not how sssssssssir. For now it’s a rumor prehapssssss not true, prehappssssss to sssssscare you ssssssir?"

Zurrgg glares as he stands and looks at the cell where a couple former guards stay who refuse to join him in his cause, he looks back to the lizard "Well I will have to just make sure if he lives he doesn’t live much longer. I will watch the life light fade from his eyes as well"

A few hours later

"This is a terrible plan." The weasel says as he steps into the town hall. "Well it's the only plan we have left." Bandit steps inside. Like the trio of guards behind him his uniform is stained by the blood, and not their own. Given his past experience with guards turning on him, the fox was ready when his own guards tried to stab him in the back.

And they say paranoia isn't healthy.

"Do we even know if Zurrgg is here?" Markus asks. The quartermaster for the guard is also a fox, a bit a bit of a well fed one, but not nearly to the degree of Bandit. Behind the fox's and the weasel a female ferret steps in with a sword. The last of the sadly, short resistance of the town.

"Where else would he be?" Bandit wastes no time, making a path for the door to the cheiftain's office. A reckoning has come for Zurrgg and when the head guard gets his paws on that fowl feline...

"Zurrgg!" He shouts, "You are under arrest for crimes against the village and the murder of Scioto, now show your miserable cowardly head so that I might put it on a pike..." and kicks the door into the office.

Ripfang is here, it seems Zurrgg is elsewhere and most likely celebrating in the tavern. The monitor hisses low and shows his fangs. Beside him are two tall stoats and a couple foxes "Well ssssssssssemsssssssss lunch was arrived"

There is a pause as the guards take in the sight, trying to decide which is more fearsome, the number of enemies or the monitor lizard. "Ah biskets..." Bandit says.

"Mow them down!" Markus readies his battle ax as the weasel and ferret yell to rally themselves. They follow their head guard as Bandit leads the charge into battle. Bandit moves to fight with the lizard while Markus and the guards engage with the vermin. The head guard begins with a thrust with his claymore towards the lizard’s chest!

Ripfang smirks and uses his tail to slam into Bandit, meanwhile the stoats go for Markus with swords, one fox is injured on the arm but keeps fighting, as Ripfang speaks "Thisssss isssssss fun, Massssster is elsewhere and you are in hisses office!"

The head guard let's out a bark as he is flung into the wall, he grinds his teeth rather than reply, he brings the clay more around and swings it at the lizard’s head.

The guards use their training to keep themselves alive. Parry, block, thrust. The ferret and weasel try to holder their own against the foxes while Markus goes paw to paw with the stoats. He feels a slash across his chain mail and growls. He sends a kick towards one stoat and tries to slay the other with his axe.

The stoats and foxes are well trained as well, and fight fairly well. One of the stoats gets a lucky grip on a guard’s throat and breaks it, well one less guard to worry about as he grins and swings a sword at the quarter master. Meanwhile the monitor ducks Bandit and goes to bite down on the fox's arm if he is able to. A couple more beasts on the side of Zurrgg come in, these being a couple rats who join the fight as well.

"No!" Cries the ferret as she slides her blade into the back of the beast who slew the weasel. She can't pull it free in time and she lets out a silent scream as a sword works her way into her own belly.

The head guard let's out a yelp as the monitors teeth sink into his arm. "Markus!" He shouts. "Get out of here! Run!"

The older fox however stands his ground, Ax ready to slay any beast that draws near. "If we can't get Zurrgg, then we can at least get his monster!" The fox turns, battle ax held high for a powerful swing towards the lizards back.

Ripfang hears the older fox and hisses as he lets go of Bandit and ducks, he then spins around and works quickly, fangs out and aimed at the older fox's neck and he is aiming to kill! Meanwhile a stoat is killed but his brother growls and goes to stab Markus in the back as if the fox need trouble and the rest of the vermin go to grab Bandit and place him in a cell if needed.

The fox let's out a growl even as the monitor sinks his teeth into his neck. His eyes widen as the sword runs him through the back and out his belly. Limbs going limp his ax clatters to the ground. The red fox passes Bandit a look of mixed despair and a strange calmness until the life departs from his eyes.

The head guard can only watch, mouth agap as the vermin grab him by the arms.

And who shows up for the fun, none other than Zurrgg and he is not too thrilled with what he sees. His ears flatten "What is the meaning of this!"

Ripfang turns and bows to his master " Someone wissssssshed to fight you, assssssssssssssssss you see he has failed massssster, he is our captive now and another lies dead." It seems any others with Bandit who lived , got away..an older fox and a rat who worked for Scioto is dead.

"MURDERER!" The fox struggles against his captors, hissing and spitting at the wildcat. For all his usual fancy talk it's all the fox can summon to say. "When I get my paws on you..." by the way the fox fails to free himself it seems Bandit won't be able to anytime soon.

Zurrgg only chuckles at this “OH this is so funny. Well Head Guard of Ferravale, by the way your fired...lock him in a cell he can be a captive and if he behaves maybe I will let him have some company, for now my other guest stays elsewhere they will help me with something.......seee I am taxing the abbey and I found something to make them rethink saying no"

Ripfang chuckles as he looks at Bandit "I do hope Zurrgg lets me.......kill you and eat you, would be enjoyable"

The fox's ears flatten. With a gulp the tubby head guard hangs his head in shame. Maybe...maybe he should have listened to Ferdinand. What good was he going to be now? Locked up and possibly stewed?

But he had to try...he could have ended this madness before it began. He had to try. "You really are mad if you think you can keep the village after this. Even madder if you think Redwall will listen to a...a creature like you." The fox spits as the guards begin to drag him away. "Mark my words Zurrgg! Your days are numbered! You won't get away with this!"

Zurrgg smirks "They will listen once I tell them I have an abbey beast and their life is in their paws. Pay me taxes I let them live, otherwise they get their beast back....dead"

Ripfang tilts his head as the former guard is locked in the cell. It seems the monitor was not there as he went on ahead to rally troops to take over the village. “I sssssssay kill anywayssssssss and attack the abbey. it lacks fighters and they need to know fear massssssster"

A loud series of yelps, barks and downright nasty curses can be heard from the cell as the head guard is disposed of there. The door to the cell closes and the sounds become muffled. The fox can be heard shouting something about keelhauling.

As for the trio of guards brave enough to follow Bandit in their assault on the office only one is left alive, clutching the wound to her stomach as she slowly slips into the dark forest. "You won't...won't get away..." Her voice drops off and her body grows still.

Zurrgg smirks “Already did”

Ripfang hisses as he looks to his leader"SSSSSSO ...what now massster?"

Zurrgg watches the guard die and smirks, he seems to enjoy watching life light fade away, then he looks to his monitor "Clean up the mess..I need to check on our other guest"